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T R E A T I S E

ON THE

VENOM OF THE VIPER;

O N T H E

AMERICAN POISONS;

AND ON THE

CHERRY LAUREL,

AND SOME OTHER

VEGETABLE POISONS.

TO WHICH ARE ANNEXED,

OBSERVATIONS ON THE PRIMITIVE STRUCTURE OF
THE ANIMAL BODY; DIFFERENT EXPERIMENTS ON
THE REPRODUCTION OF THE NERVES; AND A DE-
SCRIPTION OF A NEW CANAL OF THE EYE.

WITH TEN DESCRIPTIVE PLATES,

TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL FRENCH OF

FELIX FONTANA,

Naturalist to his royal highness the grand duke of tuscany,
and director of his cabinet of natural history,

BY JOSEPH SKINNER,

NAVY SURGEON, AND MEMBER OF THE CORPORATION OF SURGEONS
OF LONDON.

THE SECOND EDITION.

VOL. L

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR JOHN CUTHELL, NO.4, MIDDLE ROW, KOLBORNS
M.DCCXC V,

HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL
LIBRARY OF LEGAL MEDICINE

PREFACE

OF THE

FRENCH EDITOR.

THE Firft Part of this Work was pub-
lifhed in Italian in 1765. Monfieur
Darcet, a celebrated Phyfician at Paris,
thought it of fo much importance, that he
tranflated it into French a fhort time after.
Accidental circumftances delayed the publi-
cation of this Tranflation. The Authour
came to Paris in 1776, and gave M. Darcet
feveral fheets of corre&ions and additions,
which were likewife tranflated, and added to
the reft. On the following year a pamphlet
appeared at Paris on the volatile alkali (a)9
in which the nature of the venom of the vi-
per, and the ufe of the volatile alkali againft
the bite of this animal, were treated of.
Many things were advanced in this pamphlet,
entirely contradictory to what our authour had

* Written by M. Sage,

a written

( ii )

written more than ten years before in Italy,
He fancied he had been deceived, and fat
about making frefli experiments on the fame
fubje£t, determined to corre<ft the tranflation
I have fpoken of, before it was given to the
publick.

To this new examination, we owe the fe-
cond third and fourth parts of this work,
throughout the whole of which the mod de-
licate experiments are confpicuous. We
may fay in the ftrideft fenfe, that thefe
parts are entirely new, as well on account of
the fubje&s of which they treat, as of the
difcoveries they contain.

Before Francis Redi, no one knew in
what the venom of the viper confided. This
celebrated naturalift employed the greateft
part of his refearches in confuting the er-
rours that prevailed in his time. His work
on the venom of the viper is almoft entirely
calculated to demonftrate, that the opinions
held of this venom were in general falfe : a
humiliating reflection to man, who is inca-
pable of attaining the truth, in any other
way than by pafling through errour.

We owe to Redi, what has acquired him
the greateft reputation, the firfl difcovery of

the

( & )

the humour that renders the bite of the vipeJf
venomous. The experiments he has em«*
ployed to demonftrate this difcovery, are in
general very well made, although they have
not appeared decifive to M. Charas, a French
chemift*

The latter, after having made a great ma-
ny experiments on the bite of the viper*
thought itronclufive that the venom of this
animal confifls in its rage 3 or rather, that
the faliva of the viper, exalted by rage, when
the creature is furious and bites, becomes
venomous and mortal.

Although this opinion is erroneous, it how~
ever carries with it marks of probability «
fince it is certain that a viper is more dan-
gerous and deflrudtive in proportion as it is
more irritated, as will be feen in the courfe
of this work. This is what engaged our
authour to examine the hypothefis of faliva
exalted by rage, by decifive experiments, and
the reader may aflure himfelf, by perufing
the firft part of this work, that he has been
not a little fuccefsful in this enquiry.

It is certain that Francois Redi was mis-
taken as to the part where the receptacle of
the venom is feated, and as to the rout the

a a venona

( 1* )

venom takes, when the viper in biting com-
municates it to animals. He was of opinion
that this humour is fituated in the mem-
brane that covers the canine teeth, and that
it glides exteriourly along the tooth, and at
the fame time infinuates itfelf into the ani-
mals that receive the bite. We fee this er-
rour repeated half a century afterwards in
James's Dictionary, the author of which be-
fides adopts all the errours of Mead on the
faline nature of the venom. If it was not
therefore abfolutely neceffary, it was certainly
ufeful, to examine this matter afrefh, and to
make it as clear as poffible.

All the other refearches our authour has
made, properly belong to him, and we may
fay with reafon, that he has begun where
others have ended; or, with greater juftice,
that the whole of his work is new, and truly
original.

It appears to me, that one of the greateft
merits of this work confifts, not fo much in
the rare and numberlefs difcoveries it con-
tains, as in the luminous method with which
the very important enquiries that are intro-
duced in it are treated. If we are aftonifhed
at the iinmenfe number of errours that are
a every

( v )

every where exploded, we cannot at the fame
time help admiring the tracks, hitherto un-
known to obfervers, that our authour has
beaten, in examining the fubjed: of poifons.

But that which deferves the greateft confi-
deration, is the very delicate analyfis he has
made of the mo ft obfcure and complicated
enquiries; and the fagacity with which he has
conceived the experiments, that could not
avoid leading him to truth, It is to be wish-
ed that he may ferve in future as a model to
thofe philofophers who enquire into fadts,
without prepoffeffion or prejudice. How
many difputes and opinions will then be ter-
minated ! How many truths will be difco-
vered ! How many errours exploded ! And
how. will the number of books be reduced !
The art of interrogating nature by the means of
experiment is 'very delicate. It is in vain that
you combine faffs, if thefe faffs have no affinity
with each other ; if they prefent themfelves un-
der an equivocal form ; if when they are pro-
duced by different caufes, you are incapable of
afjigning and feparating with a certain preci-
fiony the particular effeffs that have refulted
from each of thefe caufes*.

* New Experiments on the Refinance of Fluids5 in the Pre-
liminary Difcourfes of Meflrs. D'Alembeit, Condorcet, and
BoiTut.

a 3 To

( vi )

To judge of what our authour has done in
this work, and of what in juftice belongs to
him, the reader ought in the firft place to ex-
amine all the publications of Redi and Mead
on the fame fubje<3. I exhort him to do fo,
and this is the greateft eulogium I can pay
to the prefent work. Comparifon, a touch-
ftone that can never deceive us, is all that I
demand, or rather, wh$t juftice and impar-
tiality require.

Let this work be compared with thofe on
the fame fubjedt that have immortalized Redi
and Mead. There will be no difficulty in
judging how much it furpaffes theirs, whe-
ther we confider the number of difcoveries,
or the variety and multiplicity of experi-
ments : indeed it will foon be feen, that there
is no room for a companion betwixt them.

I regard the having found the venom
of the viper to be a gummy fubftance, as
a real difcovery. The exiftence of an ani-
mal gum is both important and new.

All that we meet with on the blood, and
on the nerves, as they relate to il:'e venom of
the viper, is entirely new and original. This
may be called a giant's ftride, that clears a new
road to frefli difcovedes.

But

( vii )

But this Is not all the merit of the pre-
fer] t work. The treatife on the American
poifon called Ticunas, and on fome other ve-
getable^poifons j the tracts on the Cherry-
laurel; and the experiments on fome other
vegetable fubftances, are a new field of en-
quiry, in which the difcoveries and Induftry
of our authour are very confpicuous. Howe-
ver, when in confequence of fo many rich
difcoveries we think that nothing is any lon-
ger hid from us, and that we have at length
penetrated into the moil fecret receffes of
nature, we meet with labyrinths, out of
which it does not feem permitted us to ex-
tricate ourfelves. Such are the new and im-
portant confequences of the obfervations on
the poifon of the Cherry-laurel ; a fubject ftill
obfcure, but interefting, which will give oc-
cafion to the refearches of future obfervers.

The excellent experiments our author has
made, relatively to the action of poilbns on
the nerves, have occalioned him to enrich
.^iis work with feveral very important enquiries
into the ftmcture of the nerves themfelves ;
an obfcure matter, in which nothing was
known, and in which it fcarcely feemed al-
lowed to man to make any advances. In

a 4 the

( via )

the hand of our authour every thing becomes
clear, eafy, and fimple. I cannot conceive how
this double order of bands, how this fpiral,
exteriour, and apparent ftrudture, in the nerves,
can have efcaped the fight of all our anato-
miftsj and I regard the certain knowledge
we now have of the firft elements of the
nerves, as one of the fineft and moft ftriking
difcoveries that has ever been made in animal
phyficks j a difcovery that has efcaped the
light of the moft Ikilful and moft pradifed
obfervers.

After the obfervations of Lewenhoeck,
phyfiologifts and anatomifts were of opinion
that a difcovery of the laft divifions of the
nerves could never be attained to ; but what
did not appear poffible then, is now unquef-
tionably eftablifhed, as any one may aiTure
himfelf, by following the traces of our au-
thour. We have reafon to flatter ourfelves
that he will fhortly favour us with his obfer-
vations on the nature and ufes of the Primi-
tive Nervous Cylinders. This is all that re-
mains to be known of thefe wonderful or-
gans. He began fome time ago to buly
himfelf in this enquiry, and what ought we

not

C & )

not to expect from fo exact, and {q penetrating
an obferver !

We are at prefent not only acquainted with
the true ftrudture of the nerves, but are much
better informed than heretofore of that of the
brain.

Our authour has likewife examined the in-
ternal ftructure of the retina— it therefore ap-
pears that wo have fcarcely any thing more to
defire as to that organ.

But his obfervations do not terminate here.
He has developed with the fame fuccefs, the
ftrudture of the mufcles, and of the tendons.
He finds certain characterifticks to diftinguiih
thefe two kinds of fubftances, as well from
each other, as from the nerves.

The firft organical elements of the nerves,
the brain, the mufcles, and tendons, being
thus known, our authour paries on to the
difcovery of a new and complete fyilem of
tranfparent, winding, unramified, cylinders,
of a much fmaller fize than thofe of the
blood, but which are more extended, and in
a greater number, than the arterial and venous
veffels. He finds them in the whole cellular
fubftance, a fubflance which penetrates, and

compofes

( X )

compofes, all the organs of the animal ma-
chine.

Our authour difcovers what he calls wind-
ing threads, in hairs, in the nails, in the epi-
dermis, and in the bones. He afterwards
gives us a detail of obfervations he made on
vegetables, in which it appears, that he traces
& fimilar ftrudture. He concludes by a feries
of excellent obfervations of foffils, on the fub-
ject of which he interfperfes a few doubts,
that the reader may not be led away by fimple
appearances ; and referves his fentiments on
this fubjedt for another work, which he pur-
pofes to publifh under the title of Microfco-
pical Obfervations. — —Obfervations Microfco-
piques.

He terminates his refearches on the nerves,
by relating feveral experiments on the repro-
duction of them, — a very interefting matter^
hitherto unknown to naturalilts, on which he
has thrown all poffible light.

To complete this work, I have judged it
neceffary to add a defcription of a new canal
of the eye, difcovered by our authour more
than eighteen years ago, and which he has
never publifhed. — I have taken this defcrip-
tion from a letter dated from London, which

he

( xi )

he wrote at the end of the year 1779, to Mr.
Adolphus Murray, a celebrated profefibr of
anatomy at Upfal ; and have given the part of
our authour's letter that relates to this fubjed:,
in his own words.

We cannot avoid being farprifed at the
little value our authour places on his own dis-
coveries, whilft any other anatomift, however
celebrated, would have haltened to publifh
them. At the end of eighteen years, he
fcarcely permits this new canal he has difco-
vered, to be announced in a few lines in one
of his works j at the fame time that it has been
demonftrated at Vienna for upwards of ten
years, in the common courfes of anatomy, to
the profeffGrs of which it was probably com-
municated by M. Erambilla, furgeon to the
Emperor, and director of the military hofpi-
tals. Our authour fhowed. this canal to M,
Brambiila, when he accompanied his Impe-
rial Majefly, in his travels in Italy.

Although our authour has never published
this fo long difcovered canal, he has, however,
fhown it to a great number of his friends, and
to feveral other perfons. - — M. Murray, the
profeflbr of anatomy at Upfal, in a letter he
addreffed to our authour fome time ago, in-
forms

( xii )

forms him, that the defcription of his new
canal of the eye has been inferted in the laft
volume of the Adts of the Academy at Upfal.
In ultimo tomo (he writes) defcriptio canalis a
te deteBi extat. — This canal was fhown by
our authour to the Swedifh profeffor, when
this laft, on his coming to Italy, made fome
ftay at Florence. At his return to Sweden,
he addreffed our authour at Paris, where he
then was, to procure the drawing and defcrip-
tion of the canal, which he was defirous of
publishing in the Ads of the Swedifh Aca-
demy, for the advancement of anatomy, and
for the good of his countrymen. The drawing
and defcription were fent from Paris, but
were loft on the road. Our authour fent him
a frefh copy of them from London, but I do
not know whether they ever reached him,
I have inferted the figures and defcription at
the end of this work, with the copy of the
letter that accompanied them.

Dr. Troja, a diftinguifhed profeffor at
Naples, and member of the royal academy
of the fame city, in a differtation he publifhed
in the year 1780 on the difeafes of the eyes,
fpeaks of this new canal of the eye, obferving
that the difcovery of it is due to our authour,

who

( xiii )
who fliowed it him at Paris in the eye of an
ox.

It only depended on our authour to give:
this work a more original and novel air, and
even to make it appear in certain refpects
more perfect. He had merely to conceal the
fteps by which he arrived at the truths he has
difcovered, and to be filent as to the methods
and proceffes that conducted him to them.
The enlightened reader will find, that in pro-
portion as he advances in the perufal of this
work, and meets with unforefeen difficulties,
the experiments our authour has imagined to
furmount them, will prefent themfelves fo
naturally, that he will almoft imperceptibly
be led to believe, that he imagined them
himfelf; fo fimple do they appear, and fo ap-
pofitely are they placed. In the fame way>
the new lights that are interfperfed, and the
many refearches that are defcribed, fcem to.
grow out of the matter itfelf, and not to
fpring from the authour. Again, he might
not have fpoken of whatever remains doubtful
or undecided >, he might have paiTed over in
filence, the enquiries he has not been able, even
after fo many experiments, to decide upon. His
work might have been found more complete,

becaufe

( xlv )

becaufe ignorance only fuffers in proportion
as it is known; but our authour has through-
out preferred clearnefs and utility to vain glo*
rioufnefs and a falfe pride.

There is a clafs of readers to which this
work will certainly be unpleafing, and this
clafs is neither the leafl numerous, nor that
which has the feweft fectators and partizans.
It is compofed of thofe pretended naturalifts
who explain nature at their fcrutoire; who
meditating on fadts {ctn. in a wrong point of
view, and copied into books, immediately di-
vine the fprings of them; and who miftake for
real caufes, the ideal ones they apply to the
explanation of effects which have only exifted
in their own imagination : in fhort, who pre-
fer romances to fails, and to truth*

To folks of this defcription, accuftomed
either to read, or to make, romances in phy-
ficks, the prefent work muft appear barren,
tedious, and little philofophical; and I there-
fore cannot exhort them to perufe it;-— but to
thofe,, on the contrary, who are fond of fadts
and certain obfervations, it will be infinitely
fatisfadtory. I do not for my own part know
of any fubjefl:, either in phyficks or in medi-
cine, that has been difcuffed with a greater
2 abundance

( xv )

abundance and richnefs of experiments than
the one before us.

When a work is founded on certain and
new facts, we always gain by reading it, even
though it is badly contrived and prefented,
and contains falfe reafonings. The new
truths that are found in it are real acquisi-
tions to the philofopher, and he may eafily
employ them as a bafis to truer fyftems,
and to furer opinions, and laftly, to the dis-
covery of the true laws of nature.

But what confidence ought not an authouf
to infpire us with, who, after having faid,
I have made more than 6000 .experiments ; I
have had more than 4000 animals bit ; I have -,
employed upwards of 3000 vipers ; finds no
difficulty in adding, I may have been miftaken9
and it is almojl impojfible that I have not been
miflaken! — What a difference betwixt this
authour and many others ! betwixt opinion
and certainty ! betwixt ignorance and know-
ledge !

This work, fo enriched by the imrnenfe
number of new facts, and by the length and
difficulty of the refearches it contains, could
not have been executed without the protection
and conftant favours of the auguil Maecenas

th€

( xvi )

the authour has the happinefs to ferve. But
whilft the bounties of a philofophick fove-
reign procure to the enlightened world fo
many experiments and difcoveries, the ufe
our authour has made of the means that pre-
sented themfelves to him on his journies,
will, without doubt, entitle him to the gra-
titude and admiration of men of letters; and
it will never ceafe to be a matter of furprife,
that a work which has coft fo much labour,
had its birth at Paris and at London, through
which places our authour, if I may fo exprefs
myfelf) did nothing more than pais.

CONTEN T S

CONTENTS

OF THE

FIRST VOLUME,

PART THE FIRST.

InTRODUCTIO N— In which is jhown how
little authours agree among themf elves on the ve-
non of the viper - I

CHAP. L — Number, flruclure, and' ufe, of the
teeth of the viper - - 5

CHAP, II. — Of the yellow liquor that flows from
the tooth of the viper - - 12

CHAP. III. — Of the part where the referv >oir of
this yellow humour isfeated - - 19

CHAP. IV. — The venom of the viper is no other
than the yellow humour that flows from the tooth
when the viper bites - 24

CHAP. V.— -The venom of the viper is not a poifon
to the viper itflelf - -,>-•'.'« 27

CHAP. VI. — The venom of the viper is not a poi-
fon to every f pedes of animals * ^34
b CHAP*

( xviii )

CHAP. VII. — 'The 'venom of the viper is not acid 43

CHAP. VIII. — 'The venom of the viper is not al-
kaline — - - - 45

CHAP. IX. — No J 'alts are . discovered in the venom
of the viper 47

CHAP X. — ffie venom of the viper has no deter-
minate tafle, and when put on the tongue caufes
no inflammation 54

CHAP. XL — Properties of the venom of the viper 61

CHAP. XII. — Peculiarities of the venojn of the
viper, and of that of the venomous animals 63

CHAP. XIII. — What caufes the death of animals
that have he en poifoned by the viper * 74

PART THE SECOND.

CHAP. I.— On the fair ce of many err ours 1 1 9

CHAP. II. — Whether the volatile alkali is a cer-
tain remedy againft the bite of the viper 131

CHAP. III.— Of the effects of the bite of one, or
fever al vipers, on the fame part of an animal, or
on two correfponding parts of the fame animal 138

CHAP. IV.— -Of the ejfecls of the bite of the viper.
on different parts of an animal - 177

CHAP V. — Experiments on the comb, gills, nofe,
and neck, of animals - - do 1

CHAP. VI. — Experiments on the tendons 220

CHAP. VII. — On the nature of the venom of the
viper. Description of certain parts of the head
of the viper, that relate to the venom - k 233
1 PART

( xix )

PART THE THIRD.

CHAP. I. — ABlon of the venom of the 'viper on

farts of an animal that have been bit - 271

CHAP. II. — Of the time it requires for the effetls

of the venom of the viper to become fenfible 1%%

CHAP. III. — On the action of the venom of the

viper on the blood of animals - 312

CHAP. IV. — Experiments on the nerves 330

CHAP. V. — Effetls of the venom of the viper on

blood expofed to the open air - 376

CHAP. VI. — On the caufe of the death of animals

hit by the viper - - * 396

INDEX.

PHILO-

PHILOSOPHICAL RESEARCHES

INTO THE

Venom of the viper.

PART h

INTRODUCTION*

tn which is fiown how little Authours agree among
themf elves, on the Venom of the Viper*

IT is agreed at prefent that there is no other guide
in a fearch into natural truths, than a knowledge of
facts ; it is only on facts that the philofopher can
hope either to eflablifh a reafonable fyftem, or to
form a found judgement of thofe already eftablifhed.
Obfervation is alone capable of diffipating the mifts
that envelop the hidden caufes of the phenomena
Vol. I. B of

2 FONTANA

of nature. And laftly, it is to the labours of obfer-
vers that we owe the rapid progrefs philofophy has
made in our time. But nothing retards this pro-
grefs more, than the little agreement found amongil
authours, even in matters of experiment ; that is to
fay, in things that are expofed to the finger and to
the eye. Nothing is more common than to fee ob-
fervations of this kind, that are nevertheiefs made
by men full ofcandour, frequently belied by others,
or in contradiction with themfelves. What then is
the caufe and fource of thefe errours ? Is it the fpi-
rit of party, or is it the difficulty of nice obfer-
vation ? Be it what it will,, it is not lefs true3 that
after having confulted the moft celebrated authours
on any particular we wiih to clear up, we often
fmd ourfelves as little informed,, and in as great a,
ilate of uncertainty, as we were before. In fuch
cafes zhcn> I have apprehended, that without being
wanting in the refpect due to the authority of thefe
great men, I might folely trull to my own eyes ;
and to render my inveiligations more deciiive, I
have endeavoured by a lingular application, to dif-
criminate nicely, to compare the experiments of my.
predeceflors with my own, to trace and develope all
the circumftances of them, and in fhort, to difcover
what may have occafibned fo great a variety in the
©pinions of thefe obfervers, and in their manner of
feeing.

Such is the true motive that has induced me to
give an account of the experiments which follow.
Without this I mould willingly have palled them

over

ON. POISONS. 3

dver in filence, that I might not fatigue the reader,
by prefenting him with what others may have al-
ready publifhed.

The enfuihg experiments relate to the viper, and
dw^ll much lefs on the anatomy and particular
ftru&ure of feme of its parts^ that on the nature of
the venom of that animah The facility with which
vipers are procured at Pifa, where I made my expe-
riments, has enabled me to multiply my refearches,
and to vary them exceedingly. It would be loling
time to have no other object in view than that of
rGOting out the popular prejudices on this fubject
that were fo very prevalent in the time of Redi;
We are indebted to this authour both for his hav-
ing made them known^ and having difencumbered
natural hiftory of them. He himfelf knew the va^
lue of time, lince at the conclufion of his letter to
Magalotti he fays, the il perder tempo a chi piu fa>
piu fpiaee. That the more any one is inftrutled^ the
more he regrets loft time.

When I obferved that the frequently repeated ob-
fervations of fo celebrated a writer as Mead, clafhed
entirely with thofe of Redi, I mult confefs that a
glimpfe of the utility of making known the fource
of the errours of thefe two great men, and the plea-
fure of dilcovering new truths, encouraged me
exceedingly to this undertaking, not with Handing
the rifk that attends the handling fuch dangerous
animals.

I have deemed it neceffary to begin by making

3 few remarks on the teeth of theviper^ and on fome

B % other

4 FONTANA

other of its parts, and if in doing this I repeat certain
truths that other obfervers have already publifhed,
it is only to give a greater perfpicuity to my work,
and the impartial reader, particularly when he fees
that thefe truths are better eftablifhed, and thatj
the experiments which ferve as a bafis to them
have been varied in fo many ways, will readily
pardon me.

CHAP;

CHAPTER I

Number 9 Structure 9 and Ufe> of tfye Teeth of the
Viper (a)?

A GREAT deal has already been written on the
large or canine teeth of the viper ; they had been
examined^ even with the microfcope, before the
time of Redi, and were found to be hollow and tu-
bulated to their very points ; Redi made himfelf
fully certain of this with the naked eye, and found
that if they were bruifed when dry, they broke into
three or four pieces, from the bails to the point,
and plainly mowed their internal cavity ; but he
flatly denies that this cavity is a conduit for the
yellow liquor, and that when the viper bites, this
venom gulhes from the fmall hole at the extremity
of the tooth. He fays that he has opened the
mouths of vipers, and has always found that this
yellow liquor, when they bite, runs along the outer

(a) Note of the French Editor. That the parts defcribed in
this chapter may be more readily underflood, we have borrowed
feveral figures of the head of the viper from Mead's works : fee
Table J, and the explanation that precedes it. We requeft the
reader to likewife give a glance at Table II, before he goes any
further.

B 3 part

6 FONT ANA

part of the tooth from the top to the bottom, and
that it never flows from within. / have qjfured my-
f elf well of this, continues Redi, by fever al experiments^
and by the often repeated tejlimony of my own eyes.

The celebrated Valifnieri adds moreover, that
the canine teeth of the viper are pierced with four
very fmall lateral holes, through which he believes
that the moll fubtile part of the venom penetrates
into the wound from within the tooth, whilft the
thicker and grolTer part of it runs along the outer
furface. Mead and Nicholls, on the contrary, fet out
from the analogy betwixt the viper and the rattle-
make, in the lafl of which this humour is very dif-
tindtly feen to flow from the inner part of the tooth,
and maintain that the venom of the viper flows,
likewife from the point of its canine teeth, or at lead
^from an opening they have-towards their extremity.
I have feveral times repeated Redi's experiments,
by opening the mouths of thefe animals when liv-
ing, and acknowledge that I have never been able
to allure myfelf whether this venomous liquor if-
fued precifely from within the tooth, or whether it
limply glided along the outer part, from the bails
to the point. If I held the head of the viper with
the point of the teeth downwards, I had only to
prefs ftrongly againft the mufcles of the palate, to,
make this' yellow liquor flow rapidly from the balls
to the point of the tooth ; but if I held it with the
teeth turned upwards, I faw the poiion collect: in-
llantly about the bafis of the tooth, and entirely fill
the fheathorbag thatfervesto enclofe it. Redi main-
tains

©N POISONS. 7

tains moreover, that this iheath is the true refervoir in
which this humour is depoiked and preferved, and
thinks it is fecreted by a (mall neighbouring gland
iituated below the orbit. Nicholls fays, on the con-
trary, that there is a veficle, or fmal] bag, feparated
from the Iheath, and that this gland is deftined to
quite another purpofe, as the fecreting fome lym-
phatick or falivary humour.

In this uncertainty, I conceived that the bed itep
would be to examine by my own proper obfervation,
the firu&ure of the viper's teeth, and fo inform
rnyfelf well of their ufes , iince the defcriptions thefe
authours give of them are obfcure, and the obferva-
tions of Mead and Nicholls contradictory to thofe
ofRedi.

At each fide of the anteriour and upper part of the
head, the viper has a moveable bone which forms in
part the upper jaw; each of thefe two bones has two
fockets at the lide of each other, which are only fe-
parated by an immoveable, but very brittle lamen,
the fubflance of which is fpongy and like that of the
bones themfelves : in thefe fockets are fixed the ca-
nine teeth, which are fometimes found to the num-
ber of four, feldom of three, and oftener again of
two. It is obferved that when thefe teeth are four
in number, they are not all fixed in their fockets
with the fame ftrength and liability : there are at
that time ufually two, or one at leaft, moveable,
and capable of being eafily pulled out without brea-
king : this cannot be done with the others, which
are never pulled out entire, notwithftanding they
B 4 have

8 FONTANA

have no roots like ours. I have fometimes found
three moveable ones. I have likewife feen fome vi-
pers that had only two canine teeth, both of which
were however weak and moveable ; but this is a
very rare cafe.

At the bails of thefe large teeth, and quite out of
the fockets, fix or feven very fmall teeth are invari-
ably found ; they fometimes even amount to the num-
ber of eight. When they are examined attentively
with a magnifying glafs, they are found to be fatten-
ed at their bafis by a kind of web of a fine and foft
membranous texture. Thefe fmall teeth diminifh
in fize, in proportion as they are more diftant from
the fockets of the canine teeth ; thofe which are
nearefl the fockets are likewife the hardefl and befl
formed. The other fmaller ones are more tender,
more im per feci:, and. as it were mucous, particular-
ly at their bafis ; they feem in reality to owe their
formation to a whitifh and gelatinous matter.

Befides the two kinds of teeth I have mentioned,
the viper has {till another order of them, much
more minute than the former, and refembling fmall
hooks ; they are flrongly fixed to the number often,
eleven, and fometimes fifteen, in two fmall, pret-
ty long, parallel, bones, which on each fide form
the upper jaw ; and of eight, nine, and fometimes
twelve, in each of two bones that form the lower
jaw.

The canine or large teeth, as well as the other
fmaller ones found at their bafis, are enclofed in a bag
or fheath, which covers them on all fides, and is com-

pofcd

ON POISONS, £

pofed of very ftrong fibres, and of a cellular web.
It is however open towards the point of the tooth,
and terminates there by folding together its two
lamina, which at their junction are often dentated.
This fheath feems to be a prolongation of the exter-
nal membrane of the palate.

The canine tooth is feldom more than three lines
in length, Paris meafure (a). Its bafis is not more
than half a line in diameter; its figure is that of a horn
a little flattened, and fomewhat bent towards its
bails.

This tooth terminates in a very fharp point, to-
wards which it infeniibly lofes its curvature, and be-
comes at length almoft flraight. Below the middle
of the tooth, towards its point, and in the convex
part, a fmall opening is vifible to the naked eye, ve-
ry narrow but exceedingly long, which ending in a
fmall, channelled Hope, that can fcarcely be feen
with a microfcope, terminates in this way at the
point. Hairs plucked from the whifkers of foxes,
cats, dogs, &c. may be readily introduced into this
opening, and it appears, when viewed with a mi-
crofcope, to be a cleft, the length of which is almoft
a fourth part of that of the tooth, and the breadth
the fixteenth part at moil. It reprefents with its ex-
teriour edge a very long or flattened ellipfis, becom-
ing larger towards the bafis of the tooth. This flope

(a) The French, or Paris inch, is fomewhat larger than the
Englifhone, but not fo much fo as to make a fenfible difference
in the line, which is its twelfth part— -Therefore whenever the
latter is introduced in this work, it may be confidered as the
twelfth part of an Englifh inch.

pcne-

I© FONTANA

penetrates interiourly, and is terminated at its two
fides by two fhort edges or lips, thick and raifed up.
Another opening is likewife found in the convex
part of the tooth, towards the bafis, and near the place
where it is fixed in the focket. This opening like-
wife begins by a fiiallow cavity, immediately at
leaving the focket. It is much larger than the firft,
but not longer. In proportion as this Hope or fmall
hollow penetrates into the tooth, it pierces it/or its
whole length, and forms a channel which terminates
in an elliptical hole at the point, A bit of filk is
eafily panned from one opening to the other, particu-
larly when care is taken to introduce it at the bails,
where the natural entry of this paffage is found. The
fide, of the fecond opening refembles a parabole, the
balls of which paries over the bony edges of the fock-
et, and the other fides of which end in a fomewhat
obtufe point towards the fummit of the tooth. The
canine tooth of a viper then is hollow and tubulated
for its whole length, from the bafis to the point,
and has two holes in its convex part. This hollow
as however not fuch as one would fuppofe it to be,
on viewing the third figure of Mead, and the def-
criptions of Redi.

The tooth of the viper has a double pipeor tubule
almoft for its whole length, a circumftance hitherto
entirely unknown to obfervers. Thefe two canals
.or tubes do not communicate with each other, and
.are feparated by a bony partition, very brittle towards
the bafis, but which becomes fomewhat flronger in
proportion as it advances towards the point. One

4 of

ON POISONS. II

©f thefe tubes or canals, which I call the externa!,
pne, becaufe it is at thejide of the convex part of the
tooth, begins, as has been feen, at the bails of the
triangular opening, and goes on enlarging by de-
grees to the middle of the length of the tooth,
whence it gradually narrows, and ends at the ellip-
tical opening of the point. The inner canal, on the
contrary, which is towards the concave part of the
tooth, begins with a large opening at the bails,
from whence it advances, doling by degrees, and ter-
minates at length in a blind point above the middle
of the tooth. The partition likewife that feparates
thefe two cavities is crooked, and its convex part
is turned towards the hollow of the canal it termi-
nates, fo that its bony Tub (lance rather prefents an
irregular, curvilinear figure, or truncated cone,
than aperfedl cone itfelf. The blind canal com-
municates with the focket in which the tooth is
fixed, and receives veflels and^ nerves, which enter
by a fmall oval hole, perceptible to the eye, and
opening at the edges of the focket itfelf, towards
the inner part of the jaw. This bone of the jaw has
likewife alarge round opening, which begins a canal
placed a little below and at the fide, and opening
one way into the focket, and the other laterally and
more below, towards the furface of the fame part
of the jaw.

The fmall teeth placed at the bafis of the large
ones, refemble them very much both in their inner
and outer flruclure. Thofe particularly that are
placed the nearefl the flrfl, and which are the firmefl,

are

12 F O N T A N A

,are perfectly like them, unlefs it be that their balls
is not fo well flnifhed. Like the large ones, they
have all the elliptical hole towards the point, and a
part of the triangular hole at the bails. The two
conduits, internal and external, are alfo feen in
them.

It is not the fame with the other very fmall teeth
I have mentioned, which are far the mod nume-
rous, and in both jaws. Thefe are not channelled,
and have no kind of opening, either at the point
or balls.

CHAPTER 11

Of the yetiozv Liquor that flows from the tooth of
the Viper.

WHEN the viper wifhes to bite, its canine teeth
are raifed by a meehanifm, which Nicholls has de-
fcribed perfectly well in the anatomical appendix he
has annexed to Mead's work on poifons. But thofe
of the large teeth that arc not fo well fattened in
their fockets, are lefs capable of railing themfelves,
in proportion as they are more moveable, and badly
fixed in the jaw. Nicholls pretends, that when one
or two of thefe four large teeth are moveable, the
viper can only bite with one tooth on each fide.
Indeed he does not found his opinion on any expe-
riment,

ON POISONS. IJ

ximent, but feems to account for this by certairi final
caufes which I cannot admit, fince in phyficks thefe
kind of proofs become of no weight. He remarks
that there is fuch a diftance betwixt the two canine
teeth of the rattlefnake, that the yellow fluid, which
is carried by a conduit betwixt them, would entirely-
enter into the fheath, inflead of being conveyed to
the animal bit by this fnake : on this account he
does not hefitate" to believe that the conduit of this
liquor is precifely fixed oppofite the hole at the
bafis of the {ingle tooth on each fide, with which
the viper feizes what it bites. But befides that no
organs are feen to execute this function, and that the
mechaniim of it cannot be invefligated, I can take
upon me to fay that I have fometimes feen all the
four canine teeth of a viper equally firm and flrongly
fixed in their fockets, and have ftill more frequently
found three of them, well fixed and very flrong, in
a ilate both to feize and bite* It is not to be doubted
but that the viper, inflead of (imply biting with two
teeth, one at each fide, mufl feize equally with all
thofe that are firmly fixed in the fockets, and I have
even affured myfelf of this by experiment. It is
not true then, as Nicholls pretends, that the conduit
of this yellow liquor only adapts itfelf to onefingle
tooth on each fide when the viper bites ; befides, this
fpace which is obferved betwixt the canine teeth of
the rattlefnake, is not alike found in our vipers, the
teeth of which, almofl from the bafis to the point,
touch and embrace each other in. fuch away, that
no fluid can pafs betwixt them, much lefs this yel-
1 low

14 F O N T A N A

low venomous liquor which is fomewhat glutinous*
It is moreover determined that the viper bites and
feizes not only with the teeth that are fixed in their Soc-
kets, but likewife very often with thofe that are move-
able. Of ten vipers! examined, there were three that
had two moveable teeth, and two-firm in their lockets;
the feven others had only one moveable tooth, and
two firm and well fattened. If I except one of the
firit three vipers, and two of the feven laft, all the
others to which I held a bit of tendon of beef, boiled
and well {tripped of 'its coat, feized it forcibly, and
left the marks of their teeth flrongly printed in it :
I muft however obferve that their leaf! firm teeth
were not of the molt moveable kind, and that when
they are very loofe I have found them to rife fo lit-
tle that it is absolutely impofiible for their points
to touch the body feized by the viper.

Since it is certain that this creature never bites
without a riik of lofing fome of its teeth, Nicholls
conjectures with great fagacity, after Redi, that na-
ture has intended the fmall ones at the bails of the
others, to replace, when there is a neceffity for it,
thofe that the viper lofes from time to time. Their
crooked ihape renders it difficult for them to be
drawn from the wound, and in the courfe of my
refearches I have fometimes obferved, that not only
thofe which are moveable, but even the firmer! of
them, are alike Subject to accident. The thinnefs
of the tooth, and the ftrength of the animal that
has been bitten, contribute equally to this lofs ; and
this opinion becomes iiill more probable when
we confider that thefe fmall moveable teeth are ex-

aft*

ON POISONS* 15

a&ly formed like the canine ones, that is tQ fay, that
they have likewife two canals, .(thofe however that
are the mod perfect) and the fame openings at their
bails and at their point. But all thefe reftmblances
were in fhort but one reafon more why experiment
ihould be coftfulted., and the truth eitabliihed by
nice obfervations.

I have fometirnes obferved in one of thefockets, a
very moveable tooth, the ill-formed and (till gelati-
nous bafis of which fallens itfelf to the edges or fides
of the hollow ; this tooth may even be drawn a little
way out of the focket without detaching it entirelyy
by means of a tender and mucous matter that ferves.
as a glue to it. On moving the jaws* Ixmade the
one next it raife itfelf very, well, but the one of
which I have fpoken, abfolutely continued reclined
on the bafis of the moveable bone of the jaw. It 1$
clear that this tooth had been of the number of thofe
that are at the bafis of the great or canine ones.
- I exprefsly drew from a large viper one of thefe
laft, which was moveable and ill, fixed in its focket,,
and obferved fome time after that the larger! of
thofe which are placed beneath the iheath and be-
neath the focket, had advanced a little towards the
empty focket. Some days after I thought I per-
ceived it to have approached flill nearer. I pur-
fued my obfervations on every fecond day, and
at length faw that this tooth had perfectly fixed it-
felf in the focket, where however it was as yet very
moveable, and badly fastened.. At the end of thirty
days it was fixed in fo foiid a way as to be capable

of

J 6 6 ;$ POISONS.

t>f biting. The neceffity one is under of frequently
handling the viper to be fatisfied of the flate of its
teeth j and of opening its fheath with pincers, or
with the blunted point of a bit of wire, makes this
experiment very dangerous. The repeated com-
premons the fmall teeth receive, from the contrac-
tion of the mufcles of the jaw, and the adtion of the
fheath itfelf which eonftantly prefTes on the points
of thofe teeth that are moil raifed, are quite fuffi-
cient to pufh the root of the tooth in queftionj into
the focket which the falling out of the old tooth has
left empty.

The laft or fmalleft teeth are certainly not em-
ployed in biting, but are intended to draw nearer to
the throat, and to hold firmer, the animal the viper
has already feized.

The lingular ftructure of the canine teeth, fa
different from that of the other teeth of the two
jaws, is a powerful perfuafive of its being from
them that the yellow liquor flows ; it is not however
without fome apparent reafon that Redi, other wife
fo exadt, has been led into an errour.

To fully allure myfelf of this cireumflance, I
bound the head of a viper I had juft killed, to a ta-
ble. To diilinguim better and to a greater cer-
tainty, I took the precaution to remove the lower
jaw : the canine tooth, in the way I had fixed the
head, was turned upwards, and I obferved the, ellip-
tical cleft with the ftrongeft lens of Ellis's micro-
fcope. I gently compreifed the palate with a fome-
what plunted irom, when a flightly tranfparent yel-
low

ON POISONS. 17

low liquor, which formed itfelf into a drop, and at
length glided along the outer furface of the tooth,
inftantly appeared at the elliptical hole of the point*
I repeated this experiment feveral times, and al-
ways with the fame fuccefs. I afterwards clofed the
fmall opening with wax, and then comprefTed the
palate, but not a particle of the venom mowed itfelf.
I however faw it through the tranfparent fides of the
tooth, conveying itfelf from thebafis to the point by
the external canal, which it had entirely filled. I
put a round bit of wax with rifing edges all about
the tooth, in fome other heads of vipers, imme-
diately below the elliptical hole, and having ftrong-
ly comprefTed the palate, I inftantly faw the yellow
liquor gufhing forcibly, and as it were by Harts,
from the point, and fcattering itfelf abundantly on
the piece of wax, which it entirely covered all
round the tooth.

I have likewife been able, although with diffi-
culty, to clofe the hole at the bafis with wax, and I
have then found it to be in vain that I comprefTed all
the mufcles of the head fucceflively. I could, never
force a drop of venom from the point, nor could I even
difcover it through the fides of the tooth. When-
ever a viper is held in the hand with the teeth turn-
ed upwards, it is eafy for an attentive eye, accuf-
tomed to obfervation, to fee this drop of yellow, li-
quor prefent itfelf at the elliptical opening, in fuch
away that it may be more or lefs encreafed at will.
I have repeated this experiment a thoufand times,
and have invariably feen the fmall drop of veno.n

Vol. 1. C ex-

l8 FONTANA

exuding from the elliptical hole of the tooth. Nay,
what is more, on compreffing violently, this liquor
is fometimes obferved to force itfelf out fuddenly,
and to fpirt to a considerable diftance. It muft. how-
ever be remarked, that when the tooth is once wet-
ted with it, particularly when it is entirely covered
with the fheath, this humour, or the drop it forms,
glides fo very precipitately along the tooth, that
it is fuddenly feen at the bails without having been
perceived at the point. It in this way impercepti-
bly fills the fheath, fo that it is difficult to perfuade
ones-felf that it really iffued from the point
of the tooth. This is the way that fo exact
an obferver as Redi has been led into an errour.
It is not proper, after his example, to employ living
vipers, nor to open their mouths forcibly, fince the
flowing out of the venom will then be too fudden,
and fince it will then be dangerous to obferve as
nearly as is neceffary to prevent being deceived.

I not only faw the yellow liquor flow from the
point of the tooth that I particularly obferved, but
likewife from the neighbouring tooth, when there
was one, fo that it proceeds equally from all the
canine teeth at a time, not excepting thofe which,
without being altogether firm in their fockets, are
however fufflciently fo to rife with the others. In a
word, in all the heads of vipers I have obferved, I
have feen this humour conftantly flow from all the
canine teeth that raife themfelves fufflciently, on the
compreffion of the mufcles of the palate, and on
opening the mouth with a force that would be capa-
ble

& N P O I S O N S. 19

bleof wounding an animal feized by the viper. This"
fhowsthat Nicholls is deceived, when he pretends
that the venom only flows from one tooth at a time
on each fide*

CHAPTER III.

Vf the fart where the Refervolr of this yellow Hu-
mour is feated*

X HE yellow liquor iflbe's then from the point of
the vipers tooth, contrary to the fentimenfs of Redi,
who regarded the bag or Iheath that envelops not
only the canine teeth, but likewife the others that
are found at their balls, as the true refexvoir of this
venom. This opinion is {till again belied by the
ftru&Oire itfelf of this Iheath, which has a large aper-
ture next the cheeks, through which this liquor
-would inceffantly flow with the greater! eafe ; fo
that every time the jaws of the viper fhould be ex-
tended, the venom would be conftantly feen oozing
through the extremity of the Iheath, even though
the viper fhould not bite. This is what no one has
hitherto obferved. It is befides certain, that when
this fheath is opened with fciflars, neither this yel-
low humour, nor any kind of fluid that may have
collected there, is found in its cavity.

But fince, as has been feen above, this liquor flows
from out the elliptical hole at the point of the tooth.

2G F O N T A N A

it mull necefTarily be carried to the aperture at the
bads by another conduit than this fheath, in which
it is certain that no remains of venom are found. It
will not be difficult, according to this hypothecs, to
difcover the fmall veficle that is really deftined to
contain it.

If after having {tripped the teeth of this bag or
fheath, a prefTure is made on the palate, this hu-
mour is obferved to flow through a fmall and almoft
imperceptible hole, placed at the anteriour part of
the maxillary bone, within the fhealh, and at the
fide of the bafis of the canine teeth ; fo that when
thefe teeth are covered by the fheath, this fmall ori-
fice comes in contact with the inferiour opening of
the tooth. Indeed with the help of a magnifying
glafs, a very fmall orifice is difcovered, fituated in
the midfl of a fmall cleft or furrow, which anfwers
to the maxillary bone, I endeavoured to introduce
into this orifice a fox's hair, very fine, but ne-
verthelefs pretty ftrong, and at length fucceeded in
paffing it quite acrofs the fheath, by a long mem-
branous conduit, into a fmall veficle placed beneath
the mufcles of the upper jaw, on its lateral part. It
is a membranous bag of a very ftrong and clofe tex-
ture, which is again partly covered by tendinous
fibres. Its fhape is nearly that of an equilateral tri-
angle. It differs from other veficles, which are
crooked or fpheroidal, inftead of which the bafis of
this is in a manner flraight. This fmall veficle ter-
minates next the eye in a tranfparent canal, which
after having proceeded beneath the orbit for the

fpacc

ON POISONS. 21

fpace of two lines, pierces the fheath, and at length
opens at the extremity of the fockets, into the fmall
cleft of which I have fpoken. When this conduit
reaches the vicinity of the fheath, it dilates a little,
and it is here that the venom finds the greater! ob-
flacle to its paiTage, which is owing to the com-
preflion it meets with from the bones of the jaw.

The veficle I have fpoken of, and which ferves as
a refervoir for this humour, is three or four lines in
lerigtfi, and two at moft in breadth at its bails. It
contains more than four or five drops. of the
venom, which is forced from it principally by the
action of a ttrong and powerful mufcle, that riling
out of the lower jaw, folds inwards a little, then
makes an arch, and preceeding to the upper jaw,
runs over a part of it, and fattens itfelf there. To-
wards the inner angle of this conftriclror mufcle, or
rather towards the part of its curvature nearer! the
upper jaw, the fmall veficle begins ; it is covered
with this mufcle for almofl the whole of its length.
Thus placed, it is as it were enclofed in a prefs; and
is bound and fixed to the adjacent bony parts, by
means of two tendons, and of the canal, fo that it
can neither force itfelf forward, backward, nor fide-
ways, and muft neceflarily bear the double action of
this mufcle, which now comprefTes it, when the
viper bites and prefTes forcibly., and now again fuffers
it to dilate, when the mufcle itfelf contracts and en-
larges. That which proves this mufcle to be chiefly
intended to force the venom from its refervoir is,
that it is fattened to each jaw in fuch a way as to be

C 3 of

22 FONT ANA

of very little ufe to the creature in clofing its mouth,
which clearly cannot be its principal purpofe.

