212 VENOMOUS 



they can procure any, in which they infuse 

 a small quantity of bang, [a species of wild 

 hemp] which mixture by the natives is called 

 gongeah, but sometimes they use tobacco 

 instead of bang. 



As far as I could learn, these are the only 

 remedies that they ever adopt, and according 

 to their account, often succeed. It is a great 

 many years since I saw F on tana on poisons, 

 but as well as I can recollect he gives a draw- 

 ing and description of the formation of a 

 viper's venomous tooth ; however, as few of 

 my readers may be acquainted with its me- 

 chanism, I will attempt a short description 

 of it. 



They are generally two in the upper jaw, 

 perforated through their centre from the root 

 to within a, line or two of their point, acting 

 as a conductor for the poison : these teeth are 

 extremely sharp and small, the snakes also 

 have the power of elevating or depressing 

 them. In a large snake they can penetrate 



