204 VENOMOUS ANIMALS : PROTOZOA TO ARTHROPOD A 



cysts explode, and the filament is ejected and pierces the skin of 

 the animal attacked, and so introduces the poison. 



Zoantharia. — Stings from anemones cause itching and burning and 

 skin eruptions. In its worst form this is exhibited in la maladie des 

 plongeurs [pecheurs d'eponges) of the Mediterranean. According to 

 Dr. Skevos Zervos, the first symptoms are itching and intense burn- 

 ing in the place where contact with the anemone has taken place. 

 A papule then appears, surrounded by an area which at first is 

 red, but may become blue and finally black, and may spread over 

 the surrounding skin to a distance proportional to the virulence of 

 the poisoning. The skin sloughs, and leaves a suppurating ulcer. 

 Dr. Zervos has produced the symptom-S of this disease in a dog 

 by rubbing an actinia, held in forceps, along its abdomen. 



C. Richet has separated two poisonous principles from Anemone 

 scultatus — -viz., thalassin and congestine. Thalassin is not very 

 toxic, producing cutaneous redness, intense congestion of mucous 

 membranes, pruritus, and sneezing. Congestine is much more viru- 

 lent than thalassin, for a dose of 2 milligrammes per kilogramme 

 will kill a dog in twenty-four hours. Thalassin is, however, antago- 

 nistic to congestine, for a dog inoculated with the former will resist 

 an otherwise mortal dose of the latter. 



The application of fat to the skin is said to be a preventative to 

 the venomous action of the anemone. 



Millepora. — Jones has described an acute erythema, with severe 

 pain, followed by papules, pustules, and desquamation, as the 

 result of stings by the hydroids of the hydrocoralline millepores 

 {Millepora alcicornis, M. complanata, and M. verrucosa) in Malaya, 

 where the corals are known as ' Karang gatal,' or itchy corals. 



Trachymedusae. — The jelly-fishes of European waters, such as 

 Rhizo stoma pulini of the Mediterranean and R. cuvieri of the 

 English Channel, are well known to cause local redness, swelling, 

 and urticarial eruptions. 



The jelly-fishes of the tropics produce the same symptoms, but 

 with r;reater severity. The pain is agonizing, and there is collapse, 

 with local swelling and redness. 



The treatment is to give stimulants internally, and to apply 

 alkalis, such as dilute ammonia, to the affected area. Usually 

 recovery is quick, and there are no after-effects. 



Meyer describes a case of poisoning due to the well-known 

 Physalia pelagic a (the Portuguese man-of-war), in which there was 

 severe inflammation and fever. A similar case caused by Cyanea 

 capillata has been recorded by Forbes. 



Porter and Richet obtained a liquid from Physalia containing an 

 active principle, hypnotoxin, which, when injected into animals, 

 caused somnolence and finally death, due to cessation of respiration. 