The hairs of a fox's whiikers penetrate and pafs
eafily from the veficle through the excretory dud:,
and go out at the orifice fituated at the inner part of
the {heath. I have fometimes fucceeded in bring-
ing them even to the elliptical hole at the point of
the tooth. This is certainly the route the venom
takes for the purpofe of going out at the fmall orifice
of the {heath, which correfponds precifely with the
height of the parabolical hole of the tooth (a).

As the {heath is very nicely fitted to the bafis of
the canine tooth, the venom that goes out of the
conduit at the fmall orifice, muft of neceflity enter
entirely into the hole of the tooth; and although it
gufhes in abundance through this canal, it does not
at all fcatter itfelf in the {heath, lince the orifice out
of which it flows is infinitely fmaller than the para-
bolical hole to which the nice fitting of the {heath
jnakes it immediately correfpond. In a word, it paf-
fes entirely into it, particularly when there is only
one of thefe teeth. Still more, I have obferyed on
folding the meath back above the bafis of the teeth.

(a) It muft appear very fb-ange that Doclor James, who has
written after Mead, has aiTerted in hisDifpenfatory, that the true
refervoir of this liquor is the bag (fheath) which covers the?
roots of the large teeth of the viper, and that a fmall veficle is
found at the top of this bag, which opens at its extremity, to
give a pafTage to the teeth that fried the venom. It appears how-
ev*r Hhat this writer made many experiments on the viper, and
with the intention of making them well.

and

ON' POISONS. 23

and preffing flightly and gradually upon the con-
duit, that the venom is carried by a natural decli-
vity towards the hole of the tooth, which it entirely
fills before a drop of it is fpilt in the fheath. This
natural declivity is limply caufed by a ftnail hollow
in the jaw, which extends as far as the parabolical
hole, and is fcarcely feen with a microfcope. I do
not however deny but that in fome particular cafes
this liquor may flow directly into the fheath, and
even glide from thence to the points of the teeth,
particularly when two of them are fo dole to each
other as to touch and leave nothing but a hollow
betwixt them, and when the viper bites ia fuch a
way as to force its teeth deep into the flelh, and to
flop up the parabolical hole ; it muft here fqueeze
with Sufficient force and long enough to comprefs
the veficle, and give time to the liquor to glide be-
twixt the two teeth. In thefe cafes, which cannot
however but be very rare, there is no doubt but that
the animal may even kill without the venom having
made its paffage through the ufual conduit of the
tooth. I repeatedly flopped up with pitch, fome-
times the parabolical hole, at others the elliptical
hole, and fometimes again both of them, and found
that the yellow liquor did not then reach the bot-
tom of the fheath but with great difficulty, and af-
ter a flrong compreiTion had been made for a Jong
time on the conflriclor mufcle. I lay it down from
hence, as an infallible concluiion, that the venom
flows from the point of the tooth, and not form the

C 4 bag;

24 FONTANA

bag or Iheath, whether the viper of itfelf caufes it
to flow in biting, or whether a compreffion is pur-
pofely made on the veficte I have fpoken of.

CHAPTER IV.

The Venom of the Viper is no other than the yellow.
Humour that flows from the Tooth when the Viper
bites.

It happens very often, in vipers particularly that
have been lately killed, that this yellow humour
dries, flops up both holes, and totally obftructs the
canal of the tooth. As it cannot then enter into the
tooth fo as to find a paffage through it, it muft con-
fequently flow from the excretory conduit into the
fheath. This observation is fo much the more ne-
cerTary, as without it 'twould be eafy to fail into
sn errour, and to prefume that the venom, Iniiead
of being conveyed by the tooth, flows from the
iheath, and is carried from thence into the wound.

I was defirous of alluring myfelf how far one may
rely on the opinion of thofe who believe that the
bite of the viper is only mortal on account of the
rage the creature is thrown into before it bites. I omit
the mention of an infinite number of experiments
I have made to be certain, with Redi, that the yellow
humour which flows from the tooth of the viper is
mortal when introduced immediately into the blood

h e mediu m of a wound. I fhall only obferve,
that the various experiments of Redi and Mead

agree

ON POISONS. 25

agree perfectly as to the truth of this circumftance,
and I cannot conceive how certain celebrated wri-
ters have continued to perfuade themfelves to the
contrary, and to attribute the mortal erled: of the
bite of the viper to the rage of the animal, and to
the power of the exalted flare of the faliva, rather
than to the fpecifick character of this humour.

I have frequently enraged vipers, and afterwards
ppened the mouth in fuch a way that they could nei-
ther comprefs nor bite with it. I have then foaked
bits of cotton well in the foam or faliva with which
it was covered, and applied them to the wounds of
animals, the bleeding of which had ceafed. I have
never feen any accident caufed by this, nor have the
animals appeared to be the leaft difordered. Neither
the foam then, nor the other humours of the viper's
mouth, are capable of caufing death when intro-
duced into the blood of an animal.

I have fevered at one ftroke the heads of feveral
vipers from their bodies, at a time when far from
t>eing enraged, they were in a calm and tranquil
ftate. I have then taken the venom from the tooth
itfelf, to be fure of having it pure and unmixed. I
have taken it from fome of them immediately on fe-
parating the head, and from others fome hours af-
ter, when th§ head had dried in a great meafure,
and had ceafed to move. On applying this venom
carefully to the wounds of different animals, they
have all without any exception been killed by it.
We ■ muft conclude then that the humour alone
which flows from the tooth, has a deadly quality,

to

2.6 F O N T A N A

to which the rage of the animal does not at all con-
tribute. But. to obviate all objection, and to pre-
vent the being reproached with having neglected
to make a viper bite after having enraged it, and
having contented myfelf with introducing its foam
into wounds, I took one, and made it bite feveral
animals. When I conceived that there could be no
longer any remains of the venom, I began to prick
and torment the creature, and in a word, employed
all the means I could think of to enrage it. When
I faw by its hiffings, and the rapid vibrations of its
tongue, that it was become furious, I prefented ani-
mals to it, which it bit with all the force it was ca-
pable of. Neither of them however died, or feemed
to feel any inconvenience. This was a very natural
refult, fince the liquor that flows from the tooth,
which alone has the faculty of killing, had already
been entirely wafted, and fince nothing more now
remained than the foam and other humours that are
in no way venomous, even during the moll exceffive
rage of the animal. I repeated this experiment on
two other vipers, with the very fame fuccefs.

I was defirous of making another experiment,
which, to prevent its being dangerous, requires a
great deal of precaution and addrefs on the part of
the obferver, although after all it cannot be more
decifive than the preceding one. This was to en-
tirely remove the two veficles that contain the ve-
nom. After feveral fruitlefs attempts I at length
fucceeded, without doing much injury to the viper,
and without tearing its mouth. I made an incifion

into

O N

*7

into the fkin that covers the two veficles, and hav-
ing feizel them with pincers, cut them entirely
out with a biftoury, Thofe who are accuflomed to
difTecl: this fpecies of animals, muft fee clearly that
this experiment is attended with more danger than
difficulty. To fucceed in it, the neck of the viper
muft be feized by fome one, or it mull be well tied
to a table, in fuch a way that the creature cannot
raife its head to bite. Having removed the veficles,,
I had two frogs bits, fo as to difcharge whatever ve-
nom might remain in the teeth or in the extremity
of the conduit : neither of them died. I kept this
viper a long time, and at different times made it
bite both large and fmall animals, as well with warm
blood as with cold. Neither of them died, nor had
any other complaint than what muft have neceiTariiy
Jjeen caufed by the fimple mechanical wound- of
$he tooth.

CHAPTER V.

Wbt Venom of the Viper is not a Poifon to the
Viper itfelf.

Very grave authours have like wife imagined, that
this humour, which deftroys other animals, is not
lefs hurtful to the viper itfelf ; and this is the opi-
nion of thofe who have written lately on the venom
#f animals. The examples of fcorpions and fpiders

4 which

28 ■' F O N T A N A

v/hich kill each other with the bite or fting, feemed
to favour this opinion very ftrongly. We read in the
philofophical tranfaclions that rattle-fnakes die in
a very few minutes, when they bite each other. It
is at prefent known that this fnake is a fpecies of vi-
per, larger than ours, and therefore they have by
analogy drawn the fame conclufion as to the viper
and other venomous animals.

Certain Spaniards had brought from the Eaft In-
dies three fhakes called Cobras] de capello, and one
only had furvived the frequent combats they had
amongft themfelves. Dodor Mead concluded that
the other two died of the venom, and confequently
that the viper's venom ought to be likewife mortal
to the viper itfelf. It feems to me that he ought!
lather to have drawn a contrary conclufion, for it is
not likely but that the victorious fnake which furvi-
ved, would have been fometimes bit by the two
others ; and yet we fee that it contrived to live.

'Twould have been undoubtedly much better to
have made experiments, than to have founded an opi-
nion fo llightly on a mere matter of fact as Mead has
done, and on afimple analogy drawn from cafes that
are very rare; particularly as the fury with. which
fcorpions and fpiders combat and mangle each other
does not prove that they die of the venom they have
received. Befldes, it has been obferved that the fpi-
der which leaves the combat victorious, only dies
when it has loft fome one of its organs necefTary to
life. As to the rattle-fnakes, the examples we have of
their combats are too rare and not fufficiently authen-
ticated

ON POISON S, %p

ticated to furhifh a good analogy. This could be*
iides be never any thing more than a fim pie analo-
gy, rendered fo much the weaker by there being
certainly a very great difference betwixt this make
and our viper, whether we regard their ftructuret
or the activity of their venom.

It is not eafy to provoke vipers to bite each other*
whatever care may be previouily taken to kindle
them to fury. I employed the following method to
get the better of this repugnance. Having feized
the neck of a viper with pincers, I kept its tail in my
other hand to manage it with greater fafety. I em-
ployed an affiftant to feize a fecond one in the fame
way. I held the body of one of them to the head of
the other, which perceiving itfelf to be clofe grafped
by the neck, hhTed, twifted itfelf, and fell with
fury on every thing that came near it. The former
one, which it bit fever al times, was much fmaller,
and exprefTed each time, by the livelinefs of its mo-
tions, the violence of what it fuffered'. I foundafuper-
ficial wound, at the part where it had been bit, moif-
tened with blood and with the venom from the tooth.
Tenclofed it in aglafs vale, where it continued tran-
quil for fome minutes. Two hours after I found the
part, where it had been bit a little fwelled; this
fwelling however continued but a little time, and
the viper, recovering its natural vivacity, crept
along the fides of the vafe, and raifed its head with
the fame frrength as if it had not been bitten; Af-
ter twelve hours I fet it free, when it appeared as

ftrong

^O T O N T A N A,

Kxong as another one I placed with it by way of
comparifon. I put it again into the vafe, and on
the following day found it {till as lively and healthy
as before. At length, thirty-fix hours after, feeing no
appearance of its having been envenomed, I killed
if. I found feveral holes in the ikin at the part
"where it had been bit ; the mufcles themfelves of
the back were very deeply pierced ; and the blows
of the tooth had in more than one place forced it
through the body, and through the abdominal
vifcera. And laitly, the wounds were a little in-
flamed, but, there was no appearance of fweliing or
tumour.

Two days after I tried two very large vipers,
which threw themfelves furioufly on the animals
that were prefented to them. I made them bite
another middle fized viper, which received, from
one of them two very deep wounds made with the
teeth, from the other four. One of them even
left a tooth in the wound. At every blow the vi-
per received on its belly, all of which were directed
to the fame fpot, it gave violent fymptoms of pain,
hhTed, and nearly efcapcd from the hands of the
perfon that held it. I put it into a glafs vafe, in
which it remained for a few minutes in a ftate of in-
fenfibility : however, on afterwards placing it on the
ground, it crawled about with great agility. I
could never difcover any fweliing at the part where
it had been bit ; the fkin had notwithstanding been
lacerated, and the mufcles laid bare ; there was no
hemorrhage. I kept it four days in the vafe, du-
ring

ON P O I 3 O N S. j;

ring which time it did not appear in the leafl disor-
dered. The fecond day I held an animal to it, which
itinftantly bit, and which died two hours after. I
at length killed it and found that the blows of the
teeth had pierced it through and through : the
wounds were fomewhat inflamed. The fame thing
happened to five other vipers which 1 had bit re-
peatedly. I even forced a fixth to bite itfelf at the
tail. Neither of them died, nor appeared to be in
the le ail diforclered.

But to prevent any one from thinking that the
hardnefs of theikin had kept the venom from pene-
trating, and to introduce it with greater certainty
into the blood, I removed a confiderable portion
of the ikin from the backs of four vipers, and had
them bit by feven others, from which they actually
received feveral blows of the teeth ; neither of them
died, or became ill, and only one of them appear-
ed to be heavy and languid, and had a fwelling at
its back.

Again, I irritated another viper, by pricking it
on the body with a pointed iron, and afterwards
made it bite a piece of jagged giafs. The venom
ipread from the tooth over the whole mouth,
which the glnfs had cut and made bleed. I kept it
Hill, and waited the event. For the three hi-fi: days
it crawled about a little. On the fourth it was more
lively, but did not yet make any attempt to bite,
even when provoked. On the feventh day I opened
its mouth, and found it entirely healed, without
any fear. On the fame day I made it bite a fmall
animal, which died an hour after.

Ire-

32 F O N T A N A

I repeated tliis experiment on three other vipers
and employed the following method. From one of
them I removed a portion of the fkin of the neck,
from another a portion of that of the back, and
laid bare the mufcles of trie third jufl above the tail.
I wounded each of them at the part laid bare, bend-
ing the point of the lancet a little, to open the
wounds the better. Into each of thefe wounds I
introduced a fmail drop of the venom, that is to fay,
as much as was necelTary to entirely fill it. I after-
wards returned thefe vipers, each into its vafe,
where they remained very tranquil, and feemed to
have fuffered but little. Their wounds were how-
ever inflamed, but there was no fwelling. I kept
them alive for feveral days.

We now fee what opinion ihould be entertained of"
the analogy betwixt the venom of the viper and that
of other animals, and may judge into how great an
errour thofe have fallen who have believed that the
yellow humour which flows from the tooth of the
viper, and which is mortal to other creatures, is
likewife fo to itfelf, and that the bites of thefe dan-
gerous animals are capable of poifoning each other.
If analogy could have any weight in this inftance, I
Ihould be tempted to beiive that, contrary to the
opinion of Mead,t the venom of the fcorpion would
have no ill efTed: on the fcorpion itfelf, and that
there is probably no venomous animal on earth, the
venom of which can be hurtful to thofe of its own
fpecies. If it be fo, it can only be in a very few
animals^and only in the fmalleU of them, the venom

of

ON POISONS. 33

oT which is acrid and cauftick, fuch as bees, wafps,
and hornets. It may likewife be true that the feor-
pions of Afia and Africa carry a venom that is mor-
tal to their own fpecies, iince the venom of the Ita-
lian fcorpion, when put on the tongue, is acrid and
pungent. It appears to me, that the general errour
which many obfervers, who are otherwife very exadt^
have embraced, has its fource in a deceitful experi-
ment. It had been remarked, that when a fcorpion
was fnrrounded by live coals, it was fir ft agitated,
and then turned its fling towards its back, as if to
wound itfelf. As it at length died, and was even burn-
ed up, from its violent agitation amongft the live
coals, it was limply believed that it died from its
venom, and from its own wounds. The experiment
is equivocal ; it is even falfe. I have repeated it a
thoufand times, and have never obferved that the
fcorpion ftruck itfelf with its fting ; it died roafted
and burned up, and not envenomed.

It has likewife been obferved, that the frefti water
polypus, in fwallowing its prey, fometimes fwallows
the arms or claws with which it holds it; and like-
wife, that when two of thefe polypufTes difpute toge-
ther, the ftronger frequently prevails, and fwallows
the claws of the weaker. The polypus, however, in
neither of thefe cafes dies, although its venom, as
we mail fee hereafter, is very active. The parts thus
fwallowed, leave the ftomach foon after, entire and
alive, without having fuffered any apparent change,
and continue as before to (etve as claws to the
animal.

Vol. L D C H A P-

34 FONTANA

CHAPTERVL

%he Fenom of the Viper is not a Toijon to every Species

of Animals.

Thus far we have (qqx\ that the venom of a vi-
per is neither a poifon to the viper itfelf, nor Xq
thofe of its own fpecies ; and this Angularity led me
.to fufpect that it might alfo be innocent to fome
other kinds of animals. Indeed why mould it nofc
be fo, as well as to the viper > If, in a word, it is
not capable of decompofmg the folids, and altering
the fluids, of any particular living machine ; if it
can neither difhirb the harmony of it, nor occafiort
.death ; why mould there not be other living organic
zed creatures, on which it may ha- eas little action ?
We know but little of the manner in which poifons
in general act, but we know that there are many very
active fub fiances which produce the mofl terrible
effects on certain parts, and which notwithflanding
have no effect on others. Stibiated tartar, for ex- (
ample, a fubftance that is introduced without dan-
ger into the eyes, is a very violent emetick when
received into the flomach. There are perfons who
are thrown into convulhons by the fragrant fmell of
the rofe. Thefe various accidents are owing without
doubt to the ftructure and organization of the animal

machine.

OH P O I S O N Si ^j;

machine. Certain fub fiances are known to be poi-
fons to certain animals, whilfl far from being hurt-
ful to fome others, they even ferve as an aliment to
them. Such is hemlock for inflance, which deflroys
the human fpecies* and nouriilies goats. It is thus
that the bitter almonds we eat on account of their
flavour, kill certain birds, and do no injury to others.
It may likewife be the cafe then, that the- venom of
the viper may not be a poifon to all kinds of animals.,
particularly if it ad: like narcoticks, that do not
caufe death by corroding the folid parts. Corrolive
fublimate is a poifon definitive to all living animals,
becaufe its mechanical action is in fadt capable of
exercifing itfelf on all the organs of the animal
machine. Narcoticks, on the contrary, fo dangerous
to men, produce no ill effedt on dogs. The differ-
ent flrudture of the organs of animals may then be
theoccafion, that the fame fub fiance may at the fame
time be a very active poifon to certain fpecies' of
them ; and altogether of an indifferent nature, or arr
aliment, or even an excellent remedy, to others.

It is on thefe conjectures that I engaged in the long
courfe of experiments I am going to relate. I had
already obferved, that of all animals, leeches are in*
conteflibly killed with the greatefVdifficulty. When
they are cut in pieces, each portion preferves for fe-
ver al months the motions it had before it was fepa-
rated from the others. I conceived that an animal fo
tenacious of living, might well refill the venom of
fhe viper, without dying or even being incommoded

P % by

36 FONTANA

by it. I fixed then upon leeches, but before I had
themrbit, I took care on removing them from the wa-
ter, to wipe them very dry with a piece of linen,
fearing that the mucolity or kind of glue that covers
them, and which they emit when touched, might
prevent the fuccefs of my experiment. I had one
of the largeft kind, that are called horfe leeches,
bit by a very ftrong viper which I had previoufly
thrown into a violent rage. It pierced its body,
from which a fmall quantity of blood flowed, feveral
times through the whole 'fub fiance of it. I after-
wards put the leech into water, and it continued to
move as ufual. On the day following I changed
its water, and found it very lively and fwimming
perfectly well in the glafs. It lived in this way for
feveral days, and would certainly have lived much*
longer, had I not applied it to another purpofe.

I took a fmaller one, of that fpecies that have
different coloured (tripes on the back, and that are.
employed in medicine. I had it bit by two vipers,
which pierced its body in feveral places. It was bit
the next day by a third, and the day following again
by two others. Its fkin was full of holes, from
which a vifcous and black matter flowed, on pref-
ixing with the fingers. Notwithftanding this it con-
tinued to live, and move about in the water. Laftly,
I had many other leeches of both kinds bit in the
lame way, at fome times in the head, at others in
the body, and neither of them died of the venom.

I did

ON POISONS. 27

I did not Hop here, but fearing that the venom
might have been enveloped and deadened by the
glutinous humour of the leeches, which oozes out
in greater abundance the moment the tooth of the
viper has pierced the fldn, I made deep wounds in
feveral with a biftoury and with fcifTars, and poured
into them large drops of the venom. I introduced
into the bodies of others, bits of tow moiftened
with the venom, and paffed quite through, and this
method, which I had always found mortal when
tried on other animals, was quite without effect on
this occafion, fince neither of the leeches died. I
preferved for feveral months, in glaffes filled with
water, parts of leeches quite alive. Each ofthefe
pieces preferved the motions there, that it poffef-
fed when united with the other part of the body.
I had feveral of thefe bit by vipers, and made
notches in others, paffing into them bits of tow
fteeped in the venom : neither of them died.
They preferved all their motions, and did not feem
at all incommoded. The leech then has the pro-
perty of refitting the venom of the viper, which
is quite innocent to it.

I afterwards wifhed to try what would be the
effect of the venom of the viper, on fnails and flugs.
I procured the largefl of them, and of different
kinds. I had fome of them bit in feveral parts of
the body, and by feveral vipers. I likewife made
incifions, into which I introduced the venom,
taking good care before hand to wipe off the glu-
tinous matter that covers them, that the poifoa
D 3 might

3S F O N T A N A

might penetrate the readier. Out of twenty-fever*
Hugs and fnails on which I made thefe experiments,
one flug only died, twenty hours after it had been
bit. I could not even fucceed in killing them with
the envenomed bit of tow introduced into their
bodies. The greater part of them covered thenv
felves with their vifcous Haver on being bit.

In the country about Pifa a fnake is found, which
the peafants call afpick, and which they reprefent
as more venomous than the viper. This creature
has ibme exteriour refemblance to the viper, but
has neither the canine teeth, the fheath, nor the
veficle or refervoir of the venom ; and the ex^
periments I have made, have convinced me that it
is an animal in no way dangerous. The fnake with
two heads that was brought to Redi, and of which he-
gives a defcription at the beginning of his obferva-
nons'on living animals that are found in living animals \
was of this fpecies. That of Redi was lingular
however in having two heads. I wifhed in the fir ft
place to be certain whether the venom of the vir
per is mortal to this kind of fnakes, and had one
of them bit twice in the tail by a large viper.
Two days after, I had it bit by two others in the
back, from which a little blood flowed, and after
two days more held three other vipers to it, which
gave it feven or eight blows on the neck with their
teeth. It was rendered a little torpid by them, and
was flower in its motions, but on examining; it two
days after! found it alive, and on putting it to the

ground

ON pctisons. 39

ground it crawled along and feemed in per feci:
health.

The venom of the viper has no greater action on
another larger fn.ake, which in Tufcany is particu-
larly diftinguiihed by that name ; this is the adder,
I had feveral of them bit on the back, tail, neck,
and belly ; to feme of them I have even held three
vipers at a time : neither of them died. They
did not even feem furprized at it, neither were
they benumbed. I at length employed the enve-
nomed tow, forcing it into wounds I purpofely
made. In fome of them I even removed the fkin
at particular parts, to convey the venom the better
to the blood. All thefe attempts were without
effect. It feems certain then that the venom of the
viper is in no way either mortal or dangerous to
this fpecies of makes.. It is not alone then on ani-
mals of the zvorm clafs that the venom of the vi-
per is deftkute of action • there are others again,'
the organization of which is more compofed, and
•which have a heart and many vifcera, and are not-
withftanding out of the reach of its fatal influ-
ence.

I have found another fnake called cecilia, the
wvai of the French, which likewife reiifts the bite
of the viper. I have frequently made experiments
on thefe fnakes, and have had them bit by feveral
vipers at a time, and in different parts of the body.
This creature, naturally fluggifn, did not feem in-
commoded by the venom, even when I introduced
it into its body by the means of incifions.

D4 Thefe

40 F O N T A N A

Thefe three fnakes, the afpick, the cecilia, and
adder, are not venomous, fo that one incurs no
rifle, even when they bite fo as to draw blood ;
they have no canaliculated teeth, no fheath fuch
as that which covers the teeth of the viper, nor a
refervoir for venom ; in a word, they are creatures
perfectly innocent, as I have afTured myfelf by many
-experiments.

I had two turtles bit by a very large viper, ren-
dered furious, in the hind feet where the fkin is the
leall hard. I kept them alive for more than ten days,
during which time they did not appear to fuffer,
and walked as ufual. I had another bit feveral
times in the neck, and as a clear proof that the
teeth of the viper penetrated through the rough
fkin, one of them was left in that had forced its
way into the vertebrae. On the day following, I
had it bit in the neck by another viper, and by a
third in the fore feet. Laftly, on the third day it-
was again bit by two vipers in the neck and hind
feet. It not only farvived, but did not feem to.
have fuftered the fmalleft inconvenience. One
would have faid on the contrary, that it was
become more fenfible and active.

I had five others bit in the bread and belly
by eight vipers, after removing the inferiour ihell,
and laying the flefh bare. Neither of them died.
They were even living four days after, which is
ufually the cafe with thofe that have been deprived
of the lower Ihell only. In others I made deep
pounds in the feet, and even removed the fkin in

fome

ON POISONS. 41

fome of them to introduce the poifon the better.
At length I forced into the wounds, large bits of
tow foaked in the venom. Neither of them died
nor had the fmalleft ailment.

I do not believe however that turtles are abfolutely
beyond the reach of the effects of the venom. One of
them died, after it had been bit by eighteen vipers.
The blood oozed from the wounds thefe animals
had made, in every part of its body. A third died
twelve hours after it had been bit in the neck by
three vipers only ; and a third again in the fpace of
twenty-four hours, notwithstanding it had been
fimply bit in the feet by two large vipers. It ap-
pears then that this venom does but rarely pene-
trate and difTufe itfelf in the bodies of turtles, and
that its action there is much flower and weaker
than in the other animals with cold blood. Thefe
laft in general, die from the effects of this poifon,
at leafl all thofe I have had bit, not even excepting
eels, which however die later, and not till the end
of eighteen or twenty hcurs. The other kinds of
flih are likewife killed by the venom of the viper.
And laftly, the fmaller lizards fcarcely furvive its
bite for a few minutes.

Animals with warm blood are univerfally killed
by this poifon ; I have at lead never met with any
one that furvived its action. A fmall gofs hawk
died in lefs than three minutes. In a few feconds
it began to open its beak, as if ' it felt a difficulty
of refpiration, and had an inclination to vomit. A
few inftants after it fell on its breali5 and could not

again

42 MONTANA

again recover its feet. It at length died with ail
the fymptoms of an extreme debility. I have ge-
nerally obferved that animals with warm bloody and
the action of the heart of which is very lively, die
rnuch fooner than the others.

There are feveral kinds of animals, very diilincx
from each other, to which the venom of the viper
is not a poifon ; or if it be fo, it is but very rarely,
and that with the lead poffible energy. There are
perhaps many others we are ignorant of, that refill:
its action. I have myfelf found feveral of the fpecies
of infedts and worms to which this venom is not
hurtful. I fhall perhaps fpeak more fully of them
in another work, in which I fhall treat of the reme-
dies againft the bite of the viper.

All thefe particulars ought to render the philo-
fopher who ftudies nature very circumfpect, unlefs
he wiihes to bewilder himfelf at every ilep ; they
likewife ihow us how little trull is to be repofed in
the fimple analogy that may be found betwixt dif-
ferent animals, either as it regards life, or the eco-
nomy of their motions. Nature does not fuffer
herfelf to be devined. Experiment alone, in the
hands of an attentive' and difcerning obferver, can
inatch from her her fecrets,

CHAP-

on poisons. 43

CHAPTER VII.

"The Venom of the Viper is mt Acid.

I N a fmall publication of Mead on poifons, printed
in 1739, with the falfe indication of Amfterdam
and Naples, the venom of the viper is faid to be
acid, and to change the blue colour of the turne-
fol to red ; of the truth of which he fays he is con-
vinced by his own experience. To be certain of
this, I received the venom of a viper I had jure
killed, on a bit of glafs, forcing it immediately from
the point of the tooth, by a gentle comprerTure of
the palate. I afterwards poured this venom on a
bit of blue paper, which foaked it up, but initead
of becoming red, turned a little yellow, and pre-
ferred this appearance even after it was dry. It
appeared extraordinary to me that fo learned a
man as Mead mould have been deceived in fo eafy
an experiment. I therefore took a greater quan-
tity of venom, with which I rubbed feveral pieces
of blue paper, and that nothing might be neglected,
varied the experiment a hundred different ways..
At times, to have the venom the purer, I took it
immediately from the tooth, before it had touched
the other parts of the mouth ; and at others again,
^either forced a bit of cotton into the mouth of a

living

44' MONTANA

living viper at the moment of its biting, or introdu-
ced it into that of a dead one filled with the venom.
I diluted a quantity of venom in water, and wet
blue paper with it. I tried to find whether the
mixture of the venom with the other humours of
the animal, had not deceived Mead as to the co-
lour, and varied my experiments for that purpofe
infinitely , but in vain. I could never turn the
paper red. It fimply took the yellowifh tinge found
in the venom itfelf. Mead likewife maintains,
that he has feen the mixture of this liquor with
violets become fomewhat red : I have tried this,
but the event has not been the fame. When the
venom is in a greater proportion than the firop, the
mixture does indeed become a little yellow, but
never becomes red. I increafed, I diminifhed the
quantity of the venom ; I have taken it pure, and
again have employed it mixed with the foam of the
viper : I could never perceive any thing befides a
flight yellow tinge, and all my experiments have
only ferved to confirm me in the opinion that
the venom of the viper neither changes red the
firop of violets, nor the dye of the turnefol (V).

In the fame work on poifons, Mead maintain-s
that the venom of the viper is a true acid, and that
it effervefces with alkaline fubftances. In confe-
quence of this I took feveral fluid alkalies, fuch

(a) Do&or James is likeyvife of opinion that the venom of the
viper is acid, becaufe, according to him, it changes the dye of
the turnefol and firop of violets red, as other acid,s do.

as

O It POISONS. 45

as the fpirit of hartfhorn, and oil of tartar per de~
liquium, with which I mixed different quantities
of the venom, always pure and unmixed with the
other liquors of the mouth. I never could o!>
ferve the fmallefl motion nor the leaft efferves-
cence, at the moment of their union. It was in
vain that I had recourfe to a microfcope, I could
never obferve the fmalleft air-bubble difengage it-
felf ; the colour remained the fame, and I met with
nothing that gave me the fmalleit fufpicion of the
exiftence of an acid in the venom. It muff not
be thought that the rapidity of the effervefcence
prevented my feeing it, fmce the drop of venom
was fo flow in uniting Itfelf to the alkalies, that \%
was eafy to follow it with the microfcope, and to
feize the precife moment of their perfect union.

CHAPTER VIII,

fthe Venom of the Viper is not Alkaline.

A S authours are to be found who pretend that,
the venom of the viper is alkaline, and not acid,
and as it is principally on the activity and fudden-
nefs of its effects that they have founded this their
hypothefis, I thought it advifable to confult ex-
periment thereupon. I took then different acid

liquors,

46 * o sr * a n A

liquors, fuch as vinegar, fpirit of fait, fpirit of
nitre, fpirit of vitriol, and laftly, feveral acid falts
extracted from plants. I united with all thefe acids
a larger or fmaller proportion of the venom, but
could perceive no other than a yellow colour,
which appeared whenever the quantity of venom
exceeded that of the acid. I armed myfelf with
a good microfcope, and never found either ef-
fervefcence, motion, or air bubble, to refult from
this mixture. I tried it afrefh with firop of vio-
lets, but it did not turn it green, as alkaline fub-
ftances ufually do.

It is equally without foundation then that natu-
ralifts pretend that the venom of the viper is acid
or alkaline ; and it is ftill with lefs reafon that they
have contrived to explain by thefe hypothefes, the
pernicious effects of this poifon. Their irrational
theories are completely belied by experiment, the
only guide to thofe who enter into the fearch of
phyfical truths. It muft however be acknow-
ledged, that Dr. Mead has corrected many errours
as to facts, in a new edition of his work on poi-
•ions, printed in Paris in 1751, which has reached
me too late. He there retracts what he had advan-
ced on the acid quality of the venom of the viper.
He confefles that the experiments made with the
turnefol and firop of violets are falfe, and that the
venom neither effervefces with acids nor alkalies.
This avowal prevents me from endeavouring to
account for the contradiction betwixt his experi-

m enta

on poisons* 47

ments and mine, and from pointing out what may-
have occafioned his errour.

CHAPTER IX.

No Salts are difcovered in the Venom of the Viper.

JL HUS have I the fatisfadtion of being the firfl
to confirm, by experiments more numerous and
more diverfified than his, the truths which Mead
has difcovered, and which no one that I know of
has buiied himfelf about fince him. This con-
formity fixes in an unvariable way the certainty of
my obfervations.

In the courfe of my refearches I have examined
with the moil fcrupulous nicety into the exiflence
of that pungent and caufiick fait, which Mead
himfelf in his laft work, and all the ohferver#
after him, fay they have feen in the venom of the
viper (a).

Mead regards it as a neutral fait. He pretends
that he has feen it floating in the (till liquid ve-
nom, and defcribes it as formed of very iharp

(a) James maintains with Mead that he has feen thefe
/alts, although in a fmall quantity, in the diluted venom. They
both fay, that the net-work it forms in drying, is entirely com-
pofed of fmall cryilals.

4 points.

48 FONTANA

i .*
points. But what was my Surprize when on exa-
mining the venom with a microfcope, I could ne-
ver difcover this collection of faline cry Hals which
the learned Englishman believed he invariably
faw ! I even employed, but ineffectually, the
very Strong lens' made in England. I could find
nothing throughout belides a yellowiih and vif-
cous humour, without any determinate Shape, with-
out distinct floating corpufcles or particles, and
alike in all its mafs, as an oil of any kind appears
when viewed with a microfcope. The venom I
employed was pure and taken from the tooth alone.
I varied this experiment an hundred different ways,
and even had recourfe to the folar microfcope ; I
at length fatisfied myfelf that there are in reality no
falts in the venom, and that Mead muSt have been
impofed upon by fome particular circumstance.

I then recollected that I had formerly feen with
a microfcope, certain tranfparent bodies which
floated on the human faliva, and which might
eafily have been taken for falts. Indeed any one
who is not very converfant in the ufe of the micro-
fcope, and who is not well acquainted from habit
with the Shape of the different falts that are found
in liquors, particularly whilSt they are drying,
would eafily perfuade himfelf that the fmall dia-
phanous particles which float on the Saliva, are
abfolutely of a faline nature. They are however
too light, . too large, and not fufriciently transpa-
rent, to be really falts. They vary both in Size and
fhape. The direction of thefe fmall bodies is ra-
ther

ON POISONS. £<)

ther crooked than ftraight ; they have hollows and
folds on their furface ; and laftly, they become fhri-
velled and obtufe in proportion as the faliva dries.
Thus are they to the eyes of a pracYifed obferver^
nothing more than fmall pellicles or light, plaited,
membranes, and as it were the relicks of almoft
digefled aliments. In reality, they difappear on
warning the mouth well, and I have obferved on
touching them with a fine and fharp needle, that
they lengthen or Ihrivel up like fmall bits of fkim
I have met with fmall floating bodies fimilar to
thofe that are found in the human faliva and in that
of animals^ writh the affiflance of a microfcope, in
the falivary humour of the viper. I have likewife
feen fome of them floating in a drop of venom I had
caught on a fmall filver fpatula, put into the mouth
of a viper, the palate of which was ftrongly com-
prefTed. I then conceived how Mead wras led into
this errour. He certainly took the venom from the
mouth of the animal, and not in the way I did> im-
mediately from the tooth ; and regarded the fmall
bodies which proceeded alone from the faliva, as
belonging to the venom.

It is likewife true that fmall bodies or globules,
fomewhat yellow and transparent, are often found
in the venom of the viper whilft yet fluid; This
never happens but when a flrong compreffion is
made on the palate of vefiele, at which time, far
from being pure, the venom flows mixed with other*
feorpufcles fuppiied by the refervoir.

Vol. I* E Li

SO MONTANA

In Mead's works we like wife find an obfervation,
which is repeated in the Paris Edition, and which
appears to eftablifh the exiftence of thefe falts in a
clear and evident way. He fays, that in examining
with a microfcope the venom of the viper put on a
bit of glafs, the faline particles, in proportion as it
dries, are feen to form themfelves into very fine and
fharp chryitals, refembling a very fine fpider's web ; '
and that thefe tranfparent chryitals or needles con-
tinue perfect for feveral months, lb ftrong and firm
are they, notwithftanding. their fmallnefs.

I took then a drop of the viper's venom, perfect-
ly pure and free from any mixture with the other li-
quors of the mouth. I dried it on a piece of glafs^
and viewed it with a microfcope. What w7as my
furprife on obferving, initead of the drop, a heap of
different tranfparent bodies, of an equal furface, and
difpofed with great fymmetry anci regularity ! their
fliape was in general quadrilateral or triangular, and
their points very fharp, fo that they ftrongly refem-
bledthe net-work Mead has defcribed. Their regu-
larity and tranfparency might at fir ft fight very eafily
caufe them to be taken for falts, but they were too
large, and arranged with too much order, not to
make one rniftruft this appearance. What at length
fixed me in the perfuafion that they were not chryitals
was, that I did not fee any of them in clufters, as
they are found in other falts ; they were all diftinft,
and placed at equal diftances from each other.
Perfons who arc accuftomed to view the falts of
©iher fluids, mud perceive the weight of thefe la ft

proofs

bK POISONS, 51

proofs. I now fufpe&ed that the venom had fplit
and cracked in different places in drying, and that
this had occafioned its being thus divided on the
glafs, as happens to feveral fubftances, which when
they dry, fplit in this way into thoufands of frag-
ments, either pretty regularly fquared, or in a tri-
angular form, and all at equal diftances. If thefe
cracks are throughout of the fame fize, it is owing
to the fame caufe, that is to fay, evaporation, adting
at the fame time and with fame the force on the
whole furface ; it is from this that it reprefents a
kind of net-work with different mefhes, exactly like
the web of a fpider.

Laftly, to make myfelf flill more certain that thefe
were not falts, but rather fo many fcales and bro-
ken pieces of the dried venom, I fell upon a new
experiment which I thought a decifive one. I dried
a few drops of the venom, in a very pure flate, in
a fmall concave glafs ; I then examined them with
a microfcope, and found them as ufual, full of fmall
crevices, reprefenting a fpider's web. It was how-
ever very clear that thefe chinks, towards the bot-
tom of the glafs, were larger in proportion as the
dried humour had a greater thicknefs. Thefe pre-
tended falts were no other than the fragments of
venom feparated and dried on the glafs. Thofe
that were the thickefl had little or no tranfparency.
They were of a yellow colour, like the venom itfelf
in a fluid flate. They are fimply caufed then by the
parts of the venom retreating from each other dur-

E 2, ing

52 T 0 K T A N A

ingthe evaporation; and this is even vifible to the
eye, without the- affi fiance of a microfcope.

But to remove all doubt and fufpicion on a mat-
ter fo important and fo generally adopted, and on
which Mead has in fhort founded his hypothecs of
the adtion of the venom carried into the Hood of
animals, I made another, experiment, which abf©-
hitely proves the nonexiftence of this pretended fa-
line net-work. I put a drop of venom on a flat and
fmcoth glafs, and followed it very attentively with
the microfcope during the whole time of its dry-
ing : nothing occurred however firnilar to what hap-
pens to faks diffolved in water. The faline particles
during the progrefs of the evaporation coiled: toge-
ther and approach- towards the centre from the cir-
cumference, forming at firft very fin all chryftals^
which encreafe in bulk, from the addition of faline
particles of the fame nature which unite with them.
Here, on the contrary, 1 found nothing befides a hu-
mour which, in proportion as it dries, cracks and
prefents furrows, that form the quadrilateral and
triangular fragments I have mentioned, Thefe cre-
vices, which are like the fpaces betwixt the threads
of a net, appear at firfl at the circumference, and
proceed gradually towards the centre in proportion
as the deficcation advances. But the quadrilateral
and triangular fragments that fill the fpaces betwixt
the crevices, and reprefent mefhes, do not encreafe
here as the faline particles, do in a diflblution of fait
during the progrefs of the evaporation. I repeated
tkis feveral times with- a lingular pleafure. I, mixed

the

ON poisons. 53

the venom with a few drops of very pure fpri-ng wa-
ter, which I left to evaporate, and obferved it pa-
tiently with a microfcope, hoping in this way to dis-
cover any falts it might contain, but I was not fo
fortunate : no better method can however be fallen
upon for this purpofe.

Two celebrated Profeffors of the Univerfity o£
Pifa, Merheurs Perelli and Lampredi, were
witnefTes to my experiments. They very glad-
ly honoured me with their prefence, and con-
stantly aihfted me, particularly when I made my
refearches on the falts of the venom of the viper.
They both agree that whatever, reafon they might
have previously had to fufpeft their existence, my
experiments, joined to a little reflection, have been
more than fufHcient to deftroy the very Shadow of a.
fufpicion.

It muSt like wife be remarked, that the clefts
which form when a large drop of the venom is eva-
porated,, are much larger than when the drop is
Small, or when it is diSTolved in water, orvery much
fpread on the giafs ; thefe large clefts are difpofed
like rays that proceed to an union with each other,
towards the centre of the dried venom. The fpace
betwixt thefe rays is likewifc dhTe&ed by other
taanfverfe rays, which become clofer in proportion
as they approach the centre, and form the above-
mentioned figures, befides many other very irregu-
lar ones. Thefe tranfverfe clefts are fmaller at the
circumference, are at greater or lefs distances from
each other, and are bent into fegments of a circle.

E 3 When

54 F O N T A N A

When the venom of the viper is viewed with a
microfcope, very fmall and tran.fparent particles or
fpots are likewife fometimes obferved in it, which
are the laft' to dry.

Thus have I fully fatisfied myfelf of the nonex-
istence of thofe falts which phyficians and natura-
lifls have hitherto admitted with fo much confi-
dence. I have feen the theories founded on this
principle, to explain the action of the viper's ve-
nom, fall and vanifh before experiment, which
proves that no fait, either acid, alkaline, or neuter,
exiils in this humour.

CHAPTER ■ X.

The Venom of the Viper has no determinate Tajle, and
when put on the "Tongue caufes no Inflammation.

A* ROM the tefHmony of Redi, the venom of the
viper was at firft thought to be imlpid, and ibme-
what fimilar in tafte to the oil of iweet almonds.
We however find in no part of his works that he ex-
perienced this himfelf . He feems on the contrary to
have trufted in this refpedt to a certain Jacques, a vi-
per-catcher, who was venturous enough to tafte this
dangerous liquor. He boafted that he could fwal-
low a whole fpoonful of it, and Redi tells us that
he has been feen to take it feveral times.

Mead

on poisons. 55

Mead, on the other hand, affures us that he has
tailed it himfelf, that he has made others tafte it,
and that it is acrid and pungent ; he jiays that it
leaves a fenfation of burning on the tongue for feve-
rai hours, notwithftanding it is diluted with warm
water. He adds, that a pain and fwelling of the
tongue foon rewarded the temerity of him who tailed
it pure. Thefe contradictions reduced me to the
philofcphical neceflity of tailing the venom myfelf.
I did fo, but not without repugnance ; and as the
celebrated Morgagni obferves in his excellent letter
on poifons (a), I fhall advife no one to try it in the
gaiety of his heart, left he mould happen at the
time to have fome excoriation on the tongue, which
is a circumflance not always eafy to determine.
Here however a point was to be fettled which has
divided the opinions of the moil modern and moil
reputed authours.

I put a drop of the venom then -on a bit of glafs,
and diluted it with ten or twelve drops of water ; I
touched the tip of my tongue very flightly with it,
and immediately felt a fenfation as it were of cold
and infipidity, I waited a little, in expectation of
that burning fenfation, which acid and cauilick
liquors occaiion, and at length withdrawing my
tongue, pailed it acrofs my lips, gums, and pa-
late, that I might better come at the favour of the
venom : notwithftanding this I could find no tafte in
it, except that of a very iniipid liquor. I then took
all the venom I could exprefs from a viper, and

(a) De fedib. et caufis morb. Epift. 49.

E 4 ven-

^

F O N T A N A

ventured to put it in a pure Hate on my tongue, the
point of which I rubbed well with it, as the moft
fenfib.le part ; I likewife rubbed my lips with it*
I found a degree of confiftence and vifcofity in it,
but nothing acrid, pungent, or burning *, in a word,
it had" no determinate tafte. It is however not fo
iniipld as pure fpring water. There is fomething
in it that refembles the almoft infenfible favour of
the freih fat of animals, with a very flight flavour
which one can fcarcely diftinguiih, but which would
be pretty like that of the viper's fat, if this laft
was not ftronger and more naufeous.

I found no greater tafte nor fmell in it on drying
it, and reducing it to powder. As I could meet with
no naturalift bold enough to make the fame trial,
and as a fupport to my opinion, I gave it to my fer-
vant, a native of Tirol, named Jacques Benvenuti,
to tafte. This man, as intrepid as the one Red!
fpeaks of in fuch terms of admiration, fwallowed is
repeatedly, at different times,/ at fome times pure,
and at others diluted in water, varying the quantity,
and never perceived it to fwell or burn either the
tongue or the mouth. He faid however that when}
he took it pure and in a large quantity, the fen fa-
tion he felt was very different from that excited by
oil of fweet almonds, pure water, or either acid or
iharp fubilances : but he could not tell in what thisk
difference confifted. A fenfation fometimes con-
tinued on the tongue for feveral hours, not of pain,,
b;ut as he deicribcd it, fuch as is felt on taking;

(ome=5

ON POISONS. 5^

fomething aftringent. His obfervation was juft, for
J myfelf have experienced this difagreeable kind of
fenfation, which frequently continued for five or fix
hours, :n the parts of my mouth where the poifon
had remained a long time. If it is taken in a fmall
quantity and mixed with water, it leaves no fenfa-
tion on the tongue ; and this fpecies of diforder in
the mouth is not felt the inftant the venom is tailed,
nor immediately after, but only at the end of a cer-
tain time, and it is likewife neceffary that the ve-
nom be kept a long time in the mouth. 1 have re-
peated thefe trials more than an hundred times, and
have never had my tongue either fwelled, inflamed,
pr painful. What is ftijl more, the venom when
even applied to the eyes, caufes neither pain nor in-
flammation, 1 have laid fome of it feveral times oq
the tunica conjunctiva of different animals, fuch
as dormice, cats, and dogs, and neither tumour nor
inflammation has ever fupervenedin this part, which
is otherwife fo fenfible to the impreilion of fub-
ftances, frequently thofe that are the moil innocent.
I have even introduced it into the nofes of thefe
animals, without their ever betraying any fign of
fullering the fmalleft inconvenience from it.

