Venomous Animals and Their Toxins

Venomous Animals have been a threat to man at all times, in the warm and wilder regions more than in the temperate areas. People in especially dangerous regions know about these risks and live accordingly. However, with modern tourism and nearly unlimited travel oppor- tunities more and more people without experience and knowledge about venomous animals come into contact with them; this book is intended to provide these people with an introduction to the subject. Venomous animals, their habits, their whole ecology and their venoms have been the object or research since the beginning of this century; truly intensive work, how- ever, first started about thirty years ago. Medical treat- ment therefore has been changed by new insights in the mechanism of action and the constituents of the various venoms. In this regard this book is also directed to physi- cians, biologists and chemists to give them an introduc- tion in this important and interesting field. New aspects of treatment of envenomations are reported. This book cannot replace bigger textbooks and monographs - they are cited in the references - but it gives an overview and an entry into this field. The original German edition was written at the request of colleagues and students of medicine, biology and chemistry as well as frequent travellers in tropical countries. It was sold out within eight months, thus showing that it really filled a gap.