Actions and Medicinal Use of Snake-Venoms

Among the approximately 400 species considered to be venomous, only a few have so far qualified for the inclusion in our materia medica: chiefly Lachesis muta, Crotalus horridus and Naja tripudians (Naja naja). Other species of Crotalus (the Central American Cr. durissus terrificus and the South American Cr. terrificus terrificus under the name of Cr. cascavella), Bothrops lanceolatus (B. atrox), three species of the genus Vipera W. berus, V. redii and V. Russellii), Agkistrodon mokeson under the name of Cenchris contortrix, and lastly Elaps corallinus are still of minor importance. These few represent the most poisonous families fairly well. …

From the foregoing survey it will be obvious to what different degrees the drug pictures of the snake venoms have been elaborated up to the present juncture. Any survey of this kind is bound to be pro tempore and to expose the gaps of our knowledge and experience. On the other hand, this chapter of our materia medics stands to gain in perspicuity, when seen in the broader context with the venoms of other classes of animals, such as spiders, scorpions and insects.

Reprinted with permission from The British Homeopathic Journal, 74, 153, 1958.