Anal)jis of ike SNAra-^SxONE. Bj }^ Davy, M. D.F. S, 



Snake- Stores, it is well known in Indian are fuMances employed 

 by the nauves as remedies again ft the bite of venomous ferpents. 



Tk2 forms of thefe fldnes and their external charaders have alread/ 

 been defcribed by more than one author, but I am not aware, thai 

 any account has been publiflied, yet^ of their chemical nature. 



For thofe flones which I have examined, I am indebted to the Ho- ' 

 Dorable Sir Alexander Johnstone, Chief Juftice of Ceylon* The/ 

 were of three different kinds* 



The firft kind were fraall bodies, round or oval, nearly white to- 

 wards their circumference and black or brown at their centre; they were 

 polifhed, poffeHed a flight degree of lu fire and had a pretty appear- 

 ance, in confequence of which and their fuppofed virtues, they 

 are occafionally fet and worn as neck-ornaments ; they were of moder^ 

 ate hardnefs, eafily cut by. the knife, but not fcratched by the nail 5 

 when breathed on they emitted an earthy fmell hke clay, and when ap« ■ 

 plied to the tongue or any moili furface, they firmly adhered to it. 



BuFQUK the blow-pipe they gradually became perfedly white and 

 loit a Utile of their fubftance, yet they emitted no fume or odour or 



2M 