It is certain then that the venom of the viper is
in no way fimilar to caufticks, and that it is not
acrid and hot like that of the bee or fcorpion*
Scarcely had I put an atom of the venom of the bee
pn my tongue, either pure or mixed with a little wa-
ter, than it flung and burned with as much vio-
lence

5S Montana

lence as if I had applied the flrongeft cauflicks
that chemiftry affords. The venom of the wafp and
that of the hornet are not lefs acrid and pungent
than the bee's, and the pain that each of them ex-
cites lafls a long time. I took it fometimes from
the fling, and fometimes from the fmall veficle
that ferves as a refervoir to it, and found it in both
cafes alike, and invariably productive of the fame
pain. It Hill preferves its flrength and cauflicity
after having been dried, and kept for feveral days.

It is the fame with the venom of the fcorpion ;
the white and vifcous humour it throws out by its
fling when it darts it, caufes a fenfation on the
tongue fimilar to that occafioned by the venom of
the viper, but much weaker. It is on this account
that the fling of the bee is more painful than that
ofourfcorpions. Probably the venom of thofe of
Africa is exceedingly cauflick, fince it kills animals
in a very fhort fpace of time.

I afterwards made a trial of the viper's venom on
Other animals, which, although they are not, like
man, gifted with fpeech, are not backward in ma-
nifefting by figns, the pleafure or difguil they feel
on eating any thing. I put then a drop of the
viper's venom into the mouth of a dog ; the crea-
ture fwallowed it with avidity, licked its lips for a
long time, as if it had met with fomething agree-
able to its tafle. I then fteeped a bit of crum of
bread in the venom, to fuch a degree that it became
quite yellow, and gave it to the fame dog, at a time
when it had already fed fo plentifully as to refufe

food

on poisons.. 59

Food. It fmelt to it, and inftantly devoured it, ma-
nifesting the ftrongeft defire for more : in a word,
every time a drop of venom approached its lips, it
licked it up with the greater! fatis faction.

Every body knows that dogs, like children, are
fworn enemies to whatever is bitter and acrid, and
that they are parlionately fond of whatever is fweet
and unctuous. Hence we mult conclude, that if the
dog found the venom agreeable, it was undoubt-
edly owing to its fweetnefs. Thus is it abfolutely
falfe and imaginary, that it is acrid and fiery ; as it
alfo is that the tongue, on taking it, fwells, in-
flames, and becomes painful.
Mead had an ideathatthe venom of the viper, when
applied to the wounds of a living animal, caufed a
very painful fenfation : a natural conception to thofe
who believe like him, that it abounds in falts, which
render it hot and cauffick. He endeavours to efla-
bliih his opinion on an experiment he made on a
dog. This animal did not feem very feniible of the
pain occafioned by piercing the noftrils with a
crooked grooved needle ; but when the venom en-
tered the wound, it howled and became furious. I
made the very fame experiment on a young dog, and
it appeared infenflble to the entrance of the drop of
venom into the wound. I mud acknowledge how-
ever that I have feen a cat make itfelf and become
more agitated, at the moment the venom was forced
into the lips of a wound that had been made in its
nofe. But this experiment is always liable to er-
rour, fince the needle not only remains in the

wound,

&

F O N TANA

wound, but the motion of the animal is ftill ano-
ther caufe of its being more agitated there, and of
its being forced ilill deeper, and caufing a greater
laceration of the parts. This is doubtiefs fufficient
to renew the pain, and even to wound the nerves
that efcaped the firft introduction of the needle.

I have often poured the venom into incifions
made with a lancet, and could at no one time afTure
myfelf to a certainty, that the introduction of it was
productive of pain ; although it fometimes hap-
pened that I was pretty much convinced to the
contrary.

But were it well proved that the venom of the
viper caufes pain, does it follow that we can draw
an indubitable conclufion that it abounds with falts,
or that it. is acrid and cauftick ? As if we had not
examples of a juice which, though infipid to the
tafte, brings on violent pain when applied to a
wound. I have myfelf known people, who having
been bit by a viper, have notwithflanding'felt but a
very flight pain, fuch as might very well have
been caufed by the iimple blow of the tooth. We
have a dexterous viper-catcher at Pifa, named
Bongi, who haying one day been bit in the finger,
did not perceive it till he faw the blood flow, a
proof that he did not feel any pain. His father re-
lates afimilar circumftance ; he likewife had been
bit in the finger, and compares the pain it occa^
fioned to the bite of a fly. However they both in
the conclufion became very ill of their wounds, a
clear demon ftration of the venom having found its

way

on poisons* 6t

Way into the blood. I am well perfuaded then from
experience, that the venom of the viper is neither
acrid nor burning (a), and that it does not contain
thofe falts which fo many writers have imagined,
either for the purpofe of explaining its mode of ac-
tion on the blood, or becaufe they have been imper*
fed: in their obfervations.

CHAPTER XL

Properties of the Venom of the Tiger*

A HE deadly humour furnifhed by the viper*
which I have neither found to be acid, alkaline, nor
cauftick, fubfides inftantly on being thrown into
water, like certain heavy oils drawn from vegeta-
bles. In this fituation the parts of it preferve their
vifcofity and natural union, and remain in that Hater
for fome time, without changing either their primi-
tive colour, or their tranfparency. This poifon then
is heavier than water, and differs in that refpedt
from common oils, from the fat of animals, and
from that of the viper itfelf, all of which float on
water. Oils and other liquids that are heavier than
water, mould be at leaf\ fufpecled, and are indeed
often found, to be very violent poifons. Without
mentioning the oils of the common and cherry lau-

(a) The modification this expreffion admits of, will be
ftiown in- the feqael.

rel,

62 FONTANA

rel, the red oil of bitter almonds by diftillation i£
a poifon.

My next enquiry has been to know whether the ve-
nom of the viper is inflammable, that is to fay, whe-
ther the phlogiftick principle it contains is capable
of taking fire. I have thrown it on burning coals,
I have fleeped a piece of paper and a bit of wood in
it, and I have collected it in fmall drops on the
point of a needle : it has never taken fire, and I
have not found it to be more inflammable than the
other fluids of animals.

This obfervation holds good as to the venom of
the bee, and thofe of the wafp, hornet, and fcor-
pion, which fo far refemble that of the viper. They
all confume and dry in the fire, without kindling
into a flame.

If a pure and frefli drop of the viper's venom is
applied to the mouth, it is found to pofTefs a cer-
tain vifcofity ; but when it is dried in large drops
on a bit of glafs, it has the appearance of a tranfpa-
rent and yellow jelly : it then, like pitch, adheres
fo flrongly to the teeth, that it is with difficulty de-
tached from them.

C H A P-

N POISON £« 63

CHAPTER XII.

Peculiarities of the Venom of the Viper , and that of
other Venomous Animals.

IT has been feen that, contrary to the opinion of
Redi, the venom of the viper flows from the hole
at the point of the toothy and that it enters by the
hole fituated at its bafis. According to this difpo-
fition one would be tempted to believe, that thefe
teeth have been formed for the exprefs purpofe of
killing, fo much does the fmall hole at the point
feem calculated to convey the venom into the blood
of the animal bitten. But I do not here pretend to
recur to final caufes, and am very far from think-
ing that all this lingular mechanifm in the viper,
has been exprefsly made for the definition of
other living creatures. The venomous liquor with
which it is provided is perhaps neceiTary to its di-
geftion, and I fhall mow that it Angularly difpofes
the Hem on which the viper feeds, to a fpeedy pu-
trefaction ; a degree of change 'tis neceflarv for it
to undergo for the purpofe of being well digefted.
However, by an unlucky but neceffary mechanifm,
the fame tooth at once conveys the poifon into the
animal the viper bites, and into the aliments it
feeds on. Who knows but that the depriving it
of this venomous humour would expofe it to acci-
dents

64 F O N T A N A

dents fimitar to thofe that happen toother animals^
from a defect or depravity of fome one of their
digeftive juices ?

If it were true, for example, that the human fa*
liva, ^s has been believed, is a poifon to certain
kinds of animals, and a philofopher in this num-
ber, reflecting and reafoning on its nature, mould
obferve that this faliva is one of the principal
juices that concur to our digeftion, would this rea-
foning animal be miftaken ? Would it not, ori
the other hand, have divined nature ? But if, on
the contrary, one of thefe fpecies' of animals fhould
pretend that our faliva has been fupplied us for
the purpofe of poilbning them, fince it actually
does deftroy them, would it not be fallen into a
very abfurd errour ? See however where thofe in-
cautiouily hurry themfelves, who incelfantly recujr
to final eaufes, in the examination and explanation
of natural facts and events.

Finally, it is a general law of venomous animals
that wound earner with the tooth or iting, to con-
vey the venom into the wound by holes or orifices
they have in thofe parts. As to the fcorpion,
writers do not agree either on the number or fitua-
tion of thefe orifices. Redi, by an inconceivable
fatality, could never difcover them ; and as he had
feen only a fingle drop of venom on a plate of iron
againft which he had made a fcorpion ftrike its
fling repeatedly, he inferred from thence that there
was a fingle hole only at its extremity. Valifmeri
reckons as many as three. It is however' very eer-

4 tain

6n poisons. 6$

"tain that thofe of Tufcany I have examined, never
had more than two lateral openings, through which
the venom flowed, and that neither a fingle one
nor three are to be found in them, as thefe two ob-
fervers have maintained. When the fmall veficle
which terminates the tail of the fcorpion, and at
which the fling begins, is gently comprefTed, the
two lateral apertures, and like wife the venom at
the crifis of it's flowing out of them, are feen with
the help of a good magnifying glafs.

But to return to the viper ; its venom preferves
itfelf in the cavity of the tooth for feveral years,
without loofing its colour or tranfparence. If this
tooth is then put into warm water, the venom dif-
folves very quickly, and is ftill capable of killing
animals. It beiides preferves its activity for feve-
ral months after being dried and reduced to powder,
as I have many times experienced in common with
Redi. It is here fufficient that it is conveyed into
the blood as ufual, by the medium of fome wound :
it muft not however be kept too long, fince I have
frequently known it to lofe its effect at the end of
ten months.

I do not hefitate to believe* that the animals the
death of which is occafioned by their touching
the heads of vipers, even a long time after they are
dead, are in reality (imply poifoned by the venom
lodged in the cavity of the tooth, which being dif-
foived by the blood of the wound, may have flowed
out at the elliptical hole at the point of the tooth*
A bit of dried venom that may happen to adhere to

Vol. I. F the

66 FONTANA

the outer fur face of the tooth is likewife capable
of producing this effedt I am well arTured by all
the obfervations I have made, that the head of the
viper dies in lefs than twenty-four hours, and
that its mufcles dry in a few days provided they
are in a very dry place, or foon become putrid if
the place is wet. The teeth of the viper are be*
fides very fharp, fo that they pierce the fkin, how-
ever flightly they touch it, I have twice fucceeded
in killing animals by limply wounding them with
a tooth which had been plucked from a viper feve-
ral hours before, and which was filled with coagu-
lated venom. If the nephew of the famous Jaques
the viper catcher, as Redi informs us, wounded
himfelf feveral times in the hand fo as to draw
blood, with viper's teeth he had juft plucked out,
without his ever experiencing any other ill effedts
than what would have refulted from* the prick of a
pin or of a thorn, he did not however at any time
make the experiment without the greateft rifk of
there being fome remains of this mortal poifon
in the tooth. The chickens likewife that Redi
wounded in feveral parts of the body, with the teeth
plucked from a living viper, all incurred the fame
ri&.

I do not deny but that the venom contained in
the veficle may be likewife capable of killing, even
on the. day following that on which the head has
been feparated from the body of the viper. To
effect this it will be fumcient that the animal has
mot bit before it was killed, and that the head is

4 , neither

on' poisons; 6j

neither too dry nor too rotten, iince in thefe cafes*
the veficle would either be deftroyed, or could no
longer convey the venomous humour to the tooth*
by the excretory conduit already obftructed and
dried up.

From what has hitherto been faid, it may be
conceived how certain mountebanks, according to
the relation of the authour of a work on Theriaca,
dedicated to Pifo, fuffered themfelves to be bit by
vipers with impunity. " There are men," fays this
authour, " who under the pretence of poiTeffing
€C an antidote, have themfelves bit by vipers ; they
" previoufly give them a certain pafte which flops
u up the holes in their teeth, and thus renders
" their bites ineffectual, to the great aftonifhment
" of the fpeclators, who are ignorant of the method
ie employed by thefe people to conceal their im-
ec pofture." This paifage clearly mows usi that
even in thefe times thev had fome knowledge of the
ftructure of the viper's teeth, and that they were
of opinion, that the venom was carried by this hole
into the wound. We like wife find in the work of
Chryfogonus, entitled De Artificiofo modo Curandi
Febriurri, that this authour, who lived a long time
after, was of the fame opinion. Speaking of the
viper, he fays, " it has two teeth, the right and the
" left, fixed in the lower jaw* and each of them
" perforated ; they are longer than the others, and
" are fhed every year when thefe animals quit their
" fkin s thefe two teeth are enveloped in two ve~

F % " ficle*

68 Montana

€S ficles filled with venom, whence it flows into the.
*f tooth by the hollow canal, the inftant the viper-
u bites." "

This authour feems only to have added miftakes
to what was known of the natural hiftory of the vi-
per before his time. It is falfe, for example, that
it fheds its teeth every year, when it changes its
fkin ; it is falfe that the two veficles furround the
teeth ; it is falfer flill that thefe two teeth are placed
in the lower jaw. This alone proves fully that he
never examined the mouth of the viper.

I endeavoured myfelf to have animals bit with
impunity, and for this purpofe prepared a pafte
with pitch, turpentine, and yellow wax. I made-
two vipers bite feveral times at this compofition,
and they remained for fome days without being
able to do any mifchief. I found that their teeth
towards the point, were indeed filled with this gluti-
nous pafte, which fcopped up the orifice out of
which the venom fnould have flowed.

I do not believe however that this method is a
certain preparative againft the bite of thefe animals.
We have feen that there are circumftances in which
the venom may likewife pafs immediately from the
excretory conduit into the fheath. The fureft way
then would be to entirely remove the refervoir; and
thus the mountebank would impofe on the fenfes
of the vulgar with greater certainty, fince he
would no longer have any thing to dread from thefe
dangerous animals.

There

ON POISONS. 69

There are excellent naturalifls who believe that
"the flv, which they call in Tufcany, AJfillo, (the ox-
fly) throws out a venomous and cauflick juice from
the end of the fling it has at the extremity of its
belly. Vaiifnieri, who has written fo well on this
infect, thinks that when it pierces the hide of the
larger animals with this very lharp fling, it irifi-
nuates into it a fpecies of poifon of a very corrofive
nature, which irritates and as it were burns the ten-
der filaments of the nerves of the part, fo as to pro-
duce fpafms, throws their blood into an efferve^
icence, and drives them to madnefs (a).

Reaumur, that great and exact obferver of the
minutefl animals believes, in oppofition to the opU
nion of Vaiifnieri, that this pain is rather the effecl:'
of a (imply mechanical wound, than of a venom or
any other cauflick matter that the ox-fly may throw
out of its fling (b).

The celebrated Morgagni, after having nicely
weighed thefe two opinions, does not precifely em-
brace either of them, but feems to combine them
fo as to form one opinion out of two. He maintains
that the pain which the fling of this fly caufes to
animals, frequently depends on two caufes at the
fame time ; that of a confiderable nerve woundecj
by the fling, and of an acrid and cauflick venom,
which irritates the nerves (c)y.

(a) Tom. I. Page 229. Venezia,

(b) Hiftoire deslnfeft. Tom. IV.

(c) De Caufis et Sedibus Morborum, Lib. II.

F 3 TVrc

JO MONTANA

The opportunity I had of procuring thefe flies^
inipired me with the wiih of examining them. The
ancients were acquainted with a fly that, with,
its fting, threw whole herds into fury. The Greeks
caliec this fly Oejiros. The Latins have likewife
rnen'.;oned a fly, the fting of which produced the
far; ' effect on large animals. This they named Af-
JUlui. I do not doubt but that the Oefiros of the
Greeks, and the AJJillus of the Latins, is the fame
with the Tab anus of Varro. and Pliny. And although
the ancients have difcovered their ufual negligence
in the defcription they have given of this fly, it is
however impoffible not to fee that it is no other than
the AJillo of the Tufcans, and the Taon (ox-fly) of
the French. We muft otherwife determine within
ourfelves, that a fly which was fo common amongft
the Greeks and Latins, has not defcended to us,
and that its fpecies has been long deflroyed and ex-
tinct. I flattered myfelf that I could find with eafe
the fmall veficle that contains the venom of this fly,
and the hollow fang that conveys it, as they are
readily found in the bee, the wafp, and the hornet :
I was however deceived. The fting, much larger
than that of the bee, is notwithstanding neither hol-
low nor channelled, and I could never difcover any
cavity in it, either in its outer or inner part, I did
not fucceed better in finding the refervoir of this
pretended humour ; in fearching for which the
ftrongeft lens' were ineffectual ; it was in vain that
1 compreffed the extreme part of the belly and the
root of the fting, I could never perceive a fluxion,

of

on 'poisons. yi

of this liquor, as it is feen in the bee, wafp, and
hornet ; and in a word, in all the animals that con-
vey venom into the wounds made with their flings.

But to leave nothing undecided on this fubjed:,
I endeavoured feveral times myfelf, and engaged
others in the fame trial, to difcover the venom by
its tafle, by applying the {ling and the parts of the
belly moil adjacent to it to the mouth. I bruifed it
betwixt my teeth, and rolled it in my mouth, but
could not find any thing acrid or burning in it, and
did not feel the fmallefl pain or inconvenience. If
it were however true, that this humour is fo very
acrid and cauflick as to burn, as it were, the nervous
filaments of the oxen, I certainly ought to have felt
it on my tongue, fince the venom the bee carries
in its fling, caufes an intolerable fmart and pain in
that part.

It is falfe then that the ox-fly, at the fame time
that it pierces^the hide of oxen, fheds a poifon. The
pain it caufes is fimply mechanical, and arifes from
the particular fhape of its fling. This is compofed
of three fmall, fharp, and pointed hooks, of a horny
fubflance, which when united together form a kind
of pincers. The ox-fly does not ufually caufe any
great pain by its fling, but if it accidentally wounds
a large nerve or other fenfible part of the animal,
or if, which is more probable, it withdraws its fling
with fear and precipitation, and in a direction op-
pofite to that in which it entered, it then happens
that by tearing the fkin and dragging the nerves for-
cibly with its hooks, it mufl neceifarily caufe that
F 4 very

J2 F O N T A N A

very violent and infupportable pain, which throws
the'_herds into fury. We*know how great a differ-
ence there is betwixt the flight pain caufed by a
iharp inftrument, and that excited by a weapon that
tears and lacerates the nervous parts.

I have like wife had an opportunity of examining
into the nature of leeches. There are naturalifts
who believe them to be venomous, becaufe the
wounds they make are very painful, remain a long
time open, and fometimes caufe a fwelling of the
adjacent parts. But it is clearly proved that thefe
frnall animals, fo ufeful in medicine, are deftitute
of venom, and fimply make a mechanical wound
with the very Angular weapon they have at the bot-
tom of the mouth. This inftrument is formed by
three femilunar fubftances placed at the entrance of
the oefophagus, towards the centre of which their
edges would meet each other, did not this cavity
feparate them 4 they are placed perpendicularly in
a direction with the length of the animal. The
curved edges of thefe half-moons terminate in a
horny fubftance difpofed in ridges, the diftanee
betwixt which gradually widening, they at length
form a kind of very fine teeth, like thofe of a faw.

Thefe worms employ the following method in
fucking blood. They make a forcible application
to the fkin with the outer edges of their mouth.
They then make a vacuum by enlarging that ca-
vity in fuch a way that the femilunar inftrument
Approaches the ikin, at which time they move the
three faws circularly, and by fucceffively drawing

them

©n poisons. 73

them to and from each other, they make three
notches in the fkin, which unite in a fingle point.
In proportion as thefe faws recede from each other,
the oefophagus dilates and draws into its cavity the
blood that has been pumped up.

I have tried what I advance here on myfelf. I ap-
plied a large leech to my arm, after I had cut away
half its mouth, and was enabled in this way to view
the whole of the mechanifm at my leifure.

The teeth and channellings of thefe faws are eafi-
ly feen v/ith a good microfcope. They may even
be felt by palling the end of the finger over them ;
and by drawing the edge of a lancet acrofs them,
particularly when they have been left to dry a little,
may be heard to grate. In this itate they may be
employed in fawing the fkin, provided they are held
firm with pincers, or turned round with their edges
conftantly oppofed to the part. I have even been
able to effedl this, notwithstanding the foft parts
of thefe femilunar bodies, fuch as the mufcles, were
not yet become dry. It is eafy then to comprehend
how the leech, after having contracted and ftif-
fened the mufcles that form the greater part of thefe
faws, contrives to pierce the mod obdurate hide ;
and why it is that the wounds it makes are fo very
painful, and bleed for fo long a time, fince it only
obtains this blood in confequence of having torn
with its faws, and made an opening in fo fenfible a
part as the fkin, and one fo abundantly provided
with nerves and vefTels,

I here

74 MONTANA

I here conclude the experiments, which, as I
have obferved in the beginning of this treatife, are
the moft certain guide to conduct us to the difco-
very and knowledge of natural truths. Facts alone
are however not fumcient to diffipate the obfcurity
that envelops them, A train of obfervations, with-
out the help of a fkilful hand to apply them, would
be atbeft but the ufelefs proof of a painful appli-
cation. In the fame way the moil brilliant fyftems
the rich and fertile imagination of a philofoper can
fupply, do not deferve the attention of naturalifts,
nnlefs they are founded on good experiments. To
come at the caufes of the laws which regulate the
courfe of the celeftial bodies, nothing lefs was
needed than the long feries of obfervations of the
Chaldean fhepherds, and the powerful aid of the
creative genius of Newton.

CHAPTER XIII

What caufes the Death of Animals that have been
Poifoned by the Fiper*

A HE fir ft object of my obfervations on the ve-
nom of the viper, was to difcover the origin of the
contradictions which, notwithstanding they are at-
tefted on ail fides by learned men of the. fir ft rank,
are found in the various experiments that have

been

on poisons. 75

been made on that fubjed. I muftconfefs, however,
that in verifying and analyzing all thefe particulars,
my aim has likewife been to find in their combina-
tion, if pollible, a fatisfadory explanation of the
fpeedy and deadly manner in which this poifon ads,
I fliall ail then, with Redi, c1 in what way the
*' venom of the viper extinguifhes life, and brings
V on death ? Whether its adion depends on a la-
" tent caufe beyond the reach of human intelli-
r gence ? Whether, on its penetrating to the heart,
<€ it chills and freezes up the principle of heat ; or
ic whether, on the contrary, by multiplying this
fC very principle and giving it more adivity, it
u kindles it afreih and coniumes it, and in this way
" duTipates and refolves the animal fpirits ? Whe-
" ther it ads by deftroying the fenfation of this or-
" gan ? Whether, by the means of a painful irri-
" tation it excites, the blood does not flow back
" too precipitately to the heart, fo as to bring on
" fuffocation ? Whether it flops its. motion, by
" congealing the blood in its two ventricles, fo that
" they can no longer dilate or contrad ? and laftly9
" whether it coagulates, not only the blood in the
" heart, but likewife in the whole venous fyftem ?"
" To refolve thefe queflions with truth,5' con-
tinues Redi, " is a talk I am unequal to, and I
" place them amongil the infinite number of things
" I now am, andihall probably always be, ignorant
" of." Other authours, bolder than he, are not
afraid of expoiing their fentiments, whether badly
or well 'founded. Before I propofe mine, I think it

ne-

7» F O N T A N A

necefTary to relate the moil reafonable opinions that
have been held by naturalifts, as well ancient as mor
dern, on this fubjecl:.

The learned Brogiarii, profeiTor of anatomy at
Pifa, has written a treatife full of erudition, en
the venoms of animals. He there examines, as a
fkilful critick, the different fyitems and various
opinions that have been eftablifhed on the mode of
action of thefe poifons.

It was at firft believed that the venom, on enter-
ing into the blood, caufed a univerfal coagulation
of it, precifely as acids do when they are intro-
duced at an aperture made in a vein. The ani-
mals on whom this experiment is made, die in a
very fhort time, with tremblings, convulilons, and
vomitings. On opening them afterwards, their
blood is entirely coagulated in the veins,, and as it
has IJkewife been found coagulated in certain ani-
mals which, after having been attacked with the fame
fymptoms, died of the bite of the viper, a trilling
and hazardous inference has been drawn, that the
venom brings on death by coagulation. But if, ac-
cording to the teftimony of Redi and the Memoirs:
of the Academy of Sciences of Paris, this appears
not to be equally true of all the fubjedts that die
of this poifon ; if it is likewife falfe, that they all
have thefe tremblings, vomitings, and convulfions ;
if the blood is frequently found coagulated in this
way, in every kind of dead bodies ; it follows,
that the queftion yet remains undecided, and the
difficulty as great as before : befides^ may there

not

ok poisons. 77

-not "be. other circumftances capable of coagulating
the bloody and exciting the tremblings, convul-
lions, and other accidents, without recurring to the
acid of the venom of the viper ? My experiments
themfelves have mown me that this acid does not
exift* and that no ftrefs mould therefore be laid
on it.

Others have believed on the contrary, that this
venom kills by exciting an univerfal inflammation*
But how can it bt thought capable of exciting it f©
m to occafion death in fo fhort a time ? I will g#
farther, and aflert that the fever which conftantly
attends inflammation is not always found in thofe
that die of the bite of the viper. There are even
no traces of inflammation in their dead bodies, and
when any fuch are found, it is rather the effed: of
Come particular circumftance in the temperament,
than of a proper and peculiar quality reiiding
efferitially in the venom of this dangerous animal.

Thedifciples of Hoffman, who, at the example
of tfHr Mailer, explain every thing by the atony
and fpafrn of parts, endeavour on this occafion to
avail themfelves of a truth to fupport their opinion.
They pretend that this poifon excites, they know
not how, an univerfal fpaiin in the machine. But
again, if this fpafm does not exifl in all the animals
that die of this poifon, how can it be regarded as
an univerfal caufe ? It is on the contrary certain, that
they invariably die, rather from an atony and uni-
verfal reiblution, than from the rigidity and con-,
miction of their members.

I pail

^8 £ O N T A K A

I pafs over feveral other hypothefes, which are
nothing more than fimple conjectures, and, far
from being fupported by any decifive obfervation*
are on the contrary belied by experience.

I however think it incumbent on me to relate
the opinion of Mead. He fets out on the exiflence
of cauftick falts in the venom of the viper, and on
this foundation grounds the whole of his theory of
its effects. In the edition of his book on poifons,
printed in 1739, we ^nc^ an .ample detail of the dif-
ferent opinions of philofophers, followed by a chain
cf iyftematick reafonings, which, as any one may
fatisfy himfelf, are very tedious and filled with fup-
pofitions. His object is to fliow that thefe falts de-
compofe the globules of the blood, and deftroy the
temperament of it; and as it is difficult to com-
prehend how they can in this way deftroy the
whole mafs in fo ihort a time, he fays that when
once the venom has infinuated itfelf into a wound,
a very fubtile and very elaftick fluid rifes out of
it, which in an inftant extends its action to, and
brings on a decompofition of, all the parts, even
the mo ft diflant ones, of this fluid. It is thus that
a fingle fpark which touches a long train of gun-
powder makes a rapid progrefs along it, and caufes
an univerfal explofion, by the fimultaneous dis-
engagement of the air enclofed by each particle.

It is without doubt unnecefTary to endeavour to
combat this fyftem, fince thefe pretended falts do
not exift in the venom of the viper, and fince
nothing is fialfer than the idea of thefe fmall glo-
bule?

on poisons. 79

buies of blood filled with elaftick air. It is
befides certain that the venom does not alter the;
lhape of thefe globules, which when they are ob-
served with a microfcope, are found to be exactly
the fame as before, that is to fay, obfcure and dark
coloured at their circumference, and more tranf-
parent, at the centre, as fmall round bodies gene-
rally are when viewed with a microfcope. I can-
not conceive how Baker, otherwife very exad: in
his obfervations, could fay in his Treatife on Micre-
fcopeSy that the bite of venomous animals, or even
an atom of their venom, corrupts the whole mafs of
blood, and alters the folidity and fnape of the red
globules that compofe it.

It is not on this occafion alone that a belief has-
been held without any foundation, of the change
of fhape of the globules of blood. The fmall rings
that have been endeavoured to be fubftituted to
thefe globules, are a proof that the light, the
microfcope, and the obferver who relies upon ap-
pearances, are frequently the fource of the pre-
tended changes that do not in reality exift. I fhall
ihow in a fmall diftincl: work (a), that all fmall
globular corpufcles, viewed with a microfcope^
feem to be fhaped like rings, becaufe the rays of
light meet the eye of the obferver in a greater
number, from the centre than from the edges.

{a) The work announced here was printed fome years agc»
at Lucca. It is entitled, OJervazwni J'opra z Globstti dd
Sangue*

The

8o MONTANA

The decomposition of the globules of blood, lb
frequently advanced by phyficians, is one of the
rareft phenomena in the animal economy. The
phyficians who are mechanicians, fuppofe that the
globules of blood are fo many fmall round velicles
filled With a very elaftick air enclofed in a fine
membrane ; they likewife believe that thefe glo-
bules (a) may eafily crack and alter their fhape,
even from much {lighter caufes than that of the
action of a cauftick fait : but the fact is, that they
are not veficlesa as they have perfuaded themfelves,
and that they very rarely alter their fhape*

Convulfions themfelves, that are fcarcely ever
felt by animals with cold blood, do not prove that
the venom of the viper contains cauftick falts, the
inviiiblc points of which prick the nerves and irri-
tate the mufcular fibres. Narcoticks and opium
bring on convulfions, but muft we therefore believe
that they act by like mechanical agents ? Still
more, convulfions are not always the effect of an
irritating Jil/nnhis ^ they rather arife from the de-
ftruction of equilibrium betwixt the antagonift
mufcles. Weak languiihing animals, that die from
a lofs of blood, perilh in dreadful convulfions ; and
yet there are in this cafe neither points nor irrita-
ting' falts. The convulfions are here likewiie uiv-

(V; Let It not be underftood that they are really globules ;
their true (hape will be feen in a work of microfcopical obfer-
Rations which I Bfopofe to publifh Toon, and in which I fhall
fpeak of whatever relates to their properties.

Oft- POISONS. 81

juftly attributed to the fuperabundance of animal
fpirits ; it feems more reafonable to believe on the
Contrary* that it is to a defect of them, or to their
irregular diftribution in the mufcles, or rather to
an irregularity in the circulation of the blood, that
they owe their origin^

That opium caufes conyullions is owing, in my
opinion, to its deflroying at different times and in
an irregular way, the irritability of the mufcular
fibres-. It is befides certain that men and women
of a delicate and weak frame are always the moft fub-
ject to convulfions ; and it is not poffible to fuppofe
.in thefe people a fuperabundance of animal fpirits*.
We know that all the mufcles, even in a relaxed flate^
preferve notwithftanding a certain tenlion of their
fibres, which*, when they are cut, never fail to
contract themfelves, and to enlarge the wound.
When a mufcle becomes paralytick, it lengthens,
and its antagonift then contracts the more ; which
fhows that the repofe of the mufcles depends on
the equilibrium of ftrength betwixt the different
mufcles, and betwixt their different fibres. The
powers thus balanced, deftroy and renew them-
felves at every inftant, without producing any mo-
tion or fenfible change. This natural tenfion of
the mufcular fibres certainly depends on, an equal
and exact diftribution of the fluids in the whole
iubftance of the mufcles. This truth is demon^
Urated in a differtation which 1 publifhed in the
third volume of the Acts of Sienna, which was in
part reprinted fome time after at Lucca, with feve-

Vol, L Q ral

%t FONTANA

ral eonfiderabie additions, and which was after*
Wards inferted in the firft volume of my animal
phyficks. [Phyfiquc Animale.~\

But if thefe mufcles do not receive the fame pro-
portion of fluids, or if thefe fluids reach them, or
are diflributed amongft them, with an unequal
quicknefs and energy, the equilibrium of the mu-
tual effort of the mufcles is immediately deftroyed ;.
the ft range ft of them contract; and hence arifc
the convuHions and violent agitations of the whole
frame. This is the reafon why thofe who die of
an hemorrhage, as well as thofe who perifti by poi-
fon, are feized with convulfio-ns : for it certainly is
not probable that the lofs of blood and of ftrength
'fhould bear an equal proportion in every part, in
every mufcle, and in every fibre, whilft the circu-
lation itfelf is unequal, and the mufcular irritabi-
lity is deftroyed gradually, and in a very irregular
way according to time and circumftances.

But even though it might be concluded from the
prefence of convulfions, that the matter which oc-
cafions them is acrid and cauftick, this would not
determine it to be a fait ; and becaufe falts • prick,
irritate, and corrode the nerves, can we fay that
they alone pofTefs thefe properties ? too few expe-
riments have been made to warrant the maintaining
this.

The convulfions fome of thofe are feized with
Tvho have been bit by the viper, do not furnifh a
certain argument to explain the nature of the kind
of jaundice that fometimes attacks thofe who die

oi

ON POISONS, 83

bf: this bite, or who fickeii with the difeafe of the
venom. Some authours have afcribed this jaundice
to the contraction of the biliary pores at their ori-
gin in the liver, by which all iecretion of bile
being interrupted, the blood becomes charged with
this humour, and depofits the greater part of it in
the organs of the ikin.

Others have conceived, with greater appearance
lof truth, that thefe convulfions, and this violent
Irritation of the nerves* caufe a conftriction of the
biliary ducts, fo that the already feparated bile is
tarried into the biood, and fpreads itfelf over the
whole fuperficies of the ikin. Both thefe hypothe-
fes however are founded on a falfe principle, fince
anatomy teaches us that the nerves are not irri-
table, and that the biliary ducts are not compofed
of mufcular fibres* The fir-ft of them is abfurd on
another account, for if the bile is not primarily fe-
parated in the liver, and afterwards returned into
the blood, how can it mow its quality and colour >
I cannot conceive how very great naturalifts have
brought themfelves to think that it is not necefiary
for it to be feparated in the liver, to enable the
blood to take a yellow tinge, and to give this colour
to the fkini

It is not fumcient that the blood contains all the
ingredients of the bile, the fixed and volatile falts^
the oil, and the water* to enable it to form bile.
It is likewife neceflary that the organs which con-
cur to its generation, appropriate the matter of it,
and regulate the proportions ; fo that the fame
G 2. fub Kanccs

$4 F O N T A tf A

fiibftances which in the proper vifcus might fidytS
formed bile, can never acquire, when mixed in the
blood with the other principles of that fluid, either
its nature or properties. But when once it is fe-
parated, and thrown again into the mafs of bloody
it preserves its feveral qualities in fuch a way, that
ail the principles of the blood can no longer de-
compofe them, or break their combination. It
may be compared to a drop of oil, which conftant-
ly preferves its nature in the midft of another fluid,
although agitated and divided ad infinitum ; each
feparate particle continues to be oil as before. Thus
for example, the principles of muji (new wine) and
of oil certainly exift in the vine and in the olive
tree, but they only fliow themfelves in the grape
and olive.

A more appofite circumftance* ftill, and one
which ruins this hypothecs, is the example of eu-
nuchs. The partizans of it will agree, that it is
in vain for thefe unfortunate people to preferve in
their blood, during their whole lives, the princi-
ples that confiitute the femen, fince it does not ma-
nifeit itfelf by any of its effects ; they referable wo-
men, and never have the fmell that characterizes
the male. I will go further, and allowing that not
only the principles of the bile are contained in the
blood, but likewife the bile itfelf, it will not yet
follow that it has the property of giving a yellow
tinge to the fkin. Animals have been known to
have a fcirrhous liver, or a very large abfcefs in
that vifcus, for a long time, without being jaun-
diced.

ON POISONS. #5

diced. Let us agree then, that if thofe who are
attacked with the difeafe of the venom become fo,
the caufe which produces this effect muft have in-
tercepted the courfe of the bile after its reparation
in the iiver? without its having done any previous
injury to that fecretion. I am firmly perfuaded
it it does not thus pour itfelf into the mafs of
humours, but becaufe its courfe is intercepted in
the du&us ccmmunis choledochus, before it dif-
charges itfelf into the duodenum. The convul-
fions of the ftomach and inteftines that attack thofe
who have been bit by the viper, may very readily
irritate and contract the duodenum, and fo ftop up
this orifice. Neither mult we be aftoniihed at fee-
ing the fame jaundice make its appearance in thofe
who have taken other poifcns, fince they alfo have
the fame convulfions, with a painful drawing to-
gether at the pit of the ftomach, bilious and con-
vulfive vomitings, a contraction about the navel,
and other complaints in the abdomen. It may
Hkewife happen in certain cafes, that the bile of
thofe that have been bit, may be fo attenuated and
exalted, that it may even penetrate through the
fubflance of the liver, and immediately make its
re- entrance into the torrent of the circulation, con-
veying the jaundice to the whole furfaee of the
body. It is thus that, in confequence of its being
exalted in certain difeafes, it palies through the
thickeft membranes, and depofits itfelf abundantly
on the colon, duodenum, mefentery, epiploon, and
peritoneum, on which, as may be found by opening

G 3 dead

Stf MONTANA

dead bodies, it bellows its colour. It is well known
that there are very few humours in the animal body
that corrupt fo readily as the bile ; and we fhali
foon fee that it is this principle of putrefaction
particularly, which the venom of the viper con-
veys into animals.

But to return to the opinions of authours, as to
the immediate caufe of the death of thofe thai;
are attacked by the difeafe of the venom. The
celebrated De Buffon maintains, in his great work
of Natural Hiftory, that the activity of the venom
of the viper, as well as of other active poifons,
depends on thofe microfcopical animalcules, which
aredifcoveredin the infufions of vegetable and ani-
mal fubftances, and which he believes to be fimple
arganical particles. I can certify that nothing like
them exifts, either in, the venom of the viper, or
in the other poifons, whether of the animal, vegeta- ,
ble, or mineral kingdoms, particularly thofe of
the laft. I have rendered myfelf very certain of
this, by experiments made with the greatefl: care^
and in which I employed the flrongefl lens'.

The authour of a book, entitled, On The Re~
produBion of Individuals, \_De la Reprodutlion des In-
dividusl or rather Monfieur de Buffon himfelf, af-
ferts, that the venom of the viper, as well as all
c.ther acTtive and penetrating poifons in animals and
vegetables, can be nothing elfe than thefe organi-
cal particles ; and he fays, that the falts Mead
pbferved are prcciiely the fame particles carried
to their higheft degree of activity. He likewife

believes

ON POISONS. 87

believes that the pus of wounds is filled with thefe
moving corpufcles ; but all this is without founda-
tion. I have mown that thefe pretended falts are
not found in the venom of the viper, any more than
the particles fuppofed to be in motion. I have
likevvife examined all kinds of wounds, whether of
a good quality, gangrenous, or cancerous, and have
never been able to find the'leaft veflige of thefe
particles: I could only difcover a quantity of fmall
unequal corpufcles, more or lefs round, and fwim-
ming in a tranfpareht liquor. But what appeared
flill flranger to me, and which is however incontef-
tible, thefe microfcopical animalcules are not found
even in wounds of living animals, that come of
themfelves, whilft they are always to be- traced in,
animal and vegetable fubflances, put to putrify i$
water, and expofed to the air.

This illuftrious French naturalifl has been mifla-
ken then in all he 4ias written on the, nature and
action of the venom of the viper, and of other poi-
fons. The acids falts of Mead which have never
exifted in nature, and the neutral falts of the fame
authour, which are not real, have been meta-
morpofed by the fertile imagination of the elegant
French writer, into w<hat are flill more abfurd, or*
ganical particles, endued with motion.

It is falfe, that the corpufcles which are feer*
with a micfofcope in continual motion*, in the infu-
sions of animal and vegetable fubflances, are fimple
organical particles, fince they are real animals. It
is falfer flill that thefe organical particles are feen

Q 4 'w

SS FONTANA

in the venom of the viper, and in other poifons,
No motion is o.bferved in any poifon whatever, and
there is nothing that can give one the frighteil fuf-
picion of the exiftence of thefe particles there. It
is befides impoffible that the fairs of Mead can be
the particles of BufTon, fince thefe falts are merely
imaginary. There is no greater truth in the ex-
iftence of thefe particles in the pus of wounds,
iince there is no motion in this fubftance. It is
with regret that I fee myfelf obliged to dwell on the
errours, of this .writer, but his authority may ealily
xniflead thofe who can only judge after others. How
many are there who judge in this way ! we may in-
clude in this number all thofe who are not capable
of immediately consulting nature ; who prefer hy-
pothecs to fact, and eloquence to truth : a fevere
dnd candid posterity .will, without doubt, be afto*
nifhed to finct, that there have been philofophers
and naturalifts in the eighteenth century, who, even
in the mod important particulars, have ventured to
fubftitute conjecture to experiment, notwithftand-*
ing that the latter would have been made with as,
much eale, as it would have been decifive.

" Let indolent men," obferyes Senac, (a)
*' feck an amufement in deviling the fecret fprings
" of nature, as obfcure politicians divine and re-
" gulate what paffes in the cabinets of princes : it
^ is a philofophical delirium that only hurts the

(a) Jprsiit^ dy Coeur, page 2$. Preface.

mind*

©N POISONS. 89

** mind. But where life is interefted, if we are per-
" mitted to form conjectures, it is for the purpofe
" of fubmitting them to the proof of experiment,
" which ought to decide."

In this uncertainty, feeing that the opinions of the
greater! philofophers are fubjed to the greatefr. dif-
ficulties, I thought it expedient to have recourfe to
my own obfervations. Neither of their fyftems is
fatisfactory, when we confider the quicknefs with
which the venom of the viper kills animals. I could
not comprehend how creatures with cold blood,
fuch as the frog, are fo foon deftroyed by this poi-
fon, whilil they furvive for fo long a time the lofs
of the heart, interlines, and other vifcera,and even
that of the brain and head.

Doctor Mead, as we have already feen, afTerted
with the generality of philofophers, in the firn;
edition of his works, that poifons, particularly
thofe of the animal kingdom, act on the blood,
#nd are carried by this fluid into theinnermofr. parts.
But having paid attention to the quicknefs with
which the venom of the rattle-fnake caufes death,
this illuflrious naturalift has changed his opinion in'
Jiis laft work on the fame fubjed:, and has fubfti-
tuted the animal fpirits to the blood. He maintains
then, that the primary action of the venom of the
viper and that of other animals, is on the nervous
fluid, which, being depraved by it, produces in-,
flammation in the organs, and deilroys the animal
machine ; fo that the difeafe caufed by thefe ve-
noniS; communicates itfelf to the whole body in

nq

90 v on t a n A

no other way than by the medium of the animal ipi-
xits, which finally vitiate the blood, with which
they unite themfelves. The faliity of this hypo-
thecs of Mead will be demonflrated by and by.

Nothing is lefs known than the manner in which
this poifon ad:s and brings on death ; if we reflect
however on the effects of opium, its mode of adlion
may inflrudt and enlighten us a little on that of the
venom of the viper. That vegetable juice begins
by rendering an animal weak and torpid, and foon
kills it by deftroying the irritability of the mufcu-
lar fibres, as I have feveral times obferved in ani^
mals with cold blood, and as the famous Haller de-
monftrated a long time ago, even in thofe that have
the blood warm. The fymptoms and accidents
that follow the bite of the viper, -do not differ ef-
tentialiy from thofe I have jufl fpoken of, and may
at leait induce one to fufped that the venom of that,
animal likewife kills by totally deffroying the irri-
tability of the fibres.

I recoiled: that being fome years ago at Bolognia,
and reflecting attentively on the action of mephi-
tick vapours, whether natural or artificial, 1 could
-not bring myfeif to be fatisfied with all that the
different authours have written on their nature,
and on the proximate caufeoft.be fuddcn death
they canfe to animals. Some will have it to be
owing to the exceffive elafticity of the air, and
others afcribe it to the total lofs of this fame elas-
ticity : now thefetwo hypothefes .are equally be-
lied by fadsj which prove on one hand, that the

changes

ON POISONS. 91

changes the elasticity of the air may undergo in
mephitick vapours, is never fufficient to kill ani-
mals fo fuddenly ; and on the other, that there are
mephitick vapours in which the air abfblutely lofes
part of its elafticity. Others have conceived that
this peftilential vapour kills by irritating the nerves
of the bronchia, and caufes a crifpation and an uni-
verfal conftridtion in the lungs, to fuch a degree as-
to clofe the pafTage of air, and to prevent their di-
lation. Laftly, there are thofe again who have
conceived, that the vitriolick particles of the me,
phitick vapours ad: with a repulfive force againit
the particles of the animal fluids, fo that the pul-
monary veficles, deprived of their animal fpirits,
fall into an abfolute ftate of relaxation. It is how-
ever very certain, that even thofe animals which live
a long time without refpiring, and without there
being any circulation in the lungs, fuch as frogs,
and other animals with cold blood, and the gene-
rality of infedts, in which the circulation frequently
remains for a long time intercepted, without endan-
gering life in the leaft ; that all theft animals and
infeclis, I fay, are very foon killed in mephitick
vapours. Befides, the nerves are neither fufceptible
of contraction .nor of irritability, and the pulmo-
nary veficles are not formed of mufcular fibres." It
is likewife certain, that there are mephitick va-
pours without fulphur, fmell, or tafte, and which
do not contain either an acid or alkaline fait ; and
even though they fhould contain any fuch, we
fhould not comprehend the readier how they are

capa-

J'2 F O N T A N A

capable of killing fofuddenly, animals in which life
is fo tenacious, and which the knife^ the fire, the-
very extraction of the heart, lungs, and all the
other vifcera, and laitly that of the brain, do not
deftroy without great difficulty. In confequence of
thefe coniiderations, I formed a determined refo-
lutiq'n to make artificial mephitick vapours, and
to examine the effects of them on living animals*
I collected the vapours of fulphur in a recipient, in
which I placed a frog ; it died almoft inftantly, af-
ter making a few leaps, and being violently agi-
tated. I opened it, and found all its parts flaccid
and relaxed. The heart frill movexl, but feebly and
with great difficulty, and in a ihprt time entirely loll:
thefe little remains of action. I endeavoured inef-
fectually to irritate, not only that, but likewife the
other mufcles ; neither of them would contracl:. I
forced a needle into the fpinal marrow, and faw
with fur prize .> that it no longer awakened the mo-
tion of the limbs. The colour of the blood was
changed to brown, but its globules Hill preferved
their round and fpherica! fhape.

