Blind "worm" — Worm "snake" — Worm Lizard — Part 2

Aniella pulchra, (Gray)

"The arrangement of the teeth and of the glands makes us understand why opinions as to the poisonous nature of heloderma have differed so widely. When an animal seizes its victim only with the front teeth, or does not lie on its back while biting, none, or very little of the buccal secretion may enter the wound. When, however, a vigorous bite has been inflicted, the consequent phenomena have proven the venomous character beyond any doubt, and the hypodermic application of the pure saliva in sufficient doses has invariably proved fatal to the animals experimented upon--rabbits, mice and frogs.

"The first effect of the injection--an inability to sit or stand--is manifested after a short time, about ten to fifteen minutes in frogs, thirty minutes in rabbits. A certain drowsiness, similar to a narcosis, overpowers the animal; paralysis and insensibility seem to proceed from behind forward. The respiration is not laboured, but becomes gradually slower and superficial until the animal expires after a few hours with some hardly noticeable twitchings. The heart has first a period of increased activity, which is followed by gradual paralysis and a great fall of arterial pressure, due to vascular dilatation. While these symptoms appear after a small dose of venom, large doses seem to act directly upon the heart muscle, the animals dying within ten to twenty minutes with dyspnoea and convulsions. . . . The local symptoms, with rare exceptions, are entirely wanting; it is even difficult to find the spot where the venom has been injected. Yet it ought not to be forgotten that a few cases of persons bitten by a heloderma are on record in which extensive and painful local swelling is noted.

"The autopsy shows nothing but a very much dilated heart and an enormous venous congestion of all internal organs. The microscopical examination of the spinal cord, however, reveals extensive changes in the ganglion cells of the anterior horns; in fact, Baily found the changes almost identical with those described as due to the action of snake venom. It is not hard to believe, therefore, that snake venom and the saliva of heloderma are almost identical in chemical composition. . . .

"Treatment.--It is to be expected that the persons bitten by a heloderma will seldom exhibit grave symptoms, except when accidentally a blood vessel has been struck directly. A treatment after general surgical principles will suffice to subdue the local phenomena, while the organism has time to overcome the effects of the injected toxin. Yet a ligature ought not to be omitted, and otherwise the use of anti-venomous serum should be resorted to as well. The similarity of the toxins of snake venom and the saliva of heloderma justifies the administration of the same antidote."

The two species of Beaded Lizards may be generally distinguished, as follows:

Pink, or reddish yellow, and black.

Head mottled with the lighter hue.

GILA MONSTER, H. suspectum.

Pale yellow and black

Head entirely black.

MEXICAN BEADED LIZARD, H. horridum.

Detailed descriptions are given herewith:

THE GILA MONSTER (Pronounced "Heela Monster.")

Heloderma suspectum, (Cope)

Form and surface unlike other lizards; in place of scales, the body is covered with bead-like tubercles or points. Body stout, with short, stubby limbs. Tail short and thick--rounded.

Beneath, the colouration is much the same as above.

Total Length . . . . . 19 inches.

Width of Body . . . . . 3 3/8 inches.

Length of Tail . . . . . 6 inches.

Diameter of Tail . . . . . 1 1/2 inches.

Width of Head . . . . . 2 1/4 inches.