The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-08-21
ANTIDoTE FOR SNAKE BITE
Infallible Remedy Declared to Have
Been Discovered

A series Of experiments with snake
venom has recently been completed in
this city. These experiments were under
the supervision of DR.. G. Langmann,
who, with view to ascertanng the ex-
act chemical nature of snake poison,
maintained large collection of living
venomous snakes. The manner Of hand
ling these formidable creatures is as dan
gerous as, 1t is interesting. A snake is
taken from its cage and placed upon an
operating table. AS the reptile is thrown
from it's coil stick is placed over its
head, firmly pinning 1t down. The an
cry creature is now grasped by the neck,
Immediately behind the head, thus pre-
venting it from turning and biting from
either side. If the reptile is not grasped
in exactly the right place, or if the grasp
Is not firm enough, 1t may quickly turn
and produce fatal wound. During the
entire series Of DR.. Langmann's expert
ments, in which nearly hundred snakes
were constantly handled by him and his
assistants, not a single accident &C.
Cured.
DR.. Langmann's paper on the venom of
serpents, read recently at the New York
Academy of Medicine, excited great in
terest. He described the poison appa-
ratus of the reptiles, saying that it was
in no way connected with the tongue, or
"stinger," as most people imagine, but
consisted of two teeth in the upper jaw.
These are long and hollow, connecting
with gland or sack situated behind the
eye. When at rest they lie folded back
toward the throat. AS the snake bites
these teeth or fangs spring forward
while the venom flows from a narrow
opening at the tip of each. DIR. Lang
mann, in speaking Of the venom, de-
scribes it as pale yellow fluid, subject
to rapid decomposition, in which state
1t emits most repugnant odor. When
excluded from the air he says that it has
been known to retain its full vitality for
more than twenty years. 1t may also be
quickly dried and stored away in a
coarse. granulated condition, and when
redissolved in salt water still retain its
full toxic power. Its effects upon a
warm FLOODED animal are very peculiar.
The venom may be roughly separated
into two parts, one acting upon the blood
and the other upon the nerves. When in
jected 1t Immediately begins to create
terrible destruction in the blood vessels,
the walls of the veins are eaten away
and an internal hemorrhage takes place.
While this is going on a portion of the
venom is attacking the nerves. Particu-
larly susceptible to it's ravages is the
vaso-motor system, nerve center which
controls the muscles of respiration. Par
alysis takes place in these organs, and
the victim generally dies from an inabili-
ty to breathe.
During his discourse DR.. Langmann
dwelt upon the subject of antidotes. He
says that an infallible cure for snake
poison has now been discovered This is
the new remedy known as antivenine.
obtained after some years of study by
DR.. Albert Calmette of Paris. Antivenine
is produced in the same manner as the
well-known anttoxin for diphtheria. A
large animal is injected with a very small
quantity of the poison. After it has re-
covered from the bad effects a slightly
larger dose Is administered, and so on.
In time the creature becomes entirely i'm
mune to the poison. Some blood is now
extracted from it, from which the serum
is separated. This is known as antive-
nine, and Is generally obtained from i'm
munized horses. DR.. Calmette's antidote
has been used with great success in In
dia against the bite of the cobra, and is
now sold in this city.-Philadelphia Led
ger.