I placed two other frogs beneath a glafs reci-
pient, into which I had introduced the vapour of a
folution of iron filings in the nitrous acid. They
died initantly. I opened therm znd found the blood
of a brownilli hue, and collected in the auricles.
The heart was no longer in motion, and was mfen-
fible to flimulations. The iiclli was throughout
flaccid; and had iikewife loft all irritability. On

pricking

on poisons. 93

pricking the crural nerves, the legs remained
motionlefs.

During this period, the celebrated Doctor Veratti
likewife made experiments on artificial me'phi-
tick vapours. I amfted at them myfelf, in com-
pany with other profeffors, and they proved very
conformable to mine. It refults clearly from all
thefe circumftances, that mephitick vapours kill
animals, by deftroying the irritability of the
whole mufcular fyftem. This is the immediate
caufe of their adtion, and the reafon why theie per-
nicious exhalations kill animals as it were inftan-
taneoufly.

About the time when the fir ft part of the prefent
work appeared in Italian, (at Lucca in 1767) I
found, as has been feen above, that artificial airs
kill frogs by deftroying the irritability of the
heart ; and the examination of the effects that
mephitick vapours produce on living animals, made
me conclude, that they occafion death by deftroy-r
ing the irritability of the whole mufcular fyftem.
But a celebrated Phyfician (TirTot) feems~ not to
be of this opinion in his excellent wrork on the
nerves. He there exprefies himfeif in this man-
ner (a), " One of the greateft modern naturalifts
:c thinks that factitious airs abfolutely deftroy the
" iritability of the heart, and that their effedts are
' to be explained accordingly : but there is no

(a) Traite des nerfs, &c. T. i. Seconde Partie, Article des
Eff'ets des Poifons, § 218. en note

u convey-*

94 MONTANA

xc conveyance by which their action can be carried
'* to the heart. Fixed air, which kills when refpi-
" red, being applied in the way of injection to the
** mufcular fibres of the inteftines, revives their
" action, awakens the principle of life, and reco-
" vers lick perfons at the point of death. Applied
" then to the mufcles themfelves, it excites their
C£ irritability, inftead of deitroying it.5'

This is not the place to fpeak in an exprefs way
of the effects of artificial airs on the living body<;
I purpofe to'do this in another work on refpiration,
which has been finifhed for feme time, and in
which I fhall relate the detail of the experiments I
have made on this fubject, and give my fentiments
on the caufe of the death brought on in mephitick
airs. However in the mean time I think myfelf
under the neceiflty of obferving, that the arguments
of the ]earned TiiTot have not hitherto been de-
cifive; that the queftion remains in its original
ftate ; and that it fnould only be decided by having
recourfe to experiment, to which an authority of
io great a weight as this philofopher's, is but too
capable of preventing an application.

The fir ft difficulty Tifibt oppofes is, that we da
not know the channel by which mephitick airs de-
prive the heart of its irritability.

But it mull be acknowledged., that the ignorance
of one truth does not exclude the knowledge of
another ; and that we may know the effects with-
out understanding the caufes, and ftill lefs their
njarfner of acting. All humanfcien.ee is • of this

nature*

ON poisons. 95

nature. We know effects, of which we are entirely
ignorant of the caiifes ; and we know caufes, of
which the mode of action is abfolutely concealed.

The queflion then is reduced to this ; to deter-
mine by experiment, whether mephitick vapours
deitroy, or do not deftroy, the irritability of the
heart ; and the difficulty propofed above is of no
weight, whether we know or not, the way in which
this is brought about, provided the experiment be
certain, and the illuflrious writer oppofe nothing
which difp roves it.

I do not befides fee how we can be certain that;
there are abfolutely no channels by which the
action cf thefe vapours may reach the heart.

They deftroy animals that are made to refpire
them. In thefe circumrtances there is an immediate
coxmmunication betwixt the lungs and thefe va-
pours. Fluid fubftances are continually feparated
from the lungs, and this vifcus may receive others,
if they chance to act on it. There may be a real
communication then betwixt thefe airs and the
lungs, betwixt them and the fubftances that are fe-
parated from that vifcus. But the lungs are known
o receive the blood from the heart, and to convey
it thither again. I do not therefore fee why the
communication, or rather the action, of thefe airs
an the heart fhould be impoflible.

The other difficulty Tiffot oppofes is, that fixed
air, which kills when refpircd, when immediately
applied to. the mufcular fibres of the inteftines, re-
vives their action, and cures difeafes ; whence lie

deduces,

05 £0 2* TANA

deduces, that when applied to the mufcles them-
felves, it niufl neceffarily excite irritability infleaet
of destroying it, and confequently cannot deprive
the heart of its irritability.

But, in the firft place, nothing is more common
in medicine, than to find fubftahces which, when
applied to one part of the animal machine, adt as a
remedy ; inftead of which they occafion difeafes,
and even death, when applied to others. Several
medicines, particularly in the clafs of poifons, ope-
rate precifely in this way ; frefh examples of which
will be given in the continuation of this work.

Electricity occafio'ns death by depriving the
heart and fiefhy fibres of their irritability, as 1 have
proved in my work on Animal Thyjlcks (a) ; and
this fame electricity is notwithstanding one of the
ftrongeft Stimulants to the mufcular fibres that are
known. It reStores life by exciting irritability, in
the very animals in which it had an inflant before
destroyed it. Amongft all the Stimulants that call
be employed to call the animals back to lifef thas
the electrical iliock has thrown into a {late of. in-
fenfibility, a proper application of gentle fparks
appears to me the moil efficacious remedy.

In the fecond place, the application of fixed air
has a very different effect when introduced into the
inteftines, than when it is refpired; In the fiifl

{a) The firfl volume of this work, which I have already
had occafion to quote fo often, was printed at Florence m
i-]*;*, aad h entitled Ricerchs Sofra la Fijzca Animate*

cafe

on poisons. 97

cafe its action is immediate ; in the fecond, it feems
to need the affiftance of the blood, to convey its
a&ion to the heart. Whence it follows, that its
effects may be very different in thefe two circum-
fiances,

Thefe particulars naturally led me to think, that
the venom of the viper likewife kills animals by
deftroying their irritability. I procured fifty of
the ftrongeft and largefl frogs I could meet with.
I preferred thefe animals, beqaufe they are livelier
than others; becaufe they die with greater difficulty;
becaufe they are more irritable ; and laftly, becaufe
their mufcles contract even feveral days after they
are dead.

I had each of them bit by a viper, fome in the
thigh, others in the legs, back, head, &c. Some of
them died in lefs than half an hour, others in an
hour, and others again in two, three, hours, or
fomawhat more. There were fome again that were
not affected, whilft others that did not die, became
neverthelefs fwelled. There were likewife others
amongft them that fell into a languishing ftate,
their hind legs that had been bit continuing very
weak, and even paralytick. In fome of them I con-
tented myfelf with introducing cautioufly into a,
wound, made with a lancet at the very inftant, a
drop of venom. Thefe laft lived longer than thofe
I had had bit ; neither of them however cfcaped.
I conftantly took the precaution to prevent the ve-
nom I introduced into the wound, being carried
out by the blood that flowed from it. Some of

Vol. I. H iheb

98 fontana

theft frogs fwelled very much, others but little,
and others not at all. The wounds of almoft all
of them were inflamed more or lefs. There were
fome however that died very fuddenly, without
the fmalleft mark of inflammation. A fhort time
after thefe animals had either been bit, or wounded
and venomed (V), the lofs of their mufcular force, as
well as that of the motion of their extremities, was
very evident,. When they were fet at liberty, they
no longer leaped, but dragged their legs and bodies
along with great difficulty, and could fcarcely with-
draw their thighs, when they were pricked with a
needle, of the pain of which they feemed almofl
infenfible : by degrees they became motionlefs and,
paralytick in every part of the body, and after con-
tinuing a very fhort time in this ftate, died.

I now opened the abdomen, and Simulated the
nerves that pafs through it in their way from the
vertebra to the thighs. I employed the ftrongelt
corrofiyes, but could excite no motion nor tremulus
in. the lower extremities. I pricked the mufcle^
with as little effedt, and thruft a long pin into the
fpinal marrow, without producing any motion or
trembling either of the mufcles or limbs.. In
none of thefe parts, all of which had died at the

(a) I thought I might be allowed this term, to exprefs in
cne word, that an animal, or any part of it, had received the
venom, or at leail that it had been applied to it. Envenomed
would be the proper term, but cuftom has given it a figurative
and moral fignification, which" makes me afraid to apply it in
its proper fenfe. In a work of fcience, the ufe of a new word
fhould be permitted, to avoid tcdioufnefs or ambiguity.

fame.

ON poisons, 99

fame time, was there the fmalleft veftige of life.
The nerves were no longer the inftrument of mo*
tion. The mufcles no longer contracted, and were
no longer fenfible to ftimuli. The heart alone in
fome few of them continued to move languidly ^
and its auricles were fwelled and blackened by the
blood with which they were furcharged. This or-
gan did not however feem to have furlered much
from the activity of the venom. It continued its
motion, notwithstanding the entire death of the
other parts, and renewed its vibrations on being
ftrongly Simulated with needles. This motion an4
thefe ofcillations were however but of ihort dura-
tion after the death of the animal.

Perfons have been fometimes met with, who hav°
ing been bit by a viper, have remained paralytic^,
in fome particular part of the body during life. A
ihort time ago a woman in Tufcany, who had beer*
bit in the little finger by a viper, became after va-
rious other complaints, paralytick throughout the
whole righjt fide of her body, and could never be
cured. In a word, it is certain that all thofe who
have met with this accident, complain foon after of
an univerfal weaknefs. Their mufcles refufe their
office. They become dull and heavy, have no
ionger the free exercife either of body or mind,
and fall infenfibly into a kind of lethargy : fo
true it is, that this venQm induces a palfy of the
mufcles, and robs them of that active property,
called by the moderns, animal irritability. In the
continuation of this work, I ihall friow what opi-

H % nion

100 F O N T A N A

nion ought to be held of that fyftem, and the
changes I have made in it.

Thus then it appears, that animals die of the
bite of the viper, from their fibres lofing that irri-
tability, which is the grand principle, both of vo-
luntary and involuntary motions in the animal
economy (a).

From thefe experiments on frogs, it feems that
the venom of the polypus is very analogous to
that of the viper. Scarcely has a polypus feized
an earth-worm, when it perifhes, and has no longer
any motion : thefe worms are known however to
be very tenacious of life, and to move a long time
after they are cut in pieces. Let us fay then, that
the venom of the polypus (for it is one, fince it
kills fuddenly, and in a very fmali dofe) attacks the
animal irritability, and extinguiihes life, precifely as
does that of the viper.

After having found that the venom of the viper
occafions death by deftroying the irritability of the
fibres, let us examine what are the changes that
happen to the mufcles after they are deprived of
this property. It has been conflantly obferved,
that the fleih of animals lofes its motion and irrita-
bility hi proportion as it has been penetrated by a
putrefactive principle. We have many examples
to prove that the lofs of the former invariably ac-
companies the firft progrefs of the latter^. Mephi-

(a) The proportion I advance here is a very general one;
the differ eat modifications it is capable of will t>e Jhown here-
after.

tick

ON POISONS. IOI

tick airs, which deftroy irritability, likewife haften
putrefaction, and the mufcles of the animals that
are killed by them, become flaccid and livid. We
likewife find that thofe of the animals bit by the
viper become putrid in twenty-four hours. In
both cafes the very principles of the elementary
fibres are attacked, and the difunion of thefe 6c-
cafions the lofs of their moft innate natural pro-
perties. This disjunction of parts, which the
putrefaction of the mufcles invariably caufes, muft
neceftarily deprive the latter of their irritability
and fitnefs for motion. .

I am led to think that the venom of the viper
produces a fomewhat fimilar effect, and I found my
opinion principally on the analogy of the other
poifons. Indeed we find that the fleih of animals
which has been cut with a knife dipped in the
juice of napel, inftantly . becomes more tender^
and fitter for culinary purpofes. Travellers in-
form us that in both Indies, as well as in Africa,
the inhabitants ufually hunt with poifoned arrows,
and that in the fpace of fix minutes, or more or lefs
according to the degree of the poifon's activity^
thefe arrows kill the largeft animals, fuch as lions5
tigers, and even elephants. They likewife obferve
that the fiefh of thefe animals immediately foftens
and becomes tender ; an unequivocal proof that all
thefe poifons equally difpofe the flem to a fpeedy
putrefaction. I have myfelF obferved the fame
thing, in frogs and other animals bit by the viper*
Their. fi#fh foftens much fooner than ufual, to fuch

H 3 a de~

161 Montana

a degree as to crumble at the leafl touch ; it fe-
parates of itfelf from the bones, and corrupts and
fmells in a very ftiort time.

If after thefe obfervations it is alrnoft impoflible
to deny that the venom of the viper deftroys irri-
tability by conveying a putrefactive principle into
the flefti of animals that have been bit, and into
their fluids, we muft agree as to the inutility of
having recourfe, at the example of mecKankians,
to cauftick, Simulating, and invifible falts, in ex*
plaining the action of this venom. Very far from
favouring this action, we know that falts are in ge-
neral better calculated to fufpend and flop it ; and
I cannot conceive how naturalifts, otherwife very
enlightened men, have imagined and wrought them-
felves into a belief, that the poifons drawn from
animals, and even thofe from vegetables, owe all
their activity to certain falts of this nature. Be-
fides, we fcarcely find the fmalleft trace of falts in
the juices of fome of thefe plants, even the moft ve-
nomous of them. I have examined feveral of them
with the microfcope, and have not the fmalleft idea
of having found any falts in them, except in the
toxicodendron , in which tree, as in other plants, we
only find a few ihining globules, fwimming in a
more or lefs tranfparent fluid. What I am very
certain of is, that there does not exift in the venom
of the viper the fmalleft veftige of thole formidable
falts, that have been fuppofed capable of killing ani-
mal* the moment they are introduced into the
blood.

It

ON POISONS. IO3

It is the facility then with which, by the help of
thefe pretended falts* the action of poifons is ex-
plained, that has fedueed thefe mechanick phyficians.
They have conceived to themfelves^icH^ through-
out, calculated to difuriite the animal fibres, and de-
compofe the humours. But what will they reply to
the example of opium ? It kills by weakening, by
even deftroying, the irritability of the fibres. If the
virulence of this vegetable juice refides efTentially
in its gummy and refmous part, will they likewife
fuppofe the exigence of falts there ? Thefe hypo-
thefes have had their birth in a chymical labora-
tory, and are not the refult of confiant obfervations
of the phenomena of nature. We muft agree that
thefe imaginary falts have been but too much abufed.
There are thofe who have not hefitated to place
them every where> and who have even gone fo far
as to believe that they alone are capable of awaken-
ing the fenfes of tafte and fmelling, whiift nothing
is lefs demonftrated than the prefence of thefe falts
in fapid and odoriferous fubftances. Befides, they
do not confider that falts are capable of altering their
ihape without lofing their natural tafte ; how then
can they likewife change their tafte whiift they pre-
ferve the fame fhape ? It is not therefore on a cer-
tain determinate lhape that their action mud be
made to depend, as certain naturalifts will have il%
who, when they fet about explaining the fenfations,
fee nothing throughout befides edges and points; in J
an infinity of cafes this is not only fuppofed, but is
likewife belied by experience. If there is only need

H 4 of

104 F 0 N T A N A

of awakening the fenfations in fome of our organs,
why is there fo great a neceflity for thefe falts ? Can-
not this be brought about without their affiflance ?
Have not other particles of bodies likewife the pro-
perties of contact and mechanical ftimulus ? Are
light and air falts, becaufe they flrike the eye and
the ear ? A fubftance of arty kind that acts on a
nerve, may drag and relax the medullary fubftance,
and may either comprefs or irritate it, independent
of the caufe that afterwards conveys the impreffion
to the mind or brain. If all the external fenfations
are reduced to a change in an organ, other bodies
may then operate as well as falts. A fluid may
likewife relax the tender parts of a nerve laid bare,
and may equally fhrivel and dry them. There are
fpirits and oils that dry and harden the flefh of
animals, and irritate the nervous and mufcular fyf*
t-em, and notwithftanding contain no falts. In the
fame way, poifons may kill without fuppofing falts
throughout, in the three kingdoms. May not an
action of one body upon another exift without the
affiftance of wedges and points ? Can any one fay
that falts are found every where where thefe figures
are met with ? or that they pre-exifted in all the fub-
(lances whence chemiftry at length fucceeds in ex-
tracting them ? There is no more need of this, than
to fuppofe that there are falts and points in camp
and jail fevers, in the fcurvy, and in a word, in all
putrid difeafcs, where the corruption of the folids
and fluids is alike general. We mufl have recourfe
to fo.mcthing very different from falts to explain the

deflruc-

ON POISONS, I05

defhu&ive force of thefe hazardous difeafes which
overturn and deftroy the whole animal economy in
fo fhort a fpace of time. Their effects, and thofe of
many other difeafes analogous to them, as well as
the fymptoms that accompany them, are well cal-
culated to lead one to believe that they convey a la-
tent virus into the machine, which, like the venom
of the viper, brings about the deftru&ion and uni-
verfal decompoiition of the folids and fluids. Indeed
thefe difeafes are invariably obferved to be attend-
ed with convulfions, great faintnefs, a proftration
of ftrength, drowiinefs, an ex ceffive flench exhaling
from the yet living body ; and laflly, a fpeedy pu-
trefaction, which almofl immediately follows death.
The very fudden failure of vital ftrength in the
whole mufcular fyftem, is a certain indication that
the difeafe attacks the animal irritability, and the
principle of motion in the fibres. It is only in this
way that, without having recourfetofyflems, and to
free and arbitrary hypothefes, we can comprehend
and explain how it is that the feeds of death are
capable of fpreading themfelves in an inftant over
the whole animal economy.

I prefume that it will not be poffibie for the fu-
ture to entertain any doubt as to the true proximate
caufe of the death brought on fo fpeedily by the
venoms of the viper and afpick; and amongfl the
three fpecies of the latter, principally of that called
nlntipokn^a zellanica,. This afpick kills by occa-
fioning a fudden drowfincfs and univerfal weaknefs,
followed by death, in the animal (truck by it. In

a word,

166 t O K f A N A

a word, it feemsthat all the poifons fupplied by thtf
animal kingdom, oceafion death by deftroying the
irritability of the mufcular fibres, and difpofing
both folids and fluids to afudden corruption. The
fame may be faidof thofe vegetable poifons, that
are no fooner introduced into the blood, than they ,
are fuceeeded by death.

But of all the poifonous animals hitherto knowri*
the polypus feems to pofTefs the moft powerful and
active venorru However irritable thefe creatures
may be in other cafes, and difficult to kill* it fuc-
ceeds inftantly in extinguifhing the principles of
motion and life in water wormSi What is very An-
gular, its mouth or lips have no fooner touched this
worm than it expires, fo great are the force and en-
ergy of the poifon it conveys into it. No wound is
however found in the dead animah The polypus
is neither provided with teeth, nor any other in-
ftrument calculated to pierce the ikin, as I have
allured myfelf by obferving it with excellent mi~
crofcopes.

Let us likewife be very cautious how we believe^
at the example of many naturalifls, that life confifts
in general in the circulation of the blood and mo-
tion of the heart, and that it abfolutely ceafes when
this circulation is interrupted. The circulation is
not general in animals ; polypuffes have not even
a heart or other analogous v ileus, to bring about its
operations. It is proved too, that feveral animals
with cold blood live along time without heart, and
without vifcera, as is feen in frogs, turtles^ and fe-
veral

ver

ON POISONS* 107

era! kinds of fiih and worms, in which, although
the circulation is undoubtedly then Hopped, they
continue notwithftanding to live and move, and are
wrought on by their paffions as ufual, appearing
to be ftill fubjecl:, to and fenfible of, the wants of

life.

I have found many animals, infeds, and worms,
in which there is certainly no kind of circulation in
the veffels ; there are others, in which it is only
imperfectly carried on in fome particular parts of
the body, and not at all in the extremities. I pur-
pofe to give all thefe particulars to the publick, in
a work I have been fome years bufy in getting rea-
dy, entitled, Sur les Anlmaux Microfcopiques {on
Microfcopical Animals),

This errour has fpread itfelf among!! phifolo-
phers, by the help of a falfe analogy they have fup-
pofed betwixt animals with warm blood, and thefe
with cold ; a very dangerous mode of reafoning in
phyficks, and belied at every Hep by obfervation
and experiments. A function has been obferved to
be executed in a certain way in animals with warm
blood, and it has been immediately concluded to
"be the fame in all others. Thus are general laws
made, and proportions on fo extenfive a fcale ad-
vanced, merely becaufe nature has not been fuiii-
ciently confulted. We have needed a Tremblei and a
Bonnet to rid us of thefe general axioms, and of the
idea of a neceflary and common law in the genera-
tion of all animak,

I can-

|oS F O N T A N A

I eannot forbear mentioning in this place the An-
gularity of motion of a fmall microfcopical animal^
which Lewenhoeck has named rotifer (wheel-po-
lypus). All the observers, even the moft modern
ones, that have fucceeded him, have believed that
this animal has real wheels (a) ; but to be certain
of the contrary, it is only necefTary to place it be-
twixt two pieces of glafs, and then obferve it with
an excellent microfcope. 'Tis a fmall gelatinous
worm, commonly found in the earth or fand collect-
ed by rain in the tops of houfes. I have likewife
found it in other earths, as well as in waters that
have been fometime ftagnant, and more frequently
again in thofe that have a very gentle current, and
are filled with conferva and other aquatick plants*
This worm is divided towards its head into two
pretty large trunks, which appear like two wheels
or ftars, from the number of fmall, extremely fharp,
and iliort, branches that are attached to their cir-
cumference. They really appeared to Lewenhoeck
to be wheels of a rare mechanifm, and every one
would judge the fame5 on feeing the creature put

(a) Great care fhould be taken not to confound what we
imagine, with what is pointed out to us by obfervation. Indeed
there have been authoufs who, either guided hy analogy, or
puzzled to explain fo lingular a motion, have ventured to af-
fure us that thefe wheels are not real ;; they have luckily faid
the truth. It mull however be agreed that we ought to obferve;
and not to divine, the phenomena of nature. Whoever gives
himfelf up to refearches of this kind, without the faithful guide
of obfervation, runs the greateft rifk of falling into errotir.

them

ON POISONS, IO9

them in motion. But a more exact obfervation at
length convinced me that they are not wheels, but
compofed of a quantity of fmall moveable arms,
formed like pointed cones, and planted all round the
two trunks. It lets fall thefe moveable arms or
rays fucceilively, and afterwards raifes one after the
other with fo much celerity, that the eye fancies
they are turning round like the fpokes of a coach-
wheel, or rather, like the branches of a wheeled
fire-work. It never moves thefe two wheels, except
when it fwims or wilhes to eat, and thefe two flates
are invariably the fhorteft of its life. In fwimming,
it ftrikes the water with thefe arms or branches with
great celerity, refts itfelf at different periods, and
thus tranfports itfelf from one place to another.
When it eats, it, on the contrary, fixes its tail in
fome fubftance, and afterwards turns its two wheels,
giving fuch a motion to the water, that it directs
the courfe of it towards its head, io that it prefents
to its mouth all the fmall corpufcles with which it
is filled. The velocity of the motion of its arms or
wheels is incredible ; but what is flill more aftoniih-
ing, is the motion of its heart. This vifcus is feen
very diftinctly with a microfcope, and pan never be
confounded with any other part of the animal what-
ever. It is abfolutely immoveable when the worm
does not play its wheels ; but no fooner are they
in motion, than the heart moves too, and its action
becomes ftronger in proportion to the quicknefs
with which the wheels are agitated, fo that their
motions are always in an exact proportion. 1 do

not

HO MONTANA |

not take upon me to deny, but that it fometimes
happens (although very rarely, and that at very
long intervals) that the. heart is in motion even
whilft the wheels are at reft ; and as the motion of
the wheels is always at the difpofition of the ani-
mal, fo likewife is that of the heart. The heart
then is a voluntary mufcle, depending on the will
of the animal; a circumftance which is at the pre-
fent time unique, having never been obferved in
any other cafe. The wheel-polypus pafles the
greater!: part of its life then without any motion of
its heart, and confequently, without a circulation
of blood, or of a fiuid which receives motion
from this mufcle. This does not, however, pre-
vent it from moving during the other intervals,
when it creeps and trains itfelf, as worms do,
amongft the bodies that furround it.

An objection may be ftarted here, that this organ
of the wheel- polypus is not the heart of the ani-
mal, but rather its ftqinach, fince it is obferved to
move when the creature eats ; and that it is altoge*
iher extraordinary to fuppofe, that the heart is a
mufcle fubmitted to the will, whilft it is not fo in
any other animal. It muft be confefTed, that this
Isj not impoffible, but it is not, on that account,
very probable ; and even though it ihould be true,
it would be likewife true, that an organ fuch as the
ftomach exifts with a voluntary motion, which,
any more than in the other cafe, is not obferved in
any other animal. — Thus the difficulty I encounter
\% of no weight, fince it muft always be agreed,

POISONS. m

that a mufcular organ exifts in this animal, which,
in oppofition to thofe of all other animals, is fubor-
dinate to the will. This is precifely what I wilhed
to prove by my obfervations, and my difcovery,
therefore, ftill remains fuch. It is likewife to be
obferved, that the rotifer puts this lingular organ
in motion, even when it does not eat; that is to fay,
at a time when it can make no ufe of it, provided it
be its ftomach. This happens every time it fwims,
pr wifhes to pafs rapidly from one place to another :
it has. then qcpafion to move its two wheels, and this
organ moves in confequence. Hence we fee, that
the animal does not move it to eat, but that the
motion of it necefTarily takes place when it plays
its two wheels, whatever may be its motive for fa
doing.

But iince it is certain that the voluntary motions
of the mufcles of animals with cold blood, do not
depend more on the circulation of humours, than
does the irritability of the fibres, which feems to
be the fource and principle of life and motion in
the animal, it follows that, in animals, life confifb
in the acYion of their mufcles and parts ; for the
moment this, motion ceafes, the animal ceafes like-
wife to live; and its body then, as to life, differs;.
no longer from the ftate of any fqflU or vegetable
fubftance whatever ; and all this affemblage of
veffels, fo many different organs, and this aftonifli-
ing ftru&ure of its parts, are no longer of any ufe
to the animal, and mould be regarded as if no part
of them any more exifted : motion being once at
4 aa

112 MONTANA

an end in the machine, fenfation and life are fo too.
The animal will return to life as foon as its parts
regain their former motion, inflead of which, it
dies for ever, when, as happens to man, its parts
not only lofe their actual motion, but likewife the
faculty of recovering it in the fequel. Thus the
microfcopical eels that are found dry and withered
in fmutty wheat, recover motion and life as foon as
they are wetted with a little water, and again be-
come lifelefs and dry, whenever they are no longer
moiftened. I have repeatedly allured myfelf of
this with an extreme pleafure. Thus, then, do
they preferve the power of reviving and refufei-
tating effectually, by the fimple prefence of the
water with which they are moiftened.

The celebrated Bonguer, in his work on the
fhape of the earth, relates to us, from the teiti-
mony of Father Gumillo ajefuit, and alfo of the In-
dians of Peru, that a large venomous fnake is found
in thofe countries, which being dead, and dried in
the open air, or in the fmoke of a chimney, has the
property of coming again to life, on its being ex-
pofed for fome days to the fun, in a ftagn.ant and
corrupted water. — It were to be wiihed, that fuch
a naturaliil and phiiofopher as Monfieur Bonguer,
could have verified by his own proper obfervation,
a fact fo important in itfelf, and rendered flill more
fo by the £ze of the animal.

I have dried the worm called feta equina, or, ac-
cording to Linneus, gordius, feveral times in the
c] >en air, without leaving it there too long : it

ha<J

ON POISONS. tig

hsd loft almoft all its bulk and weight, and was
become like a bruifed and dry ftraw : its fkin had
ihrunk fo as to leave no fenfible cavity, and it had
no longer any fign of life or motion. I returned it
into water, where, in lefs than half an hour, it re-
covered its bulk and weight, and foon afterwards
difcovered unequivocal and permanent iigns of life.

The wheel-polypus I have fpoken of above,
likewife lofes, when dried, every kind of motion
and life, and recovers both one and the other when
again put into water. Lately* I left it, by way of
experiment, in a very dry foil, and expofed, during
the fummer, to the whole heat of the fun, for the
fpace of two years and an half. I afterwards re-
turned it again into water, where, at the end#of two
hours, it recovered life and motion. I put one of
them on a bit of glafs, which I expofed, during a
whole fummer, to the noon-day fun : it there be-^
came fo dry, that it was like a piece of hardened
glue. A few drops of water did not, however, fail
to reftore its motion and life.— I have fince found a
number of other fmall animals, either on the tops
of houfes, in earths, br in water, which, in the fame
way, alternately lofe and recover the ufe of their
organs, on being dried, and afterwards returned
again into water. I purpofe fpeaking of thefe little
prodigies in a work apart, to be entitled. On the
Life and apparent Death of Animals (a).

But it is not the fame as to the lofs of irritability
in the mufeles of the animals polfoned by the viper*

(a) ^e la Vie et de la Mort apparente des Ammau£;
Vol, I. I Thefe

114 F O N T A H ^

Thefe remain flaccid, and their motion is loft for
ever. It appears very certain, that the venom of
this animal differs but little from opium as to its
effects; and that its mode of action on the fibres
comes very near to that of this vegetable juice*
Both of them excite violent convulsions and vomit-
ings. Each of them conveys an vrniverfal debility
into the organs. They render the mufcles paraly-
tick, make the animal heavy, and finally bring on x
fpeedy death, by deflroying the irritability of- the
fibres. The heart alone in both cafes ftiif preferves
its irritable quality for fome time after the death of
the other parts* It avails nothing here to animals
with cold blood, that they are endued with an ob-
ftinate lrfe, and are capable of prefer ving that, as
well as motion, after they are cut in pieces. If ei-
ther of thefe poifons attacks the principle of their
motions, and d'eftroys the irritability of their muf-
eies, they die fpeedily, all motion is annihilated in
them, and their parts will no longer give any figa
of life. Their body, it is true, will preferve its or-
ganization ; but an organized body that has loft its
motion, is truly a body without life.

It is evident, then, that neither of the numerous
hypothefes naturalifts have invented, a" great part
of which I have taken care to relate, explain in a
reafonable- way the death of the animals poifoned by
the viper ; but that its venom kills in no other way,
than by deflroying the principle of motion, the
only fource of animal life, in the different parts. I
am the more attached to the opinion that the venom
of the viper afts in no other mariner than by de-
ft roving

oil poisons. 115

ftroying the irritability of the mufcuiar fibres, from
having already ihown, in a memorial printed in the
A&s of the Academy of Sienna, that the nervous
fluid is by no means the true,,the efficient caufe, of
mufcuiar motion ; and even though I mould be of
another opinion, and mould regard the animal fpi-
rits as the caufe of irritability*, and the true prin-
ciple of all the motions in the animal economy, my
difcovery of the proximate caufe of the death of
animals that have been bit by the viper, would lofe
no part of its importance ; for whether it operates
immediately on the nervous fluid, or on the mufcu-
iar fibres, it is not lefs true that this venom kills by
depriving the animal of all motion, and the mufcles
of the power of contracting*

. Unlefs I am deceived, I have now, I think, hap-
pily terminated the controverfies that have fo long
kept people at variance, on the mode of action of
the venom of the viper. I believe I have explained
how it is able, in fo fhort a time, to kill even the
animals that are the moil obilinate in dying. When
once this poifoii is introduced into the blood, it de-
ftroys the irritability of the mufcuiar fibres, the
fource and principle of all the motions, not only
during the life of the animal, but alfo after its
death. I call every animal dead in which there are
no longer any exteriour figns by which we can fay
that it lives ; and, in truth, it is only according to
our fenfes, and the information they give us, that
we can judge of the true death of animals; that is
to fay, of the precife inftant when they ceafe to

I 2 exijt,

Il6 F O N T A N A

cxift,. and are no longer alive. Indeed, how can we
conceive a living being, without the idea of fome
motion in its organs ? We mould other wife intro-
duce into phyficks a fenfelefs pyrrhoniim, and c?R
trouble and uncertainty on the rnoft certain and morl
received, notions and ideas, A principle of corrup-
tion penetrates into, and fpreads itfelf in, the folids
and fluids, relaxes and decompofes the mufcular
fibres, and caufes them to lofe the power of con-
tracting. It is to this general law of putrefaction,
then, and to this univerfal principle of diffolution
and death, that the entire action of the venom of
the viper on organical bodies is reduced ; and to
this we muft confine ourfelves, flnce in effect what
is called the fcience of nature has its bounds, and
fince it is not permitted us to go beyond them.
Whatever this fcience may be, if it is true that a
putrefaction exifls in nature, and that it effe&s the
deftruction of all organized bodies, it is likewife
certain that we are entirely ignorant of its mecha-
nifm. Indeed when thefe bodies are fubmitted to
its action, who is capable of informing us what is
its mode pf working on them, with what power it
operates, and laftly, what changes and what revolu-
tions it caufes them to go through ? The prodigi-
ous number of fmall movements that are exerciied
on parts of an infinite minutenefs, are too obfcure
for us, and efcape our fenfes. It is, however,
enough, to fee that a general principle of putrefac-
tion and deftru-ction, which decompofes organical
bodies, and gives them up to death, reigns through-
out

ON POISONS. iiy

•out .nature To feek an acquaintance with nature,
we have nothing more to do, than to affemble the
.effedts or particular accidents of bodies, and to
compare them with other more general effecls, that
are called principles, or laws, of nature. This alone is
what the great Newton did^, when he fubmitted all
the celeitial motions to the general law of gravita-
tion. Of what confequence is it beiides to an aitro-
.nomical obferver, to know the caufe of the reci-
procal tendency of the bodies moving in the iky ?
Such a knowledge would be r.ather an objed: of cu-
riofity to man, than a real advantage to afrronomy.

Thefe were my fentiments when I publiihed this
Fir ft Part in Italian, thirteen years ago. I have .at
prefent made but very few changes an<J additions^
becaufe the fucceeding parts are, rigorouily freak-
ing, merely a fupplement, ferving to correel: what is
previouily advanced; and becaufe order would then
have obliged me to give confequences, which could
not eafily have been comprehended, till after a ge-
neral idea was formed of the fubjed:*

Deftroyed irritability in the living machine was
what I moil confiantly obferved at that time. It is
for this reafon that I have reduced the adiion of the
venom of the viper to this general principle, and
have entirely excluded the nervous fyftem. 1 muft
confefs, however, that the number of my experi-
ments was then very limited, and that I had not va-
ried them fo much as I have iince done. I was
like wife ignorant of the faculty of the poifon Ticu
Mas ; and alfo of the furprizing effects of the oil of

I 3 the

II

8 F O N T A H A

the Cherry Laurel, for the greater part unknown to
other obfervers.

I have likewife, in this Firfl Part, paffedin a very
curfory way over feveral other fubjedts, and have-
even given into a few fuppofitions, which I fhall dif-
cufs in my Microfcopical Obfervations (a). The prin-
cipal objects of thefe obfervations will be, the figure
and properties of the globules of blood ; the ani-
mals that are capable of dying and returning to life,
which will give me occafion to enter into a com-*
plete hiflory of the celebrated eels found in fmutty
wheat ; and, laflly, the caufe of the death of animals
fyrrounded by artificial and unrenewed airs*

faj Obfervations Microfcopiques*

PART

ON POISONS. II£

PART IL

CHAPTER L

On the Source ef many Err ours.

THE ignorance of a truth in phyficks may hide
from us the caufe of a natural phenomenon ;
but errour, when it fupplies the place of truth, Hops
the progrefs of fcience, and fubftitutes dreams and
chimeras to faxfts and nature. It is at all times a
misfortune to be ignorant of a truth ; but when we
are fenfible of our ignorance, we may {till hope to
come at a knowledge of it. The book that of all
others would be the moft ufeful to mankind, is {till
wanted. It is one which would at once determine
what we really know, and what we do not know,
although we have perfuaded ourfelves that we do*
Our reafonings would no longer have hypothecs
and errcur for their bafis, and inftead of fabricating
fyftems, we mould endeavour to prepare materials*
Nature would be more confulted; we fhould reafon
lefs, and know more*

There are errours and truths which concern man
more elfentially than others do. Thefe are, parti-

I 4 cularly

120 F O N T A N A

cularly, thofe which relate to the prefervation of

his fpecies.

Man is naturally fubjecl: to certain difeafes ;
whilft others again are accidental to him. Medi-
cine employs itfelf in each clafs, and in feeking
the remedies, renders itfelf ufeful to fociety.

Thofe who have diitinguiihed themfelves in this
refearch, cannot be fufficiently pi ailed. Pofterity
will do juftice to their labours, and immortality is
fecured to them. But, on the other hand, who does
not fee the mifchief that a remedy propofed in very
violent difeafes may be productive of, if, inftead of
being falutary, it is entirely ufelefs, or even hurt-
ful ? iTo pafs flightly over lb important a matter,
would be exposing mankind to the worft of mif-
chiefs. The more certain we think ourielves of
the remedy, the more we defpife the danger, and do
not endeavour, fo much as we ought to do, to
guard agairift it. The difeale attacks us, we ne-
glect the affiflance of art, and frequently become
the victims of our own credulity, and of the igno-
rance of others.

The perfuaflon we are in that a difcovery is made,
blunts the frimulus that would have pufhed our re-
searches a greater length, and we remain for ages
in a pernicious errour, which the hope of reward,
and the afpiring to fame, would have refcued us
from. The hiftory of human difcoveries is filled
with examples of this. We owe every thing to
thefe two great fprings of human actions, intereft
and ambition. But when a pcruuiion of knowledge

is

ON POISONS. 121

is entertained, all inveftigation is laid afide ; and
far from any further difcoveries being made, the
very hopes are loft of knowing any thing more.
Such was the deftiny of Europe when in a ftate of
barbarifm and ignorance; and fuch are ftill the
ideas of the favage.

It is now more than ten years ago that I pub-
lifhed a work On the Venom of tbe Viper, in Italian.
It is this work which forms the firft part of the
prefent treatife. I then in a manner engaged myfelf
to the publick to give a fecond part, in which I pro-
pofed not only to fpeak of the remedies againft this
venom, but like wife to treat of feveral other inte-
refting points altogether new. I had neither time
nor convenience to finifti all the refearches I had
then in view. I was defirous of certain and evident
confequences, and it was necerTary to multiply ex-
periments infinitely, and to vary them a thoufand
ways. But the little fuccefs I met with in feeking
a fure remedy againft the bite of the viper, particu*
larly occafioned me to defer the publifhing the Se<
cond Part for fo long a time. Not but that I tried
a great number already known, and feveral others
which either imagination or chance threw in my
way; but they all appeared to me more or lefs ineffi-
cacious, and I found none of them certain. It is na-
tural to fuppofe^ that, amongft other remedies, I did
pot forget that molt famous one of all, Eau de Luce;
(which indeed is nothing more than the Jiuid vola-
tile alkali, joined with a little oil of amber, that does
not at all alter its qualities) I tried it, but the fuc-
cefs

122 F O N T A N A

cefs by no means anfwered my expectations, io that
I at length abandoned it, as I had done all the reft.

A new work has lately awakened the attention of
the publick on the advantages of the volatile alkali
againft the venom of the viper (a), It is announced
in this work, in a tone of afiurance and perfuaiion,
to be the true fpecifick againil this dangerous poifon,
as well as againft almoft all difeafes, however dreads
ful. In reading this work, I apprehended that I
had been miftaken from beginning to end. Indeed
when I refle&ed on the experiments I had made in
Italy, I knew no longer what to believe, and was at
times even led to think, that the vipers of France
are either lefs venomous and deftru&ive than thofe
of Italy, or that they are of a different kind; fo
true it is, that felf love does not allow us to acknow-
ledge our errours till the laft moment !

But what furprifed me ftill more, was to fee the
errours of Redi, on the ufe of the bag that covers
the canine teeth of the viper, which were refuted
more than thirty years ago by Mead5 again make
their appearance in modern publications ; to fee
likewife the errours of Mead on the acidity of the
venom of the viper, which he himfelf had abjured ;
and, lailly, to'tind thofe of the fame authour on the.

(a) This work is entitled; Experiences prcpres a faire connoitre
sue Vjllkali <volntil flnor eft le remede le plus ejfic ace centre les afphy-
xies. Paris. The Authour is Mr, Sage of the Academy of
Sciences.

faline

ON POISONS. I23

faline nature of this venom, which have been refuted
in Italy for more than ten years (a).

If on one hand I could not perfuade myfeif that I
had been deceived on fo many points and queftions,
which' I had, however, examined without preju-
dice, and with a wifh to difcriminate nicely ; on the
other hand, it was impoffible for me to conceive,
how certain authours could advance fo many mat-
ters as facts, with fo much affurance, and without
having previoufly convinced themfelves by certain
and repeated experiments. I could not compre-
hend any more, why the authours of thefe new pub-
lications had negledted to demonftrate clearly the
fource of the errours into which the writers pofte-
rior to Mead had fallen, who had flattered them-
felves that they had ihown with the ftrongeft evi-
dence, both by obfervation and certain experiments,
how Redi and Mead had each of them been led in-
to errour.

As the publick are perfuaded, that in phyficks,
fubjedts are fubmitted to experiment, and not to
authority, thefe gentlemen ought to have expofed

(a) There is however, nothing aflonilhing in this, when we
confider the mode that is generally adopted by our modern wri*
ters. More than two hundred authours may be named who
have copied from each other on this fobjeft, and have given us
grofs errours for demonftrated fads. One might reafonably ex-
claim to them, *' Modern parrots, the copyifts of other parrots,
ceafe to deceive us, and for once confult nature. Had you em-
ployed the time you havefpent in copying each other, in making
experiments, how many errours. and how much time, would you
have fpared to poilerity |n

experiments

124 V O N T A N A

experiments to experiments, and obfervations to
obfervations, and to have developed the errours into
which we are fallen. But they have not made any
fuch attempt. They have fubftituted their autho-
rity to experiment, and their name to obfervation.
This method is altogether pernicious, and necefTa-
rily tends to perpetuate errours amongfl men, and
to render diiputes eternal. When we know that two
obfervers do not agree on a fad:, or on an experi-
ment, to which of the two muft we truft, provided
they are both of an equal merit ? We remain in an
abfolute uncertainty, and can only have acquired,
on their perufal, a reafonable pyrrhonifm*>

But is there no touch-ftone to enable us to judge
where the miifcake lies betwixt them, and of two
contradicting experiments, to difdnguifh the true
one from the falfe ?

The difficulty of judging betwixt twro authors,
even in matters of fimple fact, has been the occa-
iion of many errours and hypothefes having lailed a
long time, even after their falfehood has been demon-
strated ; and many truths have been rejected, mere*-
ly becaufe experimenters have not been able to re-
peat the experiments. that proved them, In the fame
way in which they were fir it made.

For my part, I think if: the duty of the latefl ob-
server, not only to repeat faithfully the anteriour ex-
periments that contradict his, but likewife to give
his own in fuch a way, that they cannot leave the
fhadow of a doubt in the mind of the reader.
Without this provifo, he will lofe the aim he pro-

pofed

ON POISONS. IZ5

pofed to himfelf in writing— that of being believed;
which he will not deferve, although he may, by ac-
cident, have faid the truth.

There are three principal methods of avoiding-
this inconvenience, which perpetuates errours, and
Hill Heps us in a very dangerous fcepticifrn.

The firft is, to multiply the experiments ex-
ceedingly. It is almoft impofiible, in repeating
them fo many times, that fortuitous cafes do not
occur to vary them, and that the final refuk of fo
many of them is not certain and conftant.

The fecond is, to vary them in a thoufand 'ways,
changing the circumflances as the nature and fpecies
of them may require, and giving them all the pre-
cifion and fimplicity they are capable of. This
method fuppofes much greater talents and genius
in the obferver than the firft, and there are few of
thefe, even amongft the molt fkilful, who can boaft
of having invariably put it in practice.

The third method is, not only to fucceed in
making experiments, decisive by their number, va-
riety, and fimplicity ; but likewife to attain to a
difcovery of the fource of the errours that others
have fallen into.

It is a fault, then, in thofe who write the laft,
not to enter into a very minute detail of their expe-
riments, and to endeavour to demonstrate their fu-
periority and exadtnefs, in comparifon with thofe of
their predecefTors. It, however, is particularly in-
cumbent on them to trace the origin of errours, and
to fhovv how the former obfervers have been de-
ceived,

125 * O tf *T A N A

ceived. Without this, all their labour is a pure
lofs, and they are by no means worthy of con-
fidence.

From all thefe considerations, I have deemed it
neceffary to return to the fubjfeft of the prefent
work, and to treat it in as particular a way as my
circumftances will allow me. The importance of
the fubje^t requires this of me, fince it regards a
very dangerous and mortal difeafe, which impreffes
with fear thofe who have the misfortune to be at-
tacked by itj and creates uneaiinefs in families.

Perfuaded that a perfect knowledge of the ve-
nom of the viper cannot be acquired unlefs by a
fearch into all its properties, which are, in a greater
or lefs degree, unknown, I wilhed that neither of
them fhould efcape me$ without fubmitting it to a
rigorous, arid, at the fame time, impartial, investi-
gation ; and that nothing which related to the fub-
je(ft mould be wanted, was defirous of examining
afrefh the fuppofed acidity of this venom, and the
falts of which fome people will have it to be com-
pofed.

