ARISTOLOCHIA SERPENTARIA. 
Virginia Snakeroot. 
PLATE XLIX* 
I> is probable that this root, like many other 
articles now used in medicine, was indebted to its 
sensible qualities, for its first introduction into 
use. As the name implies, its earliest medicinal 
character was founded on a supposed antidotal 
power against the bite of yenomous serpents. 
Cornutus, at the end of his book on the plants of 
Canada, published at Paris in 1635, tells us, that 
a root had been sent to him from “Notha Anglia,” 
which was called Serpentaria, and in the yernac- 
- ular tongue Snagrgel. This root was a very sure 
safeguard against the bite of a huge serpent in 
that country, which proved inevitably fatal within 
twelve hours, unless a good portion of the antidote 
* Tam indebted to a gentleman in Georgia for the very natural 
drawing of this plant. | 
