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The ferpentaria of Virginia, cajled alfo colubrina Vir- 

 giniana, afarum Virginianum, ferpentaria nigra, and the 

 contrayerva of Virginia, has its leaves green and large, al- 

 moll in figure of a heart ; its fruit round, and its root, 

 which is oif a very itrong aromatic fmell, has, at bottom, an 

 infinite number of long^fmall filaments, reprefenting a knid 

 of beard, of a brownifh colour on the outfide, and paler or 

 yellovvifh within. 



It was firft brought into Europe from Virginia by the 

 Englifli ; and is by the Americans efteemed a fovereign anti- 

 dote againlt the bite of the rattle-fnake. 



We are told by travellers, that this root not only cures 

 the bite of a rattle-fnake, but that that animal flies the very 

 fmell of it ; for which rcafon the Indians, and other tra- 

 vellers, always carry it with them on the end of a ItafF, by 

 way of a prefervative from that creature. 



The dried ferpentaria root is imported into this country 

 in bales, each containing from two to five hundred weight. 

 The dried root has an aromatic odour, not unlike that of 

 valerian ; and a {harp, warm, bitter talle, refembling in fome 

 degree that of camphor. Water extratls all the fenfible 

 qualities of the root, aflbrding a yellowifh-brovvn infufion, 

 which is not altered by fulphate of iron or zinc, the nitrate 

 of filver, oxymuriate of mercury, tartarized antimony, the 

 mineral acids, and the alkalies ; nor is it precipitated by 

 gelatine or tannin. The fuperacetate of lead throws down 

 a flocculent precipitate, which is not foluble in acetic acid, 

 fhewing the prefence of mucus. With alcohol it affords a 

 bright greenilh tintture, which is rendered turbid by the 

 addition of water. The attive principles of ferpentaria, 

 therefore, appear to refide in a bitter refin ; and perhaps 

 camphor, and eflential oil. 



For medical purpofes, ferpentaria, or Virginian fnake- 

 root, is reckoned a Simulating diaphoretic and tonic. It is 

 beneficially employed in typhoid and putrid fevers, whether 

 idiopathic, or accompanying the exanthemata, to excite 

 diaphorefis, and fupport the powers of the fyilem ; and is 

 found frequently to increafe the efficacy of cinchona in re- 

 moving protracted intermittents. It is alfo an excellent 

 remedy in dyfpepfia, particularly when the flcin is dry and 

 parched ; and is fometimes ufed as a gargle in putrid fure- 

 throat. On account of its (limulant properties, it is con- 

 traindicatcd when the inflammatory dlathefis is prefent ; 

 and previous to its exhibition, the bowels Ihould be well 

 evacuated. 



It may be given in fubftance, or in infufion made by ma- 

 cerating ^iv of the bruifed root in f ?xij of boiling water, 

 in a covered veilel for two hours, and ftraining. Decotftion 

 is a bad form of giving ferpentaria, as the boiling diflipates 

 the eflential oil, on which the virtues of the remedy chiefly 

 depend. The dofe of the powdered root is grs. x, or 

 grs. XX, increafed to jfs ; that of the infufion f |jfs to f^ij, 

 every fourth hour. 



The ofKcirml preparations are as follow : via. the " tinc- 

 tura ferpentarias," the " tinftura cinchonx compofita," and 

 the " eleftuarium opiitum." The " tinfture of fnake- 

 root" of the Lond. and Dub. pharmacopeias is prepared 

 by macerating for fourteen days (feven days, Dub.) three 

 ounces of fnake-root (cut and bruifed, Dub.) in two pints 

 of proof fpirit, and filtering. The " tindlura arillolochioe 

 lerpentarise," or " tinfture of fnake-root," of the Edinb. 

 Ph., is obtained by digefting for feven days two ounces of 

 fnake-root bruifed, a drachm of cochineal in powder, in 

 two pounds and a half of proof fpirit, and filtering through 

 paper. This tinfture is an ufeful addition to infufion of 

 cinchona in typhoid and putrid fevers, gout, and periodic 

 bead-ache. The dofe is from f jfs to f 5ij ; or when taken 



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in water, as much as can be taken without any injury from 

 the operation of the fpirit. 