Any errour whatever that relates to this fubjed:,
may, in time, become dangerous in its tenden-
cy. Authours, perfuaded by a miftake of Mead,
that they were acquainted with the true nature of
the venom, have' been ready to fabricate fyftems to
explain the way in which it -adfcs, and how and by
what mechanifm it is that it produces fo fpeedy a
d.'ith. They have afterwards invented remedies
that relate to the fuppofed nature of this poifon,

and

ON POISONS. 127

and what is Hill more Grange, have found thenr
efficacious. They have mouted vi&ory, both on
occasion of the theory and the remedy, and have
fhown how the one ferved as a guide to the attains
ment of the other. In a word, they have pretended
that all is done, and that nothing more remains to
be known of the viper's venom ; maintaining, that
they are acquainted with its nature, its mode of ac-
tion on the animal machine, and lattly, with the re-
medies capable of deftroying its effects. — But let
us leave thefe authours with their fe&aries, to ap-
plaud themfelves on knowing fo many things, and
on having divined nature. I believe, on the con-
trary, that we as yet know nothing about it, and
that this matter is altogether new. My experi-
ments will fhow this, in the courfe of the prefent
work.

A great part of thefe experiments required the
aiHftance of feveral perfons, and I have reafon t&
congratulate myfelf on this neceffity, lince, arnongft
others, it procured me the prefence of two men of
rare talents; Dr. Troja, Member of the Royal Aca-
demy of Naples, author of feveral excellent tracls
on animal phyficks, who happened to be at Paris at
the time I made my experiments (a) ; and M. Jean
Fabroni, of Florence, a fellow traveller, and attached
to the cabinet of natural hiftory of the Grand Duke
of Tufcany, a well instructed, and very promifing-

(a) M. Troja vifited me almoft every day, to obferve my me-
thod of making experiments on various fubjecls in phyficks,

4 young

11% MONTANA

young man (a). — I name thefe gentlemen here'
with the greater pleafure, fince, in thus publickly
teftifying to them my gratitude and efteem, I give
my experiments a greater degree of authenticity.

The fir ft queftion I now undertake to examine,
and which has been the principal occafion of my en-
quiries, is, whether the fluid volatile alkali is a cer-
tain remedy againft the bite of the viper; that is to
fay, whether it refcues from death ari animal that
would otherwife have perifhed by it* This firft re-
fearch is clearly very interefting, and defer ves to
be examined with all poffible attention. I have
multiplied my experiments on this firft point, in a
way that more than one of my readers will deem un-
necefTary. But I know of what weight the preju-
dice for a favourite hypothefis and the authority of
a celebrated writer, are. Errour and truth feem to
meet with the fame difficulty and refiftanee from
mankind ; one in unrooting, the other in eftablifh-
ing, itfelf. The Newtonian fyftem was combatted
for' a whole age before it was received, and it re-
quired as long a time to abandon that of Defcartes*
What- is very certain is, that fo many errours have
not been fpread abroad, as to the nature of the ve-
nom of the viper and its remedies, but becaufe too
Few obfer vat ions have been made, and experiments
too little diverfified*

(a) M. Fabroni was likewife prefent at the experiments I made'
an London and on my return into Tufcany, and willingly
charged himfelf with the deiigns of the plates in this work.

Mead

ON P 0 I S O N $i I2p

Mead himfelf was not exempt from this faulty as
I fhall fhow in examining the remedies he has pro-
pofed againft the bite of the viper. The ufe of the
Volatile alkali itfelf was only introduced in confe-
quence of a falfe theory on the nature of the venom*
and was only fupported with fo much prejudice
and obftinacy, for want of the making of a fufficient
number of experiments. 'Tis on the fame account
that the difputes on animal phyfkks, which would
have terminated at their birth if experiments had
been much more multiplied than they were, {till
exift. But the art of experimenting is flow and
painful, inftead of which it coils but little trouble
to follow the authority of another. It is eafier to
reafon than to make experiments ; and this art, inva-
riably long and difficult, is not within the reach of
every one,

Other readers will find, that the number of my
experiments, however great, it may be in itfelf, is
not fufficient to decide all the queflions I examine
in this work, nor to terminate all the refearches I
make into the venom of the viper. I have nothing
to oppofe to thefe laft, and, likewife, I do not take'
upon me to fay, that all the confequences I have
deduced from my experiments are certain. Per-
haps a number of experiments twice as great,
would fcarcely be fufficient for this. Thofe who
are acquainted with the difficulties that are met
with in experimenting on living animals, and who
know how much the circumftances betwixt one
animal and another vary, (which rigoroufly fpeak-

Vol. I. K - ing,

I30 F O N T A N A

ing, are never the fame) will agree with me on this
head*

Let all that has been written on the irritability
and fenfibility of the animal fibres be examined,
and the fame inconveniences, the fame difficulties,
will be difcoyered. It is true, that a very great
number of experiments have been made in* a few
years, and that an infinite number of animals have
beeen facrificed to philofophy, or publick utility ;
but much remains yet to be known, precifely becaufe
the number of experiments is not yet fo considera-
ble as it ought to be.

I muft likewife confefs, that I have wanted both
time and patience to do more. Nothing but the
idea of publick utility can fupport the horrour of
feeing fo many animals, fenfible of pain like our-
felves, fuffer under our hands ; and to view them
expofed to a thoufand kinds of torments. I leave
the purfuit of this career to thofe who are more
courageous than myfelf. The road is open to ob-
fervers, and I fhall rejoice to fee them embrace
with ardour, the fearch of truths that are advan-
tageous to the human fpecies*

CHAPTER

© N POISONS. I3X

CHAPTER It

Whether the Volatile Alkali is a certain Remedy againjl
the Bite of the Viper*

1 DEEMED it neceffary to examine this firft quef-
tion in the moll circumftantial way, and therefore
multiplied the experiments extremely, and diverfi-
fied them very much. This is the only method
that could lead to demonstration, and 1 flatter my-
felf that my readers will be freed from all doubt.

The animals I had bit by vipers were of three dif-
ferent kinds. I employed birds and quadrupeds
with warm blood ; and frogs, which have the
blood cold.

Amongft birds, I almoit always employed fpar«
rows, pigeons, and fowls ; amongft quadrupeds^
rabbits, guinea-pigs, cats, and dogSo

An animal may be bit by a fingle viper, and by
feveral. It may be bit once or more ; in a Angle
part, or in feveral.—- All thefe cafes may make great
variations in the difeafe and effecls of the venom;
it was therefore neceflary to diftinguifh them from
each other.

K % Animah

i2% r o n t a n a

Animals bit by a Jingle Viper, and only once*

The leg is the part of the animal I conftantly
had bit by the viper, in ail the experiments con-
tained in this chapter, By leg, I mean the mufcular
part of the foot, that is betwixt the femur and
tarfus. The facility of having animals bit in this
part by the viper, made me give if the preference.
There is likewife another advantage, the eafe with
which the remedies are in this cafe applied*

In the experiments of this chapter, as well as
thofe of the following one, I employed no other
remedy againfl the bite of the viper than the fluid
volatile alkali, to be found in every apothecary's
fhop. Some that I made ufe of, I made myfelf*
Its composition has been long known, and is de-
fcribed in all the pharmacopeias. I employed if
by having it fwallowed, and by applying it to the
part. When I wifhed to treat the part bitten, I
dapped it a long time with a piece of linen, well
moiftened with the volatile alkali, and laftly, co-
vered it with the fame linen, to keep it wet the
longer. That which was fwallowed, a>s will be
feen hereafter, was diluted with a quantity of
water. On many occafions, I repeated it feverai
times, and likewife made frefh applications of it to*
the part, There are animals which live fo fhort a
time after they have been bit, that I thought it fu--
peifluous to make repeated applications of the vo-
latile

ON POISONS* I33

latile alkali to the bite. When I fay, (imply, that
I treated the part bit, or that I treated the animal,
it muft be underftood, that the volatile alkali was
not given internally, but only applied to the part.

I had a dozen fparrows bit by as many vipers, a
fingle time each. I took them from the cage, one
after the other, without any choice. The firfl that
was bit was immediately treated ; the fecond was
not.; the third was treated, and the fourth not;
and fo on as to the others, each having a thread
tied to its foot, with knots, to diftinguifh them from
each other. The feathers had been previously cut
from the legs with fcirTars. The animal was fcarce-
ly bit by the viper, when it was treated; fo that there
was an interval of not more than five or fix feconds
betwixt the bite and the application of the volatile
alkali.

The fparrow firft bit, which was treated, at the
end of two minutes could no longer fupport itfelf
on its feet, and died at the end of fifteen.

The fecond, not treated, began to reel after three
minutes, and died at the end of the thirty-fifth.

The third fell on its belly after fix minutes, and
died at the end of thirty-eight.

The fourth fell after four minutes, and died at
the end of twenty.

The fifth after five minutes, and died at the end
of twenty-feven,

The fixth after feven minutes, and died at the
cad of thirty,

■ K 3 The

*34 F O N T A N A

The feventh was fliil living at the end of three
hours, and did not appear to have at all fuffered.

The eighth fell after two minutes, and died at
the end of feven.

The ninth fell after three minutes, and died -at
the end of eleven.

The tenth fell after two minutes, and died at the
end of fifteen.

The eleventh fell after a minute and one-third,
and died at the end of two and an half.

The twelfth fell after fix minutes, and died at
the end of thirty-two.

The fparrow that was bit the feventh, as I
have juft faid, was flill living at the end of three
hours. I examined its leg, and found it perfectly
in its natural ftate, without lividnefs, without fwel-
ling, or any apparent wound. The legs of the
other fparrows were very much changed, even im-
mediately after they had been bit ; whence it was
eafy to conjecture, that either the fparrow above
alluded to had not been bit by the viper, or that
this laft was without venom.

To difcover which of thefe two hypothefes was
the true oi*e, I had this fparrow bit by the fame
viper, in the fame leg. A little blood flowed from
the wound, which I immediately treated. It fell
after two minutes, and died at the end of four; a
proof that the viper was provided with venom, but
that the leg had not really been entered by the teeth.
I had, however, no fulpicion of this at firfl, as the
preature bit in the ufual way*

I wifhed

I
ON POISONS. 135

I wifhed to repeat the fame experiment on twelve
other fparrows, with the fame order and circum-
ftances. But I made the fix that were treated like-
wife fwallow a few drops of water, in which I had
put a proportion of the volatile alkali, of about an
hundredth part.

The time of the death of thefe animals is ex-
prefTed b^ the following numbers, reprefenting as
many nrnutes elapfed after the bite ; 10. 7, 8, q, 6,
7> 3) 7? L5> *$, $•> 37« The lix firft numbers ihow
the time the fparrows lived, that were treated with
the volatile alkali.

From the preceding experiments the following
confequences may be deduced :

I. That the vipers I employed were fufficiently
provided with venom to kill fparrows.

II. That the venom is fcarcely introduced into
the leg of the animal, when it fwells in a fenlible de-
gree, changes its colour, and becomes fomewhat
livid.

III. That it is not fumcient to enable the venom
to insinuate itfelf, that the viper feizes an animal be-
twixt its teeth, and that it elofes its mouth, and
prefTes with it.

IV. That the fluid volatile alkali does not pre-
ferve the lives of the fparrows bit by the viper.

V. That the volatile alkali given internally to
fparrows, may even be hurtful to them. The fpee-
dier death of thofe that fwallowed it, may at leaf*
lead one to fufpecl: fo.

K 4 But

l%6 F O N T A N A

But the number of the experiments is not yet fuf-
ficient to render the confequences I have juft de-
duced certain; 'tis a multiplicity of them alone
that can effedfc this.

I had twelve other fparrows, equally lively, bit in
the leg as above, each by a tingle viper, and only
qnce. I treated only fix of them with the volatile
alkali. They all died. In all of them the leg that
was bit became livid, and fwelled in a greater or lefs
degree, in lefs than two minutes.

The fix treated died in 3, 4, 6, 11, 30, 33, mi-
nutes. The fix that were not treated in 4, 4, 7,

11, 18, 35-

To obtain ftill more certain confequences, I had
twenty-four others bit. I treated twelve, and made
them fw allow the volatile alkali. All the twenty-
four died. The following numbers fhow the mi*
nutes the twelve that were treated lived, 2, 3, 3, 5,
5, 5, 7, 7, io, 15, 15, 22; and thefe again indicate
the minutes that thofe furvived on which no reme-
dies were tried, 4, 6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 9, 9, 9, 10, 15,
20.

It is a truth then, eftablifhed by experiments, that
the fluid volatile alkali is altogether ufelefs, whether
it is limply applied to the part bit by the viper, or
fwallowed by the animal at the fame time. We may
even fufpedt it to be hurtful, to fparrows at.leaft.

However evident iumay appear, that the volatile
alkali is not an efficacious remedy in this cafe to a
fmall animal like a fparrow, it is not on that account

demonftrated,
l

on poisons. 137

demonftrated, that it may not be fo to a much larger
animal, and of a different fpecies.

The venom introduced into the' body of a larger
animal, flibuldbe confidered as diminifhed in quan-
tity. Its effects fliould certainly not be fo violent ;
and indeed this is the cafe with all the poifons that
we know of. What is a remedy to a large animal,
or one of a full fize, may be a poifon to a fmaller
animal, or to one Hill young.

We muft therefore again have recoiu*fe to expert
ment, and fee the effect the bite of the viper has 013
©ther animals.

Experiments on Pigeons,

; I had a pigeon bit in the leg by a viper, and In-»
ftantly treated the part. At the end of a minute it
fell forward, and could no longer fupport itfelf. In
twenty feconds more it died.

I had another pigeon like the fir'ft bit in the fame
way, but did not treat it. At tfye end of two mi-
nutes it fell forward, and in two minutes more it
died.

I had two other pigeops bit in the leg ; one was
treated, and the other not. The firft fell at the end
of three minutes, and died at the end of the twen-
tieth. The other fell at the end of a fingle minute,
and died likewife after the twentieth,

Of two other pigeons bit in the leg, I treated only
one. The one treated died at the end of forty hours,
the other at the end of an hour,

I had

13$ F O N T A N A

I had fix other pigeons bit in the ufual way.
Three were treated, and three not. Thofe that were
treated died at the end of 6, 22, 40, hours. The
other three died at the end of 1, 2, 10, hours.

I had two others bit in the leg in the ufual way ;
one I treated, the other I did not. The treated one
died at the end of eight minutes ; the other at the
end of two hours.

The intervals at which pigeons die that are bit by
the viper are fo different, that they fcarcely allow a
jeafonable conjecture. It feems, however, that
two truths may already be deduced. One, that the
volatile alkali does not preferve from death the pi-
geons bit by the viper. The other, that birds larger
than fparrows live longer in the fame circumstan-
ces ; or, if you will, that pigeons die much later
than fparrows.

But experiments mufl be multiplied, and the
circumftances attending them examined more at-
tentively.

I do not conceive very well how it was, that of
two animals of the fame kind, bit once in the fame
part, one died at the end of two minutes, and the
other at the end of 40 hours.

I likewife obferved fomething iimilar to this in
the fparrows ; and therefore determined at length to
have a very large number of both kinds bit. I did
not treat any of them ; but, in return, I marked
carefully all the circumftances that attended the ex-
periments. I fhall not enter into a detail of them
here, on account of the very great number of them ;

but

ON POISONS. I39

but think it fufHcient to deduce the following
truths :

I. That other circumflances alike, the larger the
viper, the more violent the difeafe, and the more
fpeedy the death.

II. That the difeafe increafes likewife in violence,
in proportion as the viper is more enraged.

III. That it likewife augments in proportion to
the time the viper compreiTes the animal it has bit
betwixt its teeth.

IV. That the difeafe of the part bitten feems to
be greater in proportion to the time the animal fur-

■ vives.

V. That in fome animals black and livid blood
flows from the wound, as foon as it is made.

VL That in others, on the contrary, it flows red,
and preferves that colour.

VII. That the animals from which the red blood
flows, die later than thofe from which it flows black
and livid.

VIII. That the venom likewife, which preferves
its colour and its qualities, fometimes flows out
with the blood. In. which cafe, the animal not on-
ly furvives, or is much longer in dying, but fome-
times does not appear to have had any complaint.

Thefe confequences, the fruit of an infinite num-
ber ©f experiments, diverfified in every poffible way,
and in which all the circumflances that accompanied
them were rigoroufly examined, form fo many
principles, which explain how it is that of two ani-
mals

J40 F O N T A N A

mals bit in the fame part, one dies fuddenly, and
the other furvives, or does not die till very late.

There is likewife another reafon, which I have
fince difcovered, and which may vary the effects, in
animals that have been bit, very much. This is
owing to the viper itfelf. I have fometimes, tho*
very rarely, found vipers that had no venom in ei-
ther of the two veficles, and more frequently, that
only had it in one.

What led me at fir ft to fufpedt that the veficles
did not constantly contain venom, was obferv-
ing it to be to no purpofe that I had a pigeon bit
repeatedly by a certain viper ; and that it not on-
ly did not die, but difcovered no fymptom of di-
feafe, notwithftanding the canine teeth of the viper
had pierced its flefh through in feveral places,

Having had occafion, in the courfe of thefe ex-
periments, to cut of the heads of a great number of
vipers, and to examine their venom, out of two
hundred/ perhaps, I found two that were entirely
deftitute of venom, ant five that, inftead of Jvenom,
Had a white and opake vifcous matter in the veficles.
In two of thefe laft, I found this white matter to be
perfectly innocent. But in the other three it ftill
preferved, partly at leaft, its venomous quality, as
I allured myfelf by introducing a fmall quantity of
it into the legs of pigeons, which had been bit fu-
pcrficially, and which died at the end of a few mi*
nutes.

It is another eftablifhed truth then, that vipers
*;rc fometimes found without any venom, and that

fgrnewhat

ON POISONS. I'41

fomewhat more frequently a whitifh humour is con-
tained in their veficles, which is not always veno-
mous. But thefe cafes are invariably very rare, and
only met with in examining a very great number of
vipers ; whence it follows that it is alfo true, that
vipers have in general their veficles filled with ve-
nom, and that this humour occafions difeafes, and
even death.

I obtained much more uniform consequences, by
introducing the venom into the body of the animal,
inftead of having it bit by the viper. This is the
method I employed. I cut off the head of a viper
with a pair of fchTars, and, after a quarter of ari
hour, opened the mouth, and with another pair of
fchTars Separated the lower jaw. I then divided the
upper part of the head in two with very ftrong fci£*
fars ; each part being furniihed with the canine
teeth, and with the veficle of venom. With a little
courage and dexterity, which are acquired by cuf-
torn, it is eafy to force the tooth of the viper, on
which a compreffion is made with the fore finger
whilft the veficle ispreffed upon by the thumb, into
the ikin of an animal. A greater or lefs quantity
of the venom may be introduced, by preffing more
or lefs on the veficle ; the wound may be made
wherever one pleafes ; and, laflly, the venom may
be kept from being rejected, by letting the tooth
remain a long time in the wound* A great number
ot experiments made in this way, prove thatfparrows
die ^betwixt five and eight minutes, and pigeons in
betwixt eight and twelve* There are very few that

die

142 F O N T A N A

die foonef or later * whence it follows, that by pur-
filing this method, the periods of their difeafe are
both fhorter and more uniform.

I had a dozen pigeons bit in the ufual way, one
after another, by as many vipers, and treated them
all with the volatile' alkali. They all died. The
numbers 4, 10, 16, 52, exprefs the time in minutes
in which four of thefe pigeons died ; and the num-
bers 2, 4, 9, 15, 19, 22, 25, 36, exprefs the time,
in "hours, of the death of the others.

Thefe new experiments leave no doubt as to the
inefficacy of the fluid volatile alkali againft the ve-
nom of the viper.

To allure myfelf ftill better of this, I had twenty-
four other pigeons bit, each of them once in the leg,
by a viper, I treated them all, but only twenty-
two died. The time of their death is exprefTed in
minutes, by the numbers 4, 4, 6, 6, 7, 8, 8, 10, 12,
14, 14, 20, 50, 50, 56 ; and in hours, by 1, 1, 2,
4, 7, 10, 18, 26, 30.

Two of thefe pigeons, bit in the fame way as the
others, appeared not to have fuffered at all, walking
about the chamber as before the operation. At the
end of two hours, being defirous of examining the
Hate of their legs, I could find no fign of difeafe.
They were neither fwelled nor livid. I could only
•find in one of them a fmall hole, and a fmall red
fpot of blood, at the part where the tooth had pene-
trated. Since there was not the fmalleft mark of
difeafe, it was eafy to perceive that the venom had
not introduced itfelf ; or, if it had, that it had' been
z thrown

ON POISONS. I43

thrown out again, fo as not to occafion any com-
plaint to the animal. After ten other hours, I had
both pigeons bit once in the fame leg by two vipers
that had "already been employed in the fame way.
At the end of three minutes there were figns of di-
feafe : one died at the end of an hour, the other at
the end of two.

Not content with thefe experiments, I had twelve
other pigeons bit in the ufual way. I treated them im-
mediately, and made them fwallow the volatile alkali.
They all twelve died, at the end of 4, 4, 7, 10, 10,
10, 15, 18, 20, minutes ; and of 2, 3, 3, hours.

Whilft it is certain, on one hand, that the volatile
alkali is of no effect in recovering pigeons bit by the
viper ; on the other hand it remains undecided whe-
ther it is in this cafe hurtful or not.

The periods at which thefe animals die are fo va-
rious, that it is not poflible to deduce any certain
confequences from them.

Experiments on Fowls.

It is not fufficient to have demonftrated the inuti-
lity of the fluid volatile alkali adminiftered to pi-
geons, to allow us to conclude that it is ufelefs to
larger animals, that are more difficult to kill. The
volatile alkali may have time to act againft the ve-
nom of the viper, when the difeafe is not fo violent,
and the animal flower in dying.

There are certain remedies which, although effi-
cacious,,

144 Montana

cacious, require a certain time to acl; and, indeed,
almoft all are of this defcription.

1 had a fowl bit once in the leg by a viper, and
immediately treated it; at the end of fix hours
the fowl died, 1 afterwards had another bit once by
a viper, and did not treat it. This one died in
eight hours.

I had two other fowls bit once in the leg as ufual.
One was treated ; the other not. The firft died in
four hours ; the other in ten.

I had fix other fowls bit as above, each oiice iri
the leg by a diilinct viper. The three firft were
treated with the volatile alkali, and died ; one in
fix hours, another in eight, and the third in nine.
The three others were not treated, and died in 7, 9,
£0, hours.

Although the number of the experiments hither-
to made on fowls, is not yet fufficient to allow cer-
tain confequences to be draws, it however appears,'
that the following very probable ones may already
fee flated.

I. That it is very poffible for fowls bit once ifr
the leg by a viper, to die.

II. That they in general die much later than pi-
geons; and than fparrows, which die again with
much greater facility than pigeons.

III. That birds refifl death in proportion to their
fize*

IV. That the volatile alkali is not only of no life*
$n curiilg fowls bit by the viper, but that it is pro-
bably wen hurtful to them.

But

ON P O :I S O £f Sr I45

But experiments mult be multiplied much more,
to fee if the confequences juft deduced are well or
badly founded.

I had therefore fix fowls bit feparately by fix vi-
pers, each once in the leg. I treated them all fix,
and made a frefh- application of the volatile alkali to
the part bitten, every two hours. Two of the fowls
died in the fpace of four hours, one in five, two in
fix, and one in ten. A moment after, I had
fix other fowls bit by as many vipers, each once in
the leg, and did not treat either of them. Two died
in two hours, two in ten, and two in twelve.

Twelve other fowls were bit by as many vipers*
each once in the leg. I treated fix, and made them
fwallow the volatile alkali. The other fix were left
to themfelves. Of the i\x treated, five died ; the
fixth had fcarcely any fymptom of complaint. Its:
leg neither fwelled, nor became at all livid. There
was fimply a hole in the fkin, which was red and a
good deal inflamed. The five I have juft mention-
ed died in 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, hours. The other fix died
in 6, 10, 17, 22, 36, 36, hours.

Had the experiments I have related fo far been
more numerous, the abfolute inutility of the fluid
volatile alkali againft the bite of the viper would
not only have been demonftrated, but we might
even have doubted its innocence, at leaft to this fpe-
cies of animals.

The treated fowl that did not die, proves nothing
in' favour of the volatile alkali, as will be feen iii
the continuation of this work. It is one of the

Tot. L L , cafes

i-j.6 F O N T A N A

cafes I remarked above, in fpeaking of the pigeons
and fparrows, in which the venom was not commu-
nicated to the part bit, although the canine tooth
had left fome opening in it, either owing to the
viper not having any venom, or to the rejection of
it. Nothing is found in either of thefe cafes to
favour the volatile alkali.

Having allured myfelf of the inutility of this re^
medy to the three fpecies of birds I have fubmitted
to the experiment, I think it time to make the fame
trials on quadrupeds.

Experiments on Guineapigs.

I had a large guineapig bit once in the leg by a
viper, and immediately treated it. In a little time
the leg fwelled, and became livid. At the end of
iixteen hours a wound of an inch in breadth form-
ed itfelf at the part that had been bit and treated.
In twenty hours the Ikin in this part was entirely
eaten away. The wound continued open for more
than twenty days, during which time the animal
moved its leg with difficulty; the foot was greatly
contracted, and the mufcles very much difeafed.
The animal recovered however, but its leg Hill re-
mained in a degree contracted, and it could never
recover the perfect ufe of it.

Another guineapig, almoft as large as the former,
was, in the fame way, bit once by a viper in the

leg,

ON POISONS. I47

teg* which was not treatecj. The animal died at
the end of two hours.

I had four others, of fcarcely a third the fize of
two preceding ones, bit in the above way. I
treated each of them, and made them fwallow the
volatile alkali* They all died, one in two hours,
another in. three, the third in fix, and the fourth
not till the twentieth hour had elapfed.

That I might have a comparative experiment, I
had four other guineapigs, entirely like the prece-
ding ones, bit, and did not treat either of them*
They all four died, one at the end of feven hours,
another at the end of ten, the third at the end of
thirty, and the fourth at the end of thirty-one.

From thefe experiments we may, I think, al-
ready draw the following inferences, which if not
certain, are at leail very probable*

L That the bite of the viper is capable of kil-
ling even the larger! guineapigs*

II. That the fmaller animals die fooner than the
larger ones of the fame fpecies.

III. That the volatile alkali is not a certain re-
medy againfl the bite of the viper.

It may be objected, that the firft guineapig bit
and treated, at length recovered, and that all which
were not treated died. This is true, but proves
nothing, iince, as has been feen above, there are
feveral circumftances that may render the bite of
the viper innocent ; and, on the other hand, we
have feen that the other four guineapigs died, al-
though they were treated. Now if we confider

L 2, that

148 MONTANA

that the four treated died in a much fmaller fpace
of time than the five that were not treated, we
may fufpect that the volatile alkali was more than
ufelefs, that it was hurtful.

To remove all doubt, I had twelve other guinea-
pigs bit, all alike in fize, and fimilar to the eight
preceding, ones* Six were treated, and fix not.

The firft I had bit was the fame I have fpoken of
a little above, and which, far from dying of the
bite, had not even the difeafe of the venom. Al-
though treated, it died at the end of thirty hours.
The five others that were likewife treated, had all of
them the difeafe of the venom, but only three died;
two in lefs than twenty hours, the other at the
end of twenty-feven. The two that furvived had
each of them a large wound in the leg that had
been bit, and this remained open for more than
ten daysr

Of the fix that were not treated two only died, in
lefs than fixteen hours. Three others had deep
wounds, which remained open for feven days, and
then healed. The fixth had not the fmallefl fymp-
torn of difeafe, and I could not difcover in its leg
any mark of the viper's tooth having penetrated.

The cafes fo far related, feem to leave no doubt
as to the inutility of the volatile alkali, when tried
likewife on thefe animals; and they do not remove
the fufpicion,. that it may poffibly be even hurtful
to them.

We likewife fee that "the fmaller and younger
guincapigs die fooner than the larger ones,

a I had

ON P O I. SONS. *49

I had a do*?— %**? ima11 ones bit> each fcarceiy
i;ro;6 rung five ounces. Six were treated, and fix

not. Thofe that were treated died in 30, 40, 50,

minutes, and 1, 2, 3, hours. Thofe that were not

treated in 57 minutes, and 2, 3, 4, 4, 4, hours.

1 afterwards had fix guineapigs bit, three of

the largelt of which were treated ; the other three

were not. Of thofe that were treated only one

died, and only one again of thofe that were not

treated. All of them, however, were very much

difeafed, and thofe that were treated were the laft

to recover.

Experiments on Rabbits.

It remained for me to make the fame experi-
ments on rabbits, in purfuance of the plan I had
propofed to myfelf.

With this view, I had a large rabbit bit by a
viper once in the leg, which I immediately treated
with the volatile alkali, making the animal fwallow
the fame diluted with water. At the end of an
hour I repeated the application and the internal re-
medy. The rabbit died at the end of three hours,
with very flight marks of difeafe in its leg.

I had another, perfectly like the former, bit in
the fame way once in the leg by a viper, and at the
fame time. It had flight fymptoms of the difeafe
of the venom, and the leg became fomewhat fwel-
led. At the end of thirty hours a wound two lines
in breadth, and very deep, appeared on the ikin at

L 3 the

X5° - n N T A N A

the part where it had been bit. miv. $ve ^ayS
xnore the animal was perfectly recovered.

The refult of two experiments alone can be in no
way certain, I therefore had recourfe to my ufual
method.

I had a dozen rabbits of a middle fize bit by as
many vipers, each once in the leg. Six were treated,
and fix not. Only two died of thofe that were
treated, and three of thofe that were not. Two of
the four treated ones that did net die fcarcely had
any complaint. Their legs were but little fwelled,
and were not livid. The other two were very much
difeafed, and had large wounds that were four days
in healing. Of the two that died, one lived two
hours5 the other five. The fix that were not treated
were all of them very much difeafed, and had
large wounds in their legs, which fwelled violently,
and became very livid. The three that died lived
14, 22, 47, hours; the others did not recover till
the end of the feventh day.

It is a conftant obfervation, that when the ani-
mal bit by the viper dies very foon, the bitten part
is proportionably lefs changed, lefs fwelled, and
lefs livid. The change which takes place at the
part where the poifon has entered, I call the ex-
ternal difeafe, to diftingurfh it from the other,
which is infinitely more violent and dangerous,
and which kills the animal in a more direct way,
I fhall fpeak more fully of this laft in the fourth
chapter of this fecond part, in which I fhall endea-
vour to account for this particular.

The

OX POISONS. 151

The few experiments hitherto made on rabbits
may already make us fufpeft the little efficacy of
the volatile alkali, which we may be even tempted
to believe hurtful. It is certain in the interim,
that "middle-fized rabbits frequently refift the ve-
nom of the viper.

I wiftied to try the effects *pf this on much fmaller
ones, and for this purpofe had a dozen bit in the
ufual way. I treated fix, and did not treat the
others. All the twelve died ; the treated at the end
of 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, hours; and the others at the end

I repeated thefe experiments on twelve other
fmall rabbits, exactly like the foregoing ones. I
treated fix, and made them fwallow the volatile al-
kali every hour. The others I did not treat. They
all died; thofe that were not treated, at the end of
1, 1, 2, 2, 5, 17, hours; the others in the fpace of
1, 3, 3, 10, 16, 16, hours.

Thefe new experiments already mow very clear-
ly the little efficacy of the volatile alkali againft the
bite of the viper, when tried on rabbits ; they even
lead me to fufpeel: it to be rather hurtful than
otherwife.

We likewife fee that fmall rabbits die from the
bite of the viper, whether they are treated or n©t ;
but that the larger ones frequently furvive its
^ffe&s. . x

In confequence of this, I had fix of thefe animals,
very large ones, bit each by a viper once in the
leg. Three were treated, and fwallowed the* vola-

L 4 tile

l$Z F O N ? A N A

tile alkali. Two of thefe died at the end of twenty
hours ; the third was very much difeafed, and had
a large wound, which remained open for twenty-
three days. Of thofe that were not treated, one
died at the end of thirty-four hours ; the other two
had the difeafe of the venom, but recovered in lefs
than ten days.

I repeated this experiment in the fame way on fix
other Jarge rabbits. Of the three that were treated,
one died ; and one likewife died of the three that
were not treated. The other two of thefe laft re-
covered in ten days ; and the two treated ones that
furvived, not till the end of eighteen.

I think there can be no longer any doubt of the
inefficacy of the volatile alkali to thefe animals ; on
the other hand, inftead of diminifhing it, it feems to
ftrengthen and reinforce the difeafe.

It remains to try the effects of the bite of the
viper on cats and dogs. The number of my expe-
riments on the animals of thefe two fpecies is much
fmaller than that of thofe on the others. The difn>
culty of procuring them, the danger one runs in ope-
rating on them, and, flill more, the inconvenience of
keeping them during the long continuance of the
difeafe, and the unpleafantnefs of feeing them fuffer,
have occafioned me to do lefs in this inftance than
t}ie fubjedfc may perhaps appear tq have required^

Expt*

ON POISONS, 153

Experiments on Cats.

I had two very fmall kittens bit in the ufual way,
each once in the leg. One was treated, the other
not. The lail died at the end of fixteen hours,
The treated one was exceedingly ill, and had a
wound which remained open for five days, in its
foot. It lived, however.

Three very fmall kittens were brought to me,
flill younger than the foregoing ones. I had them
bit, as ufual, in the leg. I treated one, and made it
fwallow the volatile alkali. I did nothing to either
of the other two. They all three died in lefs than
fix hours,

Thefe experiments are neither fufEciently uni-
form, nor enough in number, to admit the drawing
of certain confequences from them. We fee that, in
general, the fmaller animals of the fame fpecies,
fuch as cats, for instance, die much readier than the
larger ones ; and likewife that thofe die which have
been treated, and have fwallowed the volatile alkali.

I had two other kittens bit, larger than thofe I em-
ployed before. Each of them was, as ufual, bit
once by a viper? One was treated, the other was
not. Neither of them either died, nor was very ill.
They had no wound ; and both of them at the end
of twenty-four hours ate very heartily. The leg,
however, in each, was not yet very fupple in its
motions. I did not make the one I treated fwal-
low the volatile alkali, on account of the difficulty

one

154 F O N T A N A

one meets with in attempting this, when thefe
creatures are pretty large. They become extreme-
ly furious, and are very difficult to manage, at leaft
without rifk.

I had two other kittens of the fame fize of the
preceding ones bit, and treated neither of them.
They were each of them bit once in the leg. They
both recovered^ and had no perceptible wound.
It was twenty hours indeed before they had any ufe
of the leg that had been bit ; however, they feem-
ed perfectly recovered at the end of the third day.

Two large grown cats were, in the fame way, bit
in the leg. Neither of them was treated, and nei-
ther died. At the end of fixteen hours they fed a
little, and could already ufe their legs, although not
^ery well. At the end of thirty hours they appear-
ed to be perfectly recovered.

Scarcely has a cat been bit in the leg by a viper,
when it can no longer make any ufe of the part.
It lies down, and continues longer in this pofture
in proportion to the violence of the difeafe. It
neither eats nor drinks till the fymptoms abate,
and when that happens, recovers to a certainty.

Experiments on Dogs.

We are now to try the efFedfo of the volatile al-
kali, which has been of no utility to the cats, on
dogs that have been bit by the viper. The dog has
a great affinity to man himfelf, and is, of all ani-
mals, the one the molt fufceptible of the paffions.

It

ON POISONS. I55

It is certainly much more fo than the cat and the
other animals, that have been bit in the courfe of
thefe experiments. Dogs are to.be met with of
every fize, even fo large as not to differ much, in
that refpeft, from an adult perfon.

The effects of the bite of the viper on dogs, may
be of great ufe in judging of the bite of the viper in
man himfelf.

I had two dogs of a middle fize bit once in the
leg. I treated one of them every two hours, and
made it fwallow the volatile alkali as often. Nei-
ther of them died, although the leg was fwelled in
each. The one not treated had no wound, and re-
covered at the end of four days ; the one that was
treated had a large wound, and did not recover till
the clofe of the tenth day.

I had two other much fmaller dogs bit, and treat-
ed only one of them. They both died in lefs than
three hours, with a degree of fwelling and lividity*
in the part bitten.

Two large dogs were brought to me, and I con-
ceived from their fize, that they would recover al-
though not treated. I had them bit in the ufual
way, once in the leg. One fcarcely had any fenfi-
ble complaint ; the other no perceptible wound.
The leg of the laft, however, fwelled very much,
and did not get well till the end of the fixth day.

I had two other large dogs bit by a viper as ufual,
each once in the leg, and did not treat them. One
recovered in two days, the other in fix.

From

156 F 6 N T A N A

From the experiments hitherto made on dogs>
we may draw thefe conclufions :

I. That the fmaller ones ufually die from the
bite of the viper.

II. That large ones generally recover.

III. That of the middle fized ones, fome recover,
and fome die.

IV. That the volatile alkali feems to be neither a
certain nor a ufeful remedy againft the bite of the
viper,

Experiments on Frogs,

It remained for me to try the effects of the venom
©f the viper on frogs. I had hitherto operated on
animals with warm blood ; it was likewife neceffary
to make fome experiments on thofe that have the
blood cold.

I had a dozen frogs bit by as many vipers, each
once in the leg. I treated fix of them only. Two
of thefe died at the end of twenty hours, and the
legs of the other four fwelled, and were a little li-
vid ; they recovered however. Of the fix not
treated, three died at the end of five hours. Of the
three that furvived, one had a fwelling and difco-
louration of its leg ; the other two had no apparent
complaint.

The confequences were as yet too vague, and too
few in number, to admit any certain conclufions to
be drawn from them,

I there-

O N P O I S O N S. I57

I therefore had a dozen others bit in the fame
way, and treated fix of them only. To thefe I re-
newed the application of the volatile alkali every
hour, making them fwallow it at the fame time.
All the. fix, one of which did not furvive the twen-
tieth minute, died in lefs than four hours. Of the
fix not treated, four died at the end of 6, 10, 12, 20,
hours ; the fifth had fcarcely any complaint, and
the fixth recovered two days after.

I repeated this experiment on twelve other frogs,
having them bit in the fame way, each once in the
leg by a viper. Six were treated every hour, and
fwallowed the volatile alkali, as often. The other
fix were left to themfelves. Five of the firfl died ;
the fixth had fcarcely any fymptom of complaint.
Of the fix not treated, three died, and the other
three recovered at the end of two days..

After what has been faid, I think there can no
longer be any doubt of the inutility of the fluid vo-
latile alkali. It is very probable that, when given
internally to frogs, it increafes the difeafe caufed by
the venom, inftead of diminifhing it. It i*s at leaf!
certain, that the animal die? the readier under thefe
circumftarice%

C H A P-

I58 F O N T A N A

CHAPTER III.

Of the EffeBs of the Bite of one or fever al Vipers, on
the fame 'Part of an Animal, or on two correfpond-
ing Parts of the fame Animal*

HAVE hitherto fpoken of the effects of the ve-
nom on animals bit once by a viper, in the fame
part. It now remains to fpeak of animals bit re*
peatedly by one or more vipers in different parts.

It is natural to conceive, that a viper which bites
the fame animal feveral times, mull: bring on a di-
feafe proportionably violent. After having feen in
the firft part of this work, that the venom of the vi-
per is a humour feparated from the fluids of the
animal, and fecreted in a veficle or gland ; and that
this humour is always venomous in itfelf when it is
introduced by a wound into the bodies of animals,
particularly of thofe with warm blood ; there can
no longer be any doubt of this truth, nor of the ab-
folute falfehood of the hypothecs of Monf. Charas,
who pretends that the venom of the viper is entirely
occafioned by the fury of the animal, which changes
the faliva and other humours of its mouth, to fuch
a degree as to produce a powerful venom, fuch as is

obferved in the foam of a mad dog»

The

ON POISONS. 15^

The veficle is moreover conflrwcted in fuch a
way, that all the venom cannot flow out at once, at
a fingle bite, however forcible it may be, and how-
ever the viper may be enraged. A defcription of
this veficle, with that of the gland, will be feen in
the third part of this work. From the foregoing
confideration it was neceffary to examine the effects
and difeafes produced by feveral bites, although of a
(ingle viper. There are feveral examples of per-
fons bit more than once by the fame viper ; and
notwithflanding this cafe is not one of the moll fre-
quent, it occurs however from time to time.

It is not only very important to examine the ef-
fects of the repeated bites of the fame viper on the
fame part of an animal ; but likewife to obferve the
action of the venom on the different parts of the
fame'animal.

We know that an animal is formed of organs and
parts, differently organized. There are parts that
have veffels and nerves, without having mufcles j
and thefe are in different proportions, and differently
diftributed : there are others again that have m>
nerves, and, if they have any, have only a few verj
fine capillary veffels. It is natural to fuppofe that
the effects of the venom of the viper, on parts of an
animal fo very different from each other, mull be
altogether different ; and that the fame quantity of
venom conveyed into a wound made in -an animal,
may produce either death, a flight difeafe, or none
at all. In a word, it appeared to me, that nothing
ought to be omitted in fo important a matter.

3 There

l6o P. 0 N -T A N A

There is likewife a cafe, although I think it a
very rare one, in which feveral vipers together bite
the fame part, or different parts, of an animal. How-
ever rare this accident may be, it is not impofflble
for it to happen ; and it is not an extraordinary
thing to find, at certain times of the year, feveral \'u
pers collected together. A man who may not have
noticed this, may by treading upon them be in dan-
ger of being bit by more than one ; and I knew a
viper-catcher who was bit in the hand by two at the
fame time, and who might have been bit by more
than two, fince feveral of them were ^making their
way at the fame time out of a box.

Thefe examples of animals bit by feveral vipers
may, however, agree very well, making fome little
allowance, with the cafes of the repeated bites of the
fame viper, whether on the fame part, or on different
parts, of an animal.

I faid above, that I had found by experience the
effects of the venom to be much more uniform,
when, inftead of having the animals bit by vipers,-
the venom is conveyed into them, by preffing with
one finger the veficle which contains it, whilft with
the other the tooth of the viper is forced into the
part. I have frequently employed this method dur-
ing the courfe of my experiments, particularly in
thofe on the fparrows and pigeons. In this way I
not only fucceeded in wounding the fame part of the
animal over again to a certainty, but even the very
fibre. I could likewife affure myfelf, if I was de-
firoUs of it, whether the veficle contained venom y or

whether

i

ON POISONS. l6l

tvhether the quality of the latter was fufpicious of
changed.

The flighteft compreffion made on the veficle is
fufficient to bring a very fmall drop of venom to the
point of the tooth; its tranfpatent colour deter-
mines its activity and nature.

The flrft thing I thought it necefTary to determine
here, was to fee whether the fecond bite of the viper
is as powerful as the firfr, the third as the fecond,
and fo on as to the others ; arid how many times^
one after the other, the viper can venom animals
with its bite. I took a viper of a middle fize,
and very lively, and, without provoking it much,
made it bite a pigeon once in the leg. The pigeon
died at the end of twelve minutes. A moment after
it had bit this one, I made it bite a fecond, a third,
a fourth, a fifth, a iixth, and a feventh, in the fame
part. The fecond died at the end of eighteen mi-
nutes, the third of fixteen, the fourth of fifty-two,
and the fifth at the end of twenty hours ; the fixth
had fcarcely any lymptoms of complaint, and the
feventh continued perfectly well.

I repeated this experiment feveral times, and the
confequences were fomewhat various. I met with
fome vipers, particularly the largefl of them, that
could kill ten, and even twelve pigeons. If they
are very much enraged during the firft bites, the
lad, as I have afTured myfelf by repeated experi-
xnents; are lefs dangerous.

It is an eftablifhed truth then, as I have feveral
times experienced, that the firfl repeated bites of a

Vol, t M viper

1 62 F O N T A N A

viper are almofl equally dangerous; and that in
proportion as a viper is enraged, the difeafe occa-
sioned by its bite is more violent.

This laft truth may tend in fome degree, to ac-
count for the treacherous experiments of Charas on
the venom of the viper. In opposition to Redi, as
has been feen above, he was of opinion that this ve-
nom confifts limply in the rage of the animal, and
made a great many experiments to fupport his hy-
pothecs.

It was natural to conceive, that the more a viper
is enraged, the greater will be the difeafe produced
by it, and vice verfa. But to draw a certain infer-
ence from this, it was firfl neceffary to be afTured,
whether the degree of the difeafe, or intenfity of the
venom, is in proportion to the rage of the animal : a
very difficult experiment, and perhaps impoflible to
make well ; and which would not probably have
been yet fufficient, fince after all this might have
been an accidental circumftance, and not the true
caufe of what was obferved.

Charas, who was ignorant of the true reafon of
the greater intenfenefs of the difeafe in the cafes in
which the viper is enraged, was miflaken in his in-
ferences. It is not furprizing that the naturalift
ihould here take that for the caufe, which is the ef-
fect of the circumftances that accompany it.

There are three reafons why the bite of an enraged
viper is more dangerous than that of one which is
not enraged. The firft is, that the more a viper is
fcnraged, the deeper it forces its teeth into the ani-

b N POISONS. 163

thai;, the fecond, that it keeps them there a longer
time ; the third, that without letting go the part it
has bit, it continues to contract the mufcles that
comprefs the velicle of venom.

When one has been fome time accuftdmed to
have animals bit by vipers, it is not difficult to per-
ceive the truth of the firft reafon ; and it is fome-
times even obferved, that the tooth of the viper
pierces the ikin of the larger kind of quadrupeds
with great difficulty, or only imperfectly and irt
part. All my experiments have fhown me, that the
difeafe is in general more violent, in proportion as
the venom has introduced itfelf deeper into the ikin
and other parts of the animal.

The fame obfervation likewife demonftrates the
truth of the fecond reafon. We frequently fee
that when a viper is violently enraged, it does not
eafily let go its hold ; one might even fay that it
finds a difficulty in withdrawing its teeth. In thefe
cafes it is eafy to perceive, that during all this time
the tooth not only prevents the venom from being
thrown out again with the blood that naturally flows
from wounds ; but likewife, that it facilitates its
union and mixture with the fluids of the animal.

The third reafon is flill of greater weight than
cither of the other two. It has been feen> that fe-
veral bites of the viper are neceflary to empty the
veficle of the venom perfectly. It has been feeri,
that the firfl bites of the viper are nearly of the fanie
activity ^ becaufe they are fucceeded by the flowing

M 2 ©f

164 F d K T A N A

of nearly an equal quantity of venom. The cellu-
lar ftru&ure of the velicle does not allow it to be
eafily emptied, nor at once. When the viper keeps
an animal a long time compreffed by its teeth, and
is very much enraged, it continues vifibly to con-
trad the mufcies of its jaw. The mufcles which
furround the Veficle alternately relax and contract
without interruption, fo that in thefe cafes we may
reckon the bite of the viper, not as a fingle one, but
as feveral ; and this may be carried to fuch a length,
that the viper, almoil exhaufted of its venom, may
not be capable of killing a fmall animal.

