ORDER OPHIDIA. 315 



Of all the venomous reptiles of Europe, there is none 

 whose bite is so dangerous as that of the viper {Col. herus). 

 We sliall describe, in the proper place, the mechanism by 

 means of which this serpent insinuates its poison into the 

 wounds which it has made. At present we must content our- 

 selves with stating the following facts, relative to the poison 

 of serpents considered in a general way. 



This poison is neither acid nor alkaline. That of the viper, 

 which has been most studied, does not redden the tincture of 

 turnsol (Corona Solis)^ or turn green the syrup of violets. 

 It is neither acrid, nor burning. It produces no sensation on 

 the tongue, but one analogous to that caused by the fresh fat 

 of animals. It has a slight odour resembling the fat of the 

 viper itself, but much less nauseous. It produces no effer- 

 vescence with acids. When put in water, it sinks in that 

 fluid ; but if mixed up with it, it muddies it, and renders it 

 slightly whitish. It does not burn on being exposed to the 

 flame of a candle, or thrown on burning coals. When fresh, 

 it is a little viscous, and when dry, it sticks like pitch. It 

 greatly participates of the nature of mucus. 



This poison preserves its power after the death of the ani- 

 mal which has secreted it, and fixes in linen with consider- 

 able energy. That of the crotali, in particular, is said not 

 to be destructible by lixiviation. It equally retains its pro- 

 perties in the fangs after the death of the reptile. A man 

 was bitten through his boots by a rattle-snake, and very 

 speedily died in consequence. These boots were sold succes- 

 sively to two other persons, who also died, because the extre- 

 mity of one of the venomous fangs had remained engaged in 

 the leather. However extraordinary such a fact may ap- 

 pear, it is confirmed by experiments detailed to the Philo- 

 mathic Society in Paris, in the year 1827, by Dr. Cloquet. 

 I'hcsc experiments were undertaken by Dr. Emmanuel Rous- 

 fscuLi, demonstrator of comparative anatomy at the *' Jardin 



