554 



SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



[Nov. 30, iS 



— we will not say recommends — is to bite the lip, and 

 apply this murderous shred of cotton to the wound. 



The venom, thus collected, is an article of commerce, 

 and is used, we believe, successfully in treating the 

 malignant fevers of tropical climates. Like many 

 other products, it is not only sophisticated, but even 

 counterfeited altogether. An eminent firm is said to 

 have sold to a distinguished chemist, at a very high price, 

 a quantity of alleged cobra venom which on examination 

 proved to be merely distilled water mixed with a little 

 gum. 



" To whatever species it belongs," says M. Leverune, 

 " the poison possesses approximately the same proper- 

 ties." This assertion we cannot accept without further 

 evidence, since the effects of the bite of different serpents 

 seem to vary, not merely in intensity, but in quality. It 

 is a ropy liquid of a yellowish colour. If examined with 

 the microscope it is found to contain numerous organised 

 particles, micrococci or microzymas. But these micro- 

 bian elements are not the active principle of the venom. 

 If heated to 230 degs. — 257 degs. F. — it retains all its 

 virtues. If inoculated it does not reproduce itself, and it 

 cannot be cultivated. It is, therefore, not a virus like 

 the poisons of zymotic diseases. 



Prince Lucien Bonaparte isolated from the venom of 

 the viper a proximate principle which he called viperine. 

 Mitchell has discovered the same principle in the venom 

 of the rattle-snake, and has named it crotaline. Crota- 

 line and viperine produce the same effects as the 

 liquids from which they were extracted. If mixed with 

 alcohol, ammonia, potassa, tannin, or iodine, they retain 

 all their activity. 



Iodine certainly diminishes the local affections, but the 

 general effects remain the same. This explains the 

 inefficacy of counter-poisons. 



It must here be remarked that chloride of platinum 

 if added to the venom of the cobra in a concentrated 

 state destroys its virulence. But if the poison be intro- 

 duced into the blood, and the remedy be then applied, it 

 is useless, because it is too much diluted by the blood 

 to exert its efficacy. Moreover, it is unable to overtake 

 the poison if the latter has the start. The fact that 

 serpent-poisons are not ferments, like disease-germs, 

 explains that germicides, such as phenol, salicylic acid, 

 etc., are useless. 



Dr. Winter Blythe discovered in the poison of the 

 cobra a principle to which he gave the name cobric acid. 

 But the deadly secretion is now admitted to be very 

 complex. 



Armand Gautier considers the action of snake-venoms 

 similar to that of the ptomaines, or putrefactive alkaloids, 

 whose effects are analogous. It is known that under 

 certain conditions the albumenoid molecule is split up 

 with a production of alkaloids, for the most part poisonous. 

 These alkaloids, produced in dead bodies, are known as 

 ptomaines. But the living body produces similar bodies, 

 the leukomaines, the residues of nutrition, which are 

 eliminated by different channels. The production of 

 poison is one of the general functions of the living cell, 

 even when its life is not modified by extra-physiological 

 or morbid causes. 



In ^ serpents this function is especially committed to 

 certain cells, and thus contributes to secure the life of 

 the species. 



The venom of serpents is in some degree analogous to 

 the saliva and the pancreatic secretion. But these 

 analogies are superficial. Sen. De Lacerda even thinks 



that it assists in digestion. He injected the pancreatic 

 liquid of venomous serpents into the saphene vein of 

 dogs, which quickly fell victims. This experiment is 

 not conclusive. It results from the researches of Bechamp 

 that the microzymas of the pancreas of various animals 

 are fatal if injected into the veins. The digestive 

 action of the venom has no cause for existence, since 

 the salivary glands and the pancreas exist in all ser- 

 pents, whether venomous or not, and suffice for this 

 function. 



Viaud-Grand-Marais has carefully described the 

 symptoms of snake-poisoning. He divides them into 

 primary, secondary, and tertiary. 



The primary results are pain — often very acute — and 

 swelling. The part wounded becomes livid and grows 

 cold. Then, if the case be severe, the swelling extends 

 along the limb ; then occurs an indescribable state of 

 depression, accompanied with vomiting. The pulse and 

 the respiration become slow, the extremities grow cold, 

 the body is covered with a cold sweat, and the patient 

 dies more or less rapidly after several fainting-fits. 

 These states may follow each other very rapidly ; the 

 primary and secondary symptoms are blended together, 

 and in a few hours all is over. 



In other cases pulmonary congestion and paralysis 

 succeed, and may last for months. Sometimes there 

 remain very durable traces of the poisoning. This is 

 what Viaud-Grand-Marais calls the tertiary effects. There 

 is sometimes a periodical return of pain and swelling 

 on the anniversary of the day when the wound was 

 received. 



Concerning the remedial treatment little can be said, as 

 in case of the more deadly species instant amputation of 

 the part bitten is the only safeguard. Partial success 

 has been attained by keeping up artificial respiration. 

 Some cases of the bite of the rattlesnake and of the puff- 

 adder are said to have been cured by administering 

 large doses of alcohol and keeping the patient constantly 

 in motion. Ammonia injected and applied to the 

 wound is said to have proved successful in Australia. 

 The injection of permanganate of potash is recommended 

 by Lacerda, in accordance with experiments performed 

 in Brazil (with the labarra ?) and in Africa with the 

 horned viper {cerastes). But there is no instance on 

 record of its proving of any value in case of the bite of 

 a cobra, a hamadryad, or a kerait. Couty has thrown 

 considerable doubt on the experiments of Lacerda. The 

 natives of countries inhabited by death-snakes do not 

 seem to have any remedies upon which they rely. If 

 bitten they generally lie down and await their end in 

 fatalistic apathy. 



In certain parts of Southern France the country people 

 treat the bite of a viper by rubbing the wound with any 

 three herbs, no matter what, if only they are of different 

 species ! 



The question may be asked, How, on the principle of 

 natural selection, have certain serpents been able to 

 develop a power of poisoning so far in excess of their 

 needs ? The bite of the cobra is fatal to a man, but the 

 serpent cannot swallow its victim. Moreover, the person 

 bitten has ample time to kill his assailant, so that the 

 poison is of little service as a defensive weapon. 



The Identity of the Native American and Mon- 

 golian Races. — Dr. H. Ten Kate (Science) writes in 

 reply to Dr. D. G. Brinton, who recently denied the 

 Mongolian affinities of the American race. 



