OF SERPENTS. 33 



" nefs, with fomething like Knots here and there, from which 

 •' they feemed to proceed ; fo that the whole Texture in a man- 

 " ner reprefented a Spider's Web, tho' infinitely finer, and more 

 " minute; and yet withal fo rigid were thefe pellucid Spicula or 

 " Darts, that they remain'd unalter'd upon my Glafs for feveral 



" Months *, N. B. Thefe faline Particles appeared to be 



Acids. 



Most furprifing this ! to fee an Army of Flefh and Blood, 

 tremble and fall before a fingle Atom of Matter! to fee the Ce- 

 dars of Lebanon demolifh'd by the fingle Stroke of a contemptible 

 Worm. So in the Moral World. Even in the Paradifaical State, 

 how malignant the Poifon of forbidden Fruit that fpread Mortality 

 over the whole human Race, and will affed: Millions ; dreadful 

 EfFeds of once eating forbidden Fruit ! What a World of Evils 

 flows from one Difeafe or Diforder in the human Nature ! It was 

 by one falfe Step the unquenchable Fire ivasfirft kindled. 



II. T'H A T Poifon is mtfo dangerous, if it does not mix mth the 

 Blood. Even that venemous Liquid may be tafted, yea, and 

 fwallow'd without mortal Effects, fay fome of the Learned. Hence 

 it is, wounded Perfons have been direfted to get the Venom im- 

 mediately fuck'd out, which has been praftis'd without ill Confe- 

 quences to the Sucker. 



For this Method of curing venemous Wounds by Sudfon, 

 Avicenna, an old Arabian Philofopher and Phyfician, is quoted; 

 who fays, that thofe who fuck out the Poifon are in no danger, 

 \o their Teeth be found and perfect, and their Mouths be free 

 from all Ulcers. At Kome was an Order of Servants whofe Office 

 was to fuck venemous Wounds, which they did with Safety and 

 Applaufe J. 



" Man Y<2a'^ Subjlances taken into the Stomach, are, by its 

 "" Adtion turned into Alcalious; fo there is no queftion but thefe 

 " faline Spicula are, partly by the mufcular Motion of the Fibres, 

 " partly by the falival Juice, all broken and diflblved; or if any 

 " efcape into the Inteftines, the Balfam of the Bile will be an 

 " Antidote for them. p. 14." 



F. . Crea- 



• Ih\d. p. 5—6. X Sr. Redly ?• 185. ^ ■ 



