C '54 3 
Snakes for Co\ont\ Spencer aflured me, that he had 
an Opportunity of making an Experiment thereof 
upon a Dog which was bitten by a Rattle-fnake, to 
which he gave plentifully of the Juice of his 
tanjj as they called it 5 but the Dog died neverthe- 
lefs a Day or two after. And Mr. Wormleyy one of 
the Council of State in Virginia, told me, that be- 
ing in Company with another Gentleman, he had 
an Opportunity of making the following Experi- 
ment j for feeing a Rattle-fnake in her Coil, they 
went and got a Bunch of this dittany j and tied it 
to a Pole 5 then putting the "Dittany that was thereon 
to the Nofe of the Snake, it feemed to offend her, 
whereupon fhe turned away her Head, which they 
Bill followed with the Dittany ; then the Snake fled, 
and they ftill purfuing her, fhe at laft ftretched her- 
felf out at Length, and lay feemingly dead. Then 
they laid the Dittany upon her Head, and went into 
a neighbouring Houfe to refrefh themfelves i for they 
were tired with skipping about after the Snake. When 
they had ftaid near half an Hour, they returned to fee 
their fuppofed dead Snake j but, behold ! the Snake 
was fled j fo that they then judged, that the Snake had 
only ftretched herfelf out, becaufe fhe had been tired 
with their Purfuit. I look upon it probable there- 
fore, that fome Accident of the like kind may have 
firft given Oiigin to this Story j the Perfon who had 
tired the Snake not having regularly waited for the 
Event, but perhaps, to fccure the Conqueft, may have 
given the Snake a Stroke with a Switch upon the 
Back (which would have killed the Snake without 
the Dittany). But yet neverthelefs, this Plant is of 
more than ordinary Virtues, and might not unprofit- 
ably 
