N. B. It is the infinite Number of these little invisible Animals that makes stagnating Waters or Pools appear of so many different Colours, as green, reddish, brown,—according to the several Natures of these little Animals that live therein.

Thus, among Men, we find big and little; Giants and Pygmies: Whether that Disproportion be from meer natural Causes, or by Designation of Providence, I determine not. It is very questionable whether there be a particular Nation of Pygmies; but no doubt is made about the Existence of Dwarfs in many Places as well as Giants. Julia, the Niece of Augustus, had a Dwarf called Canopas, that was about two feet in height. Philippa French, born at Milcomb in Staffordshire, aged about 36, being then married, wanted something of three Feet in height^[30].

On the other hand, we are not without Instances of Men, that were of a gigantick Stature, after, as well as before the Deluge, as Goliah and the Sons of Anak.

In the Days of Claudius the Emperor, Pliny tells us, that one called Gabara, brought out of Arabia, was nine Feet and nine Inches high: He tells us also, of two others in the days of Augustus Cæsar, Iducio and Secundilla, that were half a Foot taller than Gabara^[31]. Maximinus the Emperor, was eight Foot and a half in height. But to come near home:

WILLIAM EVANS born in Monmouthshire, and Porter to King Charles I. was two Yards and a half high. Walter Parsons, Porter to King James I. was about the same height. “Some say, William Evans exceeded Walter Parsons two Inches in height, but was far beneath him in proportion of Body. Tho’ he halted a little, and going out squalling with his Feet, yet made a shift to dance in an Antimasque at Court, where he drew Little Jeffrey, the Dwarf, out of his Pocket, first to the Wonder, then to the Laughter of the Spectators^[32].”

SECTION VI.

The Apparatus in Serpents for their Motion is admirable. How curious the Structure of their Muscles, and their Junction to every Point, whereby they are prepared for their different Motions, and enabled to move according to their different Nature and Situation!

In those that go upon their Bellies, the Movement is very singular, which is in a Form curvilineal, different winding of their Bodies. The Serpentine Line, among Mathematicians, is borrowed from the Foldings of a Serpent in its Motion.

The Learned observe, there is a great deal of geometrical Niceness in the sinuous Motion of Snakes, Vipers, and other Serpents; to assist them in the right Management of it, the annular Scales under their Bodies are very remarkable, lying cross the Belly, contrary to what those in the Back, and the rest of the System do; which Contrivance facilitates their Motion. This tortuous creeping Motion of the Reptile Species is very curious: The whole Body of a Worm is, as it were, but a Chain of annular or spiral Muscles, whose round Fibres, by contracting, make each Ring more strong. The Back-Bones of Serpents are a wonderful Composition: How thick are they with Joints? How numerous and strong are their co-operating Muscles? By this curious Articulation of the Joints, they can turn and wind their Bodies any way without any difficulty.

The Outside of their Skin is a most elegant Composition: to a common Eye, their Tegument has a rugged uneven Aspect; but, to a proper Judge, the Scales of Vipers are found to be a most exquisite Piece of Mechanism; the Symmetry of the whole is geometrically exact, and vastly beautiful; not imitable by human Skill: Some of them are guarded by a coverture not penetrable by a human Arm, which is their Security in a perilous Situation; yea, a greater Security than many innocent Inhabitants of the Field are privileged with. Among Serpents, some are clothed as with a Coat of Mail, i. e. an Armature of strong Scales; and such of them as want that crustaceous Covering, have either a Sting in the Tail, or a Tooth in their Mouth, that bids the Assailant keep off, and observe his Distance.

SECTION VII.

What is Poison? I answer, that, generally speaking, ’tis taken to be a malignant Quality in some Vegetables, Minerals, and Animals, a small Quantity of which is hurtful, and even mortal, &c.

The Learned in the Faculty tell us, Poisons operate in various manners; some by dissolving the Blood, others by coagulating it, and some by corroding and destroying the Solids. The Learned Sir Hans Sloane says, “Some attack equally all Parts, some only a particular one. Thus the Lepus Marinus is an Enemy to the Lungs, Cantharides to the Bladder^[33].”

Some Vegetables again, which prove Poison to Man, serve for Food to other Animals. Thus, says that learned Gentleman, Mandragora and Jusquiamnus that feed Hogs, kill Man.

