654 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO I67I. 



sailers ? And many questions more, considered by this author. — 1 g. Reckons 

 up the particulars of the loose apparatus necessary in a moderately far voyage 

 for a hundred men, in a ship 134 feet long, both for her conduct and de- 

 fence, and the food of the mariners. 



The second part comprehends the equipping and conduct of ships and navies, 

 as well by the ancients as moderns, in sev'eral chapters. 



II. Recherches et Observations sur les Viperes, faites par Monsieur Bour- 

 delot.* A Paris, 167], in 12mo. 



This short discourse is an answer to a letter, which the learned author had 

 received from Signor Redi, first physician to the Great Duke of Florence. In 

 it M. Bourdelot declares, that though Signor Redi's letter does not finally decide 

 the matter in question, yet it is very useful to the farther knowledge of the na- 

 ture of vipers by the particularities by him recited. The controversy being, 

 whether the yellow liquor about the long and crooked teeth of vipers is, even 

 when they are not irritated, venomous ; (which is affirmed by Signor Redi,) 

 or, whether it be a simple innoxious saliva or spittle, as is maintained by M. 

 Charas : this author observes, that that liquor controverted is not yellow in 

 French vipers, as it is in those of Italy : which remark he makes use of to the 

 advantage of the often mentioned Redi, who would reconcile these two opinions 

 by suggesting, that the vipers of Italy and France are differently disposed ; 

 countenancing this observation with what he has taken notice of, that the 

 venom of the lues venerea is much more malign in hotter than colder coun- 

 tries ; and also with what is constantly related by voyagers, viz. that animals 

 are more venomous in Africa than elsewhere. But that notwithstanding this, 

 the objection made by M. Charas seems not cogent, when he speaks of a vi- 

 per's teeth, whose bite proved mortal, although the teeth had been rubbed 

 and perfectly dried with bread crumbs ; whereby he would support that experi- 

 ment, in which he caused to be bitten and killed 7 or 8 animals one after 

 another, of which the last bitten died first ; it seeming impossible to him, that 

 there should be remaining any of that salival juice about his teeth after so many 

 bitings ; and that therefore, to give a cause of that death, recourse must be 



* Peter Joseph Michon, better known by the name of the Abbe Bourdelot, was born in France 

 according to some biographers, according to others at Geneva, in 161O. He was educated in tlie 

 medical profession, and became physician to Queen Christina of Sweden, with whom he had influence 

 enough to prevail upon her to embrace the catholic religionj for which act he was rewarded with an 

 abbacy. Quitting the service of the Queen of Sweden, he repaired to Paris, and was appointed 

 physician to Lewis XIV. He died at Paris in l685, through a mistake of his servant, who gave him 

 a strong dose of opium instead of a purgative medicine. Philosophical and medical meetings used to 

 be held at his house, of which he left some MS. minutes tliat were published after his death under 

 the title of Conversations de 1' Academic de M. I'Abbe Bourdelot, recueillies par le S. Gallois, Par. l675. 



