Show the venom of snakes As to tho venom of serpents no distinct chemical principle has as yet been detected in it though such there must be seeing that the effect of the saliva of different poisonous snakes is different the bleed coagulating after a fatal cobra bite though not after that of a rattle inake or a viper it has also been ascertained that if the blood of a poisoned animal be injected into a healthy one the latter will be poisoned in the samo way as if it had itself been bitten although its flesh may be eaten with impunity it is a mistake however to suppose that a snake poison can have no effect unless actually mixed with the blood it will act after being absorbed through such delicate skin as that which lines our lips though its action when thus received is less powerful quarterly review |