It has been feen, that thefirft bites of the viper
are all nearly of the fame a&ivity, and that it is only
the laft which exhibit a marked difference ; and this
I have accounted for*

After what has been faid, it is natural to conceive
that the difeafe of the venom nTuft be more dan-
gerous, if the viper has bit the fame animal feveral
times* I have allured myfelf of the truth of this,
by experiments the detail of which I mall not en-
ter into here, as it wrould be tedious, and would not
belides anfwer any great purpofe.

In inveftigating this fubjedt, I took care to em-
ploy animals of the fame fize and fpecies, and had
them bit by vipers fimilar to each other. I more
commonly availed myfelf of my ufual method,
and the confequences were flill more uniform.
When only a few experiments are made, the confe-
quences may be equivocal, fince it can fcarcely hap-
pen

© N POISONS* 165

pen that the circumflances will be perfectly the
fame. They may not only differ on account of the
quantity of venom that remains in the animal's
wound, which is fubjedt to greater or lefs varia-
tions, but likewife becaufe it is very difficult to
wound the fame fibres, and the fame vefFels? Thefe
variations do not fail to occur; but in a great
number of experiments, the circumflances counter-
balance each other, and fo great a variety of confe-
quences prefents itfelf, that there is not the fmallefl
danger of being milled by them. Such has been at
}eafl my opinion as to thofe I have obtained.

A new enquiry to be made, was to know if the
difeafe would be equal, whether a fingle part was
bit feveral times by a viper, or two different parts^
provided the number of bites was the fame.

This enquiry coft me a vafl many experiments,
which I was oblige4 to make with the fame cir-
cumflances, only varying the part bit.

I not only tried it on birds,' but on a great num-
ber of quadrupeds. I had them bit in the fame
part of their legs. I compared thofe that were bit
In both legs, with thofe that were only bit in one.,
the total number of bites being the fame in each
$nimal.

Here again the confequences were more or lefs
conflant. I was obliged to multiply my experi-
ments till I conceived that I could advance, with
great probability, the two following pofitions,

M 3 I. That

l66 F O N T A N A

I. That an animal dies fooner when bit a certain
number of times in two parts, than when the fame
number of bites is confined to one.

II. That in this cafe the finale part is fubjecl: to a
much mo'-e violent ex^e;. ai difeafe.

By external difeafe, I mean the fwclling of the
part that has been bit, the livid and black colour of
the ikin and blood, and the wound that forms a
fhort time after the bite. Thefe fymptoms are cer-
tainly more violent when the part has bee bit fe-
veral times ; although it is a fact, a vill be {qqxx
hereafter, that the animals die much later, and that
fewer of them die in proportion. It is h ve vc-r to
be noticed, that this only happens when the animals
live for fome time after being bit, fince orherwife
the venom has not an opportunity of effecting any
notable change in the external parts ; in fo much,
that if the animal dies almoft immediately after
being venomed, there are fcarcely any figns of
local difeafe.

Before I examine the effects of the bite of the
viper on the different parts of an animal, let me
be permitted to relate the event of a great many
experiments I made on animals of different fpecies,
which I had repeatedly bit, and by feveral vipers.
In all thefe cafes I employed the fluid volatile alkali,
either fimply applied to the part bitten, or given in-
ternally at the fame time. Thefe new experiments
flemonftrate dill more the inefficacy of the volatile
alkali? and how little dependence ought to be placed

upon it*

I had

ON POISONS. X67

I had fix fowls bit, each of them twice by a dif-
tindt viper. Three were limply treated, three were
not. The three that were treated died at the end of
3, 5, 6, hours ; the other three at the end of 3, 9, 12,
hours.

I had fix other fowls bit, each by two diflindl
vipers, once in each leg. I treated them, and made
them fwallow the volatile alkali. They were all
dead before the expiration of feven hours; one of
them died in lefs than twenty-feven minutes.

Twelve other fowls were bit, each of them twice
in the leg, and by different vipers. Six only were
treated, and fwallowed the volatile alkali. Nine died
in the whole; five of thofe that were treated, and
four of the others. Two of thefe laft lived forty-
three hours ; the treated five that died did not fur-
vive the feventh.

The refult of the laft clafs of experiments, al-
though it does not agree with that of the two that
precede it, is neverthelefs given with precifion. This
Ihows how much experiments of this kind may
differ from each other, from circumftances which
occafionally vary, and which cannot always be af-
certained. Thofe that are capable of influencing
the moft are, that vipers are not always provided
with the fame quantity of venom, and that they
are more or lefs vigorous in biting, and in forcing
this humour from the veficle : to thefe may be
added, the efTedt of a milder or feverer feafon, I
began my experiments in September, and continued
them with more or lefs earneftnefs till the clofe of
M 4 the

1 68 F G N T A N A

the January following. I like wife made a few in
February, March, « and April, and found a fenfible
difference at thefe different times. During the fe-
vere froft, the vipers were fo weak, that it was with
difficulty I could get them to bite ; and their bites
were in a very fmall degree dangerous,

I cannot here pafs over an experiment I made in
the month of January, and which at firil made me
fufpedt that the volatile alkali might fometimes be
a remedy againft the bite of the viper.

I had fix fowls bit in the leg, each by three vipers,
all of which bit three times fucceffively. I treated
them feyeral times, and made them as repeatedly
fwallow the volatile alkali. They all had the dif-
eafe of the venom, but in a very flight degree, and
recovered in a few days.

There remained, as chance would have it, in the,
fame box, eighteen other vipers, perfectly like the
eighteen employed in the preceding experiment*
Perceiving at the end of fourteen hours that neither
of the fowls was dead, and that they were all but
llightly difeafed, I had fix others bit in the fame
way, each by three of thefe vipers, and each viper
biting three times. I treated neither of them, and
only one died, at the end of fix days. Two had
fcarcely any complaint, and the three others reco-
vered on the third day. This experiment demon-
ftrates clearly, that the fix treated fowls were not
cured by the volatile alkali, but that their recovery
was owing to the little vigour and a&ivity of the
vipers by which they were bit0

The

ON POISONS, 169

The fowl in the laft experiment that was not
treated and died, argues nothing in favour of the
volatile alkali, fince it is only one out of fix, and
iince it did not die till the end of the fixth day.
This evidently proves, that if the venom had been
in a fomewhat frnaller quantity the fowl would not
have died. We have feen above, that a thoufand
accidents may vary this greater or lefs quantity of
venom, both in the viper that inflicts the bite, and
in the animal that receives it.

On this very account, I have made it a maxim, in
almoft the whole courfe of this work, to form com-
parative experiments, and only to compare thofe
with each other, that were made at the fame time
and with the fame circumftances.

I mull: here inform my readers of what befel the
vipers I employed laft. The feafon was very colds
and notwithstanding the temperature of my
chamber was twelve degrees above the freezing
point, the vipers were very fluggiiTi and ina&iveo
1 conceived that I could give them a frefh vigour by
additional warmth, and therefore, after keeping,
them in my laboratory for upwards of fix hours, in
a box pierced with holes, I at length placed the box
on a fand heat, the warmth of the fuperficies of
which was only twenty degrees. At the end of
two minutes I found every one of the vipers dead.
The fame accident happened to me twice befides, in,
the fame month, and on an occafion fomewhat fi-
mikr*

1^0 F O N T A N A

Experiments on Guineaplgs bit feveral Times, and by
,. feveral Vipers.

I had. two very large guineapigs bit repeatedly in
the leg by two vipers. One was treated, the other
was not. They both died ; the flrft at the end of
two days, the fecond of thirty-two hours.

I had four other guineapigs, precifely of the fame
fize, bit each in the leg by three vipers, three times
by each. Two were treated, and fwallowed the
volatile alkali; the other two were left to them-
felves. All four died in lefs than two days.

Again, I had four others of the fame fize bit ill
the fame way. They were not treated. One only
died, at the end of the fifth day.

Twelve very fmall ones were bit in the fame way.
Six were treated, and fwallowed the volatile alkali ;
the other fix had nothing done to their*. They all
died in thefpace of twenty minutes.

Two days after, I had twelve others bit, of the
fame fize as the laft, each receiving from two dif-
tin& vipers three bites in each leg. Six were
treated, and fix not. They all twelve died in two
hours. One of the treated ones died in feven mi-
nutes, and two of thofe that were not treated in
fourteen.

Thefe experiments convince us at a glance of
the inutility of the volatile alkali. They likewife
fhow, that in animals of this fpecies the fmaller

ones

ON POISONS. I^I

ones die fooner than the larger, and that their deaths
are fpeedier and rrore certain, in proportion to the
greater number of the viper's bites.

Experiments on Rabbits bit fever al Times, and by f eve-
ral Vipers.

I had four middle-fized rabbits bit, each four
times in the leg, by two difiincl: vipers. I treated
two of them, which I made fwallow the volatile
alkali every two hours, repeating the application as
often. They all four died ; the two that were
treated, in eighteen hours, the other two at the
end of three days. In all of them the difeafe of
the venom was very violent, and their legs were
very much fwelled,

I had four very large rabbits bit, each by two
vipers, twice in the leg. Two were treated, and
two not. The two that were treated, although
they furvived, continued ill and with open wounds
in their legs, for upwards of twenty days. One of
the two that were not treated died on the third day;
the other recovered on the tenth.

I had a dozen middle-fized rabbits bit in the leg,
each by two diftindt vipers, and each viper biting
three times. Six were treated, and fix not. Four
pf the former died, and five of the latter.

Thefe confequences not being either fufficiently
uniform, or in a fufficient number, to enable me to

decide

1 72 F O N T A K A

■
decide as to the volatile alkali. I judged It necef*
fary to haye recourfe to new experiments.

I had twelve rabbits, fomewhat fmaller than-
thofe employed in the lafl experiment, bit in the
fame way. Six of thefe were treated, and fwal-
lo wed the volatile alkali; the other fix were left tp
themfelves. All of the former ones died, and five
of the latter ; the fixth had fcarcely any perceptible
complaint,

I wiihed to fee whether there would be a fenfible
difference betwixt the effects of the venom, on ani-
mals bit a greater or lefs number of times, by a
greater or lefs number of vipers. For this pur-
pofe, I had fix middle-fixed rabbits bit, each once
in the leg, by a diilind: viper. I had fix others bit
in the leg each by two diftindt yiperr, each of
which made two bites, I had fix others bit in the
lame part, each by two diflindt vipers, each of them
biting four times ; and fix others again, each of
which was bit by three diftinft vipers, four times.
in the leg by each.

Of the fix of the ffrft clafs, three died ; the other
three had moderate complaints. Of thofe of the
:.:.:ond, five died, and the other had a violent at-
tack of the difeafe. All of the third clafs died in
in lefs than forty-three hours; and thofe of the
fourth in lefs than twenty,

Expe*

ON POISONS. 1^2

Experiments' on Dogs, bit fever al 'Times, and by fever at
Vipers.

I had two fmall and young dogs bit in the leg$
each by two diftinft vipers, and twice by each.
One was treated, and {wallowed the volatile alkali ;
the other had dothing done to it. They both died
in the fpace of thirteen hours.

I had two dogs, larger by one-half than the pre-
ceding ones, bit each by two diftindt vipers, and
twice by each. One was treated, the other not.
Both recovered; the treated one in twenty-fix days,
the other in ten.

1 had four very large ones bit, each by three dif-
tind: vipers, three times by each. Two were treat-
ed, and two not. One of thofe that were treated
died at the end of the fixth day. The other three
were exceedingly ill, and had each of them a large
wound in the leg that had been bit.

Two very large dogs were brought to me in ex-
cellent order. I had each of them bit in the leg by
four well-irritated vipers, each viper biting a£ leaft
four times. I did not treat them, on account of the
difficulty of doing it effedhially without the rilk of
; being bit. Both of them recovered in lefs than ten
days. They had wounds, tumour, and lividity, in
the part bit. At the end of two days they began to
drink, and ate at the end of the third.

Scarcely

*7* f o n t a tf a

Scarcely have animals of any kind, and particu*
larly dogs and cats, been bit by a viper, and are at
liberty, when they lie down on the part oppofite to
that which has been bit, and in this Hate continue
very quiet till they recover. Whenever they begin
to drink and to eat, 'tis an almofl certain fign that
they will get the better of their complaints. Cats ard
lefs defirous of food than dogs ; I have met with
fome that did not eat till after they had been ill fe-
veral days.

That the number of my experiments on dogs
might be competent to the purpofe, I procured fix
fmall ones, of the fame fize, fpecies, &c. I had
them all bit in the leg, each by three vipers, and
each viper at three bites. Three were treated, and
three not. The three firll died, and only two of
the others ; the third was exceedingly ill, had a
large wound, and did not recover till the end of the
fifteenth day.

Not perceiving that the volatile alkali had any
good effecl: againft the bite of the viper, when given
to dogs, I thought it proper to purfue my expepi*
merits on other kinds of animals.

Experiments on Cats.

This animal makes a very ftrong refiftance to the
bite of the viper. This is not becaufe the venom is
innocent to it as it is to fome other animals, but be-
caufe it is very hard to kilh

I had

ON POISdNS. 175

I had a middle -fi zed cat bit in the leg by two
vipers, each viper biting twice. I did not treat it.
Its leg fwelled, but not violently. It lay reclined
on its belly during the whole time of its illnefs ; it
drank at the end of thirty-fix hours, ate at the end
of fifty-two, and on the fourth day was perfectly
recovered.

I had it bit in another leg by three vipers, each
viper biting twice. Here again I did not treat it.
It vomited feveral times after the fixth hour, and
again after the thirtieth. It drank at the expiration
of forty-two hours, and ate at the clofe of the third
day* On the fifth day it was recovered.

I made choice of another cat of the fame fize as
the former one, and had it bit in the leg by four
vipers, each viper biting four times. I did not
treat it. It fwelled very much, vomited feveral
times; and did not eat till the clofe of the fixth day,

Two days after I had it bit by four frefh
vipers in another leg. It was very much difeafed,
and had frequent vomitings. It ate at the end •£
five days, and »on the eighth was quite recovered*

I had another cat, larger than the former ones,
and very wild, bit by fix well-enraged vipers, feve-
ral times by each. One of them could not let go
its hold, and was difengaged with fo much diffi-
culty, that its teeth were broken and left in the
flefh. The cat was in a violent rage, but became
tranquil on being fet free. It reclined itfelf on its
belly, as the others had done, vomited from time to
time, and did not eat any thing till after the fifth
3 day.

Ij6 F O N T A N A

day. It continued ill two days more, arid at length
recovered.

It was quite unnecefTary to give the volatile al-
kali to the cats, fince, as we fee, when they are of
a certain fize, they do not die of the difeafe of the
venom. Kittens are, however, known to die of it ;
and it is likewife certain, that grown eats would die
too, provided they were bit by a greater number of
vipers.

The bite of the viper produces a true difeafe in
this animal, and this difeafe is more violent in pro-
portion to the greater number of bites. I cannot,
however, precifely fay, how many vipers it would
require to kill a ftrong cat of the largeft iize. Ten
or twelve would, perhaps, be fcarcely fufficienu

CHAPTER

o *r poisons, tyy

CHAPTER IV.

'Of the EffeBsofthe Bite of the Viper on different Tarts
of an AnimaL

I HAVE hitherto fpoken of animals bit by one viper,
or by feveral, either once or repeatedly, but only
in afingle part ; that is to fay, in the leg, or in two
legs at moil. We are now to fee the effects of the
bite of the viper on the other parts of an animal.
It is eafy to conceive that the confequences will be
fornewhat different from thofe that have already
been obferved* and that there mull be ■■ parts in the
fame animal, more or lefs fufceptible of the venom ;
feveral of thefe, on having them bit, have afforded
lingular and unforefeen appearances,

Experiments on the Skin.

The part of an animal which is firft pierced by
the canine tooth of the viper, and which feels before
the others the action of the venom, is the fkin. I
have confined my experiments to the fkin of guinea-
pigs and rabbits, harmlefs animals, that are managed
without riik. I have not employed birds, as their
ikin is too delicate for thefe experiments.

N Wounds

I78 F O N T A N A

Wounds made in the fkin may be very flight, and
altogether external ; they may be more or lefs deep ;
and laftly, they may pierce the fkin through and
through. I have obferved all thefe cafes in the
courfe of my experiments on the bites of the viper.
I have fometimes feen the viper's tooth flrike the
jkin fo obliquely, that it was either not cut at all,
or only fuperficially. The firft cafe I mentioned,
happens frequently, from the viper, when it is en-
raged, biting at every thing that is prefented to it, in
any way, and under any form whatever. The fe-
cond cafe is much lefs frequent ; and that in which
the bite is made without piercing the fkin, Hill
rarer.

Thefe two lafl cafes may happen to man, whofe
fkin may be more or lefs injured by the canine teeth
of the viper.

This refearch, belides its being curious, may like-
wife be ufeful in practice, by aflifling to make the
quality of the venom well underftood in thefe cafes.
Such an invefligation, well handled, may likewife
ferve, as will be feen in the fequel, to explain the ac-
tion of the venom of the viper on animals in ge-
neral.

Superficial Wounh of the Skin.

I fat out by making the following experiments.

I cut the hair with fchTars from the fkin of a part

of the leg of a guineapig, and rubbed a portion of

this, of about half an inch in length and breadth,

3 feverat

ON POISONS, 179

fcveral times, with a fmall file. The fkin became
red, and an almoft imperceptible quantity of blood
exuded from it, which could not, however, form it-
felf into entire drops. Having wiped it well, I
poured on it with a large drop of venom, which, to
make it flow eafier, and to extend itfelf over the
whole furface of the rafped fkin, I had united with a
drop of water.

The animal did not appear to fuffer in the leaf!,
and there was fcarcely any perceptible mark of ci-
catrice. On the following day, obferving it to con-
tinue found and vigorous, I had it bit twice in the
foot by a viper. It died at the end of twenty-four
minutes. This experiment I repeated twice, with
nearly the fame refult ; both guineapigs died after
being bit.

I fhaved the hair with a razor, from the external
lateral part of a guineapig's leg. The fkin was red,
and a little moifture exuded from it, which was
likewife of a reddilh tinge. I put two drops of ve-
nom on this part, the fize of which was about two
thirds of an inch. The animal did not fuffer the
fmallefl inconvenience, and the fkin dried without
cfchar or cicatrice. On having it bit in the foot the
next day, it died at the end of twenty-fix minutes.

I removed the hair with boiling water from a por-
tion of the back of a guineapig, and made two very
fmall, but very deep, incifions in it, wiping away
the blood that flowed from them. I applied two
drops of venom, unmixed with water, to the incifed
fkin, which was eaten away for half its thicknefs,

N2 by

l8o , F O N T A N A

by a wound that formed over the whole furface the
venom had touched. This wound difcharged pus,
and the next day was covered with an efchar. The
animal was perfectly recovered in fix days, and on
the feventh, on having it bit by a viper once in the
foot, it died at the end of forty minutes.

I repeated this experiment, with the fame cir-
cumftances, as nearly as I could judge, on two other
guineapigs. The effects were exactly the fame ;
wound, fkin confumed for half its fubftance, pus,
efchar, and recovery. On having them afterwards
bit in the foot, they both died in lefs than an hour.

I like wife wifhed to make a iimilar experiment on an
animal with a fkin much thicker than that of a gui-
neapig. I chofe a very fmall rabbit, and removed
the hair with a razor, in fuch a way, that there was
a fenfible difcharge of blood. I applied to this part,
about half an inch in length and breadth, two drops
of venom. A true wound formed, and the fkin
was entirely confumed, and covered with a great
deal of pus. The rabbit notwithstanding did not
feem to fuffer much, and at the end of _feven] days
was perfectly recovered. I had it twice bit in its
leg by a viper, and it died at the end of fix hours. I
repeated the fame experiment on two other rabbits,
with the fame fuccefs.

The following conclufions may, I think, be drawn
from the above experiments :

I. That the venom of the viper, applied to the
fkin of guineapigs and rabbits, flightly fcraped or
punctured, is not mortal.

II. That

ON POISONS. 1 8,1

II. That it produces but a flight difeafe in the
fkin of guineapigs, and a fomewhat greater one in
that of rabbits.

III. That this difeafe is confined to the part of the
fkin touched by the venom.

I was defirous of making a fomewhat different exr
periment on the fkin of guineapigs, and accordingly
removed the hair with fciiTars from a portion of
the back of one of thefe animals, of about the
breadth of half an inch. I then made an incifion
with a lancet, fo as not to puncture it through, but
only for about half its thicknefs, and applied two
drops of venom. A wound, occupying the whole
fpace covered by the venom, formed, and fuppu-
rated very abundantly, and the fkin was entirely con-
fumed, and covered with a fear. The animal did
not appear to furTer other wife, ate conftantly, and re-
covered at the end of ten days.

This laft experiment feems to indicate that when
the wounds of the fkin are deep, the effecls of the
venom, or its difeafe, are more coniiderable, al-
though not mortal ; and likewife, that the difeafe is
entirely confined to the fkin,

Wounds in the Skin, through its whole fubjlance.

. I pinched the fkin of a fmall rabbit's leg with my
thumb and finger, and pierced it five or fix times
with a viper's tooth, from which the venom flowed.
At the end of twelve hours, an encyfled tumour, filled
w}th_matter, formed in the .fkin, an inch below the

N 3 woun4s.

r$2 F O N T A N A

wounds. [The cyft was quite excoriated and bare of
hair, and a little moifture exuded from it. The
rabbit died on the fifth day.

I repeated this experiment on a rabbit of the fame
fize, pricking the ikin feveral times with a veno-
mous tooth. At the end of ten hours, the fame
kind of tumour former in the fame place ; on the
fecond day the ikin fell off; on the third the tu^
mour burfr.; and the rabbit died four hours after.

I treated two other fmall rabbits in the fame way,
and the effect was perfectly the fame. In both of
them a tumour formed, and burfl ; and both died.

I had the ikin of a guineapig's back bit repeated-
ly by a viper, raiting it with pincers, to prevent the
mufcles beneath from being wounded. In lefs than
two hours, the part that had been bit became livid,
and the animal died at the end of thirty-two hours,
without an open wound. The ikin was gangrened,
and the blood black and extravafated in the adipofe
membrane, as far as the mufcles of the abdomen and
breafl.

I repeated this experiment with the fame circuit
fiances on four other guineapigs, all of which died.
Neither of them had any wound, but the adipofe
membrane had a gangrenous appearance, and was
filled with black extravafated blood. The extrava-
fation was extended to the adipofe membrane which
covers the pectoral and abdominal mufcles, and was
in fuch a quantity as to form a bag.

Experiments

OK POISONS. 183

Experiments on the Adipofe Membrane.

The preceding experiments not only relate to the
ikin, but like wife to the adipofe membrane. When-
ever the tooth pierces through the whole fubflance
of the ikin, the venom mull: neceffarily communi-
cate itfelf to this membrane ; and its effects, or the
difeafe it occaiions, will be communicated to both
parts. It was therefore neceflary to have the adi-
pofe membrane wounded apart, to know what re-
lated to the ikin in the above experiments. It is not
very eafy to do this with precifion and nicety.

I made an inciiion in the ikin of a guineapig, near
the groin, and introduced a drop of venom without
its touching the Ikin. It brought on a tumour of
the groin, which increafed for two days. The third
day the animal died. On opening the tumour, I
found it filled with a great quantity of black, dif-
folved,and extravafated, blood.

I repeated this experiment on two more guinea-
pigs, one of which died, the other did not. This
laft had fcarcely any tumour. The one that died
had a large one; with the fame fymptoms as in the
preceding experiment. Two days after, I opened
the one which furvived, and which appeared found,
and in good health. I found the adipofe membrane
fomewhat bloody, and with fome humours extrava-
fated in it ; but all this in a flight degree. There
was no appearance that could induce one to con^
clude, that the animal would afterwards have died
N4 of

1 84 MONTANA

of the difeafe of the venom. It was vigorous, fed
well, and ran about in good health, whilft the other
was in the heighth of its difeafe at the end of two
hours after being bit.

Thefe experiments Hill leave us in a doubt whe-
ther the venom might not have been communicated
to the mcifed edges of the fkin. To obviate this, I
fell upon feveral modes of experimenting, but in-
variably met with difficulty in the attempts, and
fomething equivocal in the confequences.

After feveral trials, I purfued the following me-
thod : — I cut away a large portion of fkin from the
back of a guineapig, dried the adipofe membrane
well, and applied to it two drops of venom. The
circular piece of fkin I removed was more than an
inch in diameter. I fpread the venom on the mem-
brane for about three lines in circumference, and at
equal diftances at all fides from the ikin.

In lefs than fix hours, the adipofe membrane be-
came black as ink, and at the end of twelve it was
covered with an elchar, which continued fo long as
twenty-two ; the animal recovered notwithstanding.

I repeated this experiment on fix fmall rabbits,
and fix fmall guineapigs, and the confequences
were fomewhat different from each other.

In the firft place it mult be remarked, that nei-
ther of thefe animals died. Six of them were very
much difeafed, and recovered very late. Four had
flight fymptoms of the difeafe of the venom, and
/eemed to be perfectly recovered at the end of the
fecond day. The others had no certain fymptoms

of

ON POISONS. 185

of difeafe. I think it may be faid, in a general
way, that the venom of the viper is not mortal, if it
penetrates no farther than the adipofe membrane.

Experiments on the Mufcles,

I ftripped the exteriour mufcles of a pigeon's leg
of the ikin and adipofe membrane, without produc-
ing any fenfible hemorrhage. I introduced into
one of thefe mufcles a viper's tooth filled with ve-
nom. A minute after the pigeon fell forward, and
died at the end of ten. The wounded mufcle was
extremely livid, throughout almoft the whole of its
Jubilance.

I repeated this experiment on four other pigeons,
all of which in lefs than two minutes fell forward.
One died at the end of eleven minutes ; another at
the end of feventeen ; the third in a quarter of an
hour ; and the fourth not till four hours.

I {tripped feveral mufcles of the leg of a middle-
fized rabbit of the ikin and adipofe membrane, and
wounded them feveral times with venomous teeth,
(a) in fuch a way that they entirely entered the muf-
cles. I wounded them at the parts where there did
not appear any considerable vefTels. There was
icarcely any difcharge of blood from the mufcles,
which, notwithstanding, very foon became livid at

(a) Thefe are viper's teeth detached from the animal, but
ftill adhering to the veficle filled with venom. I have already
explained the method I purfue in experiments of this kind.

the

f 86 F O N T A N A

the places I had wounded. The animal not only
furvived, but difcovered no figns of fufTering any-
great inconvenience ; and at the end of fifteen hours
there was fcarcely any difcoloration in the wounded
mufcles. At the end of thirty hours, nothing was
to be feen but the mechanical wound of the fkin,
where the incifion had been made to come at each
of the mufcles.

I repeated this experiment, with the fame circum-
flances, on another rabbit. The mufcle became
difcoloured, but not much; and the animal, at the
end of twenty-three hours, feemed to be free from
all complaints, except that there Hill remained a
folution of continuity in the fkin.

I entirely {tripped feveral mufcles of a guineapig's
leg of the fkin and adipofe membrane, and plunged
a tooth, charged with venom, betwixt the fibres in
fuch a way, that few or no veffels were divided.
The mufcle became livid, but the animal reco-
vered.

I repeated this experiment on the bared mufcles
of feveral other animals, fuch as guineapigs and
rabbits, and found that in thefe cafes the venom of
the viper does not fail to bring on a complaint,
which, although it is frequently very violent, is
never mortal.

tti

ON POISONS. 187

The Venom of the Viper 9 when /imply applied to the
Mufcular Fibres, is entirely innocent.

I wifhed to know what would be the effects of
the venom, when limply applied to the mufcles,
without cutting the fibres.

I flripped the mufcles of a pigeon's leg of the
ikin, and contrived in fuch a way, that the unco-
vered fibres and vefTels did not bleed fenfibly. The
experiment fucceeded fo well, that the mufcles,
flripped of the adipofe membrane, appeared per-
fectly dry. On thefe mufcles I laid a large drop
of venom, obferving that it did not communicate
itfelf to the adjacent parts. The pigeon had no
complaint, and the wound I had made healed very
foon.

I got ready another pigeon in the fame way, but
took care that the mufcles mould bleed a little ; one
vein in particular bled confiderably. I applied the
venom, and the pigeon died at the end of thirty
hours, with a very flight change in the parts that
had been wounded.

I repeated this experiment on four other pigeons,
the mufcles of which did not bleed. Neither of
them died, nor feemed to have any other complaint
than that occafioned by the incifion in the fkin.

When we know how fmall a quantity of venom
is capable of killing a pigeon, as it were, inftantly,
we cannot hefitate to pronounce, that the venom of

the

l8S F O N T A N A

the viper, when fimply applied to the mufcular
fibres, is entirely innocent.

The Venom of the Viper does not lofe its deadly $ua*
tliies , even after it has atled on an Animal as a
Pozfon.

I was defirous of feeing whether the venom of
the viper, after having communicated the difeafe
to one animal, would adt as a] poifon on another.
To affure myfelf of this, I laid the mufcles of a
pigeon's leg bare, and made fmall incifions in them,
into which I introduced about a drop of venom.

I like wife got ready another pigeon, making fmall
incifions in its mufcles, as I had done in thofe of the
firft. At the end of four minutes I put the bared
mufcles of the two pigeons in contact, and kept
them in that ftate for two minutes. Neither of the
pigeons died: the firft, however, was very ill; the
fecond had fcareely any complaint.

I laid the mufcles of two other pigeons bare, and
made fmall incifions in them, I wounded thofe of
one with a venomous tooth, and at the end of four
minutes put them in contact with thofe of the other,
keeping them together in this way for three mi-
nutes. The firft pigeon died at the end of three
minutes more ; the fecond at the end of an hour.

I repeated this laft experiment on two other
pigeons. The one that was venomed by the tooth

died

ON POISON*. 189

died at the end of eight minutes ; the other at the
end of eighteen.

Confequently the venom of the viper, as in all the
cafes related above, continues to be fuch, and does
not lofe its deadly qualities, when it mixes with the
blood of living animals, and excites in them the
ufual difeafe.

Animals bit in the Breaft.

... I had a pigeon bit once by a. viper in the breaft*
I treated it, and it died at the end of ten minutes.

I had another pigeon bit twice in the breaft by a
viper^ and treated it. It died at the end of two
hours.

I had fix pigeons bit in the breaft by as many
vipers, each twice by a diftinct viper. Three
were treated, and three not. They all died ; the
three that were treated at the end of 10, 20, $o9
minutes; the other three at the end of 17, mi-
nutes, and 2, 4, hours.

I had fix others bit an equal number of times ;
three in the breaft, and three in the leg. They all
died; the three bit in the leg at the end of 10, 15,
20, minutes ; the three in the breaft at the end of
17, 50, minutes, and two hours.

Thefe few experiments on pigeons would lead
one to fufped:, that bites in the breaft are not more
dangerous than thofe of the leg; and that it may
even be the reverfe. They are however not fuffi-

cient

tgO F O N T A N A

cient in number to admit of any certain confequences
being drawn from them.

I had a guineapig bit twice in the breafl by a
viper, and immediately treated it. It died at the
end of two hours.

I had another guineapig, of a much larger fize,
bit twice in the breafl by a viper, and treated. At
the part where it was bit, a large wound, which
continued open for upwards of fifteen days, form-
ed ; the guineapig at length recovered.

I had a very large guineapig bit twice in the
breafl by a viper, and treated it immediately. It
had no fymptom of difeafe. Two days after I had
it bit afrefh by another viper, in the fame place,
and at the end of twelve hours it died.

The fkin of guineapigs, particularly that part of
it which covers the breafl, is very tight, in confe-
quence of which the viper finds it very difficult to
feize it betwixt its teeth. I was feveral times de-
ceived by this, fuppofing the animal bit when it
was not; and was therefore obliged to repeat the
experiment.

I had a fmall rabbit bit in the breafl by a viper,
and immediately treated it. At the end of thirty
feconds it fell on its belly, and died in lefs than a
minute.

I had another rabbit, of the fame fize, bit in the
breafl, and did not treat it. It had a fmall wound,
and recovered at the end of three days.

I had four rabbits bit in the breafl, each twice by
a diflinct viper. Two were treated, and two not.

The

ON POISONS. 191

The two that were treated died ; one at end of an
hour, the other at the end of ten. Of thofe not
treated, one died in an hour, the other had a very
fmall wound in the part bit.

I had a fowl bit twice by a viper in its breaft,
towards the right wing. I treated it, and it died at
the end of twenty-four hours.

I had another fowl bit twice by a viper in the
fame place, and did not treat it. It died at the
end of nine hours.

I had four other fowls, like the preceding ones,
bit, and obferved the fame circumftances. They
all four died in eighteen hours.

I had four other fowls bit, two in the breaft, and
two in the leg. The two that were bit in the breaft
died in lefs than ten hours. One of thofe bit in the
leg died at the end of twenty-feven hours ; the
other was violently difeafed, but recovered.

Had the number of experiments been greater,
we might have deduced from them, that to fowls
the bite of the viper in the breaft is more dange-
rous than that in the leg. This is contrary to what
was obferved in the rabbits and guineapigs.

Animals bit in the Belly.

I had a rabbit bit twice in the belly by a viper.
At the end of eighteen hours a very large tumour
formed in the part bit. This tumour encreafed for
four days, and the hair fell from the ikin, which

was

J 0.2 F O N T A N A

was corroded and ulcered. The animal, nowith^
ftanding, lived twenty days.

I had another rabbit, of the fame fize, bit repeat-
edly in the belly by a viper. At the end of twelve
hours a tumour formed, and the hair and epidermis
came away. The tumour was moift and bloody,
and burft at the end of eighteen hours, when an
ulcer formed, of two inches and an half in length,
and more than ah inch in breadth. The rabbit fur-
vived, but it was more than twenty days before it
recovered.

I had two others bit in the belly in the fame way.
Both of them had a tumour, which was fucceeded
by an ulcer that remained open for feveral days;
and both recovered.

I had two other rabbits of the fame fize bit feve-
ral times in the belly by two vipers. One died at
the end of twenty- fix hours ; the other had a wound
which covered the whole of the ikin of the lower
part of the belly, and continued ill twenty-lix days*

Experiments on the Inteftines,

I opened the belly of a rabbit, and had the ileum9
at the diftance of three inches from the colon, bit
twice by a viper, binding'up the part as well as I
could. The rabbit died at the end of fix hours.
The inteftine was inflamed, black, and contracted,
more than fix inches above and below the part that
was bit ; fo that thefe changes had extended to the

colon.

ON POISONS. 193

iolon. The mefenterick vejfels. were black and fwelled,
and the blood curdled.

I repeated this experiment on four other rabbits>
each of which I had bit in the interlines in the fame
way by a viper. The refult of thefe experiments
was perfectly analogous to that of the former one.

Experiments on the Liver.

Having opened the belly of a rabbit, I wounded
the right lobule of the liver, in the inner part, with
a venomous tooth. At the end of a few feconds,
the creature began to cry and to writhe itfelf, and
died in lefs than two minutes. All the vefTels of
the liver were filled with black and clotted blood ;
the mefentery was in the fame ftate ; and the heart
and auricles were filled with black, but fluid; blood.

I wounded the outer lobule of the liver of another
rabbit in two places with a venomous tooth. The
creature drew itfelf together^ but did not cry. It
died an hour after.

I introduced a venomous tooth into the outer lo-
bule of the liver of a third rabbit, and did not with-
draw it immediately. This one cried, writhed it-
felf, and died in lefs than a minute and an half. The
blood was coagulated both in the liver and mefen-
tery.

I introduced a venomous tooth in the ufual way
into the inner lobule of the liver of two other rab-
bits, and kept it there for fome time. Thefe ani-
O ma Is,

ip4

MONTANA

mals, as ufual, cried out after a few feconds, and
died in lefs than two minutes. The blood in the li-
ver was black and coagulated ; that in the heart and
auricles was likewife black, but in a fluid ftate. I
did the fame to the outer lobule of the liver of two
rabbits, but withdrew the venomous tooth immedi-
ately after having introduced it. One began to cry
and writhe itfelf after a few feconds, and died intwc*
minutes. The other lived nearly two hours. The
blood in the liver of the flrft was quite coagulated ;•
as k was in a degree in the fecond. In the former,
the blood in the auricles and ventricles was fluid ; in
the latter it was coagulated.

Experiments on the Ears,

I had the ear of a middle-fized rabbit, towards
its extremity, or point, bit twice by a viper. The
part was a little fwelled at the end of fix hours ;
the rabbit, however, ate, and was lively. At the
end of four days it was perfectly recovered.

I had two other middle-iized rabbits bit in the
fame way at the extremity of the ear, each twice by
a diftin& viper. The ears fwelled a good deal, bur
the rabbits ate, and were lively. At the end of five
days they were both recovered.

I had another rabbit bit in the right ear, towards
its extremity, twice by a viper. I treated the part,
in which there was a confiderable fwelling that did
not fubfide till after fixtcen days,

I had

d $r poisons. 195

I had a rabbit's ear bit twice by a viper, at a third
of its length from the balls. At every hole made by
the teeth in the oppofite fides of the ear, a drop of
blood appeared, and befide it afmall drop of venom,
which, although it was in contadt with the blood,
did not unite with it in the leaft. There were four
holes made by the teeth at each fide the ear, fo that
the fmall drops of venom were eight in number*
The ear fwelled a good deal, and the fwelling did
not fubfide till after twenty days*

There is no difficulty in accounting for the fmall
drops of venom that appeared at the oppofite fides of
the ear. We know that the venom flows from the
point of the tooth. The ear of a middle-fized rab-
bit is not fo thick as the viper's tooth is long, which
muft of courfe pierce the ear through*. When the
viper withdraws the tooth, the venom has already
reached the point of it ; and from the elaflicity of
the ikin of the ear, which clofes the hole it went out
at, is forced to fhed itfelf at the fides of it. In find-
ing its way to the part of the ear at which it entered,
the tooth in the fame way leaves the venom, which
it continues to fhed, at the edges of the hole at this
fide. I have fince obferved thefe fmall drops of ve-
nom on each fide the ear in almoft all the rabbits I
have had bit in this part, and find them in general to
be larger at the part the tooth went out at, than at that
where it entered ; particularly if the viper is pre*
vented from withdrawing its teeth too fuddenly.

O 1 I had

I96 F Q N T A N A

I had a rabbit bit in both ears at a third of their
length from the bails. Each ear was bit three times
by a diilincl viper, and both of them fwelled vio-
lently, for nearly eight lines towards the bafis. The
rabbit was very much difordered, and did not eat for
feveral days, when it began to feed fparingly. It
was not perfectly recovered till the end of twenty
days, and was then very much wailed.

I had two others bit repeatedly at the fame part
of the ear, by two vipers. At the end of the fecond.
day, the ears were disfigured by a fwelling, which
became fo large, that in two days more they hung
down on each fide the neck. One of the rabbits
died at the end of eight days, with its ears ulcered
and fphacelated; the other recovered, but not till
the end of twenty-eight days.

I had a middle-iized rabbit bit once in the ear by
a viper. The ear bled a little, and two fmall drops
of venom appeared at the fides of the two holes made
by the teeth. I did not treat it. There was a de-
gree of tumour and inflammation in the part,- and.
at the end of thirty hours the rabbit was perfectly
recovered.

I had another rabbit bit, of the fame fize as the
preceding one. I treated it immediately, and made
it fwallow the volatile alkali. The ear fwelled ex-
ceedingly, and became livid at the part where it was
moil fwelled. The tumour continued fix days, and
in four more the animal recovered*

I had four rabbits bit in the ears by as many vi-
pers. Two were treated^ and' two not* Neither of

them

ON POISONS. IQ /

'them died. The ears in all of them fwelled consi-
derably, and they all recovered at the end of three
days.

Having afTured myfelf that the bite of the viper
in the ears of rabbits is not very dangerous, I thought
of having thefe animals bit by feveral vipers, in dif-
ferent parts of the two ears. For this purpofe I
chofe a dozen middle-fized rabbits, and had them
all bit repeatedly in feveral parts of each ear, and
each by three vipers. The parts fwelled exceed-
ingly, and continued in that Hate for upwards of
twelve days. Three of the rabbits hach~an enor-
mous bag or tumour in the fore part of the neck,
larger than the head itfelf. Thefe tumours were
filled with a humour, and yielded to prefFure. At
the end of two days they increafed in iize, and the
ears became ulcerous? The rabbits recovered ill
fixteen days..

Experiments on the Pericranium,

I laid bare the pericranium of a pigeon, by to
moving a good portion of the ikin, and made feve-
ral fmall incifions into it with the point of a lancet.
I poured venom upon it, but in fuch a way that it
did not reach to the adjacent parts of the integu-
ments that had been cut. The pigeon did not feem
to be at all difordered by it, and recovered in the
famefpaceof time as another did, which I had pre-
pared by way of comparifon, and to the pericranium
of which I had not applied the venom,

O 3 I re*

Tpg MONTANA

I repeated this experiment on four other pigeons,
with the fame fuccefs. Neither of them died, and
in neither was the attack of the difeafe of the ve*
nom perceptible.

On the Bones mi Feriojtauin.

I laid bare the cranium of a pigeon, {tripping off
a good part of the pericranium. I made fmalf
wounds in the cranium with a lancet, taking care
not to pierce the whole fubftance of it, and intro-
duced a confiderable quantity of venom, prevent-
ing it as ufual. from communicating to the neigh-
bouring parts. The animal not only furvived, but
did not appear to have fuffered the fmalleft inconve^
nience.

The confequences of three experiments on pU
geons, treated in the fame way, were the fame.

Having laid bare the tibia of two pigeons, and
freed it well of the cellular membrane, I wounded
both perioftasum and bone in feveral places with the
point of a needle, and poured the venom copioufly
upon them. The pigeons had not the fmalleft per-
ceptible complaint, and recovered in the fame time
as two others did, that I had treated in the fame way,
but without applying the venom, to ferve as a com-
parifon.

I repeated this experiment with the fame circum-.
fiances on two other pigeons, and the refult was ex-
actly the fame. Neither of them died, nor had the
fmalleft fymptom of the difeafe of the venom.

Uai4

ON POISONS^ I99

I laid bare the perioftseum of the tibia of fix other
pigeons, and having pierced it infeveral places with
a needle, moiftened it with venom. Neither of the
pigeons died, nor had any complaint.

Dura Mater and Brain.

I removed a portion of the cranium of a pigeon,
taking care to lacerate the dnra mater as little as
poffible. I wiped this membrane, which was well
expofed, as gently as I could, with dry lint, and ap-
plied to it a drop of venom. The pigeon had no
fy mptom of the difeafe of the venom, and recovered
xvithin the fame fpaee of time as another did, that I
had prepared in the fame way, but without applying
the venom, as a comparifon.

This experiment, on two other pigeons treated as
above, terminated in the fame way.
I removed a portion of the cranium of a pigeon,
and made inciiions in the dura mater all round, in-
troducing at one of the apertures a drop of venom
The pigeon recovered, without having had any
fymptom of the difeafe of the venom.

After having removed the dura mater of another
pigeon, I made a flight incifion into the brain, and
introduced the venom. The animal recovered in
the fame way with the preceding one.

A third pigeon, on which I made the fame trial,
died at the end of four hours.

O 4

Marrow

2£<9> F O N t A K 4

Marrow of the Bones.

I cut the tibia in two pigeons, towards the lower
extremity, and introduced lengthways into the mar-
row two fmall bits of wood covered with venom*
Neither of the pigeons died., nor had any fymptom
of difeafe.

I cut the tibia in the fame part, of two other pi-
geons, and introduced into the marrow two, fmall.
bits of wood, well covered with venom, keeping
them there fix minutes. Neither of the pigeons
had any apparent fymptom of the difeafe of the ve-
nom.

I repeated this experiment with the fame circum-
{lances on four other pigeons. Each of the trials
ended the fame way, the pigeons • all recovering
within the fame fpace of time that two others did,
which I employed as a comparifon, without venom?
ing them.

fhe Venom applied to the Tranfparent Cornea*

I pierced the tranfparent cornea of the right eye
of a large rabbit with a venomous tooth. The,
aqueous humour flowed out, I then, with another
venomous tooth, firft fcratched, and afterwards
pierced, the tranfparent cornea of the other eye. At
the end of an hour I found the right eye filled with
the aqueous humour, and perfectly found. At the

end

ON POISONS. 20t

end of eighteen hours, a fmall white fpot formed in
the tranfparent cornea of the other eye, but without
any inflammation about it. At the end of three
days, the white fpot in the left eye was raifed above
the cornea,

I fcratched the cornea of another rabbit with a
tooth well dried, and at length pierced it. At the
end of fourteen hours a dark fpot appeared, and two
days after the cornea was raifed up in the form of a
pearl.

I poured a drop of venom into the eye of a large
f abbit, which I examined every hour. At the end
of eighteen, hours, the membrana niEHtqns ieemed
fomewhat redder than ufual.

I poured two drops of venom into the eye of an-
other rabbit, and this was not fucceeded by any \r~
flammation.

I made the fame experiment on the eye of a third,
which continued in its natural Hate,

I repeated it on three other rabbits, neither of the
eyes of which became fenfibly inflamed.

I moiftened the eyes of a large rabbit fevera\
times with a conliderable quantity of venom, and
likewife applied feveral drops to its lips and tongue.
At the end of three hours the membrana nittitans ap-
peared a little red, but at the end of eighteen hours
returned to its natural ftate.

I put feveral drops of venom on the tongue of
another rabbit, apd fmeared it on the lips and
palate witfi a brufh. There was no fwelling in any

part

202 T O K T A N A

-
part of its mouth, neither was the rabbit at all dif-
ordered.

This experiment repeated on two other rabbits
was attended with the fame canfequences. No part
of the mouth was either fwelled or inflamed.

CHAPTER

Experiments on the Comb, Gills, Nofe, and Neck, of
Animals.

