122 Remedies against the Bites of venomous Serpents. 



presents to our view ? or rather, To whom would they be pre- 

 sented ? Where would be the order or harmony, the beauty and 

 life of this magnificent display? Where the powers of contem- 

 plation and enjoyment ? 



I scarcely think I have any need to take up our time with 

 proving the s\ipcriority of this term over such as — " material sub- 

 stances," " ponderable substances," " inert substances," " vis 

 hiertice^, &c. Sec." 



Passive substances, with their Eubdivisions of souDS, liquids, 

 and GASES included, have this general definition, "Every thing 

 which occupies space." Now we can form no conception of 

 any thing which does not occupy space : — to occupy no space, is 

 to have no existence. This definition therefore is improper ; be- 

 cause it either intimates an impossibility, or must include every 

 thing, even infinitude itself, and of course electricity, galvanism, 

 caloric and light. I propose this slight addition, which removes 

 these objections and qualifies it, ^^ Every thing which occupies a 

 dejinahle space." This is the general definition for passive sub- 

 stances, including'sohds, liquids, and gases. I shall now offer 

 particular definitions to mark and distinguish them from each 

 other; which lias not hitherto been done, as far as I know, with 

 that correctness or peculiarly appropriate description which de- 

 finition requires. 



Solids have little or no tenuity and freedom of motion in 

 their parts ; and they differ from each other in weight, in hard- 

 ness, in transparency, in form, and in colour. 



Fluids possess more tenuity and freedom of motion in their 

 parts; and they differ from each other in density, in colour, opa- 

 city, and transparency. 



Gases possess most tenuity and freedom of motion in their 

 parts; they are also particularly distinguished by compressibility 

 and expansibility ; and they differ from each other in weight, 

 colour, and trq^isparency. 



XXI. Chemical Exar)iination of some Suhstances used in Cey- 

 lon as Remedies against the Bites of veiiomous Ssj-pents. By 

 John Davy, M.D. F.R.S.f 



J.T is well known that certain substances or preparations are used 

 in India by the native empirics or snake charmers, for curing 

 the bites of venomous snakes. As some confidence has been 

 placed ill these nostrums, not only by the Indians but by some 

 of the European settlers, it was interesting to ascertain whether 

 any real virtue belonged to them. This objec»; has been under- 



* See first Essay on Vind'icia''Antlqjicc. — ClassicaJ. Journal, 

 t Commuiiicdtcd by SiiH, Davy. 



taken 