HEMLOCK, that is hurtful to Man, is wholesome for Goats; yea, the Cassavi Plant poisons unprepared; but prepared, is the very Bread of the West-Indians, particularly Jamaica and the hotter Parts, with which they victual Ships. Ibid. Tea is said to be poisonous before it is cured.

This perhaps may serve to obviate an Objection made against the Goodness of the Deity, in planting a Tree in Paradise that had such malignant Influences; because, supposing that it had any Properties, which might tend to the Dissolution of the human System, yet the same Tree might be very salutary and useful to other Beings in the Creation.

Having divided Poison into Three Parts, I shall, in the next Place consider them distinctly.

I. This Contrivance of Divine Wisdom is so universal, that we find, in the vegetable Kingdom, something more than what is merely analogous to Poison, both in Land and Water-Plants; as the Napellus, Cassivi, Nux Vomica, Aconite, Cicuta Aquatica, Solanum Lethale, Aconitum Hyemale. Some Poisons are of a Narcotic Quality, as Poppy and Henbane—being taken in too great a Quantity, become poisonous. I shall only add some Instances of Persons kill’d by eating poisonous Plants, Roots, and Herbs. The Wife of W. Matthews, near Salop, who having gathered a Quantity of Dog-Mercury, which she took to be another Herb, boiled it for their Supper, which very sensibly affected the whole Family. One of the Children slept from Thursday Night till Monday Evening, then just opened her Eyes, and died immediately. The other two Children slept about 24 Hours, and, upon their awakening, fell a vomiting and purging, which, ’tis thought, saved their Lives^[34]. A certain Woman near Kilkenny in Ireland, eating by mistake, a Hemlock-Root among Parsnips, was immediately seized with a Raving and Madness. Ibid.

Eight young Lads went a fishing to a Brook near Clonmel in Ireland, and there meeting with a great Parcel of Oenanthe Aquatica succo viroso, they mistook the Roots of it for Sium Aquaticum Roots, and did eat heartily of them. About four or five hours after coming home, the eldest of them, on a sudden, fell down backwards, and lay kicking and sprawling on the Ground, foaming at the Mouth; soon after, four more were seized the same way, and they all died before Morning: not one of them having spoken a Word from the Moment in which the venenate Particles surprised the Genus nervosum^[35]. Of the other three, one ran stark-mad, but recovered; another had his Hair and Nails fallen off; the third alone escaped: perhaps it might be owing to a strong Constitution, and eating less of that fatal Root; or perhaps it might be attributed to his speedy running above two Miles home (after he saw one young Man fall) together with his drinking a very large Draught of warm Milk from the Cow, in his midway, and a violent Sweating, which might expel many of those venemous Particles. Ibid.

An Experiment has been made upon a Dog, by giving him the Nux Vomica, which soon poisoned him. The American Physick Nut is said to be so poisonous, that no Animals make a near Approach to it. Wormwood in Persia is so venemous, that if Horses, or any other Creatures, eat thereof, they die immediately; upon which account, say the Duke of Holstein’s Ambassadors, we durst not unbit that day^[36]. The Indians have what they call Juico Juice among them, which deprives such as drink of it of their Reason, and renders them perfect Idiots; tho’ at the same time it leaves them in the perfect Enjoyment of their Health and natural Powers.

CHARCOALS prepared from Vegetables, have a poisonous Quality; for, when kindled, they exhale a Vapour, which, if it be kept up, and confin’d to a close Place, proves fatal. ’Tis said, Charcoal made in Cornwal affords a manifest arsenical and sulphurous Smell beyond others; and yet Charcoal is a commodious Fuel.

Even when the sharp Points of Nettles pierce the Flesh, they instil a kind of venemous Juice into the Wound, which gives a painful Sensation. The Leaf of a Nettle has some relation to a Sting; ’tis covered with very sharp Prickles, whose Base, which is a Bladder of a flexible Substance, has a Hole in the middle, by which this venemous Liquor runs into the wounded Part, and excites Pain.

This may be easily perceived with a Microscope; if a Man press with the Finger, the End of those Prickles against its Base: for then, thro’ these Prickles which are transparent, this Liquor is manifestly seen to mount, and to descend, as the ingenious Mr. Hook assures us, he had often made the Experiment.

