98 VENOMOUS SNAKES AND THE PHENOMENA OF THEIR VENOMS 



Muriatic acid: The treatment of Crotalus adamanteus venom with con- 

 centrated hydrochloric acid did not destroy its death-dealing principles when 

 tested on pigeon. But no local lesion was observed. Neutralization of acid 

 did not change the result. 



Sulphuric acid: The effect on the crotalus venom was not very destructive. 

 Neutralization of acid did not affect the outcome. 



Acetic acid: This did not destroy the crotalus venom when mixed with a 

 small quantity of the venom. 



Hydrobromic acid: The crotalus venom was destroyed by pure hydro- 

 bromic acid, but not entirely by a half-dilution of the same acid. In this 

 series adamanteus and horridus were both used. The action on the cobra 

 venom was very different, as the acid did not destroy this venom so easily as 

 the crotalus venoms. 



Tannic acid: Contrary to their expectation, Mitchell and Reichert found 

 this acid to exert comparatively little effect on the venom of Crotalus adaman- 

 teus. Cobra venom did not lose its activity after the treatment with tannic 

 acid. 



Alum: When added to saturation to the solution of Crotalus horridus 

 venom, it produced precipitate which, when mixed with some water and 

 injected, did not cause death in the quantity of 0.015 g m -> but was f ata ^ w ' 1 ^ 1 

 0.06 gm. 



Chlorine water: 0.5 c.c. of chlorine water (fresh) did not destroy the 

 activity of the venom of Crotalus adamanteus. 



Bromine: As hydrobromic acid the action of bromine is very marked 

 upon the crotalus and cobra venoms. 



Iodine: Produces a dense precipitate, which is non-toxic. 



Iodine and potassic iodide : A saturated solution of equal parts of iodine 

 and potassic iodide caused considerable delay of the action of crotalus venom. 



Potassic iodide: No effect on crotalus venom. 



Potassic bichromate : Almost no effect on crotalus venom. 



Potassic permanganate: Crotalus adamanteus dried venom 0.015 g m * m 

 0.5 c.c. was completely destroyed by 0.005 g m - °f this salt, but not by 0.0038 

 gm. or less. When the amount of potassic permanganate reaches over 0.015 

 gm. it produces local slough. The venom of Crotalus horridus and that of 

 Cobra are likewise destroyed by this salt. 



Peroxide of hydrogen : This powerful oxidizer did not exert any appre- 

 ciable destructive effect upon the venom of Crotalus adamanteus. 



Silver nitrate: Notwithstanding the powerful action of silver nitrate on 

 albuminoids it was found to have comparatively little effect upon the toxicity 

 of the venom of Crotalus adamanteus when used in equal weights. (Venom 

 0.015 g m - + A gN0 3 0.015 g m - in 3 cc.) But in a larger quantity the nitrate 

 destroyed the venom completely. 



Mercury chloride : Dried crotalus or moccasin venom 0.03 gm. + mer- 

 cury chloride 0.03 gm. in 1 c.c. produced precipitate. The precipitate after 

 washing in water was injected into pigeons without showing any symptoms. 



