2i 6 Of the Poison of a Viper. 
from a conglomerated Gland that feparates 
it from the Blood. 
The venomous Juice of the Viper may be 
got by enraging it till it bites on fomething 
folid. This juice the Debtor put carefully 
on a Glafs Plate, and examined it by the 
Micrcfcope. Upon the frit Sight, he could 
difeover nothing but a Parcel of final! Salts 
nimbly floating in the Liquor: but in a very 
fhort Time the Appearance was changed, 
and thofe faline Particles were now Ihot out 
as it were into Cryflals of an incredible 
Tenuity or Sharpnefs, with fomething like 
Knots, here and there, from which they 
feemed to proceed : fo that the whole Tex¬ 
ture did in a Manner reprefent a Spider’s 
Web, though infinitely finer and more mi¬ 
nute ; and yet withal fo rigid were thefe pel¬ 
lucid Spicula or Darts, that they remained 
unaltered upon his Glafs for feveral Months. 
And, by confidering the necefiary Efiebis of 
fuch Spicula in the Blood, this learned Phy- 
fician accounts very reafonably for all the 
Symptoms ufually fucceeding the Bite of 
this Animal. 
Galen fays, the Mountebanks of his Time 
ufed* with fome Kind of Pafte, to flop the 
Perforations in the Teeth Vipers, whereby 
they kept in the Venom ; and then would 
. fuiFer themfelves to be bit, pretending their 
Antidotes prevented any ill EfFe&s. 
CHAP, 