In Carmania Deserta, towards the Persian Gulph, they have two sorts of dangerous Shrubs, one called Gulbad-Samour, i. e. the Flower that poisons the Wind, where there are many of these Shrubs. The Wind that passes thro’ them, kills those who are near it. The other is Kerzehre, the Gall of Asses, because it kills those Creatures, and others that eat of it; yea, the Water that falls from it is poisonous. They say, that Part of its Root which spreads to the East is Poison: for which, that on the South-side is an Antidote^[37].——N. B. Is not our Author mistaken? for can any Poison grow in the delicious Plains of the East, consecrated to the Service of the Altar and Knee?

An Overdose of Opium, which is the condensed Juice of Poppies, is poisonous. The Turks take Opium, which they call Affion, without any Preparation, it being merely the Juice of black Poppy, dried in the Sun, without any purification. It is wonderful, that use should make that Liquid which is Poison to us, a Cordial to them^[38].

The Vapour arising from vegetable Liquors during their Fermentation, ought not to be approached too near, because it is poisonous: We have Accounts in the French and German Transactions, of People who were immediately struck dead, by receiving at the Nose the Fumes that issued from large Vessels of Wine in the State of Fermentation^[39].

“I think, says a learned Physician, that God made no Poison, but all things in the World were made for the Use of Man; their chiefest Deleterium is either in the Quantity, or some other Circumstance, as in Lettice, Leeks,—whose Integra are Aliments, the Juices mortiferous. Those things that are pernicious, by their external Form, as beaten Glass, Sponges, have not deserved the Brand of Poison; those that are really lethiferous, are but the Excrescences of Sin, and came in with the Thorns. The Serpent was rather destructive to the Soul than the Body.”

Among the Ancients was a Plant that killed Mice with its bare smell, according to Pliny: The Poets feign it to have sprung from the Foam of the Dog Cerberus, when Hercules dragg’d him out of Hell.

The Aconite Plants also are extremely caustic and acrimonious, in virtue whereof they have produced terrible Inflammations, that end in Mortification. So great was the People’s Dread of this Plant, for its venemous Quality, that they durst not touch it and yet, ’tis said, they made use of it against the Sting of Scorpions, which is supposed to be deadned by the Touch of the Aconite, and restored to its Vigour by that of Hellebore.

N. B. The Root of the Plant is said to cure all Diseases proceeding from Melancholy, as Disaffections from the Hypochondria, Herpes or cutaneous Inflammations.

It is also reported that Arrows dipped in the Juice of Aconite Plants, proved mortal wherever they wounded.

II. The Globe we inhabit, abounds with Variety of Minerals, of a very mischievous Nature; as Arsenic, found in Copper-mines; Orpiment, a Mineral found among Copper-mines, in Stones of different Bigness, Colour and Figure. These, and others of the same venemous Nature, are less or more dangerous, according as their Salts receive a different Force from the metallic Particles.

The Mineral Kingdom is very subject to Damps, or noxious Streams, and often found in Mines, Pits,——and in Kinds various. There are also Exhalations, a sort of Fumes issuing from Body, and diffusing themselves in the Atmosphere. Some make difference between Vapours and Exhalations: The Term Vapour, they say, is appropriated to the moist Fumes raised from Water, and Exhalation, to the dry ones emitted from solid Bodies, as Earth, Fire, Minerals, Sulphur. The nocuous Effluvia sent forth from them may infect the Air, and cause epidemical Distempers, and even new Diseases. About Mines and deep Caverns, are frequently found copious Exhalations continually streaming out, which, in a Moment, destroy any Animal that comes within their reach; so much as the very Insects themselves not escaping: Therefore these Places were by the Ancients called Gehennæ, Averni,—intimating thereby, that a Mineral Pit was Hell, and that Subterraneous Exhalations were Steams from the Fiery Lake.

STRABO takes notice of a Cave or Grotto in Natolia, from whence issue pestilential Vapours that infect the Air: No sooner is any Animal put in, but it immediately dies. Bulls have been put in, and suddenly taken out dead. Sparrows that have been thrown in, dropt down dead instantly.

The Turks fancy it to be haunted by evil Spirits, because those who had the Curiosity to enter it, have either died or fallen desperately sick^[40].

Mineral Poisons are more or less dangerous, as their Salts receive a greater or less Force from the metallic Particles: And hence, as the most virulent may be mitigated by breaking the Points of the saline Crystals, the most innocent Minerals may become corrosive, by combining them with Salts, as is seen in the Preparations of Silver, Antimony, Iron.

