ju'Se/?92b^^^'"'"}        Cobra  Venom  and  Its  Effects.  427 
a  wide  range  of  reactions  and  symptoms,  and  in  both  there  is  first 
an  acute,  curable,  congestive  stage,  in  which  serotherapy  is  prom- 
ising. (His  method  was  described  in  these  columns,  August  17, 
191 8,  p.  235.)  He  draws  the  balance  sheet  with  a  most  favorable 
balance  to  the  credit  of  the  procedure  in  appropriate  cases.  La- 
lesque's  review  of  his  thirty  years  of  treatment  of  tuberculosis  at  a 
seashore  sanatorium  is  said  to  be  another  instructive  contribution. 
He  emphasizes  the  importance  of  the  moisture  of  the  sea  air  in 
preventing  congestion  and  hemoptysis. 
A  NOTK  ON  COBRA  VENOM  AND  ITS  EFFECTS.* 
By  Herbert  Ci^ayton. 
The  poison  excreted  from  the  salivary  glands  of  the  cobra  is 
regarded  as  one  of  the  most  deadly  animal  fluids  known  to  science. 
When  freshly  excreted  it  is  a  pale  yellow  liquid,  rather  viscid,  having 
a  specific  gravity  of  about  1.046.  On  exposure  to  air  it  rapidly 
evaporates,  leaving  a  shining,  granular  residue,  which  has  no  definite 
crystalline  form.  The  dried  venom  is  readily  soluble  in  water,  and 
gives  a  feeble  acid  reaction.  The  poison  has  been  the  center  of  many 
investigations,  with  varied  results.  E.  Faust  claims  to  have  shown 
"That  the  essential  constituent  of  the  cobra  poison  is  a  nitrogen 
free  substance,  belonging  pharmacologically  to  the  group  of  the 
picrotoxins,  sapotoxins,  and  sphacelo -toxins."  The  victims  of  this 
reptile  frequently  bear  very  little  sign  of  external  injury,  a  small 
scratch  or  puncture  being  the  only  indication  where  the  fangs  have 
worked  their  havoc.  The  tissue  lying  beneath  the  wound  is  colored 
dark  purple,  and  a  large  quantity  of  viscid  blood-like  fluid  collects 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  wound.  An  intense  burning  pain  at  the  spot 
bitten  is  the  first  symptom.  In  man  there  follows  an  interval 
before  fresh  symptoms  occur.  According  to  Dr.  Wall  the  average 
is  about  an  hour.  Once  developed,  the  symptoms  follow  a  rapid 
course.  A  feeling  of  intoxication  is  produced,  followed  by  a  loss 
of  power  over  the  limbs.  The  patient  is  bereft  of  speech,  swallowing, 
and  the  control  over  the  movement  of  the  lips.  The  saliva  is  ejected 
in  large  quantities,  the  respiration  gradually  becomes  slower  and 
slower,  and  at  length  ceases. 
*  From  Australian  Jour,  of  P harm.,  Feb.  20,  1920. 
