332 PLOT'S NATUXiAL HISTORY. [Book SXVIII. 



only treads in its track, it will be struck with torpor^* in 

 consequence. 



CHAP. 45. BEMEDIES FOE POISONS. 



In case where persons have swallowed quicksilver/^ bacon 

 is the proper remedy to be employed. Poisons are neutralized by 

 taking asses' milk ; henbane more particularly, mistletoe, hem- 

 lock, the flesh of the sea-hare, opocarpathon,^^ pharicon,^''^ and 

 dorycnium :^^ the same, too, where coagulated milk'^ has been 

 productive of bad effects, for the biestings,'" or first curdled 

 milk, should be reckoned as nothing short of a poison.^^ We 

 shall have to mention many other uses to which asses' milk is 

 applied ; but it should be remembered that in all cases it must 

 be used fresh, or, if not, as new as possible, and warmed, for 

 there is nothing that more speedily loses its virtue. The 

 bones, too, of the ass are pounded and boiled, as an antidote to 

 the poison of the sea-hare. The wild ass^- is possessed of 

 similar properties in every respect, but in a much higher 

 degree. 



Of the wild horse^^ the Greek writers have made no mention, 

 it not being a native of their country ; we have every reason to 

 believe, however, that it has the same properties as the animal 

 in a tame state, but much more fully developed. Mares' milk 

 effectually neutralizes the venom of the sea-hare and all 

 narcotic poisons. Nor had the Greeks any knoAvledge from 

 experience of the urus'* and the bison, -^ although in India the 

 forests are filled with herds of wild oxen : it is only reasonable, 



^^ Cloquet and Ajasson admit the truth of this statement : the latter 

 suggests that it may be owing to electricity. 



'^ It is no longer reckoned among the poisons. 



^^ Juice of carpathum, a substance which does not appear to have been 

 identified ; but supposed by Bruce to have been a gum called sassa, with 

 ■which aloes arc adulterated in Abyssinia, a thing that Galen tells us was 

 done with the carpathum of the ancients. The sea-hare is the Aplysia 

 depilans of Gmelin. It i'S not poisonous. See B. ix. c. 72, and B. xxxii. 

 c. 3. 



^^ A composite poison, probably, the ingredients of which arc now un- 

 known. 18 See Chup. 21 of this Book, 



19 See B. XX. c. 53. 20 g^e B. xi. c. 96. 



^1 On the contrary, cows* biestings are highly thought of in some parts 

 of England ; and a very delicate dish is made of them, baked. 



22 " Onager." 23 gee B. viii. c. 16, and B. xvi. c. 9. 



2* See B. viii. c. lo. 



