12 T. P. ANDEKSON STUART. 



and the different seasons may have their influence. There is a 

 good subject here, and I hope that the offer of the prize by the 

 Council may lead to some one taking it up. 



THE POISON OF THE AUSTRALIAN SNAKES. 



The investigation of the action of the poison of the Australian 

 snakes has been continued by Dr. Martin in the Physiological 

 Laboratory at the Medical School, and towards the expenses of 

 the work the New South Wales Branch of the British Medical 

 Association gave a grant of money. The subject is a very big one, 

 and, from the nature of it, results come very slowly. The work is 

 being done in a systematic manner, beginning with the changes 

 induced in the blood of the victim — and from these it appears, that 

 the blood is so profoundly altered as to become for the time being 

 unfitted for carrying on its functions, and the changes affect both 

 the corpuscular and liquid parts of the blood. These results have 

 been already published. The changes in the heart, and blood-vessels, 

 the nervous system, and the various cell elements of the body are 

 now under examination. The results so far obtained make the 

 Australian snake venom resemble that of the American viperine 

 snakes, though with marked differences in some respects. Such 

 researches always open up side issues, requiring to be followed out 

 in order to throw light on the main line of work. This method, 

 though perhaps slow, is the only sure one. It is only by ascer. 

 taining the physiological action of the venom as it affects the 

 different organs and parts of the body, that a rational method of 

 treatment will be definitely arrived at. And this knowledge of 

 the physiological action must be thorough — as thorough as the 

 present state of the science of physiology permits. It is not 

 enough to cause a snake to bite an animal, and merely stand by 

 and observe what happens. The experimental method must be 

 invoked in all its variations, so as to elucidate the precise action 

 of the venom on the separate mechanisms or organs of the body, 

 for only when in possession of this knowledge can we hope to meet 

 the evil effects of the poison by appropriate remedial measures. 

 There is room for many workers in this field, and I may therefore 



