( i34< ) 



ADDITION, BY THE TRANSLATOR. 



Ir may not be unacceptable to the Reader, to fubjoin a quotation from 

 Dr. Mead's celebrated EfTay on Poifons, and the rather, as the fentiments of our 

 Author, in regard to the nature of the Scorpion's polfon, are exadlly fimilar to 

 thofe of the Uoiftor's, when treating of that emitted from the Viper's fangs ; 

 which animal, being much larger than the Scorpion, might afford Dr. Mead a 

 better opportunity of inveftigating the nature of this fubflance, than Mr. Leeu- 

 wenhoek could have, in the very fmall quantity which he collefled from the 

 Scorpion's fting : and, as we fee that the operations of Nature are performed 

 with the greatell uniformity in cafes which are analogous, it may fairly be 

 concluded, that what Dr. Mead' has faid, refpeding the Viper's venom, may be 

 applied to that of the Scorpion, and of more minute noxious animals. 



Dr. Mead expreffes himfelf on this fubjedl, in the following words : 



* This venomous juice itfelf is of fo inconfiderable a quantity, that it is no 

 ' more than one good drop that does the execution. And for this reafon, 

 ' authors have contented themfelves with trials of the bite upon feveral animals, 



* never eflaying to examine the texture and make of the liquor itfelf; for 

 ' which purpofe, I have oftentimes, by holding a Viper advantageoufly, and 

 ' enraging it till it ftruck out its teeth, made it bite upon fomewhat folid, fo as 



* to void its poifon ; which, carefully putting upon a glafs plate, I have with a 

 ' microfcope, as nicely as I could, viewed its parts and compofition. 



* Upon the firfl: fight, I could difcover nothing, but a parcel of fmall falts 



* nimbly floating in the liquor ; but in a very fhort time, the appearance was 

 ' changed, and thefe faline particles were now fhot out, as it were, mto cryftals 



* of an incredible tenuity and fharpnefs, with fomething like knots here and 

 ' there, from which they feemed to proceed : (o that the whole texture did in 

 ' a manner reprefent a fpider's web, though infinitely finer, and more minute ; 



* and yet withal, fo rigid where thefe pellucid fpicula, or darts, that they remain- 



* ed unaltered upon my glafs for feveral months.* 



* I have tried feveral ways to find out, if 1 could, under what tribe of falts 



* thefe cryftals are to be ranged, and to difcover what alterations they make in 



• A reprefentation of this, taken from Dr. Mead's work, is given in Plate V./^. i6. 



