=. ~~ * 
THE VENOM OF THE AUSTRALIAN BLACK SNAKE. 257 
again became turbid and a second precipitate was formed. This 
occurred whether the fluid were reacidified or not, but under 
the latter circumstances happened at a few degrees lower than if 
the second acidification had not taken place. The mean tempe- 
ratures at which these two coagulations took place in eight experi- 
ments were 82° C., and on raising the temperature to 95° C. no 
further precipitate occurred. After saturation with Mg. SO, 
and ridding the filtrate from excess of the salt by dialysis, in the 
one experiment in which this was done, flocculi appeared between 
83° C. and 84° C., and again at 90° C. 
The virulence or innocence of these albumins is a point which 
is very difficult to determine. Albumin in a soluble condition 
and unaltered is very hard to separate from a solution containing 
proto- and deutero-albumose. We have tried various neutral 
salts and saturation with combination of salts, but in every case 
in which albumin was thereby precipitated, deutero-albumose came 
down also. 
It is not only impossible to separate the albumin from deutero- 
albumose, but also from traces of proto-albumose by the saturation 
methods. For though itis true Mg. So, solution precipitates 
proto-albumose and coes not affect albumin—it is impossible to 
precipitate the whole of the proto-albumose by this method, unless 
acetic acid be added at the same time.* Unfortunately this 
addition of acetic acid to a solution saturated with Mg. SO, 
brings down at the same time any albumin. 
Owing to the virulence of the albumoses present in the venom 
it is essential that any albumin separated, be absolutely free from 
these former bodies, in order to determine whether the albumin 
itself may possess any toxic powers. 
To separate the albumen in an uncoagulated condition we were 
obliged to resort to dialysis. .-5 gramme of dried venom was dis- 
solved in 25 c.cm. of distilled water, and placed in a specially 
prepared dialysing tube made from the muscular coat of a rabbit’s. 
* Neumeister, boc. cit. 
Q—Sept. 7, 1892. 