Nothing more fatal than mineral Poison, which often brings swift Destruction without remedy. To a large Dog, says the learned Dr. Mead, was given a Drachm of Mercury Sublimate, mixt with a little Bread, who after violent Evacuations, died next Morning. The same Gentleman observes, that in Arsenic is a very noxious quality: the factitious white is the most violent of all kinds, superior in force to Mercury sublimate.

These mortiferous Steams that flow from the Earth, are called Mephites, poisonous Damps; and are very common in Countries fruitful of Minerals and Mines: Damps happen in most of the Hungarian-Mines, not only in the direct Passages, where they walk on horizontally, but also in the perpendicular Descents. Now, to guard themselves against the fatal Effects of these Exhalations, they sometimes clear their way by Fire and the Bellows, but generally by long Tubes or Pipes, reaching from top to bottom, thro’ which they let the Air in and out; and by this Circulation of the Air, they carry on their Work for some time without Danger.

CREMNITS in Hungary (a small Town, reckon’d the chief of the Berg, or Mine-Towns) is famous for its Gold-Mine which has been work’d on 900 Years, where the Workmen sometimes are troubled with pernicious Damps, and many are kill’d by them; and so it happens in the Mines at Schemnits, the fairest of the seven Mine-Towns^[41].

Among the Minerals known to us, there are many more noxious than wholesome and the Power of the former to do mischief, is more efficacious than the Power of the latter to do good; which is evident from the little Benefit the Miner’s Health receives from any mineral Effluvia, compar’d with the great and sudden Damps, that are often caused by the Expirations of Orpiment, Sandarac, and white Arsenic, which is a deadly Poison, and most fatal of the whole Tribe of Fossils. Hence the Refiners dread nothing so much as Arsenic in their Metals; for its Fumes taken into the Lungs kill instantly, and the oftner ’tis sublim’d, the ranker it grows^[42].

MERCURY is extremely volatile, being convertible into Fumes, even by a Sand-heat. Those who practise the Art of Gilding, are but too well acquainted with these mercurial Fumes, which frequently render them epileptic and paralytic, and sometimes throw them into a Salivation. This kind of Poison is found in Friuli, a Province in Italy, belonging to the Emperor, and also in Spain, Hungary, &c.

The miserable People condemn’d, or hired to work in these Mines, all die in a little time: they are so affected with those venemous Fumes, that from Tremors they proceed to salivate, then their Teeth drop.—One of them who had been there six Years, was so full of Mercury, that holding a Piece of Gold in his Mouth a little while, it became of a Silver Colour, and when taken out, it was found heavier than before, ibid. p. 74.

COPPER is another poisonous Mineral, difficult of Fusion, and when fused, if a single Drop of Water do but fall upon it; or any Vessel it be cast in, be ever so little moist, it flies into innumerable Fragments, with incredible Noise, and destroys all the Persons near it. Ibid.

TIN, the lightest of all Metals, when urged by an easy Fire, it shines exceedingly; but this Splendor is succeeded by a sulphurous Steam, very destructive to the Lungs, and throws the Body into a Consumption. ibid.

At Mendip in Somersetshire, those who are employ’d in melting Lead-ore, if they work in the Smoke, are subject to killing Diseases. There is a Flight (or Steam) in the Smoke, which falling on the Grass, poisons the Cattle that eat it. Those who live very near where Lead-ore is wash’d, can’t keep either Dog or Cat, or any sort of Fowl, but they all die in a short time^[43].

Such are the mephitical Exhalations in a little Cavern in Italy, call’d Bacca Venosa, the poisonous Mouth, not far from Naples, but more generally known by Grotto de Cani, the Dog’s Cave; because the Experiment of its poisonous Nature is frequently made upon Dogs; tho’ it be fatal as to any other Creatures that come within the Reach of its venemous Fumes. This wonderful Cave is (situated at the Bottom of a Hill) in Dimension, about eight Foot high, twelve long, and six broad.

From the Ground within it, arises a thin warm Fume (visible to the Eye) which is one continued Steam covering the whole Surface of the Bottom of the Cave; it does not disperse itself into the Air like Smoke, but quickly after its Rise, falls back again into the Earth. The Fumes rise about a Foot high and never higher, and hurt no Creature whose Head is above that height; but when a little Dog, or the Head of any other Creature is forcibly held in the Steam, it falls down dead, the Limbs convuls’d, and trembling; and if left there a little while, it dies, but if taken out soon, and laid in the open Air, comes to Life again, and sooner, if thrown into the adjacent Lake.