JMLy next purfuit was that of examining the ef-
fects of the venom of the viper on the comb, gills,
nofe, and neck of animals. My experiments on
thefe parts have been attended with unexpected and
interefting confequences ; and therefore I have
thought it proper to treat them apart, in an exten-
five way.

Experiments on the Comb of Fowls,

I had the comb of a fowl bit twice by a viper.
There was a coniiderable hemorrhage from the
wounds made by the teeth. At the end of three
hours the gills were fwelled, and in fix a large tu-
mour or bladder was formed. The fowl died at the
end of four days, without having either eat or drunk.

The

ON POISONS. 203

The tumour of the gills, which united them into
one monftrous body, was filled with a wr Lry fleih-
coloured humour, and with an heap or web of fila-
ments and veflfels.

I had a fmall cock bit once in the comb by a
viper, and treated it immediately. It died at the
end of ten minutes.

I had another cock, of the fame fize, bit once in
the comb by a viper, and treated it. At the end of
two hours both gills had already fwelled; at the
end of twenty-two this fwelling was very much
abated; and in thirty-fix there were only fome little
remains of fwelling in one of them. In forty hours
the cock was perfectly recovered.

I had the comb of a large cock bit three times by
a viper. It was branched, pointed, and more than
a third of an inch in thicknefs. It bled a little, and
there were fome fmall drops of venom befide the
holes made by the teeth. I made a fmall wound in
the comb with the point of a lancet, and introduced
a fmall quantity of venom. The cock had no
fymptom of complaint. Two days after I had it
bit twice in the comb by another viper. At the
end of two hours the part appeared fomewhat livid
towards its bafis, and perhaps a little fwelled. At
the end of three hours the gills were very much
enlarged, and at the expiration of twenty, were be-
come of a m6nftrous fize, and livid for their whole
extent. At the end of twenty-three hours they
burft5 and the cock died very foon after.

There

2Q4 F O N T A N A

There cannot be the fmalleft doubt but that the
venom in the firft cafe was thrown out by trie blood,
and this happens not unfrequently. It is much more
difficult to account for the tumour that, notwith-
ftanding the cock was bit in the comb, formed in
the gills. However I have frequently feen fome-
thing fimilar happen in other animals. The bite
made in the leg of a rabbit frequently caufes
a tumour, or an obftrudtion of the humours in the
moil: inferior parts of the fame leg. But the expe-
riments mull be continued.

I had the comb of a fowl bit by two vipers, by-
each twice. At the end of two hours one of the
gills only began to fwell. In twenty they were
both very much fwelled, and united in fuch a way
that they formed a fingle body. At the end of
thirty-fix they were enormouily fwelled and very
livid. In ten days the fowl recovered, On the
fourth day of the difeafe it refpired with difficulty,
and with a hilling noife; the glottis was inflamed
and open, and the trachea arteria fwelled.

I had the comb of another fowl bit feveral times
by two vipers. At the end of three minutes the
part next the head was livid, and appeared a little
fwelled. In an hour the livid colour and tumefac-
tion feemed to be fublided, but on the other hand,
the gills were enlarged. In three hours one of the
lower eye-lids exuded blood from all its fmall ori-
fices. The gullet and palate were black. In twelve
^ours the fowl was in a dying ftate, the gills being

livid

ON POISONS. 2dj

livid and of an enormous fize. It died at the end
of thirty-three hours.

I had the comb of a fowl bit feveral times by a
viper. One of its gills fwelled a little. At the end
of thirty-fix hours this fmall degree of fwelling had
difappeared, but the fowl refpired with difficulty,
and in doing this made a great noife. The wind-
pipe was fwelled, and very much enflamed, even at
the end of fix days. The animal was perfectly re-
covered in ten.

All thefe experiments mow that there is an im-
mediate communication of vellels and humours,
betwixt the comb and gills of fowls. I do not
give a detail of more than ten experiments belides
that I made on fowls, lince they terminated in the
way with the cafes juft related.

Experiments en the Gills of Fowls,

I was defirous of knowing what Would, be the
confequence of having fowls bit by vipers, not m
the comb, but in the gills only; that is to fay, whe-
ther the bite would be equally dangerous, and whe-
ther the tumour would fly up to the comb without
forming in the gills, or would form both in the gills
and comb.

I had the gills of a fowl bit repeatedly by two
vipers. At the end of two minutes they had al-
ready fwelled, and become livid. There was a
great flux of humours in the eyes^ which were

doled

106 F 0 K T A N A

clofed by the enlargement of the membrane nidti-
tans. In lefs than an hour the gills were of an
enormous fize, and livid all over. The fowl died
at the end of the fifth hour.

I had the gills of a fecond fowl bit twice by a
viper. They fwelled in lefs than four minutes,
and in two hours were extremely large and livid.
The comb appeared a little dark towards its points
and edges. The fowl died at the end of three
days,

Thefe trials may induce one to fufpedt that
wounds made in the comb are lefs dangerous than
thofe made with the fame circumftanees in the
gills.

To come at the truth of this hypothecs, I made
the following experiments. I had fix fowls bit,
each twice by a diftincTt viper ; three in the comb,
and three in the gills. One only of the former
died, and two of the latter.

On repeating this experiment on fix other fowls,
the refult was fomewhat different. Only one of
thofe bit in the comb died, and all thofe that were
bit in the gills.

Thefe new experiments led me to think that my
conjecture was very probable ; that is to fay, that
the bite of the viper in fowls is more dangerous-
when made in the gills, than when it was made in
the comb.

The accident which fupervenes in the fowls the
comb of which has been bit by vipers, is very fin-
gular. The action of the venom, or its difeafe, is ■

conveyed

Qlt POISONS* 507

conveyed to a remote part that has not been bit ;
but when the gills are bit, the venom does not fly
up to the comb, nor does the difeafe communicate
itfelf to that part, and yet the ftruclure both of the
gills and comb is the fame, and the veffels and
nerves are common to both*

This circumftance ftruek me fo forcibly, that
I thought it deferving an analyfis of fome kind,
and of being fearched into by ftill further trials.

I began by having the comb of a fowl bit
once, and at the end of fifteen feconds cut off
both gills. The fowl not only recovered, but
there was no change in the gills, nor any appear-
ance nor fymptom whatever of the difeafe of the
Venom.

I had another fowl bit once in the comb, and at
the end of fifteen feconds cut it entirely away. The
gills did not fwell, neither had the fowl any fymp-
tom of the difeafe of the venom.

I had the gills of a large cock bit repeatedly by
a viper. In fix hours they were both very much
enlarged. On the following day they were ftill
more fo, and were befides livid. The cock reco-
vered at the end of thi rteen days.

I had the gills of another cock, a very large one,
bit feveral times by two vipers. At the end of ten
minutes I cut them off. On the following day it
ate, and appeared in health, and after three days was
perfe&ly recovered.

I repeated this experiment on the gills of fix

other cocks, each of which I had bit repeatedly

2 hy

26§ J* O N T A N A

by two diftindt vipers. I cut off the gills in all of
them, but at different intervals ; at the end of i>
2, 4, 8, 1 6, 32, minutes. They all recovered, and
had no other complaint, than that produced by
the cutting off of the parts.

I had a large cock bit feveral times in the comb
hy two vipers, and after eight minutes cut off its
gills. It died at the end of three hours.

I had another cock, a very large one, bit repeat-
edly in the comb by two vipers, and after four mi-
nutes cut off its gills. It died at the end of twenty-
feven minutes. It was fcarcely bit by the firfl viper,
when it could no longer fupport itfelf^ or hold its
head eredt. It opened its beak, from which a gluti-
nous humour flowed, and breathed fhort, and with
difficulty,

1 repeated this experiment on fix other cocks j
each of which I had repeatedly bit in the comb by
two diftindt vipers. I cut off the gills in each of
them at the end of four minutes. Three died .in
lefs than twenty hours; the other three were very
much difeafed, and did not recover till the end o£
ten days.

Experiments on the Neck of Animals.

I had a fmall guineapig bit twice by a viper in

the back part of its neck. I treated it. It died at

the end of forty minutes.

I had

ON POISON So 206

1 had a middle-fized rabbit bit twice by a viper
in the upper part of the neck, and treated it. It
died at the end of twenty- four hours,

I had two guineapigs bit in the neck^ each twice*
by a diftincl: viper. One was treated, and the other
not. Both of them died ; the one treated at the
end of an hour, the other at the end of four;

I had two fmall rabbits bit in the neck, each re-
peatedly by a diftincl: viper; I treated one, and
made it fwallow the volatile alkali feveral times, and
did nothing to the other. Both of them died; the
firil at the end of four hours, and the other at the
end of twenty-two.

I had a large guineapig bit twice in the neck by a
viper; In an hour the part of the neck that had been
bit became fwelled and livid. At the end of twenty-
three hours a large wound appeared; At the end of
the feeond day the humours which formed the tu-
mour, had extended to beneath the chin, and formed
a large bag or bladder. In four days the tumour
had fwelled to fueh a degree, that it almofl covered
the breaft. The fkih had loll its hair and epidermis,
and a flightly-coloured humour exuded from it*
At the end of iix days the fwellirig began to dimi-
nifh, and the guineapig recovered at the end of
fifteen.

The difeafe in this animal, or the matter which
defcended from the upper to the lower part of its
neck, and which even reached to the breaft where
it formed a cyft or bladder, bears a ftrong analogy
to the circumftances that were obferved on having

Vol. L P the

210 MONTANA

the fowls bit. There is only this- difference, that
in fowls this effect is more frequent,, and is of-
tener the cafe than otherwife ; whilft, on the con-
trary, it happens very rarely in quadrupeds bit in
the neck, at leaft in guineapigs. Of twenty-two
animals bit in the fame way, of which eleven were
treated and eleven not, I found five in which this
tumour defcended below the neck, and formed a
bladder. Of thefe five, three were treated, and
two not. The number of deaths, which confided
of four in the whole, was equal on both fides.

It is however certain, that having had fome others
bit, but each of them by feveral vipers, and feveral
times by each, the tumour or cyft formed in the
interiour part, in a greater number of thern^ and that
almoft all of them died.

The confequences were analogous, on trying the
fame experiments on rabbits. The cyft. fometimej
forms beneath the chin of thefe animals, although
they have only been bit in the neck ; and this hap-
pens more frequently when they have been bit by
feveral vipers, in which cafe they die much
readier.

Experiments on the Nofe of Animals,

It remained for me to examine the bite of the
viper on a part that is held the molt fenfible, and
the mofl likely to occafion death when it receives
an injury, in fome particular animals. — This is the

nofe.

ON poisons. ai*

befe. It appears, that the cat, an animal very ob-
flinate in dying, perifhes as readily as others, if
jftruck in this part.

Mead reckoned it fo fenfible and fo dangerous
in dogs, that, wifhing to allure himfelf of the effi-
cacy of a remedy againft the bite of the viper, he
had a dog bit on the hofe, and applied the remedy.
The dog lived, and this was fuffieient to give the
remedy the reputation of a true fpecirick ; fo jftrong
was the opinion, that a bite of the viper on the
nofe was mortal-.

I mall not relate here all the experiments I made
on this part, but only a fmall number of them,
which will be fuffieient to give a clear idea of the
fallacy of fome popular opinions^

We fhall fee what we ought to think of the bite
of the viper on the nofe, and how abfolutely necef-
fary it is to confult nature by facts and experiments*
Nothing is more dangerous and more uncertain in
refearches of this nature, than a vague analogy, or
a feducing and probable reafoning. Nature is not
to be divined, and prophets in the fcience of phyficks
are not to be believed.

I had a fmall rabbit bit twice on the nofe by a
viper. In two minutes the part was fenfibly in-
flamed. In three hours a tumour was formed in
the neck, beneath the chin. In feven hours this
tumour was become very large.— The animal re-
covered however.

I had another rabbity fomewhat larger than the
former one, bit on the nofe by a viper, and treated

P 2 it.

212 F O N T A N A

it. It was bit twice, but one of the bites was made
on the upper lip, at the fide of the nofe. In the
fpace of two minutes the nofe was fwelled, and a
very large tumour formed under the chin. At the
end of twenty hours this tumour burft, and dif-
charged a great deal of matter. The rabbit reco-
vered at the end of fix days.

I had a third rabbit, of a middle fize, bit twice
on the nofe by a viper. In a very little time the
part fwelled and inflamed. In two hours a: tumour
formed beneath the chin, which at the end of fevert
difcharged blood, and was very large. In thirty-
fix hours the tumour and fkin began to dry, and
the animal recovered at the end of the fixth day.

Six other rabbits were bit in the fame way. Nei-
ther of them died, and the effects of the bites were
pretty much the fame as. thofe related' above. The
bite of the viper on the nofe of rabbits, contrary to
what one would naturally have thought, feems to-
be lefs dangerous than that in other parts. The
difeafe it produces, as to the feat of it, fe very fimi-
lar to that in the comb of fowls. Here again a tu-
mour forms, in a part where the animal has not
been bit, and beneath the feat of the bite, in which,.
in moft cafes, the venom fcarcely occafions a real
and fenfible complaint. The only efiential dif-
ference is, that the tumour in rabbits is of a
greater extent, reaching fometimss to the middle
of the breafh

We are now to fee, whether the fame thing hap-
pens in animals of other fpecies'.

I had

ON POISONS. 213

1 had a large guineapig bit on the nofe by a viper.
In two hours the part was very much fwelled ; at
the end of three the fwelling was diminiihed, but
in its place a large tumour formed beneath the
chin. At the end of fifteen hours, the tumour
broke, and difcharged a great deal of blood and
ferum. In thirty-fix hours the difcharge ceafed,
and the opening in the fkin dried up. The animal
was perfectly recovered at the end of four days. It
was never very much difordered, fince it ate during
the whole time of its illnefs.

I had another large guineapig bit twice on the
nofe by a viper. The nofe and mouth fwelled very
much, but this fwelling diminiihed in proportion as
a tumour formed under the chin. After twenty-
two hours the "tumour, which had broke an hour
■before, began to dry up, and at the end of thirty-
fix feemed perfectly dry. At the end of two days
the animal was recovered. During the whole
courfe of its complaint it fufFered but little, and ate
conftantly.

I had a large guineapig bit -on the mouth by two
vipers, each biting twice. The nofe fwelled in
leis than three minutes, and ft ill more fo at the end
of ten. Two hours after, a tumour formed beneath
the chin, when the fwelling of the nofe diminiihed,
and in a Ihoit time entirely fubfided. At the end
■of twenty-three hours the tumour beneath the chin
was fo large as almoft to cover the breaft, and in
two hours more it burft. In the fpace of five other
hours the animal recovered.

P 3 I re-

214 F 0 K T A N A

I repeated this experiment on another large gui-
neapig, which I had bit by three vipers, each viper
biting three times. The nofe and mouth both
fwelled very much, but continued in that flate only
four hours. At the end of the fecond hour a large
tumour appeared under the chin, which in twenty-
jhree hours was become enormous, and reached to
the breaft. This tumour broke at the end of thirty
hours, but the animal was not perfectly recovered
till the eighth day. The bones of the nofe were
laid bare, and the furrounding fkin all confumed.

I made the farrve experiment on two other guinea-
pigs, but fmall ones. One died at the end of twelve
hours ; the other had the ufual tumour, was exceed-
ingly ill, but did not die.

The bite of the viper on the nofe feems to pro-
duce pretty much the fame effects on guineapigs as
on rabbits ; and it appears that the venom is lefs
dangerous in this part than in any other. The
fame effects are here conftantly obferved as to the
feat of the difeafe ; but are they the fame in all
other animals? — I mall relate what I met with in
dogs and cats, creatures that enter into the plan of
my prefent refearches, and this will {how how little
analogy alone ought to be trufted, and that the
fame caufe produces very different effects, on
limply changing fome circumftance, which one
would not have fuppofed capable of influencing a
great deal.

I had a fmall dog bit repeatedly on the nofe by
two. vipers. Both nofe and mouth fwelled, and the

dog

OK POISONS. 215

deg died at the end of eight hours, without any
fymptom of difeafe in any other part.

I had another dog, twice as large as the pre-
ceding one, bit repeatedly on the nofe by two
vipers. Its mouth fwelled to fuch a degree, that
the lips were very much enlarged twelve hours
after. It vomited feveral times^ and continued
ill for three days, when it began to drink. On the
fourth it ate, and on the fifth was perfectly reco-
vered.

I had another dog, flill larger than the one lafl
mentioned, bit on the nofe by three vipers, each
viper making three bites. In a little time its nofe,
mouth, and lips, were fwelled fo as to become hi-
deous. It vomited a great many times, ate and
drank on the fourth day, and recovered on the
fifth,

I Jhad another dog, of the fame fize as the pre-
ceding one, bit on the nofe by four vipers, each
biting three or four times. It had a bite at the fide
of its nofe, and another on one of its lips. It vo-
mited frequently, neither ate nor drink till after
the third day, and recovered on the fifth.

I had another large dog bit on the nofe by fix
vipers, each of which, bit three or four times. Its
nofe and mouth fwelled enormoufly ; it vomited a
great many times, ate after the fourth day, and
recovered on the fixth.

Laftly, I had another dog, of the fame fize as the

three preceding ones, bit on the nofe by fix vipers^

by each three or four times. The part fwelled vio-

P 4 lently^

2l6 F O N T A U A

Jently, and the animal did not eat till after the fifth
day. It vomited frequently, and recovered at the
end of feven days.

Rabbits and guineapigs bit on the nofe, ufually
have the difeafe beneath the chin, and not in the
part bit. It is quite the contrary with dogs, in
which the difeafe is entirely confined to the nofe,
the part that received the bite. They therefore
form an exception to the cafes related prior to
theirs.

It is likewife lingular, that as the action of the
venom is confined to the nofe, it does not produce
incurable wounds and gangrenes in that part. We,
however, find it to be quite otherwife ;— bites 013
the nofe in dogs are very rarely attended with 3.
wound in the part, and the animal not only makes a
itrong refinance to the difeafe, but the latter at the

fame time appears to be very flight, fince the re*.

covery takes place in a few days.

Experiments; on Cats bit on tie Nofe.

We have feen above, that the cat makes the
flrongell refinance of any animal to the bite of the
viper, although the venom conflantly produces ir\
it a difeafe. We may therefore conjecture, that
this bite on the nofe of cats will not be productive
of mortal effedts. But v/e know, on the other
hand, that mechanical percuffions on the nofe are

dangerous

ON POISONS. 217

dangerous to thefe animals, and that they foon die,
if they fall from a height on this part.

From thefe considerations, I wifhed here again to
have recourfe to experiments, which can alone de-
termine the truth.

I had a middle-fized cat bit repeatedly on the
nofe by a viper. Its mouth fwelled for a confidera-
ble extent. It ate on the fecond day, and recovered
on the third,

I had another, of the fame fize, l>it repeatedly on
the nofe by a viper. A few minutes after, the part
fwelled. The cat vomited twice, ate on the fecond
day, and was perfectly recovered on the third.

In this fecond cat, the difeafe of the venom was
fo very flight, that the animal appeared to fuffer but
little during its continuance,

I had a third cat bit repeatedly on the mouth by
a viper. One of the bites fell on its upper lip,
which bled a good deal, and the whole of its mouth
fwelled very violently ; however it ate on the fe-
cond day, and on the third was recovered*

I had a large cat bit repeatedly on the nofe by a
viper. The part bled very much, and fwelled 3,
few minutes after. At the end of twenty hours it
was ftill more fwelled, notwithstanding which, the
cat appeared but little difordered, It recovered at
the end of forty hours.

I had another cat, of a middle fize, bit repeat-
edly on the nofe by a viper, which likewife bit it
on the mouth and lips. The mouth fwelled at the
end of five minutes, and at the end of five hours

the

2lS ¥ O N T A N A

the cat vomited feveral times. In thirty-fix hour*
it was perfectly recovered.

I had another cat, of a middle fize, bit on the
nofe, and on the mouth both below and above.
After feven hours it vomited feveral times. Its
nofe and mouth were but little fwelled, and at the
end of twenty hours it recovered.

Another cat, of a middle fize, was bit hy three
vipers, each of which bit three times, or upwards,
on the nofe, mouth, and even within the palate,
ii'om which there was an hemorrhage. Some mi-
nutes after, its mouth fwelled, it vomited feveral
times, but the palate did not fwell at all. It ate at,
the end of three days, and at the end of the fifth,
was perfectly recovered.

I had another cat, fomewhat larger than the pre-
ceding one, bit by four vipers. Eaich viper bit fe-
veral times, on the nofe, mouth, and lips, and in
the palate, infomuch that the cat, feeling one of the
bites within its mouth very fenfibly, feized the
viper betwixt its teeth, and almoft, fevered its head
from its body. The nofe and mouth in this cat
•fwelled very much, it vomited feveral times, ate
on the fourth day, and recovered on the fixth.

I repeated thefe experiments on three other cats,
which I had bit repeatedly in the nofe by a viper,
and the effects were pretty much the fame. We
niay therefore, I think, conclude, that the bite of
the viper on the nofe is not very dangerous to dogs,
%rA that it is fiil! lefs fo to cats,

It

ON POISONS. 219

It is, however, very ftrange, that in both thefe
animals there is no tumour beneath the chin, and
that the local difeafe is confined to the part bit ;
whillt, on the contrary, the difeafe in rabbits and
guineapigs is not in the part bit, but in another part
of the animal beneath it.

It is clear, that this difference can only depend
on the different organization and nature of thefe
animals ; and it is precifely this diversity that we
are ignorant of.

I muft here obviate a difficulty that may be made
by thofe who are not accuftomed to fuch expert
ments. -^

Thefe may oppofe, that bites in the nofe probably
become lefs dangerous from the animal's licking
the part. This is never done by rabbits and gui-
neapigs, notwithstanding they are bit. I have af-
fured myfelf of this particular in fuch a way, that
I have not the fmalleft fufpicion of having been
deceived.

More than two-thirds of both dogs and cats that
I had bit in the nofe, never licked the part, al-
though they could eafily have done it. I ob-
ferved them myfelf, and had them obferved, for
whole hours. It is true, that thofe which bled a
good deal licked themfelves if they could ; but it
was evident, on obferving them, that they only en-
deavoured with the tongue, to free themfelves from
the blood which tickled them in flowing down,
and that this was no fooner effected, which happens
in a moment, than they ceafed to do £b*»**ln the

ex pe-

■220 F O K T A N A

experiments I made on dogs and cats, I prevented
fome of them, when they bled at the nofe, from
licking the part, and fuffered others to do it. The
difeafe was the fame in all ; and it is, therefore,
certain, that fimply licking the nofe, whether in
jdog or cat, does not at all diminim the effects of
tie venom of the viper on that part,

CHAPTER VI,

^Experiments on the Tendons.

OEVERAL modern phyfiologifts have thought that
the tendons are not endued with fenfation. It is cer-
tain that it has not yet been proved clearly, that a
tendon receives nerves, either from the mufcle, or
from the tunica vaginalis which covers it. Neither
Is it more apparent that it has blood- veflels, at kail
*n any number, and fenfible ones. It is therefore
natural to fufpedt, that the bite of the viper on a
tendon cannot be of any great confequence, and
that the venom cannot act on this part. I wimed
peverthelefs to confult experiment once more on this
point.

In having the tendons bit by vipers, I was more
than once on the point of being deceived ; and if I

had

o K poisons. « r ..

had not multiplied my experiments, and varied them
in feveral ways, as I did, I fhould certainly have
been fo. I fhall be c ire um flan rial in relating fome
of the trials I made on the tendons, to mow that it
is eafy for any one, even for an obferver, to be de-
ceived, if he only follows iimple experiments, fincc
the refult of them may vary, although there appears
to be no variety in the circumftances with which
they are made,

My experiments were made on rabbits, of which
I employed the larger! I could find, fome of them
weighing ten pounds and upwards.

Having removed the fkin from the undo achiUis
of a rabbit, and perfectly ffcripped it of its tunick,
for a fpace of fix lines in length, I paffed under it
feveral folds of fine linen, to prevent the venom
from communicating to any other part. I wounded
the tendon in feveral places with a venomous tooth,
and afterwards covered it with bits of linen in fuch
a way, that it did not feem poiEble for the poifon to
communicate to the neighbouring parts. The rab-
bit died at the end of thirty-fix hours. The tendon
was livid throughout its whole fubftance, but the
parts about it were not fenfibly changed.

I opened by an incifion, the fkin that covers the
tendines achillh of another rabbit, and ftripped the
tunick from both. The tendons were fmooth, fil-
ver- coloured, and free from veffels. I pafTed feveral
folds of linen beneath them, and had them bit feve-
ral times by two vipers, covering them with linen
in fuch awajr, that the venom could not glide elfe-

wkereu.

222 F O IT T- A N A

where. The rabbit died at the end of thirty-eight
hours. The blood in the auricles, in the ventricles*
and in the large veiTels of the lungs, was black and
coagulated. There were feveral livid fpots in the
lungs. The mufcles adjacent to the tendons were a
little inflamed, and likewife had livid fpots in feve-
ral places.

I repeated this experiment on two other rabbits,
with pretty much the fame refult. Both of them
were dead at the end of thirty-feven hours.

Although it clearly remits from the experiments
I have jufl related, that rabbits die afrer having been
bit in the tendo achlllh by vipers, I could not how^
ever conceive, that the death of thofe I have men-
tioned, was occafioned by the introduction of the
venom, and its iubfequent difeafe.

It did not appear poffible to me, that a part en-
dued with fo few vital principles as the tendon,
which is not at all fenfible, and which may be cut
both in men and animals with impunity, could be
fufceptible of the action of a venom that has no in-
fluence either on the mouth or ftomach. I fufped:-
ed that thefe animals died from fome other caufe or
circumftance I could not difcover.

In confequence of this fufpicion I determined to
multiply my experiments, and to diverfify them as
the cafe might require.

Having removed the fkin from the tendo achlllh-
of a rabbit, and (tripped it of its tunick above and
below, fo that it appeared fmooth and white, I
wounded it with the point of a large and fnarp nee-
dle,

ON POISONS. 22J

tile, which pierced it through. The needle was well
covered with venom, and I had put feveral folds
of linen beneath the tendon. I wiped the tendost
feveral times, removed the linen, and left the part
expofed. I then introduced into the aperture made
in the tendon, a bit of wood well covered with ve-
nom, and having withdrawn it, poured in a drop of
pure venom. At the end of twenty-four hours, the
tendon feemed difcoloured at the part wounded.
The rabbit, however, ate conftantly, and at the end
of fifteen days was recovered.

In another rabbit, I removed a large portion of
the fkin that covers the joint of the knee, and
ftripped the ligament that binds this part of the adi-
pofe membrane. I wounded it obliquely with a
venomous tooth, in eight places, at each of which a
fmall drop of venom appeared. I made fmall in-
ciiions into each puncture, with the point of a lan-
cet, which penetrated into the fubftance of the li-
gament without piercing it through, and conveyed
the venom within. The rabbit recovered in eight
days, and feemed not to have had any internal com-
plaint. It ate conftantly, and continued lively and
active.

Having ftripped the tendo achillts of another rab-
bit of its tunick, and put folds of linen beneath it
as ufual, I had it bit feveral times by two vipers. I
then covered it with linen, and removed that which
was beneath. The rabbit for the fir ft ' few days
feemed to have no complaint, but the wound in "the
tendon never healed perfectly. At the end of tea

days.

2^4 F O N t A N A

days its belly appeared to {well, and, on its dying at
the end of ten days more, I found it to be drop-
ficaL

Thefe experiments feerh to oppofe the former
ones, and to render it a matter of doubt whether
the bite of the viper on a tendon produces the di-
feafe-of the venom, or not. The latter cafes feem
to indicate that it does not-, but they are contradict-
ed by the former ones* Now, as one of the princi-
pal refearches I propofed to myfelf to make, at fet-
ting out on my experiments, was to difeover what
are the parts acted on by the venom of the viper^
and to obferve its different effects on the different
parts of an animal, I was determined to continue
my experiments on the tendons with a degree of
obflinacy, and to fee if I could fucceed in clearing
up this point*

Wifhing to obferve a greater degree of preciliori
in my experiments, and fufpe&ing that the venom
might perhaps communicate to the neighbouring
parts in which the inciiion had been made, and that
it might penetrate by degrees through the linen, how
much foever the latter might have been folded, I
conceived the idea of putting betwixt the folds, a
piece of thin and pliable lead.

Having dripped the tendo achlllh of a rabbit of
its tunick, I pafTed beneath it a piece of linen fold-
ed eight times, in the middle of which I had put a
bit of lead, fuch as 1 have juft defcribed. I pricked
the tendon in feveral places with two venomous
teet,h> and covered it in fuch a way that it was quite

4 enclofed^

ON POISONS. 22$

enclofed, having a bit of lead both above and below.
The animal died at the end of "thirty-two hours.
The tendon was black at the parts where it had been
wounded, the mufcles near it were a little inflamed,
and the blood about the heart in a diffolved Hate.

All thefe precautions, as we fee, could not pre-
vent or retard the death of the animal. As this
was, however, but one folitary cafe> I did not think
it proper to flop here*

I repeated the experiment on the tendines achillis
of four other rabbits, well {tripped of their tunicks.
I applied the linen and bits of lead as ufual, wound-
ing the tendons with venomous teeth, that the ve-
nom might be more collected, and fpread as little as
poffible on the tendon. In a word, I omitted no-
thing that could make thefe experiments decifive
ones. The rabbits all died in lefs than forty hours;
In fome of them the blood was coagulated about the
heart, but not in others. The lungs were fpotted
in all of them. The mufcles in the vicinity of the
tendons were a little inflamed, and in two of the
rabbits livid.

Thefe new trials did not clear up my doubts. If
on one hand they rendered the action of the venom
on the tendons probable, on the other hand I could
not conceive how a part, that is neither feniible^
nervous, vafcular, nor mufcular, could either re-
ceive the •difeafe of the venom, or communicate it
to the animal, fo as to occaiion its death. I reflect-
ed again, that I had employed large rabbits ; that I
had neither applied much venom, nor made ufe of
Vol. L Q^ many

226 t O N T A N A

many vipers ; and that, on other occalions, I had
found a large rabbit to die late and with difficulty,
although it had been bit by feveral vipers, and died
with large wounds, and with the moil: allured fymp-
toms of the difeafe of the venom. ■ This made me
fall upon a new fpecies of experiments, from which
I flattered myfelf that I mould draw fome kind of
information.

I prepared the Undo achllUs of a rabbit as above,
and paffed beneath it a piece of linen folded lixteen
times, with a bit of lead in the middle. I pierced
the tendon in the ufual part with a venomous tooth,
and introduced a drop of venom collected at the
orifice, into the fubftance of the tendon, by a longi-
tudinal incilion three lines in length, made with the
point of a penknife. The incilion did not penetrate
through. I left the tendon, venomed in this way,
during a fpace of fix or feven minutes, and then
foaked up the venom with dry lint, and by the means
of fmall pincers, warned the wounded part of the
tendon feveral fuccefllve times. In proportion as
the linen became moid, I took hold of one end of
it, and drew it by degrees from under the tendon.
It was impoffible in this way for the water to foak
through the linen, and communicate the venom to
the adjacent parts. As I warned the tendon up-
wards of twenty times, it was not poilible for an
atom of venom to remain within it. 'f he rabbit
died at the end of thirty- two hours ; the tendon was
almoft in its natural itate, its colour being fcarcely
deepened at the part where the wound was made.

a I re-

ON POISONS. 227

I repeated this experiment on two other rabbits,
ufing the fame precautions. They were both dead
in lefs than thirty-feven hours.

It occurred to me, that the linen left above and
beneath the tendon till the death < of the animal,
might perhaps bring on fuch a change in the neigh-
bouring parts, as to occafion a mortal difeafe.

Having removed the {kin from the tendo achillis
of a rabbit, and {tripped it of its tunick, I put linen
beneath it as ufual, and wounded it with a veno-
mous tooth. I wiped the tendon with lint, and
wafhedit a little, taking care that the water did not
touch the adjacent parts. I then removed the
linen, and applied frefh, to the part. The rabbit
died at the end of thirty-fix hours. The parts about
the tendon were in a natural Hate.

I prepared the Achilles' tendons of another rab-
bit in the ufual way, and wounded them with a ve-
nomous tooth. I left them in this ftate for two
minutes, and then threw on them a great deal of
water, repeating the ablution till I conceived that
they were perfectly cleanfed in every part, and that
the venom was either totally wafhed away, or diluted
fo effectually, that it could not convey its action to
the adjacent parts. I had found from former ex-
periments, that when any other part of an animal
was bit, or wounded by a venomous tcoth, the
throwing of any quantity of water on it was inef-
fectual, and did not prevent the animal from dying,
and from having the ufual difeafe pi the venom in

0^2 > the

2z8 t 0 U T A N A

the part bit. The rabbit, the fubjed: of this expe-
riment, died at the end of thirty-two hours.

Another rabbit treated in the fame way, not only-
recovered, but feemed to have no other complaint
than that occasioned by the incifion of the'ikin, and
other parts that cover the tendon.

Theie refpe&ive cafes, confidered circumftantially,
began to perfuade me, that the venom of the viper
is perfectly innocent to a tendoa. To be certain of
this, I'thought of varying my experiments flail
more, and of making them in fuch a way, that they
mould at length become decifive.

Having removed the fkin, and laid bare the tendo
acbiUis of a rabbit, I bound it very tight with a
piece of packthread, at both extremities of the ten-
dinous futxftance. The ligatures were made in fuch
a way, that it was not pomble for any communica-
tion either of humours or fenfation betwixt the ten-
don and the animal to take place. I put the ufual
folded linen under the tendon, which I wounded in
feveral places with a venomous tooth, betwixt the
two ligatures. I covered the tendon with linen,
and the rabbit died at the end of thirty-two hours.
1 repeated this experiment on another rabbit, the
tendons of which I tied in the way above, and had
it bit betwixt the two ligatures. I wafbed the
wovr..b with a great deal of water, which I threw
on with force, and then removed the linen from be-
ne?.'h. Tiis rabbit died at the end of thirty hours.
Another rabbit ojed in twenty-feven hours, after
having been treated pretty much in. the lame way

with

ON POISONS. 229

with the preceding one, with only this diiTerence,
that initead of throwing a great deal of water on
the tendons, I warned them by degrees, applying
clean and dry linen, after removing that which I
employed at firft.

It feems at length pretty clear, that the venom of
the viper is not the caufe of the death of the rab-
bits, in the cafes in queftion, and that it has no ac-
tion on the tendons. A doubt ftill remained, however,
which it was necefTary to clear up. I had obferved
that feveral mufcular fibres had found their way in-
to the tendinous portions that form the tendo achill'is,
and conceived that the venom of the viper might fir ft
communicate itfelf to them, and from them to the
other parts of the animal. Notwithstanding there
was but little probability in this conje&ure, I wiih-
ed to inform myfelf on the fubjedt by experiment.

Having removed a portion of the fkin from the
iepdo achillis, and ftripped it of its tunick, I de-
flroyed the mufcular fibres that defcend from the
crural mufcles, and implant themfelves betwixt the
three portions of this tendon. I parTed feveral dou-
bles of linen betwixt thefe tendinous portions, in
fuch a way that one of them was feparated from
the other two, and enclofed in the linen. I wounded
this portion with a venomous tooth, and covered it
fo as to prevent the venom from touching any of
the adjacent parts. The rabbit died at the end of
thirty-two hours, with its heart and veffels rilled
with black and clotted blood,

Q_3 \ I rs-

230

F O N T A N A

I repeated this experiment on the tendons of an-
other rabbit, which died at the end of thirty-two
hours. The wounded portions of the tendons were
dark throughout their whole fubftance, and thofe
which had not been wounded were ftill much more
fo. The lungs' were covered with livid fpots, and
the heart and large vefTels filled with black and clot-
ted blood.

I made an experiment on another rabbit, in which,
after deftroying the fibres betwixt the portions of
the tendon, I pafTed a folded linen under its whole
fubftance, as I had done in the cafes related a little
above, and wounded it, without feparating the
parts, with a venomous tooth. The rabbit died at
the end of thirty-three hours. The wounded ten-
don was become darker and redder in fome places,
and the blood in the heart, and in the vefTels that
go out from it, was black, but fluid.

It appears ftill more, that the venom of the viper
is not the caufe of the death of thefe animals, but
that it depends on another caufe, probably on the
denudation of the tendon itfelf. The following ex-
periments remove all doubts on the fubjed:.

I got ready fix very large rabbits, all alike in fize,
in two of which I laid the Achilles' tendons bare, as
ufual, and wounded them with a venomous tooth,
after having inclofed them well in linen. In two others
I laid the tendons likewife bare, but pricked them
with a needle in feveral places. In two others I fimply
laid them bare, without wounding or pricking them.

1

ON POISONS. 2^1

I covered all the tendons in the fame way with li-
nen. All the rabbits died; the -two that had been
venomed, died together at the end of thirty-two
hours ; of the two the tendons of which were
pricked with a needle, one died in thirty hours, the
other in thirty-two. The two in which the tendons
were fimply laid bare, died, one in twenty-feven
hours, the other in forty.

The inferences I have drawn from the experi-
ments on the tendons hitherto related, are as fol-
lows :

I. That a tendon is not fufceptible of the difeafe
of the venom.

II. That when a tendon is ftripped of its tunick,
the animal almoft invariably dies, without any inter-
vention of venom.

This laft inference is a very important one, and
may be of fome ufe in the punctures of tendons in
man. It mows how dangerous it is to ftrip thefe
parts of the tunica vaginalis, and how much this
membrane ought to be fpared.

It remained for me to make one other experiment
on a tendon, which I mall relate here, and which
may throw fome light on the nature and economy
of tendinous fubftances, and of their nutrition.
Having laid the tendo achillis of a rabbit perfectly
bare, and deltroyed the mufcular fibres that enter
into it, fo that there could be no longer any fleihy
fibres or veiTels in the tendon, I found that the rab-
bit ate a few hours after, and conjectured that it

Q^4 would

F O N T A N A

would therefore probably recover. In effect it
lived, and t he -...:i of thirty-four days recovered.
ound made in its Ikin healing up,
3 . :ofee what had happened to the tendon, and
whether, as one would have fuppofed, it had dried
up from a want of veffels. All the veiTels about the
tendon had been cut, and it was absolutely fepa-
rated from every other fubflance throughout, ex-
cept at its two extremities. I found it cohered by
a fubfiance, partly fpongy or cellular, and partly
callous, and fprinkled with feveral veiTels. When
I got to the tendon, I found it whitiih, fupple, and
nouriihed, as ufual, although it did not any where
appear to receive veiTels.

Were repeated experiments fimilar to this one to
be made, important confequences, and facts rela-
tive to the nutrition of certain parts, would perhaps
refult from them.

The multiplied and varied experiments I made
on the tendons, have been of very great ufe to me in
the purfuit of my refearches. If any doubt had
remained on the fubjdd: ; if I had not allured my-
felf to a certainty that the bite of the viper on this
part is not attended with any confequence ; if I
had apprehended that the venom could communi-
cate itlelf'tq the . il chrough the medium of

this fubilance, I mould have had a thoufand doubts
as to the parts on which the venom act, in an ani-
mal that has been bit. No fubject in nature is
abfolutely indifferent; and when fuch rare and ex-
traordinary effects are to be examined in the ani-
mal

ON POISONS. 233

mal body, nothing is to be neglected — nothing is
to be deemed unneceflary.

CHAPTER VII.

On the Nature of the Venom of the Viper. Defcrip-
tion of certain Farts of the Head of the Viper, that
relate to the Venom,

JdEFORE I examine the properties and nature of.
the venom of the viper, I think it incumbent on me
to fpeak of fome other particulars, that relate to the
canine teeth of this animal, to the bag or mem-
brane with which they are naturally covered, and to
the vehicle or receptacle of the venom, which the
moil modern writers continue to confound with the
bag or fheath of the teeth. I have treated of all
thefe particulars in the fir ft part of this work, but:
think it efTentially neeeftary to Introduce fome fi-
gures here, which will give a jufter conception of
what I have faid in the part alluded to, and of what
I fhall fay in the fequel.

I have judged it expedient to devote a chapter
entirely to this fubjed, and to interrupt, as it were,
the chain of my experiments on the erred: of this
poifon, applied to die different parts of animals;
fmce it is before all neeeftary, that the reader ihould
know the nature of the venom, and not be left any
longer to bewilder himfelf in the erroneous opi-
nions, and hypothefes deftitute of foundation, that
haye been fpread by the writers who have employ-
ed

234 F O N T A N A

ed themfelves on the occafion, both before and after
the publication of my experiments. Too much
cannot be faid for this effect ; for unfortunately,
when the mind is prejudiced in favour of any opi-
nion whatever, eftablifhed by authority, and gene-
rally adopted, it feems to deny itfelf to even the evi-
dence of fact.

In Mead's work on Poifons, a defcription is found
of the head of the viper, the parts of which are re-
prefented by figures. Thefe figures of Mead, or ra-
ther of Nicholls, who is the real authour of them, are
fo imperfect, that I have been obliged to fubftitute
others I have had purpofely made. I have found
the former ones out of all truth and nature, and who-
ever will take the trouble to confront them with the
parts from which they were drawn, will find no dif-
ficulty in agreeing with me.

Fig. 1. of Plate I. of this work (fee the con-
clufion of the fecond volume) reprefents the two
canine teeth of the viper of one fide of the upper
jaw, partly covered by a membrane in the form of a
bag or. {heath, open, as it is feen, to give paflage to
the teeth. Mead pourtrays this bag as if it was-
fringed at its edges. It is indeed fometimes found
in this itate, but is oftener without fringe or inden-
tation, and fuch as I have reprefented it. The ca-
nine teeth are elevated and laid a little bare, as they
appear when the viper is on the point of biting;
when it deprefles them, they enter entirely into the
bag or {heath. It is eafy to fee, that if this bag
were the receptacle of the venom, the latter would
naturally flow out at the opening in it, and would

pafs

ON POISONS. 235

pafs continually into the mouth of the viper. This
errour is copied from Redi, who believed that the
venom was contained in this fheath that covers the
teeth, and that it was fecreted in a fmall gland feat-
ed under the eye-

Fig. 2. reprefents this bag or fheath, s s, opened
with fchTars as far as its bafis, and like wife on the
bone of the upper jaw. An elliptical hole, n e,
with rounded edges, is feen at the bails of each pf
the canine teeth, and a longer and narrower hole, to-
wards the point of each tooth, r a.

At the fide of the teeth a bladder is found, m, re-
fembling a fhepherd's purfe, which pierces the
fheath by a long canal ending in a fmall orifice, 0,
betwixt the two teeth. The venom contained in
the purfe or bladder paries through this canal, and
conveys itfelf to the tooth, entering at the hole fi-
tuated at its bafis, and going out by that at its
point.

Fig. 3. reprefents the bladder or purfe feen with a
lens. It is not formed of a fmooth even membrane,
but is on the contrary full of plaits, as if it was a corn-
pages of interlines, or of wrinkles and ridges. It is,
of a triangular fhape, and has a much greater width
than depth. If it is cut tranfverfely, and examined
with attention, it is found to be of a fpongy fub-
flance, and compofed of cells deeper than they are
broad. Every thing concurs to the belief that it
is not a fimple bladder or receptable of venom,
but rather a true gland, very voluminous and of a
particular ftrudture, which feparates the venom

from

236 F O N TANA

from the blood of the viper, and in which it is re-
ferred for the purpofes it is deflined to by nature,
undoubtedly for the animal's advantage.

The cellular flrudture of this lingular gland does
not permit the viper to exprefs with facility all the
venom it contains. I have found a difficulty in
forcing it out by a very firong preifure on the gland
writh my fingers ; and indeed we have feen, that a
viper is capable of killing fix or feven pigeons, one
after the other.

The two figures, 4, 4, reprefent the receptacle of
venom in its natural fize, feen at its anteriour and at
its pofleriour part, and united with its excretory
canal.

Fig. 5, fhows a tranfverfe fedtion of the above, fe-
parated by many fmall partitions, J, r, &c. and filled
with the venom which flows out drop by drop, as
at r, a, &c. It appears in this way when obferved
witrr a lens.

Fig. 6, reprefents a canine tooth of a viper, with
all its internal cavities, arid its two external open-
ings.

s s, are the elliptical hole at the point of the
tooth.

c a, the opening of the hole at its bafis.

i 1 f, are the internal canal of the tooth, which
opens at the bafis c a, and at the point s s.

There is a large opening, e, which forms the bafis

pf the tooth, and the fedion of which is reprefented

by m.

r 0,

ON POISON S. Z^y

r o, of the figure at the fide, are the two openings,
e, of figure 6, which are difcovered by a fection of
the tooth, as at a h

r, reprefents the fhape of the longitudinal hole of
the tooth.

o, reprefents the opening of the hole at the bails .
This fecond canal of the tooth does not communi-
cate, with the firft, and only extends as far as r.

Fig. 7, reprefents two canine teeth on one fide,
having at their bafis fever al other teeth, more or lefs
formed, a c r. Thefe teeth are moil frequently
fix in number, and are fituated in the fheath,.and
covered with a very fine cellular web, which binds
them, and unites them together. They are placed
one over the other, thofe that are uppermoft, or
nearefi: the canine teeth, being the larged. The
others decreafe in proportion, and the two that are
nearer! the canine teeth are perfectly alike in fize.
The points of all of them, even of the fmallelt, are
pretty hard, and well formed; they are channelled,
and end by the ufual hole at the point.

When thefe teeth are feven in number, the fe-
venth is always the fmalleft of the whole. It is fitu-
ated below all the others, and in the middle. The
bafis of thefe teeth is not yet formed, and merely
confifts of a flexible, tranfparent, and whitifh jelly.
They are not only deficient at their bafis, but like-
wife want the oval hole ; — the principles of it are
fometimes feen in the large!!: of them.

Although the matter at the bafis of thefe teeth
appears a fimple jelly, even when it is viewed with
the common lens] the naturalift's would be very

much

238 Montana

much miftaken, if he fuppofed it to be non-organi-
cal. Stronger lens than the ordinary ones have
mown me, that it is compofed of a very fine webbed
membrane, filled with extremely fmall round cor-
pufcles. This membrane folds over itfelf, and
ieems to mow, even the holes, and the form that
the baiis of the tooth is one day to take. I have,
however, fometimes thought I could diflinguim
this. Be that as it may, it is certain, that the gela-
tinous part of the tooth is organized, and that it
exifls in a ilate of organization a long time before
the tooth is entirely formed and in a perfect ilate.

