36S COMMON VIPER. 



contrary, affirms, that this cannot be clone with 

 impunity, though it may not produce symptoms 

 like those of the bite. Some of the older writers 

 equally disagree on this point; Matthiolus affirm- 

 ing, that when sucked out of the wound it has 

 proved fatal, while others have admitted the gene- 

 ral opinion of the ancients, that it was harmless 

 when thus received ; and on this supposition de- 

 pended the practice of the Psylli, African tribes 

 who followed this mode of curing those who were 

 bitten by serpents, and who were employed, ac- 

 cording to Lucan, by Cato, in his march through 

 the Ly bian deserts, for the recovery of his wounded 

 soldiers. Cato is also said to have ab.sured his men, 

 who feared to drink of the fountains, lest they 

 should be infected by the poison of serpents, that, 

 however noxious the bites of those animals might 

 be, yet the poison must lose its effect when mixed 

 with the water and drank. 



" Jiiin spissior ignis, 



Et plaga, quam nullam Supcri mortal! bus ultra 

 A mcdio fecere die, calcatur, et uiula 

 Rarior: inventus mediis fons unus arcnis 

 Largus aquae : sed quern serpcntum turba tenebat' 

 Vix capiente loco : stabant in marline siccae 

 Aspides, in mediis sitiebant Dipsadea undis. 

 Ductor, ut aspexit perituroi finite ivlicto, 

 Alloquitur : Vana specie conterritr Icti 

 Ne dubita miles tutos haurirc liquoies : 

 Noxia serpentum est admisto sanguine pestis : 

 Morsu virus habcnt, et fatum dente iniiiantur : 

 1'ucula moite ctuviit : clixit, dubiuiiKjue vrnomnu 

 Hau-it." 



