xxii Abbe Montana on the 
With refpedl to the alkaline falts, I may fay, that I have not 
difcovered that they alter the poifon, or render it in the leaft lefs 
noxious. It is true, indeed, that I have not fo often repeated 
the experiments, nor fo much varied them, as I ought to, and as I 
ffiould have done, if I had not found a great difficulty in pro- 
curing animals, and if I had not had in view other experiments 
much more important. 
It was natural for me to think, that as the acids hinder the 
action of the poiiorx on animals, they might alfo be a remedy 
againft that poifon. 
I prepared, therefore, in the ufual way, the (kin of a Guinea- 
pig, and covered it with the poifon ; and about forty feconds 
after I waffied it with the nitrous acid, and afterwards with pure 
water: the animal buffered nothing. Two hours after I intro- 
duced the poifon into a mufcle, and immediately applied the ni- 
trous acid to the part ; but the animal fell in a moment con* 
vulfed, and was quite dead in two minutes. 
I repeated this experiment on the mufcles of another Guinea- 
pig, and as foon as I had applied the poifon, waffied it with the 
nitrous acid, and a little after with water. It fell convulfed in 
two minutes, and was quite dead in four* 
I poifoned, in like manner^ the mufcles of four pigeons, and 
the moment after I waffied them with the nitrous acid : they died 
in one minute. Sufpefting that it might be owing to the nitrous 
acid rather than to the poifon, I next made ufe of nitrous acid, 
much diluted, on four other pigeons ; but they all four died, al- 
though much more (lowly. Being defirous of knowing whether 
the Ample application of the nitrous acid to the mufcles could kill 
pigeons and (mail Guinea-pigs, 1 made the trial on two of each 
fort : the pigeons both died foon after ; but neither of the pigs, 
although one of them was very (ick. 
It appears, therefore, that acids are not only ufelefs as a re- 
medy ; but fometimes dangerous, when applied to the poifoned 
mufcles of animals. 
I ffiall not fay any thing of any other remedy which I have 
tried, becaufe I have found by experience that they are all ufe- 
lefs, whether they are applied foon or late, or whether exter- 
nally 
