Taudm41967, VoL 4.pp.303-304. PergamonPressLtd., Printedin GratBritain

ABSTRACTS

GOTLIEB, A. and Faim, D. (Pediatric Dept., Zahalon Govt . Hosp ., Yaffo, Israel). A case ofblack widow spider bite treated by atropine . Harefuah 68, 223, 1965 .

TmE REwRT deals with a single case of Latrodectus venom poisoning treated with two injections of 0"3 mgof atropine . The authors attribute the relief of symptoms to the injections of atropine. They note thatto the best of their knowledge "atropine has not hitherto been recommended for the treatment of spiderbite."

It is well known that the symptoms and signs ofLatrodectus poisoning are often relieved by the injectionof any one of a number of drugs, many of which are unrelated chemically and have uncommon modes ofaction. Also, spontaneous remission of symptoms are not uncommon. According to E. Bogen andF. E. Russell (Los Angeles County General Hospital, CPC, April 16, 1557) spontaneous remission of symp-toms and signs are seen in 20 per cent of the admissions for latrodectism to that hospital . Atropine wastried extensively in the United States around the turn of this century (see S. Calif. Practioner 10, 451, 1895)but was subsequently discarded, although afew physicians still use it in conjunction with morphine wherepain is severe.

In the United States antivenin is the agent of choice in children and elderly persons. In most adults,methocarbamol (Robaxin) appears to give very satisfactory relief of the muscle spasms and pain, headache,sweating, weakness, and nausea and vomiting. Calcium gluconate is also used extensively in this country,although it does not appear to be as effective as the muscle relaxants (Am. .l. med. Sci. 243, 159, 1962) .Finally, some physicians treat all cases of Latrodectus poisoning with morphine, and report good results .

J.A.E.

GRorro, L., GoLDELum, N. and DE VRiEs, A. (The RogoffWellcome Med. Res. Inst., Dept.of Exp. Biol. of the Tel Aviv University ; Beilinson Hosp ., Petah Tikva, Dept . of VirologyHebrew University ; Hadassah Med. School, Jerusalem, Israel). Studies on snake venom

neurotoxins-stability, enhancement of immunogenicity . IsraelJ. med. Scl. 2, 245, 1966.NEuRoToxic venoms from the snakes--Walterinnesia aegyptia, Pseudocerastes feldii, Na/a ngla and Hema-chatus haemachatus were found to be stable when heated at 80° for 15 min and at acidic pH. Boiling for 5min caused no loss of toxicity of H. haemachatus venom and up to 90 per cent decrease in toxicity of thevenoms of W. aegyptla, P. fieldii and N. naja . All these neurotoxins can be bound to carboxymethyl-cellulose, their immunogenicity thereby becoming markedly increased.

A.D.V .

LoRBEisseum, O., CaHmv, I., JosHuA, H. and DE Vitm, A. (The Clinical Lab. and RogofiffWellcome Med. Res. Inst., Tel Aviv University Med. School, Beilinson Hosp ., Petah Tikva,Israel) . Action of Echi.T colorata venom on intrinsic thromboplastin generation . Israel

J. med. Scl. 2,248,1966.THE PRESENT communication deals with the effect of the venomon intrinsic thromboplastin generation (TG)of human plasma .

Experiments were carried out in whichF.chis colorata venom was added to the thromboplastin generationincubation mixture instead of serum, platelet or BaSOradsorbed oxalated plasma. In mixtures devoid ofeither platelets or serum, the venom did not increase the yield of thromboplastin. On the other hand,in an incubation mixture devoid of BaSO,-adsorbed plasma, marked correction of thromboplastin genera-tion was obtained in the presenoe of 6-2 hg ECVper ml ofmixture.

The data obtained in the present study on the effect of ECV on TG, i.e. its ability to substitute forBaSO,-adsorbed normal plasma in the incubation mixture and to correct TO in hemophilia A and PTAdeficiency, points to an action ofECV in a later phase of intrinsic TG . Indeed, Nahas et al. recently demon-strated that ECV activates factor X. In view of the concept that factor X is activated by factor VIII, theability of ECV to correct TO in hemophilia Ais consistent with the interaction of the venom with factor X.

303A.D.V.