Microbiology & Immunology - Theses
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ItemAustralian venoms and care of the envenomed patient( 1979)Investigations described in this thesis were undertaken by the candidate between 1967 and 1979 in the Department of Immunology Research at the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories, Parkville. A number of chapters have been shortened following the publication of relevant papers. The summaries and conclusions are drawn from this published material and only new data presented in the actual chapters. By this combination, advantage is taken of efforts of the editors of journals to compress data and eliminate material of only peripheral interest. The department's involvement in venom research began in a small way with a revival of interest into aspects of the venom of the Sydney funnel-web spider (Atrax robustus). The arrival in the laboratory in 1967 of post mortem samples from a young man whose death followed a bite by a blue-ringed octopus (Hapalochlaena maculosa) added further impetus to the study of venoms. By 1970 it had become clear that although areas of immunological research such as antilymphocyte globulins were promising, the explosion of the population of immunological workers encouraged the writer to direct attention more towards venom research. The use of immunological techniques, particularly aimed at the detection and quantitation of venom, appeared to offer some very interesting avenues for investigation. The eventual development of these procedures had immediate clinical and forensic applications. For the first time specific venom components could be detected in the plasma and urine of human snake bite victims. Apart from forensic uses, clinical syndromes could be ascribed to specific snake venoms and the degree of envenomation at the time of blood sampling accurately determined. More recently determination of plasma levels of snake venom in monkeys has allowed some rationalisation of first aid measures.