92 VENOMOUS SNAKES AND THE PHENOMENA OP THEIR VENOMS 



reduction in the strength of ophiotoxin. Now, the entire volume of fluid 

 after dialysis, usually about 800 c.c, was condensed to 50 c.c. In order 

 to remove the biuret-reacting bodies metaphosphoric acid was gradually 

 added, which separated them out. The excess of the acid must be avoided, 

 as this may redissolve some of the precipitate once formed. The reaction 

 may be slightly acid. The precipitate is then separated from the clear fluid 

 by nitration. The filtrate is found to be highly toxic and does not contain 

 nitrogen. The ophiotoxin is insoluble in alcohol and therefore can be pre- 

 cipitated out from the filtrate by adding sufficient alcohol. 



Faust found that a weak acid reaction with metaphosphoric acid prevents 

 the inactive modification during the condensation of fluidal volume. Its 

 action seems to be peculiar to this acid, because in the same acidity H 2 S0 4 , 

 HC1, HN0 3 , and orthophosphoric acid, as well as tartaric and oxalic acids 

 could not prevent the decomposition of ophiotoxin during evaporation in 

 the air or in vacuo. 



This protective property of metaphosphoric acid was also found to be 

 effective in preserving the activity of the ophiotoxin prepared after Method 

 A. Desiccation at 40 C. did not affect the ophiotoxin if weakly acidified with 

 metaphosphoric acid. 



The ophiotoxin in the dried state is a light, somewhat yellowish amorphous 

 powder. Heated on a platinum plate, it first leaves a voluminous carbon, 

 then burns without ash. It contains no nitrogen, phosphorus, or sulphur. 

 Sodium hydrate solution quickly renders it inactive. 



Elementary analysis of ophiotoxin by Faust on two preparations agreed 

 very well and gave the following: 



Observed (in mean). Calculated. 



C 52.01 per cent (52.11 51.93 52.01). 5227 per cent. 



H 6.76 per cent ( 6.72 6.76 6.81). 6.72 per cent. 



Faust gives the following simple, empirical formula: C 17 H 2e O 10 . The two 

 preparations employed in the foregoing analysis were nearly 5 times more 

 powerful than the original venom, and in spite of the amorphous character 

 he concludes his ophiotoxin to be the pure and single substance. 



Ophiotoxin in watery solution reacts weakly acid, but does not act on 

 carbonate of soda. It can be separated out from watery solution by saturating 

 with ammonium sulphate. Sodium chloride and sodium sulphate do not 

 precipitate it. Salts of heavy metals — copper, lead, mercury — throw it out 

 from an alkaline, but not from an acid solution. 



Faust states that the ophiotoxin may be an animal glucoside and considers 

 the high content of oxygen to be peculiar to some of the carbohydrate com- 

 plexes of the molecule. He did not, however, find any substance capable 

 of reducing copper oxide into the oxidule when the ophiotoxin is boiled 

 one hour with concentrated hydrochloric acid. Thus no reducing sugar is 

 formed in the above treatment, showing the difference from the plant glucosides, 



Differences from plant sapotoxins are (1) insoluble in alcohol; (2) no re- 

 ducing carbohydrate ground; (3) a curare-like action on cold-blooded animals 



