Some Ohfervations ojf Vipers, 
kcmlomltdiatf, called France[co J\cdi, having late ly had 
. an opportunity^ by the great number of V^ipers^ broughc to 
the ^itand i^ ukc otTofcany for the compofing of 77w<2^;or 
Treacle, to examine what is vulgarly delivered and believed 
, conccrnine^the Poyfon of thofe Creatures, hath, (according 
to the accotuit, given of it in thcl'rcnch hurnal dss Scavafis^ 
priiitcd lanmry 4. ^66\) performed his undertaking with 
much exadlncfs, and publiOi'd in an Italian tra€lj not yec come 
into Erifland. diefe Obfervatiocs. 
I. He liath obferved, that the poyfon of Vipers is neither 
in their Teeth^ nor in their Tayk^ nor in their Gall; but in 
the two Veficles or Bladders^ which cover their teeth, and which 
coming to be compreffed. when the Vipers bite, do emit a 
certain yellowifli Liquor^ that runs along the teeth and poy- 
fons the wound. Whereof he gives this proof, that he hath' 
riib*d the wounds of many Animals with the G<^// of Vipers^ 
and pricked them with their Tenh, and yet no confiderable 
ill accident foilow'd upon it, but that as often as he rubbed 
the wounds with the faid yellow Liquor , not one of them 
fcaped. 
2 Whereas commonly it hath hitherto been belie ved, that 
the poyfon of Vipers being fwallowcd,was prefent death \ this 
jitithor y after many reiterated Experiments , is faid to have 
obferved^that in Vipers there is neither Humour^ nor Excre- 
ment^ nor any part^ not thQGall it felf, that, bcmg taken into 
the Body, kills. And he affures , that he hath feen men eat, 
and hath often made Bruit Animals fwallow all that is efteem'd 
moft poyfonous in a Viper, yet without the Icaftmifchief to 
them. Whence he Ihews 5 that it needs not fo much to be 
wondredatj that certain Empim\s fwMow the juyce of the 
moft 
