398 
ture, which, by combining with or 
decompofing this fubftance in what- 
ever ftate or combination it fhould 
find itin, would thereby render it lefs 
deftrudtive to life. We know that 
vinegar taken into the ftomach af- 
ter opium, in a great meafure de- 
ftroys its effects: the vitriolic acid 
mixed with the poifon of ferpents 
renders it much lefs dangerous (fee 
Fontana): the thieves vinegar was 
found infallible in preventing the 
plague to certain perfons who ufed 
it at Marfeilles, and thereby were 
enabled to go about and plunder the 
houfes of the inhabitants; but were 
pardoned on difcovering by what 
means they avoided the infection : 
it was therefore called Thieves Vi- 
negar. 
Vinegar is found to be a preven- 
tative to the infection inall fevers ; 
and is much ufed in hofpitals and 
the holds of fhips, where there is 
danger of the infection fpreading. 
When the habit is emaciated, afier 
long voyages, bad food, or breath- 
ing confined air, vegetable acids are 
found the only certain remedy we 
know of; anda very few days on 
fhore, after a long voyage, never 
fails to reftore the fhip’s crew to 
their priftine vigour. Acids them- 
felves, as a topical application, may 
be employed where perfons have 
been ftung by venomous animals. 
It is common in the country for 
perfons who have been ftung by 
bees, walps, or even nettles, to rub 
the parts immediately with the 
leaves of forre! or other acid vege- 
table; and I have known vinegar 
applied to gonorrhea and chancres 
with good effect, In the hot coun- 
tries, where people are daily bit by 
ferpents and: other poifonous in- 
fects, they rub the part immediate- 
ly with fome acid vegetables ; but 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
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the moft effectual remedy feems to 
be fucking the part with their 
mouths, as the poifon only is dan- 
gerous when carried into the circu- 
lating fyftem : the Marii and Pfylli, 
brought to Rome from Africa, were 
famous for this kind of remedy. 
It is a curious remark, that fer- 
pents infpire, but are not feen 
to expire; perhaps the phlogift- 
icated air which fhould be thrown 
out by the trahea, ferves in them to 
form the poifon in thofe which are. 
mortal from the bite; and may 
ferve to form that horrible favor 
in thofe which are not poifonous 
by the bite: and to this we may 
aicribe that fafcinating power fo 
curioufly defcribed by travellers,’ 
and which ferves.the animal to take 
its prey, or to defend itfelf. The 
devoted animal, as affected by fome 
convulfive ftupor, unable to extri- 
cate itfelf, grows weaker and weak- 
er, till it at laft drops into the ex- 
tended jaws of its deftroyer. Putre- 
faétion is the immediate and com- 
mon effe& of the bite of the more 
dreadful ferpents: the perion dies in 
moft violent convulfions, fucceede 
ed by a total lofs of irritability. Mr, 
Williams, in a very ingenious pas 
per in the Afiatic Refearches, recom- 
mends (as in cates of fufpended ani- 
mation before mentioned) every 
ftimulus that can roufe nature. to 
firuggle with the difeafe ; and that 
volatile alkali was a moft efficacious 
application. 
and Mead, it helps to throw off the 
effects of laurel water, and is efficas 
gious even in hydrophobia. 
Mr. Bruce and. Savary, in their 
accounts of Egypt, defcribe a com; 
mon practice of charming ferpentsy 
which is by. rubbing their naked 
arms and bofoms with fome fort of 
vegetable; and, to the aftonith- 
maent 
According to Wolfe. 
