2.24 LEAVES FROM THE 



up between tlie slieets, just as they were about to step 

 into bed. 



The viperine remedy had classical authority for its 

 ministration^ nor did he who had the care of the health 

 of Octavius Caesar find it fail. 



The renowned pliysitian, Antonius Musa, having certain patients 

 in cure under his hand, who had ulcers that were thought incurable, 

 prescribed them to eat vipers' flesh ; and wonderfull it is how 

 soone he healed them cleane by that means.* 



Nor was the great Greek practitioner Craterus less 

 successful. He was called in to a wretched slave whose 

 skin fell from his bones, advised him to eat vipers dressed 

 like fish, and happily cured his patient. Galen and Are- 

 tseus speak loudly in the praise of such a remedy in cases 

 of elephantiasis, and the former relates many stories of 

 cures of that disease by viper-wine. The native of Ton- 

 quin, if we are to believe Dam pier, treats his friends 

 with an infusion of snakes and scorpions, accounting the 

 arrack in which they have been digested not only an in- 

 vigorating cordial, but an antidote against leprosy and 

 all poisons. Dr. Mead, who mentions this as well as the 

 other instances above noticed, states that he was told by 

 a learned physician who resided many years at Bengal, 

 that it is a constant practice there to order in diet the 

 cobra de capello to persons wasted by long distempers, 

 and adds, that the physicians in Italy and France very 

 commonly prescribe the broth and jelly of vipers for 

 invigoration and purification of the blood. He evidently 

 thinks very highly of the remedy, and expresses his 

 opinion that our physicians deal too cautiously or spar- 

 ingly with it. The ancient Romans of distinction, it 

 seems, were seldom without a preparation of this kind, 

 which they took as an invigorator, and as conducive to 

 long and healthy life. The capons which were served up 



* Holland's Pliny. 



