OF SERPENTS. 37 



The learned Dr. M^^^ recommends the Broth or Jelly of Vi- 

 pers J or, as the Antients did, to boil and eat them as a Fifh, or 

 at leaft to drink Wine, wherein they have been long infufed : The 

 Apothecaries fell the Puhis Fiperinus^ which is only dried Vipers 

 puherizedy Heart, Liver, and all other Parts, and pafl through 

 a fine Sieve, Some call it, Aniinal Bezoard. 



B E Z O A R IS a. Perjian Word, Pazahar^ primarily denotes 

 Counter-Poijon, and is applied to feveral chymlcal Compolitions of 

 that Intention. Theriaca, or Treacle, a Name given by the An- 

 tients to various Compofitions, is reckoned good againft Poifon. — 

 The Balis or Foundation of the Compofition is Viper's Flefh *. 



Even in \tartary, an uncultivated Nation, the Viper's Flefh 

 is reckoned to be wonderful good Phylick. In fome of the Ri- 

 vers of Siatn^ are many Crocodiles, which the Siajnefe call Cay- 

 many and ufe them as good Phylick with Succefs -f-. 



I T is fuppofed, when Viper-Catchers were hurt, they imme- 

 mediately cured themfelves by rubbing this njolatile Salt of Vipers 

 into the wounded Part. An Experiment was made by enraging 

 a Viper to bite the Nofe of a young Dog : The Part began to 

 fwell } to which was applied this volatile Salt, and the Dog was 

 very well next day. The Viper was made to bite the Dog again 

 in the Tongue, and no Application being made, he died wuthin 

 a few Hours %, 



On E of the firfl that made ufe of the Viper in medicinal Pur- 

 pofes, was (as my learned Author thinks) Antonius Mufa, the fa- 

 mous Phyfician to OBavius Ccejhr-, of whom Pliny tells, that wbe?2 

 he met with incurable Ulcers, he ordered the eating of Vipers j and 

 by this means they were quickly healed. The fame Author adds 

 from Porphyrins, that the great Greek Phyfician Craterus, very 

 happily cured a miferable Slave, whofe Skin in a ftrange manner fell 

 off from his Bodies, by advifing him io feed upon Vipers^ drefi after 

 the manner of Fifo. Ibid. 



A L A T E eminent Phyfician, fpeaking of Vipers, fays, 



'Tis certain, very noble Medicines are prepared from them, and 

 a Wine from their Flefh, fingular in confumptive, leprous, and 



fcorbutick 



* Cyclopadia. \ Str^ysh Voyages, ad annum 1^50. I. c III p. 29. 

 % Dr. Mead's Mechanical Account, p. 17- 



