102 Chemical and Medical Facts^ yc. 



I have been waiting for an opportunity of examin- 

 ing, by chemical tests, the saliva of rabid dogs ; 

 but none has occurred here, for many years : and as 

 all the carrion here is interred, and our dogs are not 

 very numerous, and pretty well fed, and free to go 

 in quest of weather-beaten bones, which help to neu- 

 tralize the acid in their stomachs, an occasion for 

 making this experiment may not soon present itself. 



The slaver of the rabid animal ought to be washed 

 off the skin, by dashing on it ley or water, as soon 

 as possible ; and especially previously to any opera- 

 tion. A surgeon (of Edinburgh) in cutting out the 

 bitten part, probably from the consequences that en- 

 sued, inoculated by his knife, not having taken the 

 precaution to wash off the superficial saliva, previously 

 to the excision. 



I have seen alkali applied to the bite or sting of a 

 spider. The pain, which was considerable, vanished 

 immediately. 



The Prenanthes alba, the famous Indian cure for 

 the bite of venomous serpents, is here called Gall of 

 the Earth. Its alkali appears to be exUicable in the 

 herbaceous state. Its leaves are lactescent, and every 

 part of the plant is intensely bitter. 



We find alkali in bile, and in the human stomach, 

 in pyrosis sputatoria, without the agency of fire. Its 

 effects in sickening the stomach, are removeable by 

 acid of any kind, or by sour vegetables. 



