OF SERPENTS. II3 



of the difeafe : it fliould probably be employed in dtf- 

 perate cafes only, and where no other powerful re- 

 medy can be procured. For though it may be very 

 well adapted to counterad the poifon, yet I think it 

 neither fo fafe, nor fo efficacious, as other remedies 

 which are now to be mentioned. 



The preparations of mercury, fo far as I can judge 

 from the limited opportunities I have of collecting in- 

 formation from books, feem alfo to have been but little 

 ufed in this difeafe, although mercury is a remedy, 

 from which I think much benefit might be expected. 

 I find in the Syftema Naturae the following obfervation 

 on the Coluber Rhedi: Lin. " Mofu celerrime letha- 

 lis, nifi mercurii folutione gummofa, et gentianae de- 

 co6fo fuccurritur a^gro," — If mercury fliould ever come 

 into ufe in this difeafe, it fliould certainly be employed 

 in a more eflTeCtual manner than is commonly prac- 

 tifed ; and if we are right in afferting that the nature 

 of the poifon is the fame in all ferpents, the obferva- 

 tion ofLiNN.^L's rt{^^Q(\v\^ iho. Coluber Rhedi : will, 

 with fome limitation, apply to them all. 



We are indebted to Fontana for any knowledge 

 we poilefs on the ufe of the lunar cauftic, which is a 

 preparation of filverin the nitric acid ; and confidering 

 the length of time that has elapfed f nee his publica- 

 tion, and the advantages refulting from its ufe, it is 

 wonderful it has not excited mwe general attention. 



I SHALL ccunprife the refult of Fontana's expe- 

 riments on this fubftance in a few words He firft 

 mixed the venom with the lunar caullic, applied this 

 mixture' to a wound, and found that the venom was 

 rendered entirely innocent, while the corroding power 

 of the caullic was diminiflied. He next wounded a 

 variety of animals, with venomous teeth, fcarified the 

 wounds, and waflied them with a folution of lunar 

 caultic in water : by this means, the life of the greatelt 



Vol. VI. H number 



