PART II.

CHAP. IV.--Secretion and collection of venom in snakes 147

CHAP. V.--Chemical study of snake-venoms 159

CHAP. VI.--Physiological action of snake-venoms 168

A. Physiology of poisoning in man and in animals bitten by the different species of poisonous snakes (_Colubridæ_, _Viperidæ_, _Hydrophiidæ_) 168

B. Physiology of experimental poisoning 170

C. Determination of the lethal doses of venom for different species of animals 173

D. Effects of venom in non-lethal doses 177

CHAP. VII.--Physiology of poisoning (_continued_). Effects of the various venoms on the different tissues of the organism 179

(1) Action upon the liver 182

(2) Action upon the kidney 183

(3) Action upon the spleen, heart and lungs 183

(4) Action upon the striated muscles 184

(5) Action upon the nervous centres 185

CHAP. VIII.--Physiology of poisoning (_continued_). Action of venoms on the blood 188

A. Effects of venom on the coagulation of the blood 188

I. Coagulant venoms 190

II. Anticoagulant venoms 192

III. Mechanism of the anticoagulant action of venoms on the blood 195

B. Effects of venom on the red corpuscles and on the serum 196

(1) Hæmolysis 196

(2) Precipitins of venoms 202

(3) Agglutinins of venoms 202

C. Effects of venom upon the white corpuscles: Leucolysin 203

CHAP. IX.--Physiology of poisoning (_continued_). Proteolytic, cytolytic, bacteriolytic, and various diastasic actions of venoms: diastasic and cellular actions on venoms 204

A. Proteolytic action 204

B. Cytolytic action 206

C. Bacteriolytic action 206

D. Various diastasic actions of venoms 212

E. Action of various diastases upon venoms 214

CHAP. X.--Toxicity of the blood of venomous snakes 217

CHAP. XI.--Natural immunity of certain animals with respect to snake-venoms 222

CHAP. XII.--Snake-charmers 228