CYTOLYSINS IN SNAKE VENOM 



201 



EFFECT OF VENOM ON CELLS OF COLD-BLOODED ANIMALS.' 



For the purpose of this study Flexner and Noguchi employed three differ- 

 ent kinds of cells: (a) nerve cells; (6) spermatozoa; (c) ova. 



Nerve cells : In regard to the neurolysis by venom the nerve cells contained 

 in the pre-oesophageal ganglia of Sycotypus canaliculatus, Modiola modiolus, 

 and Mactra solidissima were employed and seen to undergo rapid disintegra- 

 tion under the influence of venom. For the details I refer to the separate 

 heading "venom neurolysis in vitro." 



Sperm cells: For the study of venom spermatolysis, the spermatozoa of 

 several different orders of animals — the reptilia, arthropoda, vermes, pisces, 

 and echinodermata — were employed. The method of study consisted in 

 suspending the spermatozoa in sea-water or normal saline solution (0.85 per 

 cent) , depending upon the nature of the animal. To the uniform milky sus- 

 pensions the venom in 1 per cent solution was added. The effects were 

 noted in vitro by the naked eye and under the microscope. Below are two 

 typical experiments given to avoid detailed descriptions for each species: 



These two experiments will suffice to show the rapid action of cobra and 

 the weaker effect of water-moccasin and crotalus venom in causing sperma- 

 tolysis. The effect of crotalus venom is, indeed, but slightly injurious, pro- 

 ducing, as it does, agglutination, but almost no solution of the cells. 



1 Mitchell and Reichert observed that the crotalus venom causes the cilia of pharyngeal epithelia to 

 cease their motions, but those of the tunic of oysters remained unaffected. 



