xlli Abbe fontana on the 
fatal to all forts of animals. But how is it always mortal in fty 
fhort a time, when taken by the mouth, and admitted into the 
ftomach, where we do not fuppofe there are anyveffels capable of 
receiving it ? This difficulty requires fome farther experiments. 
We ought to examine what effects it produces when applied 
immediately to the nerves, and when introduced into the blood 
without touching the parts which are cut. 
For this purpofe, I made ule of large rabbits, and performed 
the experiments on their fciatic nerves, in the fame manner 
as I had done with the poifon of the viper and the American 
poifbn. I hi all here tranfcribe only one experiment, omitting 
the reft for the fake of brevity, not thinking them neceflary after 
the great number which I have already related on the nerves. 
Having detached the fciatic nerve of a large rabbit for above 
an inch and a half, I introduced under it a wrapper of very fine 
linen, fixteen times doubled, that the parts below it might not 
be penetrated by the water of theLauro-Cerafus. I then wounded 
the nerve with many ftrokes of the lancet in the longitudinal 
direction, and covered all this wounded part, which extended 
above eight lines in length, with a roll of cotton of three lines in 
thicknefs, well fteeped in the laurel water. More than fifteen 
drops of the water were wanted to moiften the cotton, and this 
water communicated itfelf diredlly by the wounds to the medul- 
lary fubftance of the fciatic nerve. I covered the whole about a 
minute after with new rags,fo that it was impoffible for the Lau- 
rel water to communicate with the parts below it or near it. 
Having fewed up the external Ikin, and left the animal at liberty, 
it feemed not to be in the leaft affedted, neither then nor after- 
wards. It ran about, and eat, and was as lively as ever. In 
fhort, the animal was not fenfibly affedled in this way by this 
poifon, which kills fo quickly when it is taken in by the mouth. 
This cafe, as well as many others, is very fimilar to thofe of the 
poifon of the viper and of the American poifon ; and it fhews, 
that the water of the Lauro-Cerafus applied immediately upon 
the nerves, and fo infinuated into the medullary fubftance of 
them, is not at all poifonous ; confequently, that it does not a 
upon the nerves, however applied externally. 
i 
After 
