GF SERPENTS. 37 



T'h E learned Dv.Mead recommends the Broth or Jelly of Vi- 

 pers j or, as the Antients did, to boil and eat them as a Fifli, or 

 at leaft to drink Wine, wherein they have been long infufed : The 

 Apothecaries fell the Puhis Viper inus, which is only dried Vipers 

 pulverized. Heart, Liver,' and all other Parts, and paft through 

 a fine Sieve. Some call it. Animal Bezoard. 



BE Z OAR is a Perjian Word, Pazahar, primarily denotes 

 Count er-Poifon, and is applied to fcveral chymical Compofitions of 

 that Intention. Theriaca, or Treacle, a Name given by the An- 

 tients to various Compofitions, is reckoned good againft Poifon, — • 

 The Bafis or Foundation of the Compofition is Viper's Flerti *. 



Even in Tartary, an uncultivated Nation, the Viper's Flefh 

 is reckoned to be wonderful good Phyfick. In fome of the Ri- 

 vers of Sia?ii, are many Crocodiles, which the Siamefe call Cay- 

 pitJn, and ufe them as good Phyfick with Succefs -f-. 



I T is fuppofed, when Viper-Catchers were hurt, thev" imme- 

 diately cured themfelves by rubbing this volatile Salt of Vipers 

 into th^ wounded Part. An Experiment v/as made by enraging 

 a Viper to bite the Nofe of a young Dog: The Part began to 

 fwell^ to which was applied this volatile Salt, and the Dog was 

 very well next day. The Viper was made to bite the Dog again 

 in the Tongue, and no Application being made, he died within ■■• 

 a few Hours J. 



One of the firft that made ufe of the Viper in medicinal Pur- 

 pofes, was (as my learned Author thinks) Antonius Miifa, the fa- 

 mous Phyfician to OSiavius Cafar; of whom Pliny tells, tbat ic'hen 

 he met with incurable Ulcers, he ordered the eati7jg of Vipers ; and 

 by this means they were quickly healed. The fame Author adds 

 from Porphyrins, that the great Greek Phyfician Craterus, very 

 happily cured a miferable Slave, whofe Skin in a J}ra?7ge manner fell 

 off from his Bones, by advifing him io feed upon Vipers, dreji after 

 the manner ofFiJh. Ibid. 



A' Lat E eminent Phyfician, fpeaking of Vipers, fays, 

 'Tis certain, very noble Medicines are prepared from them, and 

 a Wine from their Flefli, Angular in confumptive, leprous, and - 



fcorbulick ' 



* Cyclopadia. f Struys'% Voyages, ad annum 1657, I. c. Ill p.. 29., 

 t Dr. yJ^ffl(i's Mechanical Account, p. 17. 



