The granule of venogen is distinguished from the granule of elaborated venom by its affinity for Unna’s blue, safranin, and fuchsin. The granule of venom has an affinity for eosin; it is never excreted in granular form, but after intracellular dissolution. Venogen is never met with in the lumen of the gland-tube.[6] COLLECTION OF VENOM. Venom can be extracted from the poison-glands of either freshly killed or living snakes. In cases in which the venom of dead snakes has to be collected, the best method of extraction consists in fixing the head of the animal to a sheet of cork and carefully dissecting out the gland on each side. The reptile being placed on its back, the lower jaw is removed with a pair of scissors; two strong pins or two tacks are thrust through the skull, in the median line, in order to keep the head from moving. The poison-fangs are next drawn out of their sheaths, and, without injuring them, the two poison-ducts, which open at their bases, are isolated and tied with a thread in order to prevent the poison from running out. The dissection of the glands is then very easy; they are lifted out and placed in a saucer. The end of the duct is cut between the gland and the ligature, and with a pair of fenestrated or polypus forceps the whole of the glandular mass is gently squeezed from behind forwards, the liquid which flows out being received in a large watch-glass. If pressed for time, a more simple method of operating is to hold the head of the snake in the left hand, with the mouth open and the lower jaw directed downwards. A watch-glass, capsule, or receptacle of some sort, such as a cup or plate, is then introduced by an assistant between the jaws, and, with the index finger and thumb of the right hand, the whole of the region occupied by the glands on each side of the upper jaw is forcibly compressed from behind forwards; the poison flows out by the fangs. * * * * * The extraction of the venom from living snakes is effected in the same manner. The animal being firmly held by the neck, as close as possible to the head, so that it cannot turn and bite; it can be made to eject the greater portion of the liquid contained in its two glands by compressing the latter with force from behind forwards, as one would squeeze out the juice from a quarter of an orange (fig. 85). It is necessary to take care that the reptile cannot coil itself round furniture or other objects in the vicinity of the operator, for if this should happen there would be the greatest difficulty in making it let go, especially if dealing with a strong animal such as a Cobra, Rattle-Snake, or Fer-de-lance.