Sharp County record., 1881-05-12
Is the Toad VenOmOuS :

The common toad (Buto lsntlignosns
Aaericanusy has, as. perhaps some OF
NV mvreaders are aware, two prOtuberances
of about the size and shape OF spit
beans. one on each side OF the body,
lust behind the head. These are glanGs
the parotid-which secrete timex;
white. acrid fluid. soluble in water, and
having a slight acid reaction. Il
toad be taken in the hand, ana one OF
these glands pressed upon with the
hack of a scalpel or similar instrument,
this liquid. which is the poison OF
the toad. will exude in minute drops.
Packard saws The tOads secrete in
the parotid glands bad smelling iuId'
which. applied to tender skins, produ-
ces ervsiDelas." Buckland gives an ac-
count of a man who, having bitten oil
the head of a toad for a wager, was
taken dangerously i'll for some time, his
Inns. tongue and throat swelling IN
most frightfuI manner. Some years
AGO an account appeared IN trenen
journal of a lad who. having captured
a large toad in his naked hand, the skin
of which was abraded, was soon taken
with vertigo and vomitings, and died
in a short time, the poison being ab-
sorbed by the surface of the wound.
Led bv these and other statements in
regard to the poisonous character OF
the European toad, I during the past
summer made a number Of experiments
to ascertain whether its American rep
'resentative was equally venOmOus. My
plan of operating was simply to press
upon one of the glands until a drop OF
fluid exuded, collect this on the point
OF lancet, and then, with few sharp
scratches, usually on one Of the limbs,
innoculate the animal to be experiment
ed upon. Toads vaccinated with their
venom. or that of other tOads, are-un-
like the venOmOus snakes, which quickly
die from the effects OF their own poison
should it be introduced into the blood
not in any way affected. Upon rep
tiles, such as the tortoise, the fluid acts
as a powerful irritant. The wound
made by the lancet, widens, slOughs and
finally leaves a hard, round tumOr, which
is after time absorbed. To pigeons 1t
is a powerful poison. The part innOc-
lated becomes swollen, purple, very hot.
The pigeon, almost unable to stand,
suuats in corners, with shut eyes and
rumDled feathers, refusing food, but
drinking much water. In one upon which
l operated the whole outer muscles Of
the leg sloughed away; but it. like
all l have experimental on, recovered
in few weeks. This secretion has in
my hands proved to oe almost harm
less in its action upon mammals, such
as rats and rabbits; its effect being that
of simple irritant, producing no more
Inflammation than would the same
amount of acetic acid under the same
conditions. Lastly, upon my own skin
only slight redness is produced by the
application of this fluid.
From these experiments, l think we
may Justly conclude that this secretion,
which European naturalists call in the
But0 UulgartS Common toad OF Europe)
the venom is in the B. An1srlCaRuS
incapable of producing in man, even
when brought in contact with an abraded
surface, more than very slight degree
of local Inflammation.
. The use of this secretion is, evidently,
to protect the animal from the attacks
Of carnivorous animals. 1t is we'll
known fact that dog will not take
toad in his mouth. This is because mis-
tongue and lips are burnt by the acid
fluid, and he has learned by experience
it is best to leave toads alone.
But not only is the toad not venom
Gus, it is a most useful little animal,
eating in a single summer thousands Of
injurious insects, thus Kidding the farm
er of one Of his greatest enemies
Ralph W. SeiSS, IN the ". Y Independent.