5S ON THE TASCINATING FACULTY 



XIII. 



A Memoir concerning the Fafcinating Faculty zvhich has been af- 

 crlbed to the Rattle-Snake and other American Serpents. By 

 Benjamin Smith Barton, M.D. Froin the American 

 TranfaStions , Vol. IV. 



(Continued from p. 2S5 of Vol. VII.) 

 Szperlment of f~^ 



fafcination by a JL HE facts which came under the notice of Mr. Vofmaer, 



Inake. ^j. jj^g Hague, are curious, and deferve to be mentioned. 



But they do not appear to me to be proofs of the exiflence of 



an infeftious or mephitic vapour proceeding from the mouth of 



the rattle-fnake. I am not at all furprifed that the birds and 



mice that were put into the cage, along with this reptile, 



fl}ould exhibit the motions which w^ere obferved by the Dutch 



naturalifl'. When the little animals fquatted down in 'a corner 



of the cage, they were, moft probably, impelled by the in- 



fiinfl of fear, which is fo powerful^ and fo extenfivc, in the 



vaft family of animals. When they run towards the ferpent, 



k may have been fear that afluated them. 



Frrhap? partially In conducting a jferies of experiments, i( is ever a matter 



•>i>fervtd. of importance, that the mind of the experimentalifi (hould 



be free from the dominion of prejudice and fyftcm. Perhaps, 



facts are never related in 'all their unadulterated purity except 



by thofe, who, intent upon the difcovery of truth, keep fy fie ni 



at a dhiiance. regardlefs of its claims. The flrong democracy 



cf facts (liould exert its wholefome fway. I cannot help 



tiiinking, that if Mr. Vofraaer had difbelived the fafcinating 



faculty of ferpents, (he conclufions which he would have 



drawn from his experiments, jafr mentioned, would have been 



foraevvhat different. But of this I cann«t be certain, and, 



therefore, I fiiall not avail myfelf of (he fiippofition. 



Other fafls Some experiments which have been made in this city, do 



which contvadift ^^^^ accord with thdfe of Mr. Vofmaer. 1'he birds, whiclt 



-.he notion. . , , . , , . r , ^ 



were put into the cage that contamed the rattle-lnake, new 



or ran from the reptile, as though lliey were fenfible of the 

 danger to which they were expofed. The fnake made many 

 attempts to catch the birds^ but could feldom fucceed. When 

 a dead bird was thrown into the cage, the fnake devowred it 

 immediately. He foon caught and devoured a living mole, 

 ^n animal much more fluggilh ii;an tlie bird. A few da^s 



fince. 



