aoS APPENDIX 



that poifon, has as little effect. The viper deprived of his 

 canine teeth, an operation very eafily performed, hires with- 

 out any fatal confequence with the others ; and many in- 

 ftances there havebeen of mad dogs having bitpeople cloath- 

 ed in coarfe woollen fluff, which had fo far cleaned the 

 teeth of the faiiva in palling through it, as not to have left 

 the fmalleft inflammation after the wound, 



I forbear to fatigue the reader by longer infifling upon 

 this fubjecT:. A long dilTertation would remain upon the 

 incantation of ferpents. There is no doubt of its reality. 

 The fcriptures are full of it. All that have been in Egypt 

 have feen as many different inftances as they chofe. Some 

 have doubted that it was a trick, and that the animals fo 

 hand-led had been firfl trained, and then difarmed of their 

 power of hurting; and fond of the difcovery, they have relied 

 themfelves upon it, without experiment, in the face of all an- 

 tiquity. But I will not hefitate to aver, that I have feen at 

 Cairo (and this may be feen daily without trouble or 

 expence) a man who came from above the catacombs, 

 where the pits of the mummy birds are kept, who has 

 taken a Cerafles with his naked hand from a number of 

 others lying at the bottom of the tub, has put it upon 

 his bare head, covered it with the common red cap he 

 wears, then taken it out* put it in his breaft, and tied 

 it about his neck like a necklace ; after which it has been 

 applied to a hen, and bit it, which has died in a few minutes ; 

 and, to complete the experiment, the man has taken it by the 

 neck, and beginning at his tail, has ate it as one would do a 

 carrot or a flock of celery, without any fceming repug- 

 nance. 



We 



