An essay on the poison of the cobra di capello / by John Cockle.

  • Cockle, John, 1814-1901.
Date:
1852
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An essay on the poison of the cobra di capello / by John Cockle. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    dosmose, be vitally influenced by Septic agents which have obtained entrance into the circulating channels. And it is undoubted that some sedative influence is thus exerted upon the contractility of the cell, at once destroying its function and its life. Possibly by its very destruction the decomposed elements may, under the influence of the Septic agent, become converted into ferments, and thus disseminate the mischief far and wide. This view is supported by Schmidt [“ Charac : der Epidem : Cholera ”], who has shown that matters are contained in the blood and blood cells, the decom- posed products of which serve as a ferment to the Dia- betic Fermentation and also to that of Urea. And that in various diseases sometimes the one and sometimes the other ferment may be produced. To shed some little light upon these remarkable changes, we venture to paraphrase a portion of Liebig’s views on the nature of Ferments. According to Liebig’s view, most ferments have a constitution analogous to that of Albumen, and it is probable that a number of effects which we are accus- tomed to refer to peculiar vital influences, are deter- mined by the very causes on which fermentation and putrefaction depend. Albumen, Fibrine and Mem- branes when putrescent exert a peculiar influence upon many substances, inducing visible chemical change. It is to be remembered that Majendie had already shown that putrid blood, or bile, &c., applied to a wound, might occasion languor, vomiting, and even death. Those who desire further information, connected with the nature and action of Ferments, are referred to Liebig’s u Familiar Letters on Chemistry,” where the entire subject is treated by the great organic chemist with his usual ability.