S70 



COMMON VIPEK. 



sanious liquor, and little pustules are raised about 

 it : the colour of the whole skin, in less than an 

 hour, is changed yellow, as if the patient had the 

 jaundice. These mischiefs (although different 

 climates, season of the year more or less hot, the 

 greater or lesser rage of the Viper, the animal 

 itself of a larger or smaller size, and consequently 

 able to communicate more or less venom, the 

 wound made deeper, in a part more nervous or 

 tendinous, and therefore receiving more of the 

 poisonous liquor, and the like circumstances, may 

 variously heighten or abate them), yet usually 

 discover themselves much after the same manner 

 in all ; unless the bite happen not to be accom- 

 panied with the effusion of that liquor which is the 

 main instrument and cause of this violent and 

 shocking disturbance." 



Dr. Mead caused several animals, viz. dogs, 

 cats, and pigeons, to be bitten by an enraged Vi- 

 per; which animals generally died, some in a 

 longer, and some in a shorter space of time ; but 

 it was observed that they all, immediately after 

 being bitten, exhibited signs of acute pain, as if 

 affected with sickness, faintings, convulsions, &c. 

 The head of a large Viper lay three hours after it 

 was cut off : it was perfectly flaccid, and without 

 motion : a pigeon, wounded on the thigh by the 

 fangs of this head, was presently convulsed, &c. 

 as from the bite of the living animal, and died in 

 seven hours. 



The poison of the Viper was in ancient times 

 collected by barbarian nations as a poison for their 



