The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-24

le harmless grass snake of Italy. Very
hsilerable differences were found 10 0c-
d Ia the doses required TO Kill these ani-
Itls. The admins tratlOu or uOn-letlal
Fes began with from one-tenth to one
Do, and in some cases Onc-nat or the
Rllest lethal dose AT varying inter-
/ IS the doses We're repeated until four
. inve times the smallest letlal dose
I ld be given with no apparent injury.
I FED, rabbits We're rendered capable OF
| living by hypodermic injection from
! Wy 10 fifty times the dose ordinarily
I aired TO kill. The only observable
I MOmena We're a rise in temperature,
I Hh continued for a Few hours, loss
appetite, and a temporary loss of
I Whit for few days. on the other
I N, during the process OF successful
] l1unizatiOn. the animals increased In
/ WHIT, had good appeutes, ana seemed
] m than usually strong and lNely.
/ w the cobra venom he .mmunized cats
/ afwhite rats by both hypOdermic and
| s!pch ADMINISTRATION. y horse was
/ altmmun.zed.
/ tiQDf the poison of one snake afforded
I imnity against that Of another. Ihus,
! rails treated with rdttlesuake poison
! wanot injured by cobra poison. At the
( sal time, il was indicated that animals
! preted against a given venom were ca
/ palOf resisting that venom more effect
| nathan any other The length OF time
| torhich immunity was secured varied
/ cQnerabIy. In one case rabbit winch
/ ha9eceiVed four times the smallest
| dea dose of cobra poison was able TO
/ enoe a double dose thirty-tOur days
| lat9 Another rabbit. which had received
| dDle dose of rattlesnake poison EN-
/ dur without injury a similar dose TWEEN
ty Is afterWard.
Hing thus succeeded in producing a
! higHegree of protection in animals
agat the effects of serpents, venom, the
blOC serum of these animals was coll
lect for the purpose of testing its anti
dOttprOpertes. 1t was found that it
pOslsed such properties i'm high de-
gree Prof. Frazer. therefore. devised a
prOts of drying the serum into a powder
Will could be kept Indefinitely. To this
probation he has given the name of
"ameuene."
I'D Impossible here to describe the nu-
mets and elaborate experiments con
duel by Prof. Frazer. The result of
theiWas, however, to convince him that
theprotecti0n acquired by animals
thrEh the administration of the venom
is used not by the body becoming ac-
cufned to the venom, but rather by
tharesenCe i'm the body, as a result of
defte substance having anti-venOmOus
duties. What this substance Is, and
CNtly how IL acts, are matters as yet
shpded in mystery.
Vth the view of determining the cor
rehess of the common statement that
scents venom is inert or nearly so,
WIN introduced into the stomach of an
anal, cobra venom was administered IN
ineasing doses TO a cat until finally it
hi received a single does eighty times
lEer than the smallest lethal, and TO
Wte rats doses a thousand times as
gat as the smallest lethal were given.
y poisonous symptoms We're produced IN
O. animals by even the largest or these
(antties, and it was found that they
bre for some time thereafter immune
Bainst the action of the venom when in
kcted into their blood. The extraordinary
esult was thus Obtained that serpents'
enOm introduced into the stomach in
arge quantities. while ii failed to produce
NY definite symptoms of poisoning, new
rtheless produced complete protection
gainst the lethal effects Of doses Of
enom more than sufficient TO Kill the
nimals. This seems TO vindicate the
he nractfces vyitfe1y existing among saw
auiVes of South AFRICA, as already
tated are in the habit of extracting
enom from the glands of the most dead
Y serpents and drinking ii that they may
hus be made immune from the effects
f snake bites. Many travellers have in
estigated these practices and have found
nd testified that the natives really do
njoy a cOnsidera BILE degree of immunity.
The results of these experiments proba-
~ also afford an explanation of the pro-
action enjoyed by certain snake-charm-
rs as well as by other individuals vino
ssert that they are protected. For, while
lOculatiOn Of the venom is sometimes
ractised by them, they are known also
, swallow the venom or the dried poison
lso throw a new light upon the protec-
on possessed by VenOmOus serpents
gainsr their own venom and that of
Their snakes of different species.
In the practical administration of anti
enene Professor Frazer urges that the
rst measure taken should be to restrict,
S far as possible the absorption Of the
enom into the blood vessels, by separat-
lg the part which has been bitten from
ne rest of the body by means of a tight
and Then the wound should be opened
18th a knife to a considerable depth. and
rOng suction applied to ii. These things
aVng been done antiVenene should be
ljected into the tissues around near the
Ound ad the ligature should be retain
/ in place or at least half an hour after
Ich injection.
Prof. Frazer admits that there is yet
Iuch to be done toward the perfecting of
he antivenene, though that il viii be done
e has abundant confidence. Even in it's
resent state, however, he believes it to
e valuable and efficaciOus or the cure
large proportion of the snake bites
nat occur. THE attainment of this re-
Mt he says lis a satisfactory one or
he mortality from snake bites is large
nd Is not restricted to the 10000 deaths
hich annually occur i'm India, but in
udes additional thousands i'm all the
Optical and sub-trOpical regions of the
orld. Against this ever-p present and for
idable enemy the inhabitants of these
)untries have for centuries awaited
medy whose antidotal value and limits
curative power have been established
experimental demons trarfOn -