2.24 LEAD'S S YF.O'SL THE 



up between the sheets, just as they vrere 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 Octayius Caesar find it fail 



The renowned physitian, Antonius Musa, having certain patients 

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

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

 scone he healed them cleane by that means.* 



Xor was the great Greek practitioner Craterus less 

 successfid. He was called in to a wretched slaye whose 

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

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

 taetis 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 yiper-wine. The natiye of Ton- 

 quin, if we are to beheye Dampier, treats his friends 

 vrith an infusion of snakes and scorpions, accounting the 

 arrack in wl ich they haye been dis^ested not only an in- 

 yigorating cordial, but an antidote against leprosy and 

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

 other instances aboye 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 yery 

 commonly prescribe the broth and jelly of yipers for 

 inyigoration and purification of the blood. He eyidently 

 thinks yery highly of the remedy, and expresses his 

 opinion that otir physicians deal too cautiously or spar- 

 inoly 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 conduciye to 

 long and healthy Kfe. The capons which were seryed up 



* HoUand's Phnv. 



