Venoms, venomous animals and antivenomous serum-therapeutics / by A. Calmette ; translated by Ernest E. Austen.

  • Calmette, A. (Albert), 1863-1933.
Date:
1908
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Venoms, venomous animals and antivenomous serum-therapeutics / by A. Calmette ; translated by Ernest E. Austen. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    VENOMS. PART 1. CHAPTER I. GENERAL NOTES ON POISONOUS ANIMALS—POISON¬ OUS SNAKES: GENERAL CLASSIFICATION AND ANATOMO-PHYSIOLOGICAL CHARACTERS. I.—General Notes on Poisonous Animals. A LARGE number of animals possess special glandular organs capable of secreting toxic substances called venoms. Sometimes these substances are simply discharged into the surrounding medium, and serve to keep off enemies {toad, sala¬ mander) ; sometimes they mingle with the fluids and digestive juices, and then play an important part in the nourishment of the animal that produces them {snakes) ; in other cases, again, they are capable of being inocidated by means of stmgs or teeth specially adapted for this purpose, and then they serve at once as a means of attack or defence, and as a digestive ferment {snakes, spiders, scorpions, bees). An animal is said to be venomous when it possesses the power of inoculating its venom. Venomous species are met with in almost all the lower zoological groups, in the Protozoa, Cœlenterates, Arthropods, Molluscs, and in a large number of Vertebrates (fishes, amphibians, and reptiles). The reptiles are best endowed in this respect, and it is in this class of creatures that we meet with the species most dangerous