( 1^3 ) 
Mountebanks to impofe upon the People, either make 
their Vipers bite before they bring them out ; or with a 
Needle fcrarch the Gums, and preTsoutthe Poyfon. 
They make us believe that a bite on the left breaft 
near the heart, is more mortal than elfewhere , but this 
is a cheat, it caufing only a great fwelling on all that 
fide of the body, on the Neck and Face, which after- 
wards falls down (as was faid) into the Scrotum, and 
is evacuated by Urine. 
For thefe great and painful fwellings, the Remedy is 
to drink the DecoSion of Marruhiumy or the powder ta- 
keinpvvardly, and a fomentation with the decoftion, ap« 
plyidg'the reft on the place. Arijiolochia is alfi) a ftrong 
and powerful Antidote againft the Viper ib that if 
one be bit on the Tongue, he need only take a llice of 
this Root, heat it and apply it, and it goes away. 
Pontius a Chymical Mountebank, a Native of Eng- 
land^ and an Apothecary by Trade, from whom I had 
the above mentioned Obfervations, was one day acciden- 
tally bit by a frefti Viper on his right wrift ; he thought 
it would have killed him ; one ol the greateft pains he 
fuffcred was almoft an infupportable Tenfion of the 
palm of his hand. 
He compofed his Antidote of Extrafl: of Juniper ber- 
ries, drawn with a decodion of roots of round Arifto" 
lochia^ of Sucdfa^ Marruhium Alhum^ flower of Brim- 
ftone and of white Vitriol. 
For Poyfon not Corrofivc, (uch as thofe of Animals 
and Vegetables, and even for the Plague it felf (which 
he believes he can cure by the fame Remedy), He makes 
ufe of no Vitriol. But if the Poyfon be fublimate, which 
of it ftlf excites Vomiting, he adds Vitriol, not in a 
proportion to Vomit as a Drachme, but only a ferule 
or half a dram, the Vomiting being afTifted by the Cor- 
rofive Poyfon it ftlf. 
B b X 
To 
