150 C. J. MARTIN. 
This resistance may be accounted for by the immunising effect 
the absorption of small quantities of venom from its food during 
the previous week. 
Before considering the experimental results obtained 
animals it is necessary to emphasise the fact that the effects of 
venom introduced directly into the circulation may be ver 
different to those which follow subcutaneous inoculation. These 
differences although no doubt essentially dependent upon tl 
varying rapidity with which the poison reaches the blood, are from 
the peculiar nature of its action on this fluid, of such a kind as to 
be misleading, On reference to the portion of this paper devoted 
to the consideration of the action of snake-poison on blood-plasma 
it will be seen that the venom of Pseudechis if introduced with 
adequate to cause thrombosis, either when directly introduced 
into the circulation or if subcutaneously injected in sufficient 
quantity in a situation favourable for absorption. 
When one sees an animal, within a few seconds or minutes 
after the introduction of the poison, seized with convulsions 0% 
which artificial respiration has no influence, and closely follo 
by death or a condition of profound depression, one might natur 
imagine that the poison had exerted its influence directly 
the nervous system. In the case of such symptoms following 
introduction of the venom of the species of Australian snakes 
have hitherto examined, such a supposition would be erro 
for by opening the animal just prior to death, the venous SY 
would be found to be the seat of more or less extensive throm» 
Intravascular clotting is also in my opinion the exp. 
the convulsions which have been observed by Wall’ and othe® 
to rapidly follow the introduction of viperine venom into Ma" ws 
and which form such a marked feature in the experiments 
ip 
os Wall, Indian snake poisons, their nature and effects.—Allen & ; 
ndon, 1883; Proc. Roy. Soc,, Lond., Vol. xxx11., 1881. 
