( 48 ) 
more for Senior l{edfs opinion^ they being thus hollow, 
and having that large flit towards the end , and this Juice 
fo readily and naturally iffuing through them ; this 
feems to me to argue, that Nature defignes it for other u- 
fes than Nouri(hment> for if fo, by giving them fo large 
a vent flie would be fruftrated of her end. But they be- 
ing fo fliarp and ftrong at the ends, and the flit too plac a 
towards the back, not infide of the Tooth ; what can be 
more conveniently contriv'd both for making the wound 
and infunding the Poyfon ^ For if the flic was inwards, by 
the ftrugling and withdrawing of the Animal affaulted, 
this flit would be apt to be ftopt and occluded > and the 
defcentofthe poyfon prevented ^ but being thus formed, 
it gives a greater advantage for its infufion. Thus the 
Scorpionytl^eBM^thQ Emmet ^ nay the Sting of^'^N^ttle^ 
at the fame tiine they make a wound, they leave behind 
them a drop of liquor, which excites chofe dreadful Sym* 
ptoms ; whereas the wound without it, would be incon- 
fiderable. Vof NierembergiuSyOX rather " Hernande^y from 
whom he tranfcribes the whole Hiftory of this Viper^ tells 
us 5 Caninis inufus Medicos fervatis pungunt Mexicani Me- 
dici coUumy cervicemque^ dolorts Capitis placandi gratia ; but 
firft I prefume they clean them well from the Poyfon > 
which more than the irritation of the Animal Spirits .'might 
otherwife endanger the exciting moft dreadfull pain's. I 
am confident in a iV>^^/? there is not that irritation of Spi- 
rits and Fury, which yet to a confiderable degree will 
(when affaultedj create pains and fwellings > tho notfo' 
fatal as the other Poyfons. For I am not yet fo fully con- 
vinced (tho 1 have a juft: Deference for Mounfieur Char as > 
and a due regard for his laborious Reftarches and In* \ 
quiricsj of his fentiment of the Innocence of this Liquor i 
and what has hadfome weight with me , is a Relation! 
m ^ooks MkregrapUa. Ohf, if/?. 144. n Rerum med.Nova 
Bifpan, Hifl. /. 9, c, 17. f 328. Johnfon de Serpent, 
lately 