The " tinftura cuichonae compofita," or " compound 

 tinfture of cinchona," of the Lond. and Dub. Ph., is pre- 

 pared by taking of lance-leaved cinchona bark, powdered, 

 two ounces ; dried orange-peel, an ounce and a half (half 

 an ounce. Dub.); Virginian fnake-root bruifed, three 

 drachms ; faffron, one drachm ; cochineal in powder, two 

 fcruples ; macerating for fourteen days m twenty fluid- 

 ounces of proof Ipirit, and filtering. This tinfture is more 

 grateful than the ofScinal tinfture of cmchona, and though 

 it contains lefs cinchona, yet the addition of the other in- 

 gredients render.? it more ufeful both as a ftomachic and a 

 febrifuge. It is the fame as the celebrated tinfture of 

 Huxham, who generally gave it in intermittents and low 

 nervous fevers, in diluted wine or any proper vehicle, with 

 ten or fifteen drops of elixir of vitriol (aromatic fulphuric 

 acid, Edinb.) The dofe is from f 3j to f jiij, or more, in 

 intermittents. For an account of the " eleftuarium opia- 

 tum," fee Opium. Thomfoii's Lond. Difp. 



S^AKii-Root, Rattle. See Polvgal.'\ Senega. 



SsAKE-Root, Rattle, in the J\Iatena Medico. See Se- 



NEKA. 



S>tiAKV.-Stone, in Mineralogy. See Ammonite. 



SsAKR-IVeetl Knot-Grafs, in Agriculture, a common grafs 

 by way-fides, which, if cultivated, the feeds are found to 

 anfwer the fame purpofes as thofe of buck-wheat. It is 

 annual, or at moll biennial, in its growth. 



SsAKE-lVood, in the Materia Medica, is the wood or 

 root of the tree which affords the nux vomica, or of other 

 trees of the fame genus. It is brought from the Eall Indies 

 under the name of lignum colubnnum, in pieces about the 

 thicknefs of a man's arm, covered with a rully-coloured 

 bark, internally of a yellow colour, with whitifh ilreaks. 

 This wood, in r.'.fpi.-'g or fcraping, emits a faint but not 

 difagreeable fmell ; and when chewed for fome time, dif- 

 covers a very bitter tafte. 



From the experiments of Cartheufer, water appears to 

 be the proper menitruum of its adlive matter. It has been 

 recommended, in fmall doles, not exceeding half a drachm, 

 as an anthelmintic, and in obftinate quartans, jaundices, 

 cachexies, and other chronical diforders. It is faid to 

 operate moft commonly by fweat, fometimes by ftool, and 

 fometimes by vomit. It appears, however, to be poflefled, 

 in a lower degree, of the fame ill qualities with the nux 

 vomica. • Lewis. 



Snake Creek, in Geography, a river of Louifiana, on the 

 north-eait fide of the Miflburi, in N. lat. 38^, 18 yards 

 wide. 



Snake IJlands, a cluiter of fmall iflands in the Indian fea, 

 near the coalt of Africa. S. lat. 5° 20'. 



Snake Indians, a tribe of Indians in Louifiana, on the 

 fouth-weft fide of the Millouri river, near the heads of the 

 Arkanfas, Platte, and Yellow-llone rivers. The number 

 of warriors is 200, and of inhabitants 5500. They trade 

 with New Mexico. Thefe Indians, though a very numerous 

 race, are badly armed, and much at the mercy of the other 

 Indians, by whom they are made flaves, when taken pri- 

 foners. They are alfo called Ayuten bands, and Camanches. 

 They wander about the heads of the Platte, and in the vaft 

 plains bordering on New Mexico and New Spain, fouth of 

 the Arkanfas ; and are divided into many bands. One of 

 thefe bands is probably that denominated Paunch Indians, 

 who wander along the Rocky mountains, and fometimes 

 venture acrofs. The Snake Indians pollels a very great 

 number of horfes, alfes, and mules. Mr. Brackenridge, in 

 his " Views of Louifiana," obferves, that thefe Indians were 



different. 



