Venomous Caterpillars

Abstract

IN Mr. A. Murray's paper on venomous caterpillars in NATURE of May 1, I observe that in discussing the distinction between the terms poison and venom, he says in reference to the action of snake poison:—“It is said that you may swallow the venom of the rattlesnake with impunity, and I imagine you may, if it does not get absorbed through the mucous membrane; but Dr. Fayrer's experience, lately published, of the effects of the semi-swallowing, which occurs in extracting the venom from a poisoned wound would rather seem to show that such extremely virulent venom would penetrate the mucous membrane and act as if actually introduced by a wound, his throat having become dangerously ulcerated from sucking the poison from the wound of a man bitten by a cobra.”