O F S E R P E N T S. 29 



and thus the Cure may be eafily effr(5led. Not th^t the hot Iron 

 draws out the Poifon, as is vulgarly imagined, but renders the 

 Parts incapable of being penetrated, or afFcdted thereby *. 



B u T to come nearer home, and to a cheap and eafy Antidote 

 againfl the Terpentine and canine Venom, by a certain Experiment 

 lately made in Rngland^ which was thus, njiz. 



....One William Oliver, and his Wife from Bath^ who follow 

 the Bufinefs of catching and felling Vipers, ofFer'd themfelves — ■• 

 to be bit by any Viper, that fhould be procured, trufting to the 

 Virtue of a certain Remedy they had found out by chance in try- 

 ing things, when the Woman was once accidentalJy bitten. 



The ufual known Medicine, tvtn \ht Oil of Vipers^ having no ' 

 Effeft in afTuaging her Pains, they had recourfe to the common 

 Oil of OliveSy which proved an effe<ftual Remedy. The Circum- 

 ftances of the Cafe were 



On the iirft of June^ ^735- ^" ^^^ Prefence of a great num- 

 ber of Perfons, the faid William Oliver was bit by an old black 

 Viper, or Adder, (brought by one of the Company) upon the 

 Wrifl, and Joint of the Thumb of the Right-Hand, fo 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 be- 

 fore the Viper was loofen'd from his Hand : Soon after he felt a 

 Pain refembling that of Burning, trickle up his Arm; in a few 

 Minutes, his Eyes began to look red and fiery, and to water ' 

 much. 



In lefs than half an Hour, he perceived the Venom feize his 

 Heart, with a prickling Pain, which was attended with Faintnefff^ 

 Shortnefs of Breath, cold Sweats : In a few Minutes after this, 

 his Belly began to fwell, with great Gripings, and Pains in his 

 Back, which were attended with violent Vomitings, and Purg-- 

 ings. 



During the Violence of thefe Symptoms, his Sight was 

 gone for feveral Minutes; but he could hear all the while: He 

 faid, that in his former Experiments, he had never defer'd making 

 ufe of his Remedy longer than he perceived the Effecfls of the Ve- 

 nom reaching his Heart ; but this time, being willing to fatisfy 

 the Company throughly, and trufting to the J'peedy EfflBs of the 

 Oily which had never fail'd him, he forbore to apply any thing 



till I 



* Bosrhaave''^7iew Method of Chemijlryy pattiii. procef.io^. p. 213, 



