Note on the effect of various substances in destroying the activity of cobra poison / by T. Lauder Brunton and J. Fayrer.

  • Lauder Brunton
Date:
[1878]
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Note on the effect of various substances in destroying the activity of cobra poison / by T. Lauder Brunton and J. Fayrer. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    [From the Proceedings of the Royal Society, No. 188, 1878.] “Note on the Effect of various Substances in Destroying the Activity of Cobra Poison.” By T. Lauder Brunton, M.D., F.R.S., and Sir Joseph Fayrer, K.C.S.I., M.D., F.R.S. Received June 20, 1878. In a paper, read some time ago before this Society, by Mr. Pedler, he mentioned his discovery of the fact that the activity of cobra poison was completely destroyed by admixture with perchloride of platinum. This substance, however, could only be regarded as a chemical and not as a physiological antidote to the poison, inasmuch as it had no power to modify or prevent the action of the venom aftex its absorption into the blood. Mr. Pedler expressed his opinion that the proper method of pursuing the investigation was to investigate separately the action of platinum salts and of cobra poison upon the animal body. In the discussion which followed we stated that the method proposed by Mr. Pedler was in the presont instance not likely to lead to any l’esults, and that as the action of the substance em- ployed by him was in all probability due to its simply forming an insoluble compound with the cobi’a poison and not to any action of the platinum per se, certain other metallic salts would have a similar action to the perchloride of platinum. Experiments have confirmed the opinion we then expressed,* and we find tbe action of chloride of gold is precisely similar to that of perchloride of platinum, the cobra venom being rendered entirely inert by admixture with the gold salt before its injection into the body. Chloride of gold, however, like perchloride of platinum, is merely a chemical antidote, and does not modify the action of the venom after its absorption into the circulation. Permanganate of potash, which has been recommended as an anti- dote, also destroys its activity completely. Chloride of zinc, chloride of mercury, nitrate of silver, and carbolic acid all diminish the activity of the poison, and prolong life when mixed with it before its injection; but they do not prevent death, nor do they pro- long life to any great extent. Perchloride of iron has vei’y much * Tho Poison of the Cobra, by A. W. Blytli, M.R.C.S. “ Tho Analyst,” 28th. February, 1877, p. 204.