CHARLES the Great, King of France, and Emperor of the West (a Title of Honour other Gallick Monarchs have had in full view for some time) made the Experiment upon an Ass, whose Head was held in the Fume, and was soon destroy’d. Two Slaves put in with their Heads kept down to the Earth, were both soon kill’d. To this, I shall add some Experiments made by the ingenious Mr. Addison, who says——

—“A Dog that has his Nose held in the Vapour (within the Cave) loses all the Signs of Life in a very little time.” Then he observes, how long a Dog was expiring the first time, and after his Recovery, and found no sensible Difference. “A Viper put in, adds he, bore it nine Minutes the first time we put it in, and ten the second. When we brought it out after the first Trial, it took such a vast quantity of Air into its Lungs, that it swell’d almost twice as big as before, and it was perhaps, on this Stock of Air, that it lived a Minute longer.

“A Torch, Snuff and all, goes out in a moment, when dipt into the Vapours or Steams of that Cave——A Pistol can’t fire in it. I split a Reed, and laid in the Channel of it a Train of Gun-powder, so that one end of the Reed was above the Vapour, and the other at the bottom of it; and I found, tho’ the Steam was strong enough to hinder a Pistol from taking fire in it—that it could not intercept the Train of Fire, when it once begun flashing, nor prevent it from running to the very end—fire will live in it no longer than in Water, because it wraps itself in the same manner about the Flame, and by its Continuity hinders any quantity of Air, or Nitre from coming to its succour^[44].”

Nor are our Mines in Great-Britain altogether free from these fatal Damps, that have turn’d Coal-pits into Graves. In a Coal-pit belonging to Lord Sinclair in Scotland, seven or eight Men intending to work in a Place where they had been the Day before, but stepping a little further, they all fell down dead, as if they had been shot. The Wife of one of them, venturing to see her Husband, fell down dead as soon as she came near the Corps^[45].

III. We come now to the sensible Region, where animal Poisons reign; that is, Poison drawn from Animals, as the Viper, Asp, Scorpion, Lepus Marinus: and here we are to encounter with an Army of Serpents, and their formidable Train.

When we speak of the Poison of Serpents, we must not suppose it diffused thro’ the whole Body, as some have imagined. Many Errors about the particular Situation of it, have been happily removed by the Learned Dr. Redi, and Dr. Mead, who observes the Viper has always been so notorious for its Poison, that the most remote Antiquity, made it an Emblem of what is hurtful and destructive, but were not agreed from whence the Poison proceeded, whether from the Saliva, the Teeth, the Gall, &c. which leads me to a Passage in the noble Italian, who says:

... That as a certain Learned Society in Italy were debating this Point, one Jacobus Sozzi (audiendi gratiâ) who was allow’d to be present, stationed himself in a corner of the Place, and hearing some of them affirm that the Poison was in the Gall-bladder, fell a smiling; and being ask’d the Reason, he answer’d, that the Serpent’s Gall was an innocent Part: Whereupon, in their Presence, he drank a Glass of Wine, mixt with the Gall of a Viper, without any ill Effect.

One of the Company said, he came thither with his Body prepared by Alexipharmicks. He, to convince them of the contrary, try’d the Experiment upon Dogs, and other Animals, by giving them the Gall of Vipers to drink in abundance, without any Danger ensuing^[46].

In the Debate about the Seat of the Poison, the famous Italian maintains, that all the Venom of a Serpent consists in a yellow Liquor contain’d in a Bladder, at the bottom of its Tooth, which Liquor, upon its biting, by the Pressure of the Bladder, is forced thro’ a Tube within the Tooth, into the Wound, and thence ensue direful Effects. This Hypothesis he supports by a good number of Experiments upon various Animals, which were bit by a Viper, after those venemous Bags were taken out, without any Signs of Poison, or any ill Consequence at all^[47].

Another celebrated Physician maintains, that this yellow Liquid is not poisonous, that he had given it to Pigeons as Food, without their being at all disorder’d thereby.—That the Viper’s Bite, he had always found mortal to Animals, even after the venemous Bag was taken out, as well as before.—That therefore the Poison must lie in the irritated Spirits of the Viper, which it exhales in the Ardor of its biting, and which are so cold that they curdle the Blood, and stop the Circulation^[48].

