British Association for the Advancement of Science. 275 



From these facts, it will be easy to explain the doubtful reputa- 

 tion of various remedies for the bites of our venomous serpents. 

 Those enumerated by Daudin, seem to have been nearly all lost 

 sight of by medical men and naturalists, with the exception of the 

 Hieracium venosum. Perhaps most of our " snake roots," the Aris- 

 tolochia serpentaria, Polygala senega, Cimicifuga racemosa, owe 

 their cognomen to a similar source. Still, it was thought a duty 

 to medical science to preserve and compare the apparent fact of 

 the agency of a medicinal plant, to extend science and facilitate 

 future inquiries. The appropriate method of treatment would 

 seem to be nearly that pointed out by Fontana ; viz. a moderately 

 tight ligature, and suction, with some force and for a prolonged 

 period. It must be conceded that the venom, unless removed by 

 suction, is gradually absorbed into the general system ; and that 

 the real object of the ligature is not the impracticable purpose of 

 preventing this, but that of allowing time enough for the gradual 

 introduction of the poison by the capillaries, and its progressive 

 removal by the emunctories. Finally, as two hours were found 

 by Fontana to be sufficient with the viper, conjecture or analogy 

 would probably allow us to consider our precautions against the 

 rattlesnake as sufficient in six or seven hours. It will probably 

 be still right for us to make further trial of antidotes ; nor can 

 any circumstance render useless, such varying treatment as the 

 incidents of the case may call for in the mind of a discerning 

 practitioner. 



Art. VIII. — An Account of the Proceedings of the Eighth Meet- 

 ing of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. 



The eighth meeting of this noble institution was held at New- 

 castle, during the week from the 20th to the 26th of August, 

 1838. The attendance was unusually large, and the interest ex- 

 cited was in no degree inferior to that exhibited on former occa- 

 sions. 



such high authorities, it appeared to form too valuable an addition to the state- 

 ments in the text to justify omission. Mr. Hembel and the late Professor Benja- 

 min Smith Barton, made inquiries of a considerable number of Indian chiefs of 

 repute, whether the bite of the rattlesnake was ever mortal among the natives. 

 The reply was uniform, " that it was never mortal, because they had antidotes." 

 The comments already made are perhaps sufficient. 



