HISTOLOGICAL CHANGES PRODUCED BY SNAKE VENOM 209 



ACTION OF SNAKE VENOM UPON THE HEART. 



Sometimes there are small haemorrhages in the periphery, but seldom in 

 the substance. The muscular fibers present a slight fatty degeneration only 

 in cases where extensive histological alterations are seen in the liver and 

 kidneys. 



ACTION OF SNAKE VENOM UPON THE MUSCLES. 



The muscular fibers become necrotic within 30 minutes after the injec- 

 tion. The venomized tissue is infused with a certain amount of albuminous 

 mass rich in fibrine and the extravasated blood. After some hours there 

 appears a number of polymorphic leucocytes between the degenerated mus- 

 cular fascia. These leucocytes steadily increase in number and in one or 

 two days reach the maximum. The muscular nuclei undergo alterations 

 and become elongated or angular, giving an aspect of myoblast-sarcoblasts. 

 In the protoplasma of myoblasts particles of destroyed muscle and fatty 

 globules are frequently seen. 



In the accompanying plate both the longitudinal and cross-sections of 

 venomized muscles are shown. Striated muscles are affected in a manner 

 suggesting a partial dissolution of muscular substance. (Plate 33.) 



