396  Heloderma  Suspectum,  Cope.  {^mk^um™' 
The  alcoholic  precipitate  was  again  partly  dissolved  in  water 
(after  the  alcohol  had  been  removed),  and  this  solution  always  had 
a  fatal  effect,  accompanied  by  the  usual  symptoms,  sometimes  so 
suddenly  (a  frog  died  in  fifty-seven  minutes)  that  there  is  all  reason 
to  suppose  that  the  whole  of  the  poison  had  again  been  dissolved. 
From  this  the  important  conclusion  may  be  drawn  that  the  poison 
probably  does  not,  or  at  least  only  to  a  small  degree,  belong  to  the 
group  of  common  albuminous  substances  (albumin,  globulin),  which 
soon  become  so  altered  in  alcohol  that  they  cannot  be  again  dis- 
solved in  water.  On  the  contrary,  the  venomous  principle  ought, 
probably,  to  be  looked  for  among  the  nuclein  substances,  the  albu- 
moses  (albuminoses  ?),  the  peptons,  the  mucoid  substances,  etc. 
If  the  poisonous  liquid  rendered  slightly  sour  by  acetic  acid  is 
boiled,  coagula  are  formed,  as  before  mentioned.  These  are  not 
poisonous  if  well  washed  with  water  ;  but  if  not  washed,  a  more  or 
less  considerable  amount  of  the  venom  is  liable  to  adhere  to  them, 
and  this  venom  may  afterwards  be  soaked  out  of  the  coagula,  and  it 
is  then  even  able  to  cause  fatal  poisoning.  That  which  is  coagulated 
by  boiling  and  is  insoluble  in  water  probably  consists  of  common, 
harmless  albumen.  Thus  it  may  be  seen  that  the  poison,  when 
boiled  with  acid,  remains  in  solution.  On  the  contrary,  with  alco- 
hol it  may  be  precipitated  from  this  solution,  but  may  again  be  dis- 
solved in  water.  These  circumstances  also  point  out  that  the 
venom  is  not  an  albumin  or  a  globulin,  but  belongs  to  the  latter  of 
the  above-named  groups  of  protein  substances.  The  fact  that  the 
poison  is  not  destroyed  by  boiling  shows  that  it  is  not  an  enzym  (an 
unorganized  ferment),  as  these  are  usually  conceived. 
When  the  poisonous  solution  is  brought  into  a  slightly  sour  reac- 
tion by  means  of  a  small  quantity  of  acetic  acid,  there  is  no  pre- 
cipitation. Consequently,  true  mucine  is  not  present  in  any  great 
quantity. 
Since  the  supply  of  material  which  I  was  able  to  obtain  was  very 
small,  it  was  rather  difficult  to  determine  the  chemical  nature  of  the 
venomous  substance  or  substances.  I  therefore  applied  to  my  col- 
league, K.  A.  H.  Mbrner,  Professor  of  Medical  Chemistry  in  Stock- 
holm, who  had  the  kindness  to  undertake  this  work,  while  I  myself 
made  the  experiments  on  animals  required  for  these  tests. 
The  poisonous  solution,  rendered  a  little  sour  by  acetic  acid,  was 
precipitated  by  alcohol  in  excess ;  this  precipitate  was  dissolved  in 
