chi9@quads.uchicago.edu (Lucius Chiaraviglio) (02/05/91)
In article <1991Feb4.095746.15291@uqvax.cc.uq.oz.au> paul.savage@carbon.chem.csiro.au writes: > [. . .] Cobra venom is "natural" but we would hardly ingest it by choice. Actually, are snake venoms toxic if ingested? I thought they had to get into the blood or lymph (or CSF, if you're colossally unlucky) to do their dirty work. -- | Lucius Chiaraviglio | Internet: chi9@midway.uchicago.edu
linda@frcs.UUCP (Linda Jacobson) (02/09/91)
Thus spake chi9@quads.uchicago.edu (Lucius Chiaraviglio): > Actually, are snake venoms toxic if ingested? I thought they had to > get into the blood or lymph (or CSF, if you're colossally unlucky) to do their > dirty work. Since they consist mainly of proteins, I imagine they would be digested in the stomach and rendered harmless. I'm not sure I'd like to try, though. Linda Jacobson --- x --- x --- x --- x --- x --- x --- x --- x --- x --- x --- x --- Linda Jacobson, BVSc ...!m2xenix!frcs!linda Dept of Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Science linda@frcs.UUCP Onderstepoort, University of Pretoria, South Africa "I have fought against White domination, and I have fought against Black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." Nelson Mandela, 1964
larry@kitty.UUCP (Larry Lippman) (02/10/91)
In article <1991Feb5.040225.19268@midway.uchicago.edu> chi9@quads.uchicago.edu (Lucius Chiaraviglio) writes: >> [. . .] Cobra venom is "natural" but we would hardly ingest it by choice. > > Actually, are snake venoms toxic if ingested? I thought they had to >get into the blood or lymph (or CSF, if you're colossally unlucky) to do their >dirty work. As far as I know, snake venom is not absorbed through unbroken skin, mucous membranes or the small intestine. Despite my statement above, I wouldn't want to tempt fate and ingest it "by choice" either! Larry Lippman @ Recognition Research Corp. "Have you hugged your cat today?" VOICE: 716/688-1231 {boulder, rutgers, watmath}!ub!kitty!larry FAX: 716/741-9635 [note: ub=acsu.buffalo.edu] uunet!/ \aerion!larry