around the woujid. The blood escapes from the blood vessels through holes 

 in the walls, for the walls of the vessels are really dissolved in places. 

 Eed blood cells as well as white escape upon dissolution of the walls of 

 the blood vessels. 



The venoms of different species of snakes dissolve the red blood 

 cells also in a similar fashion. This cell-dissolving substance, which 

 has a peculiarly destructive effect on red blood cells, is called hemolysin. 

 In dogs inoculated with venom the hemoglobin contained in the red blood 

 cells readily crystallizes. It has been found in animals dying from 

 retention of urine, after being bitten, that the tubules of the kidneys 

 are often completely blocked with hemoglobin crystals. The activities of 

 the white blood cells (leucocytes) also are suspended by the action of 

 the venom. Moreover, it has been fo'^^ad that venom contains elements that 

 are agglutinating as well as dissolving for the white cells and that these 

 are distinct from those that affect the red blood cells. 



Biochemical studies have shown that snake venomi possesses four dis- 

 tinct classes of ferment-like substances a"oart from the cell dissolvers 

 (cytolysins) . These are the fibrin ferment and the proteolytic, diastatic, 

 and lipolytic enzArmes. One of the most remarkable effects of both rattle- 

 snake and mocassin bites is the loss or the reduction in ability of the 

 blood to coagulate; it has been found thcit venom contains a powerful ferment 

 that attacks the fibrin (the coagulating element) of the blood. The 

 proteolytic enzyme of snake venom softens the muscles; the diastatic enzyme 

 activates the inactive pancreatic juice, enabling it energetically to attack 

 albuminoids; and the third enzjone has a feeble lipolytic (fat dissolving) 

 action in splitting lecithin and in causing fatty degeneration in the liver. 



The quantity of venom yielded at any one time by our venomouc snakes 

 Varies, in general, in proportion to the size and £jge of the snake, the 

 length of the period of fasting or hibernation, and certain environmental 

 conditions. The pit vipers never inject the entire contents of their 

 glands at a single thrust, the amount injected varying from 25 to 75 percent 

 of the total, usually being about 50 percent. 



Mitchell pu.blished the following observations on the quantity of 

 venom yielded by four rattlesnakes: 



Length, 18 inches; weight, 9-1/2 ounces; capacity of gland, 11 drops. 

 Length, 25 inches; weight, 18 ounces; capacity of gland, 19 drops. 

 Length, 43-1/2 inches; weight, 2 pounds 2 ouiaces; capacity of gland, 



29 drops. 

 Length, S-l/2 feet; ejected 1-1/2 draJP-S of venom at single bite. 



The actu^.l quantity of venom injected into a victim depends largely 

 on the size of the snake, the length of time during which its supply has 

 been accumulating, the depth to which the fang is thrust into the flesh, 

 and the location of the bite. In the majority of cases haman beings recover 

 without any treatment, because the quantity of venom injected is not a fatal 

 dose. 



Mitchell repeatedly pointed out the danger of secondary bacterial 



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