Both these are ingenious Men; their Systems are opposite, yet both maintain’d by well-attested Experiments. The Publick, however, give into the Sentiments of Seignior Redi, as answering the best to the Mechanism of the Parts.

Seignior Vigani has in some measure reconciled these two Learned Combatants, who alledges, that the yellow Liquor wherewith Dr. Redi kill’d Pullets, &c. after the death of the Viper, was either saturated with the Spirits of the enraged Viper, by whipping it before, or else (as ’tis probable) in the hot and dry Climates of Italy, those Creatures are more venemous than in colder Countries.

This Poison of Vipers seems to lie in their hollow Teeth, because the Mountebanks of old, to impose on the People, used to stop those Cavities, or hollow Places in the Teeth, with some kind of Paste, before they suffered the Vipers to bite them in sight of Spectators; which was commonly done, and succeeded according to their wish;—and sometimes, with a Needle scratch’d the Gums, and press’d out the Poison^[49]. Pliny says, they have but one venemous Tooth.

Dr. Mead, having given the various Symptoms attending venemous Wounds, proceeds to the Remedies; and in particular, mentions the volatile Salt of Vipers, as alone sufficient to do the Work, if given in due time, in proper quantities, and duly repeated^[50].

Mr. Robert Burdet, an English Merchant at Aleppo (in Turkish Asia) was bit by a Serpent about ten in the Morning, and died about three in the Afternoon. The People of that Country say, the only Cure in that Case, is immediately to suck the Wound; but they must rub first their Gums and Teeth with Oil, that none of the Poison may touch any place where the Skin is broken, and spit out immediately what they suck^[51].

The Learned Batavian observes, as a present and effectual Remedy in the Case of the Bite of a mad Dog, or other venemous Animal, immediately to burn the affected Part with a hot Iron, or rather thrust deep into the Wound; for by this means, the Juices about the Part being coagulated, and an Escar produced, all Communication of the Poison to any other Vessels is stopt, and thus the Cure may be easily effected. Not that the hot Iron draws out the Poison, as is vulgarly imagined, but renders the Parts uncapable of being penetrated, or affected thereby^[52].

But to come nearer home, and to a cheap and easy Antidote against the serpentine and canine Venom, by a certain Experiment lately made in England, which was thus, viz.

... One William Oliver, and his Wife from Bath, who follow the Business of catching and selling Vipers, offer’d themselves—to be bit by any Viper, that should be procured, trusting to the Virtue of a certain Remedy they had found out by chance in trying things, when the Woman was once accidentally bitten.——The usual known Medicine, even the Oil of Vipers, having no Effect in assuaging her Pains, they had recourse to the common Oil of Olives, which proved an effectual Remedy. The Circumstances of the Case were——

On the first of June 1735, in the Presence of a great number of Persons, the said William Oliver was bit by an old black Viper, or Adder, (brought by one of the Company) upon the Wrist, and Joint of the Thumb of the Right-Hand, so that Drops of Blood came out of the Wounds: He immediately felt a violent Pain, both at the top of his Thumb, and up his Arm, even before the Viper was loosen’d from his Hand: Soon after he felt a Pain resembling that of Burning, trickle up his Arm; in a few Minutes, his Eyes began to look red and fiery, and to water much.

In less than half an Hour, he perceived the Venom seize his Heart, with a prickling Pain, which was attended with Faintness, Shortness of Breath, cold Sweats: In a few Minutes after this, his Belly began to swell, with great Gripings, and Pains in his Back, which were attended with violent Vomitings, and Purgings.

During the Violence of these Symptoms, his Sight was gone for several Minutes; but he could hear all the while: He said, that in his former Experiments, he had never defer’d making use of his Remedy longer than he perceived the Effects of the Venom reaching his Heart; but this time, being willing to satisfy the Company throughly, and trusting to the speedy Effects of the Oil, which had never fail’d him, he forbore to apply any thing till he found himself exceeding ill, and quite giddy. About an Hour and Quarter after the first of his being bit, a Chafing-dish of glowing Charcoals was brought in, and his naked Arm was held over it as near as he could bear it, while his Wife rubb’d in with her Hand the Sallad Oil, turning his Arm continually round, as if she wou’d have roasted it over the Coals.

He said the Pain soon abated, but the Swelling did not diminish much; most violent Purgings and Vomitings soon ensued, and his Pulse became so low and so often interrupted, that it was thought proper to order him a Repetition of Cordial Potions. He said he was not sensible of any great Relief from these, but that a Glass or two of Olive Oil drank down seemed to give him ease: Continuing in this dangerous Condition, he was put to Bed, where his Arm was again bath’d over a Pan of Charcoal, and rubb’d with Sallad Oil heated in a Ladle over the Charcoal, by Dr. Mortimer’s Direction.——Whereupon he declared he found immediate Ease, as tho’ by some Charm——then fell into a profound Sleep, and after about nine Hours found Rest, awak’d, about six the next Morning, and found himself very well; but in the Afternoon, on Drinking some Rum and strong Beer, so as to be almost fuddled, the Swelling return’d with much Pain and cold Sweats; which abated soon on bathing the Arm as before, and wrapping it up in a brown Paper soaked in the Oil.

The learned Dr. Mortimer, relates the Success of this simple Medicine, tried afterwards on other Animals, who were purposely bitten, both by the same, and by fresh Vipers, to experience the Efficacy of it^[53].

In the Sequel, he has occasion to mention a Remedy for the Bite of a mad Dog, under the Title of Dampier’s Powder, the Composition of which is, viz. ash Colour Groundwort and black Pepper. It was first published by Sir Hans Sloane, in Numb. 237 of the Transactions, A. D. 1720, under the Name of Pulvis Antilyssus; where the Manner of giving it, not only to Men, but to Dogs and Cattle, is accurately set down. The Doctor says, the Lichen Cinereus Terrestris is accounted exceedingly efficacious in curing Dogs bitten by mad Dogs; then adds, viz.

That King James, when Duke of York, caused this Lichen Cinereus Terrestris to be given to a whole Kennel of Dogs bit by a mad one, which were all cured, except one of them, to whom none of it was given^[54].

In Norway, and on a great Moss near Warrington, are many Serpents; and their Wounds are cured by Venice-Treacle.

In Africa, they have an odd Way of curing Persons hurt by Poison; they rub the Venom of Snakes with their own Spittle, between two Stones and having mixed them well, they scratch upon the Wings of the Stomach, and to the Part so scratch’d, which is bloody, they apply a small Part of the Mixture; the rest they take inwardly.——This never fails to expel the Poison in the Wound, or in any other Part affected with it: In about a Month’s time a perfect Cure is made; in order to which, when they judge the Poison is expell’d, they cleanse the Wound, and apply to it the leaves of Buchu, Dacha, and other salutiferous Herbs: But they say, the least Neglect of such a Wound, (be it by a poisonous Arrow, or any other way) is dangerous^[55].

Snake-wood is very common in the Island of Ceylon, (suppos’d to be the Taprobane of Ptolemy) which is much esteem’d by the East-Indians, who, with the Powder of it taken in Water or Wine, cure many Distempers, and among others, the Stings of Serpents, which abound in that Country.

Their Naturalists say, the Virtue of it was first discovered by a small Creature, like our Ferrets, which when stung by Serpents, runs and eats of the Snake-wood, and is cur’d.

Father Regnault, speaking of Poisons, mentions several Methods of Cure, as Incisions, Ligatures, Caustics, Vomits, Oil of Olive, Baths, Treacle, Juice of Citron.

By a Ligature, which hinders the Poison from spreading.

By Caustics, or red-hot Iron brought within a certain Distance of the Wound; because Heat attenuates the Poison by its action, and dissipates it.

This Effect of Poison has some Analogy with that which happens upon syringing (thro’ Curiosity) some acid Liquor into the Veins of a living Dog, or other Creature; for in a short time he falls into Convulsions, and dies. A Decoction of white Hellebore injected into the jugular Vein of a Dog, as soon as it enter’d the Heart, kill’d as suddenly as if shot thro’ the Heart with a Bullet. On January 4, 1679, a Drachm and a half of Spirit of Salt, diluted in an Ounce and half of Water, and injected into the jugular Vein of a Dog, kill’d him immediately. We kill’d a Dog almost in a Moment by injecting into his jugular Vein an Ounce of Spirit of Wine, in which was dissolved a Drachm of Camphire: The same Day we injected warm into the crural Vein of a Cat, 50 Grains of Opium, dissolved in an Ounce of Water, which was soon seized with convulsive Motions, and died within a Quarter of an Hour. We injected an Ounce of Oil of Olives into the jugular Vein of a Dog, which suffocated him the same Moment.