Of the Nature of the Venom of the Viper. It is ex-
amined as to its Acidity,

The acquiring a perfect knowledge of the nature
of the viper's venom may be of the greatefl import-
ance to animal phyficks, and, at the fame time, very
ufeful to the human fpecies. Vague and fuperficial
notions on this point, have given birth to hypo-
thefes, to theories, and lailly, to remedies.

The volatile alkali in a great meafures owes its
reputation, to the opinion of the venom of the viper
being acid.

The ancients were ignorant of what it confiiled
in, and of the part of the animal in which it refided.
Francois Redi was the firil to eilablifh thefe points.
He found it to be a humour fimilar to the oil of
fwect almonds, which the viper conveys with its

tooth.

ON POISONS, 239

tooth into the wound it makes in biting. But he
was miftaken in almoft all he faid befides on the
fubject of this venom. He believed that it refided
in the bag, or plaited membrane, that covers the
canine teeth. He could never difcover that it en-
tered into the tooth itfelf, and flowed out of it ;
and thought that the fmall gland feated under the
eye of the viper, ferved to fecrete this humour, into
the nature of which I do not find that he ever made
any refearch.

Before the time of Redi, there was none but
very vague and confufed ideas on the venom of the
viper. We owe to this celebrated Italian natnralitl
the fir ft advances into a fubjedt-, which he found in
its infant ftate, filled with hypothefes and vulgar
errours. Thefe errours were proper to the time he
lived in, and it required a genius like his to combat
them, and to open a new road to truth. It feems
as if we only throw off our ignorance to plunge our-
felves into errour, and that it is at this crifis that
the man of genius gives us fome glimmerings of
light. We fet out at ignorance, which leads us to
errour, and from errour we at length arrive at truth.
This is the ufual progrefs of human intelligence,
and through thefe gradations the moil enlightened
nations have patted.

Mead is the firft who in any way examined the
nature and qualities of the venom of the viper; but
from a fatality to which even the moft diligent ob~
ferver is oftentimes fubjedt in his endeavours to
make the earlieft opening to truth, Mead f n.md

chat

240 F C N T A N A

that this venom was acid, and that it changed the
dye of the turnefoi red, and even gave a reddiib .
tinge to the firop of violets.

A few years after, Mead hlmfelf, in a fecond edi-
tion of his work on poifons, retraced all he had
advanced on the acidity of the venom of the viper,
and confelTed, as a candid and ingenuous man, that
it neither changes the dye of the turnefoi, nor the
firop of violets red, and that it is neither acid nor
alkaline. Doctor James, who allures us that he
repeated the experiments of Mead, has latterly
found this venom to be acid ; he however does
not fpeak of the pofterior experiments of the above
cited authour ; neither does he inform us how, fup-
pofing him right at firft, he was deceived on the
fecond occafion. This manner of publishing ones
ideas, or ones experiments, neceffarily tends to per-
petuate doubts and hypothefes, imce, after all, the
authority of one man is of as much weight as that
of another, and iince we cannot guefs which of the
two is in the wrong. Another writer, flill more
modern than Doctor James, has received it as a
truth, that the venom of the viper is acid; fup-
porting his opinion on the bare authority of Mead,
without telling us, that this authour has iince de-
nied its acidity.

It was natural to conceive, that experiment itfelf
had demonstrated to thefe writers, that Mead was
miftaken the fecond time, and that he was right in

; firft trials, when he found the venom acid ;
and this coniidcration obliged me to examine the

matter

ON POISONS. 241

matter afrefh. I hope that no doubt will any-
longer remain, and flatter rriyfelf that I have difco-
vered the errour into which Mead fell when he
firft examined this venom ; an errour againft which
Doctor James was not able to guard.

I have fometimes, but rarely, found, that the
venom of the viper gives, the dye of the turnefol a
light-red colour. This circumftance, inflead of
inducing me to believe the venom acid, excited me
rather to examine once more into the caufe of it>
which might, be accidental, I obferved that in
thefe cafes it was not very pure, and on examining
it with a microfcope, difcovered globules of blood
floating in it. I then examined the mouth of the
viper, and found the two bags or (heaths which
cover the teeth flightly inflamed. It is not un-
common to meet with vipers that are naturally in
this (late, and it is ftill more frequent to find thefe
bags reddened after the vipers have bit. We like-
wife frequently fee the venom flamed with blood,
if its receptacle is too flrongly compreffed. All
thefe cafes may happen, and in all thefe cafes the
dye of the turnefol may become red, without fiip-
pofing an acidity in the venom. It is, therefore,
not unlikely that Doctor James has been deceived
in the fame way with Mead. It is certain, that in
the few cafes in whicfr I have found the dye of the
turnefol reddened, the venom was not pure, but
was mixed with blood.

Aware of all thefe accidents, I took the utmoft
precaution in collecting the venom. I generally

Vol. h R cut

24-Z F 0 N T A N A

cut off the head of the animal at a blow. Some
hours after, when the mufcles had loll their mo-
tion, I opened the mouth carefully, and contrived
that the points of the canine teeth Ihould be free
from their fneaths. I then made a gentle preflure
on the receptacle of the venom, and received the
latter in a glafs, as it flowed out at the point of the
tooth. In this way it is ufually fo pure, that it ap-
pears, when viewed with a microfcope, like an oil,
more or lefs yellow. No extraneous matter is obferved
in it; and when I accidentally thought I perceived
corpufcles floating in it, I did not employ it in the
experiments of which I am about to give a detail.

When the venom was drawn in this way from the
tooth, I never could perceive that it changed the dye
of the turnefol red, however often I made the expe-
riment, and I repeated it very many times. In moil
cafes, I began with uniting a drop of venom with
thirty drops of the dye or tincture, and not finding
the colour of the latter to be changed, I added an-
other drop of the venom, proceeding in this way to
a tenth, or one-third the quantity of the tincture,
which never either reddened or changed its colour,
but only appeared not quite fo clear as before. I
repeated this experiment too often to apprehend
that I was miflaken. — I not only tried the venom
with the tincliure, or dye, of the turnefol, but like-
wife made the fame experiments on the blue juice
of radilhes, a liquor very fenfible to the action of
acids, even of the weakefl of them. It continued
fclue as before, without my being able to obferve
2 the

on Poisons. 243

the flighted change h it. I likewife had paper
well tinged with the juice of radifhes, and let fall
large drops of venom upon it ;— the venom foon
dried, and, except a yellowifh tinge it gave where
it fell, I could perceive no change in the colour of
the paper.

On feveral other bccaflons I diluted the venom
with water, but could find no greater change in the
paper on which I dropped it, than when I tried k
pure.

I cannot deny but that I fometiriies ■obferved &
weak reddifh tinge on the blue paper, when I made
the experiment in the following manner 2— I co-
vered a large ball of cotton with the paper, and on
forcing the viper to make a flrdrig bite at it$ per-
ceived this very pale tinge of red, at the parts the
animal had pierced with its teeth. I did not, in-
deed, multiply my experiments fumciently to be
able to fay with certainty whence this tinge pro-
ceeded in thefe circumftanees. We may fufpe<ffc
that it was owing to a fmall quantity of blood from
the mouthy blending itfelf with the venom ; it is,
however, very certain, that that taken from the ve-
licle, neither changes the die of the tu rneibl^ nor the
juice of radilhes, red.

But even though we fhould agree that the venom
of the viper may be capable of giving a red tinge
to thefe liquors, does it follow of necemty, that the
volatile alkali is a certain remedy againft this ve-
nom, and that the latter occafions death precifely
becaufe it is acid >

R % The

244 F O N T A N A

The rock that men ufually fplit upon, a rock
that the moil circumfpect philofophers have not al-
ways been able to avoid, is that it is fumcient for
them to find a circumftance which accompanies
the effect, to be too readily perfuaded that it is the
caufe of it.

The innate defire we have of knowing every
thing, makes us ftrive to explain every thing. If
we fee an effect produced after the application of
any given fubftance, we immediately endeavour to
fee if there may not be fomething in that -fubftance
that may ferve in.fome way to explain the effect;
giving ourfelves very little trouble to examine
whether the caufe we have difcovered is propor-
tioned or not to the effect produced. This errour
feems to have been committed by two men of the
firft talents, Mead and Juffieu. Mead, when he
publifhed the firft edition of his work on poifons,
perfuaded of the acidity of the venom of the viper,
judged that it muft neceffarily kill animals, be-
caufe it coagulates the blood as acids do. — Juffieu,
perfuaded likewife of the acidity of the venom,
from the authority of Mead, immediately found a
fpecifick againft it in the volatile alkali (a)+

{a) Juffieu was not the firft after Mead to recommend the ufe
of the volatile alkali againft the bite of the viper, but as he
made a brilliant cure, it is to him that this remedy owes iti
greateft reputation.

The

ON POISONS. 245

The venom of the viper, as well as many other
fubftances, is formed of feveral principles we arc
ftill ignorant of. All the qualities we find in bodies
do not conftitute their real nature ; — fome of thefe
qualities are accidental, others are not lb. The aci-
dity, even though it ihould be conftantly obferved
in the venom of the viper, may, neverthelefs, be
nothing more in it than an accidental quality; and
the venom, in ceafing to be acid, may not ceafe to
be a poifon. Chemiftry furnifhes us with a thou-
fand fimilar examples. It is, therefore, improper
to deduce the caufe of the death from the acidity,
and to deduce from the fame acidity the'ufe of the
volatile alkali, as a remedy ; for even fuppoling the
venom to be conftantly acid, and that this acidity
cannot be feparated from it, does this enable us to
fay, that it kills becaufe it is acid, and that the vo-
latile alkali is its fpecifical remedy, becaufe it is ca,-
pable of faturating it ? The venom of the viper may
likewife have feveral other qualities that we are un-
acquainted with, and may occafion death by each of
them feparately, or by all of them together. Why
then are we to fuppofe, that it derives its noxious
qualities from its acidity ? There are arguments
that demonflrate the contrary.

Water abforbs about its own bulk of fixed air,
and confequently a cubick inch of water can contain
but very little more, if it does contain more, than a
cubick inch of this air. It is not yet proved that a
cubick inch of fixed air weighs an entire grain,
A cubick inch of water weighs about 373 grains,

R 3 ai

246 F O K T A N A

and confequently the fixed air contained in a cubicle
inch of water, cannot be more in weight that its
373 part. Now a cubick inch of water impreg-
nated with fixed air, is capable of giving a red
tinge to 60 cubical inches of the tincture, or dye, of
the turnefol, that is to fay, to 22380 grains. Whence
we fee that the t-~4to- part of a grain of fixed air
is capable of bellowing a fenfible tinge of red on
a grain of the dye of the turnefol. Now granting
this hypothefis, there cannot be at moll in a grain
pf venom more than the tttto- Part of acid matter,
and fince the thoufandth part only of a grain in
weight of the venom is capable of killing a fpar-
row, as will appear by and by, we muft fuppofe,
that the t*?to-wo part of a grain of acid can kill
an animal limply as an acid principle.

Who does not now fee, that even though it mould
be granted that the venom of the viper gives a red
tinge to the dye of the turnefol, it would not, on
that account, follow, that it would kill becaufe
acid ? Its acidity would be fo inconfiderable, that
it would produce no fenlible change in the animal
body. And where is that violent acid, or any other
principles of bodies, which is active to fuch a de-
gree, that in diminifhing its quantity it does not at
length become innocent ?

Let any one fuppofe, if he will, that the acidity
of the venom of the viper is as great as that of the
glacial oil of vitriol (oil of vitriol concentrated to
the confidence of ice) itfelf. If the mortal effects
pf the former depended on its acidity, the glacial

yitri-

ON POISONS. 24^

vitriolick acid, thrown on a wound, although in a
very fmall quantity, would occafion the death of
animals. Glacial oil of vitriol applied to a wound,
may indeed render the ftate of it worfe, and may
corrode the flefh, but will not" kill the animal oa
which it is tried. Very little of it can be intro-
duced into the circulation of animals, and the little
that is introduced is then weakened by the blood
with which it mixes. It is true, that, as well as
the venom, it may kill, if injected in a fmall quan-
tity ; but this only happens becaufe it is not yet
mixed with the humours, and weakened by them.
Both the venom of the viper and the oil of vitriol
may be abforbed by the veffels, and notwithfland-
ing the former is abforbed in a very fmall quantity,
and very much diluted by the blood, it will kill an
animal which will not be killed by the oil of vitriol.
The venom of the viper does not therefore occafion
a very fudden death from its acidity, but from
other principles as yet unknown to us.

Mead, who changed his opinion as to the acidity
of the venom of the viper, never wavered however
in his fentiments in regard to its fuppofed falts.
He has always remained in the perfuafion of having
obferved them floating in the yet fluid venom, foon
after having taken it from the animal ; and not
only believes irrthe exigence of thefe floating falts
in the venom, but aiferts that the venom itfelf
changes to a fimple faline network, of a very beau-
tiful ftruclure, which he compares to a fpider's web.
He fpeaks of the folidity and firmnefs of thefe falts,

R'4 which

%±% F O N T A N A

which he defcribes minutely, and even gives a fe~
parate drawing of them. He adds, that he has dis-
covered here and there in thefe falts, fmall circu-
larly-formed knots, which are extremely folid, and
never lofe the fhape they -have at flrfl taken.

This fubjedt, which appeared to me extremely
intereiting, I examined very exteniively, in my
work publifhed in Italy, which forms the firfl part
of this publication. I even flattered myfelf, at
that time, that I had not only demonftrated the er-
rour of Mead in an inconteilible way, but had like-
wife difcovered the fource of it. To refute an er-
rour in phyficks in a decifive manner, nothing can
be more effectual than the recurring to its origin.
But even this does not feem Satisfactory to certain
authours, who perfevere in maintaining, after the
authority of Mead, that the venom of the viper is a
mafs of falts ; notwithstanding it is more than twelve
years fince Mead was refuted on this point. I de-
monftrated at that time, that this venom is an ho-
mogeneous fluid, which, when taken pure from the
tooth, is- never found mixed with falts floating in it,
nor with other heterogeneous particles ; and that
thefe floating corpufcles, when they are to be found,
are merely accidental, and are by no means falts. The
fmall knots feen by Mead, are nothing more than
fmall bubbles of air interfperfed in the venom.
Thefe fmall air-bubbles are never feen when the
venom is taken immediately from the veficle, and
may be made to appear at pleafure, by taking it

blended

ON POISONS. 249

blended with the faliva of the animal, from the
mouth of the viper (a).

The faline net-work, which Mead fays he ob-
ferved, and which has been defcribed by many au-
thours after him, is no other than the fragments
of the dried venom5 which, when taken from the
tooth, and put on a bit of glafs, very foon dries,
and whilft it is drying cracks in different parts,
prefenting pieces and fragments very different from
real . falts. The Count de la Garaie made falls
of the fame kind, by thoroughly drying his ex-
tracts on earthen plates, the glazing of which gave
the hardened fragments a kind of mining faline ap-
pearance.

If a drop of the venom of the viper, put on a bit
of glafs, is examined with a microfcope, the fubftance
of it will be feen to crack gradually at the circum-
ference, where it dries fooneft. The fiffures in

(a) To have demonstrated the falfehood of any opinion what-
ever, is not a fufficient caufe for its being laid afide, if it is ge-r
nerally adopted by authours. Nothing lefs is needed for this
eiFecl than the renewal of the entire generation, to the end that
it may flatter itfelf, that it cannot be reproached for rejecting an
errourit has not committed. It required half a century to eita-
blilh the circulation of the blood, and the attraction of Newton,
amongft philofophers. Man, always filled with a fecret pride,
thinks that he is humbled if he difcovers himfelf liable to err;
and the vulgar, never to be trulled in their decifions, are of the
fame opinion. We have unfortunately too many examples of
this kind, not to perceive that the love of truth is by no means
the firit fpring of human aftions.

this

2JO MONTANA

this part are fmaller and more crooked than eh
where ; but, by continuing to obferve the venom,
larger, broader, and deeper ones, which advance
towards the centre of the drop where they end and
meet, are feen at every part of the circumference,
Thefe crooked lines are pbferved very diftlnctly
with a microfcope, running to the centre, and
lengthening in fuch a way that one might miflake
them at firft fight for fmall makes, writhing thetn-
felves from the circumference of the venom to the
centre. After all the fiffures are formed in this
way, they enlarge ilill more in proportion as the
venom becomes drier, and occupies a lefs fpace on
the glafs.

I do not know any microfcopical obfervation
more certain and more evident than this, and in,
regard to which one may allure ones-felf with bet-
ter grounds, that circumftances are thus, and not
otherwife. But that not the fmallefr. doubt may
remain, even in thofe who may not have an oppor-
tunity to repeat my experiments, I have thought it
incumbent on me to to reprefent, by feveral figures,
a drop of venom in the act of defecation. It will
be fufheient to give a glance at thefe figures to be
fatisfied of the truth.

Fig. i. of plate II. reprefents a drop of venom at
the moment of its beginning to dry on a bit of
glafs. The Mures that are the mott curved, at the
circumference of the drop, are already entirely
formed, the venom beginning to dry at the circum-
ference. The others are feen becoming flraighter,

length-

ON POISONS. 25 X

lengthening, and approaching to the centre, where
the venom dries the floweft. When it is perfectly
dry, the firft figure changes to the fecond, (fee
figure 2.) in which the fifTures appear carried on to
the centre, after having taken different curvatures.
The fifTures in the centre are broader, becaufe the
venom, which is there in a greater quantity, fepar
fates more on that account in drying.

Fig. 3. reprefents feveral fragments of the dried
venom, in which the fifTures are defcribed by fpiral
lines. Thefe fpires, as at a, are formed particu-
larly, when the venom is dried in a confiderable
quantity, and when it is pretty thick on the glafs
of a watch. The fragments, which in this cafe
are pretty large, open in the middle, and the open-
ing, as I have ju ft faid, is of a fpiral form. The
letter e reprefents a cleft that feparates the frag-
ments from each other.

In Fig. 4. a drop of venom is reprefented, taken
from the mouth of the viper, and dried. The
fmall balls, or knots, of Mead are feen in it, as at
0. Thefe fmall balls are real bubbles of air, which
are made to difappear with the point of a. needle, as
all air-bubbles are that are produced in fluids.
Letter m reprefents a cleft that feparates the frag-
ments, as above.

It is an errour then, founded on ill-contrived
experiments, that there are falts floating in the
venom of the viper ; and the regarding the frag-
ments of this venom, when it is dried, as falts, is
another errour. It is equal and homogeneous

through-

352 F O N T, A N A

throughout, and nothing of this can confequently
be obferved in it.

Mead, who regarded the venom of the viper as a
mafs of falts, likewife believed it to be cauflick and
acrid when put on the tongue. He quotes himfelf
and feveral of his friends, as having tailed it. He
likewife obferves, that when the viper bites, and
when the venom begins to find its way into the.
wound, the animal cries out, writhes itfelf, and
arid exhibits other manifeft figns of pain. With-
out pretending to decide at all on this queflion,
which I have likewife examined in the firfl pare of
this work, I iliali obferve here, that the experiment
on dogs, which howl when they are bit, is not a
certain and evident proof of the cauflick nature of
the venom. Perhaps when it is united in thefe
cafes with the fluids of the animal, it is decom-
pofed, and acquires qualities it did not poffefs a
moment before. It is true, that this howling
which is mentioned, is fometimes obferved, but not
always, and may be occafioned by its frequently
happening that a nerve is pricked by the teeth > of
the viper, in which cafes the venom may caufe the
fame pain as any other body, or fimple fluid, ap-
plied to the nerve itfelf.

If Mead tafled the venom, and found it cauf-
tick, I have tafled it likewife, and have made
others tafle it, and we have neither found it cauf-
tick nor acrid. According to my fentiments, it has
no kind of tafle when put on the tongue, and is
neither perceived to fling or heat the part. It is

true

OH POISONS, 253

'true that a fenfation is felt foon after, which may
have made thofe who believed it compc alts,

and who waited for fome extraordinary change,
fufped: that it was cauftick and hot. The fenfa-
tion it leaves when taken by the month, is that of a
torpor or ftupefaclion in the part it touches. The
tongue particularly feerns numbed ; it even appears
to be grown larger, and its motions are flower, and
more difficult. This is certainly extraordinary,
but appears very different from the effects occa-
iioned by cauftick and acrid fubftances, when put
on this part. — Laftly, Mr. Troja wimed to tafte it
himfelf, and allured me that he found it neither hot
nor cauftick, but that this fenfation of torpor and
ftupefaction was the confequence of it in the
mouth. I can likewife take upon me to fay, that
I put five or fix drops at a time inter the mouth of
'fmall animals, fuch as rabbits, guineapigs, &c.
"without even havings been able to obferve any f wel-
ling or rednefs. Thefe experiments, when made
on man, cannot be obferved without a degree of
repugnance, fince, after all, a fmall excoriation in
the mouth, or on the tongue, may caufe them to
be too dearly paid for by the obferver. I con-
ceived that I could allure myfelf as to this parti-
cular in another way, and on a part even more fen-
fible than the tongue itfelf ; that is to fay, on the
eyes of different animals.

I put fome times one, and fometimes feveral
drops of venom on the eyes of a cat, and kept its
eyelids open by force. I Jet it fall into the eyes of

feveral

254 t O N f A K A

feveral rabbits without their perceiving it, and did
the fame thing to dogs. It was feen running over
the tranfparent cornea and opake cornea, and get-
ting within the eyelids. I could not perceive in
any of thefe cafes that it actxd as a cauftick or
acrid fubftence. '

If Mead was miftaken when he believed the ve-
nom of the viper to be compofed of falts, he was
not miftaken, however, when he alferted that it
was neither acid nor alkaline, fince, in effect, it
neither effervefces with alkalies or acids.

It is needlefs, after the experiments recited in the
firft part of this work, to enter here into a detail of
thofe I was induced to repeat upon this occafion^
and which can no longer leave any doubt in the
minds of thofe who are ikilled in obferving. It is
an eftabliihed truth that the venom of the viper
does not effervefce with any of the mineral or vege-
table acids, nor with any kind of alkali we at pre-
sent know of. I have repeated thefe experiments
too often to have any doubt of having been milled
by them*

But it is not fufficient to have fatisfied durfelves
that the venom of the viper is neither acid nor al-
kaline ; that it is not compofed of falts ; and
that it is not corrofive to the palate ; to inftrucl:
us in what it really is. I do not know with what
other fubftance that is better known, it may be
made to agree. It is principally to this point that
the efforts of obfervers fliould be directed, lince it
is certain that we are not thoroughly acquainted

with

OH ? O I S O N S. 255

with the true nature of any fubilance, although we
are more or lefs acquainted with the properties of
certain fubftances.

When the venom of the viper is yet liquid, it
unites in a greater or lefs degree with acids. But
we mufl likewife examine it when dry.

I put feveral drops of very pure venom into the
concave part of the glafs of a watch ; as it dried,
it became yellow, and full of cracks. I poured oil
of vitriol on it, but no viiible folution followed. I
raifed from the bottom of the glafs, with a capillary
tube, feveral fragments of the venom, which floated
in the oil of. vitriol without difiblving. At length,
after fome time, they feemed to begin to divide a
little, and though they were indeed reduced to a
kind of liquid pafte, Hill preferved their natural co-
lour. There did not appear to be a true and per*
fett difiblution of them, at leaft during the time I
obferved them.

The marine acid, when poured on the dried ve-
nom, ads pretty much in the fame way as the oil of
vitriol. The fragments of venom do not appear,
in a itri£t fenfe, to be difTolved by this acid, ai-
though they are foftened by it.

The nitrous acid feems to have no greater power
to diffolve the dried fragments of venom, although
it at length foftens them. Notwith (landing the ve-
nom is rendered flexible by this acid, it flill pre-
ferves a certain confidence or tenacity which keeps
it together, and it becomes yellower. If examined

in

256 MONTANA

in this Hate, it appears to be compofed of an infi-
nite number of very fmall fpherical corpufcles.

Thus then it appears that the flrongeft acids have
but a very How and weak action on the dried venom
of the viper, and that the difTolution they at length
occafion is but a very imperfect one.

Vegetable acids, however concentrated they may
be, do not diflblve this venom better than do the
mineral ones ; and alkaline fub fiances have no great-
er tendency to this effect.

I was likewife defirous of knowing whether efTen-
tial oils would diflblve it, and on trying them did
not find them to pofTefs that property.

The hepar fulphuris makes no greater imprefflon
on it.

Thefe experiments, which I varied feveral ways^
made me fufpect by degrees, that the venom of the
viper might be either a gummy or a lymphatick
fubftance, feparated from the blood of the animal*
I had obferved a long time before, that the dried
venom appeared to be tenacious, like one of the
ftrongell gums, when broke betwixt the teeth. Frefh
experiments were neceflary, however, to be certain
that it pofTefled the nature of a gum.

Chemifls know that gums neither diflblve in fpirit
of wine, nor in oil ; but that they diflblve very rea-
dily in water. This kind of examination might
without doubt be fatisfactory, but it was firft ne-
cefTary to prove that it was not of the fame nature
as animal lymph, or the white of an egg. We
know that thefe fub fiances coagulate in warm wa-

ter>

ON POISONS. 257

ter, inflead of diflolving, as gums do. I got ready
for this trial a great quantity of venom, which I
kept in a fmall capfular glafs till it became perfectly
dry. On this venom I threw at once about half an
ounce of boiling water, by which it was inflantly
and effectually difTolved, inflead of being coagu-
lated. On repeating this experiment feveral times,
the confequence was invariably the fame. The wa-
ter, after having been thrown into the glafs, flill
preferved upwards of fifty degrees of heat.

Having thus, by direct experiments, excluded
the hypothecs of a lymphatick animal matter, I
proceeded to the experiment of the fpirit of win e.

I had a good quantity of venom dried as ufual in
a fmall glafs, and poured on it half an ounce of highly
rectified fpirit of wine. I left it in an undiflurbed
ftate for upwards of two hours, when I found the
venom undifTolved at the bottom of the glafs. I
broke it into feveral fmall bits with the iharp point
of a fmall glafs tube, and fhook the whole together
for fome time. There was, however, no dirlolution,
the fmall pieces of venom continuing whole, hard, and
of their ufual colour. This experiment will always
fucceed in the fame way, if the fpirit of wine is
good ; but if it mould contain too much phlegm,
the venom may be partly difTolved by it. Even this
lafl circumflance proves that the venom of the vi-
per is a gummy fubflance, fince gums are very rea-
dily diflblved in water, which likewife diiTolves the
dried venom, as I have allured myfelf an infinite
number of times,

S If

258 F O N T A N A

If the venom is perfectly pure, the water does not
lofe any part of its tranfparence. Diflilled water is
the bed calculated for thefe experiments.

I have frequently held the dried venom to the
fife, and have increafed the heat by degrees, but it
has never melted. If it is thrown on a live cqal, it
fwells and puffs up, but does not begin to take fire
till it has afiumed the appearance of a coal.

Another experiment now remained to be made, to
render this matter decifive.

All chemifts know that gums diflbjved in water
are precipitated by fpirit of wine ; and that in this
trial, the water in which they are diffolved becomes
very white.

I put equal proportions of water into two fmall
glaffes, and added to one of them a quantity of the
venom of the viper, and to the other an equal quan-
tity of gum arabick. The folution of gum ara-
bick, which was made by heat, being reduced to the
temperature of the liquor in the other glafs, I pour-
ed leveral drops of fpirit of wine into each of the
glaffes. The number of drops thrown into each
was pretty much the fame, when I began to perceive-
a whitifh cloudinefs, which difappeared a moment
after in both folutions, at every drop of fpirit of
wine poured into them. On continuing to throw
an equal quantity of fpirit of wine into each glafs, I
faw the white cloud, inftead of difappearing, extend
itfelf over the fluids, which became whiter and more
cpake, at every addition of the fpirit. On ceafing
to throw it in, I perceived that the white matter be-
gan

ON POISONS* 259

gan to precipitate ; and on adding a few drops of
the fpirit afrefh, found that there was no longer
any feparation in either of the liquors. At the end
of twentv-four hours the precipitation was complete,
and there was at the bottom of each glafs, pretty
nearly the fame quantity of an equally white, foft,
and pafTe-like, fubftance.

The venom of the viper, when difiblved in wa-
ter and precipitated by fpirit of wine into the form
of a white powder or meal, cracks in different parts
when dried afrefh, and its flfTures are of the ufual
reticular form.

When a clear and tranfparent oil of vitriol is
mixed with the venom, precipitated by fpirit of
wine, and dried in a glafs, it becomes at the end of
a certain time, of a dark vinous colour. The fame
changes are obferved in the folution of gum ara-
bick in water, precipitated by fpirit of wine. This
gum, in drying, likewife adheres to the glafs and
cracks, and if a few drops of oil of vitriol arc
thrown on it, they become in the fame fpace, of a
dark vinous colour. The analogy betwixt the ve-
nom and the gum cannot be more perfect. Tlvey
alike diflblve in water ; they are precipitated in the
fame way by fpirit of wine; the precipitated p.ow
der or meal is of the fame colour; both of them
crack in drying ; oil of vitriol does not foften them
till after fome time ; and changes, its colour in the
fame way with each of thefe fubftances.

I made another experiment on the venom of the

viper, which though it does not prove any thing ef-

S 2 feudal

%6o f o n t a n a

fential as to the internal nature of this venom, is flill
a further proof that it has a great analogy to the
gums.

I put fix grains of very pure dried venom into a
fmall matrafs, and added to it fifty drops of nitrous
acid, to throw off its airs. There came off from it,
by the afliftance of heat, as much air, or perhaps
fomewhat more, as the matrafs could contain. This
was common air, a little changed in its qualities. I
continued the fire, and a clouded air came off, which
on examination I found to be compofed, one third
of fixed, and two thirds of phlogiftick air.

Gum' arabick, in the fame circumltances, likewife
afforded fixed and phlogiftick air, and the confe-
quences of both experiments were fo perfectly fir-
mil ar, that they might have been confounded toge-
ther. It is true that gum arabick likewife affords
nitrous air, but this only happens when it is in a
confiderable quantity. If the quantity is very
fmall, the little nitrous air, it furnifhes, decompofes
itfelf, and unites with the common air in the ma-
trafs.

It feems then to be demonftrated, that the venom
is in reality a gum ; we at leafl: fee, that it has all
the properties and principal charafterifticks of fuch.

This venom is found in an animal, is elaborated in
its organs, and formed of its humours. It there^
fore ought to be confidered as a true animal gum,
particularly as the viper feeds on animate. Al-
though we are unacquainted with any other animal
gum, I do not think that the venom on that account

ihould

O N P O I S O N S. 2$|

fliould he denied to be fuch, fince it has all the pro-
perties of a gum. It mould therefore for the fu-
ture, be inferted in the catalogue of gums, and this
difcovery may perhaps induce naturalifts to exa-
mine, whether a gummy fubftance may not likewife
be found in fome other animal.

Allowing the venom of the viper to be a real
gum, this will not lead us to conceive what it is
that conititutes it a venom, fince it is a known truth
that gums are not fo, and that they may be employ-
ed with impunity. It would be fuperfluous to re-
late the experiments I made on this fubjed:, out of
pure curiofity. I affured myfelf in a thoufand
ways, that gum arabick is entirely innocent when
applied to wounds. But fuch is the condition of
man, and fuch is the nature of what we call fci-
ence. We at length arrive at certain bounds, to
carry us beyond which all our efforts are to no pur-
pofe. The idea that the venom of the viper is a
gum of fome kind, does not ferve in the lealt to ex-
plain to us, how this gum brings on a violent dif-
eafe in an inflant, and how it is that, in fo fmall a
quantity, it deftroys life in fo ihort a time. What-
ever the principle that renders it venomous may be,
the proportion of it is fo fmall, that it does not at
all change in it the ufual properties of a gum ; and
the fmallefl veftige of this principle cannot be
traced, whether the ftrongeft microfcopes are em-
ployed, or the venom obferved in any other way.
The mofl active fubflances are rendered fuch by
quantities of matter that cannot be traced. The
S 3 point

2t>2 F O N T A N A

point of a needle that has touched a variolouv puf*
tule, preferves its activity for years, and brings
about violent changes in the bodies of feveral per*
fons fucceffively pricked with it.

How far are we {till from penetrating the depths
of this myftery ! Through how many difficult and
unknown ways mult we not pafs, in getting fomc
infight into a matter fo obfcure and difficult as this !
Happy at length, if all the pains that are taken, if
all the efforts that are made, do not prove totally in-
effectual.

This difcovery, which enriches natural hiftory
with a new gum, ought not to be neglected by na-
turalifts* It may in time lead to a better knowledge
of the nature of the venom of the viper, and of the
complicated effects it produces. It may perhaps be
one day ufeful to us in enabling us to comprehend ;
why animals with cold blood are fo long in dying
of the bite of the viper ; why there are fome that
are not killed by it ; and why the venom, in what-
ever way it is introduced into its body, is altogether
innocent to the viper itfelf. If the animals with
cold blood that die late ; if the others that do not
die ; if the viper to which the venom is not at all
hurtful ; had humours or parts of fuch a nature, that
they could be but little, or flowly, or not at all
changed by this animal gum : we might then in
fome way explain a fubjedt which is as yet very ob-
fcure, and which does not feem capable of being
cleared up, till after we have acquired a thorough
knowledge of the venom itfelf, and of the molt la-
tent

ON POISONS. 263

tent principles and qualities of the animal bodies on
Which it a&s.

On Bees, Drones, 'dndWafps.

In the firfl part of this work, I related a few ex-
periments on the venom 6f the fcorpion, and on
the humour which flows from bees when they
wound with their flirig. I have had occaliori line's
to make f6me other obfervatioris, not only on bees,
but likewife on wafpS, hornets, and drones. I do
hot know that ariy naturalifl has^ examined in a pro-
per manner, the liquor with which thefe animals
are provided, that wound with a fling. Indeed
Mead fays that hb found the humoUr of bees, to be
compofed of very fmall faline needles, or points.
He allures Us that he examined it with a microf-
corie, and found it filled with thefe pointed fairs. 1
'do nbt know whether this obfervatioh made by-
Mead, hds been confirmed or nbt by other natu-
ralifts; but fcari for rriy own part take upon me to
fay, that I never have been able to find any thing fa-
line in this humour.; whatever attention I paid iii
Jnveftigating it, arid notwitliftanding I employed
the ftrongeft lens for that purpofe. I am perfuaded
that Mead has beeri miflaken in this particular, &s
he was in obferving the venom of the viper,; He
iafluredly faw particles floating in this humour before

it'
S 4

264 F O N T A N A

it was dry, and immediately perfuaded himfelf that
they could be no other than floating points.

We may eafily conceive that Mead only exami-
ned this humour, in an impure ftate, and mixed
with corpufcles that were foreign to it ; and that
this was fufficient to induce him to believe it com-
pofed of falts. He was deceived on this occafion,
as he was in his opinion of the venom of the viper,
in which there is nothing to be met with of all that
he fancied he faw; and hefeems in both cafes to have
erred exactly in the fame way. The humour of
bees, after the manner of the venom of the viper,
cracks in drying, and prefents the ufual fharp and
regular fragments. This was fufficient to perfuade
Mead that it was a true fait.

I can venture to fay, that when the obfervation
is well made, nothing can lead to fuch an opinion.
But if, in expreffing the liquor from the bee's fling,
the greatefl: care is not taken to prevent the break-
ing and mixing any thing with it, it may eafily be
charged with other irregular bodies ; and when it
is put on the port-object, fome fmall degree of mo-
tion may likewife be obferved in thefe bodies,
which may float in a greater or lefs quantity. But
this accidental motion, which is not proper to thefe
fubflances, foon ceafes altogether, when the humour
is left undiflurbed. By degrees it dries, and, in
drying, breaks, cracks, and forms angles and points.

When the venom of the viper and the humour
of bees, arc dried and obferved with a microfcope,
no fen£ble difference can be obferved betwixt them.

1 have

ON POISONS. 265

1 have only taken notice, that the humour of bees,
expofed to the open air on a bit of glafs, is much
longer in drying than the venom of the viper, and
that the cracks or fifTures in the former, are like-
wife formed much later than thofe in the latter,
fuppofing the degree of deficcation in the two fluids
alike.

Thefe two humours not only agree in the ap-
pearances their parts prefent in drying, but likewife
in other qualities. If a bit of the dried humour of
bees is flrongly comprefled betwixt the teeth, it, as
it were, glues them fa ft together ; and exactly the
fame thing happens on trying the venom of the vi-
per, and all hardened gummy fubftances. The
dried humour of bees likewife dhTolves in Ample-
water, and refifts the action of fpirit of wine, as the
venom of the viper and gums in general do ; fb
that I am almoft inclined to believe that, as the ve-
nom of the viper is moft arTuredly a gummy fub-
ftance, this humour is fo too. Indeed the quantity
one is able to collect of it is fo very fmall, that one
can fcarcely attempt to make any certain experi-
ments on this fubftance ; the confequences, howe-
ver, of thofe I have made have been fufficiently uni-
form to lead me to think that I cannot eafily have
been miftaken in what I have conjectured.

I have met with the fame fuccefs in examining
the humour of wafps and drones, and of the other
flying infects in general, that wound with a fting,
and are provided with a humour. In all thefe, the
humour is bitter and acrid, and has all the appear-
3 ance

266 P O N T A N A

ance of being of a gummy nature. When left fo
dry on a bit of glafs^ it cracks throughout like the
venom of the viper, and when chewed, is tenacious,
glutinous, and elaftick.

But it muft not therefore be thought to be the
fame as the venom of the viper, and that it has all
the other qualities of this poifon. The venom of
the viper neither has any fenfible tafte when taken
into the mouth, nor is fufficiently acid to give a red
tinge to the tincture of turnefol, or juice of radiihes.
The humour of bees, and of the other analogous
infedts, the moment it is applied to a piece of paper
that has been previoufly flamed with the juice of
radifhes, gives it a flight red tinge, which afterwards
changes to a pale yellow, lb that one would conjec-
ture that this humour deftroys the blue colour of the
paper. This 'experiment, which has been repeated
feveral times, and always attended with the fame fuc-
cefs, proves that this humour is united with an acid,
and not with an alkaline principle; wefee* however,
at the fame time, that the quantity of acid it contains
is very fmall, and abfolutely incapable, as an acid
principle, of occafioning the fmalieftfenfation on the
tongue, or in the part pricked by the fling of the
animal.

A quantity of water impregnated with an equal
bulk of fixed air, gives a red tinge to paper flained
with the juice of radifhes. This tinge, which ri
pretty ftrong, continues a confiderable time. A
fmall quantity of water impregnated with fixed air*
fcarcely contains a fufficient degree of acid to be fen-

4 fible

ON POISONS. ^67

iible to the tafte, and is likewife entirely Innocent
when applied to wounds.

We mull therefore regard the hypothecs of thofc
naturalifts, who have advanced that this humour
occafions a fwelling in the parts into which it is
introduced, and that the volatile alkali, as faturating
the acid principle, is a remedy againfl it, as falfe
and erroneous.

Experiment feems to indicate that this humour
a&s by the medium of a bitter and cauflick princi-
ple, which is neither acid nor alkaline. If it is put
on the tongue, it has a hot bitter tafte, as I obferved
before, and not that of an acid or alkaline fuflance.

There are many fubflances which, without be-
ing either acid or alkaline, are hot and acrid to the
palate, and are productive of violent and difagreea-
ble fenfations. Cantharides, and feveral aromatick
plants, are of this clafs. In the prefent cafe it ap-
pears certain, that neither the pain, (which is fre-
quently infupportable, and greater than that which
would becaufedby oil of vitriol itfelf) nor the fwel-
ling nor inflammation of the parts, can be brought
on by an acid principle introduced into the ikin of
the animals that have been flung ; and therefore the
theory laid down by certain authors to explain the
efFe&s of this humour, mufl be regarded as abfo-
lutely falfe, and the confequences they have dedu-
ced from it as no truer than the theory itfelf. - A
pretended concentrated acid, a naked acid, an un-
combined acid, and a phofphorick acid that pro-
duces fuch wonderful effects, are hypothefes that

are

268 F O N T A N A

are not capable of refilling the invefligation of rest*
fon and experiment, and are unworthy the enlight-
ened age we live in. It is no longer the feafon to
imagine nature ; we mull confult her* If che-
miflry has increafed the number of our intelligences,
the abufe of chemiftry has frequently retarded our
progrefs in the fciences. It has frequently led u&
into errour, and has fubfcituted hypothefes for
facts and experiments.

Although bees, and the other infects that are an-
alogous to them as far as relates to the humour
they throw out at their fling, are notypapable of
killing, I think notwithflanding, that if they are
not confidered as venomous animals in the molt re-
ceived fenfe, they mould at leafl be confidered as
animals that fecrete in their bodies a fmall quantity
of a matter, which is not deflructive fimply becaufe
it is in too fmall a quantity. The mofl active poi-
fons and venoms, fuch as arfenick, corrofive fub-
limate, and the venom of the viper, when taken or
applied in a very fmall quantity, not only do not
occafion death, but do not even produce a fenfible
derangement, very far from their effects equalling
thofe that are produced by a large hornet, when it
wounds with its fling. Thefe quantities, how-
ever, although very fmall, are capable of killing the
fmaller fpecies' of animals, whilii more confiderable
ones are not fufficient to kill thofe of the larger fpe-
cies'. Hence we fee, that the difference entirely
confifls in the quantity of the venom, and in the dif-
ferent degrees of ftrength in the animal that receives

ON POISONS. 269

it, and not in the nature of the venom, which is al-
ways the fame. The venom, for fo I mall call it,
of bees, is very active, coniidering the fmallnefs of
its quantity, and we may eafily judge from the .-tin
and inflammation it excites in an inftant, that if the
dofe of it were increafed, it would produce the moil
violent derangements, and perhaps even a very fpee-
dy death. Nay, I am almoft inclined to think, that
a grain in weight would kill a pigeon in a few fe-
conds. The difference that is found betwixt the
fling occasioned by a bee, and that of a hornet, not-
withstanding the difference in the refpedtive quan-
tities of their venom is but very inconiiderable, is
very great. The fame thing may be obferved of
the common fcorpions of Italy, and thofe of other
countries, as well as of the bice of fpiders. The
larger produce in general the greatefl derangement,
and thofe of Africa, or of Aria, even occafion death :
all of them, down to the fmalleft, poifefs a greater
or lefs degree of activity.

There are other animals, particularly infects,
'which when they bite or fling, bring on a very vio-
lent pain and inflammation, fo that they may rea-
fonablybefufpectedof introducing a cauftick and ve-
nomous humour into the wound. In this number
we may reckon ants, which infmuate into the fmall
wound they make in biting, a very iharp and poig-
nant humour, which they force from a veficle feat-
ed in the hinder part of their body. I mail not
make a digreffion here to fpeak particularly of this
humour, becaufe I have treated of it in a very am-
ple

270 F O N T A N A

pie way, in a paper of which the object was an ex-
amination of the acids of animals, &c. and particu-
larly of the nature of that of ants, printed in the jour-
nal of the Abbe Rofier. I there demonftrated that
the humour of ants is a true acid, and that it is in
reality the acid of fixed concentrated air, deprived
©fits elafticity, and rendered liquid.

PART

ON POISON §. 27I

PART III.

CHAPTER

Aftion of the Venom of the Viper on Parts of an Anu
mal that have been prevtoyjly bit,

J HE fwlyedt of this, part is the moft interesting
one that the matter it treats of can prefent to a phi-
lofophick obferver.

All the queftions that are here ^ifcurTed become
of confequence, fince they tend to throw great
lights on the nature of venom. The animal eco-
nomy itfelf is by their means better explained, and
many hypothefes that have been imagined, fall be-
fore experiment. It is the touchftone that makes
us foon diftinguifh all that does not belong to na-
ture, all that is the effect of art, of prejudices, and of
the imagination ; in a word, of man.

Experiment alone may conduct us through the
unknown paths of nature, and may lead us to new
and unexpected truths. But at the very time that
man, profiting by this torch, is making bold flrides
towards the truth, and foars as if he meant to eo~
yern nature herfelf, fhe Hops him every mo-
ment,

2J2 F O N T A N A

ment, and by only difcovering herfelf to him in
part, feems afraid of being recolle&ed ; lhe thus
continually reminds him of his weaknefs, and fhows
him that his hopes are either vain, or confined with-
in very narrow limits.

Man, who affigns to comets the courfe they are to
keep, and who fixes the time that is employed by
the light in its progrefs from the fun to our hemi-
fphere, is not, with all this knowledge, acquainted
with the air that fur rounds him, or with the fire
that warms him. Such is our condition, and fuch
is the Hate of human fcience.

The firfl queflion that prefents itfelf, after what
has hitherto been related, is to know whether the
venom of the viper is a poifon to all the animals
with warm blood. It will be feen in a little time,
that this large body of animals has not been fepa-
rated without defign from the other, which com-
prehends thofe that have the blood cold. When I
fay that a fubftance is venomous to an animal, I
mean to exprefs, that it produces in it very violent
diforders, although it is only introduced into its body
in a fmall quantity.

To reply properly to the queflion I have jufl pro-
pofed, it is certain that all the animals with warm
blood exifling on the habitable globe, fhould be bit
by vipers. The fnbjedt is not fufficiently intereft-
ing to deferve fo long and difficult a labour. How-
ever, if the analogy betwixt the different animals
with warm blood may be allowed, I am not afraid
to advance, that the venom of the viper is a poifon

to

O tf POISONS* £73

to all of them. We have feen that it has proved fo
to all the feven fpecies' that have hitherto been ex-
amined ; and I very well recoiled: that I could not
find any animal in Italy, with warm blood, to which
the venom of the viper did not prove a real poifom
I tried it on all the birds I could meet with, and on
all the quadrupeds I could procure, provided they
were of a moderate fize ; as to the horfe, the camel*
and the ox, fetting afide their bulk, I could not
procure them eaiily for this purpofe*

We may therefore, I think, conclude with a
great deal of reafon, that the venom of the viper is
a poifon to all the animals with warm blood ; that
is to fay, that neither of them is beyond the reach
of the effecls it ufually produces, when it is intro*
duced into the body in a fufficient quantity*

The fecond enquiry, which fprings immediately
from the firfl:, is to know whether the venom of the
viper is a poifon to all the animals with cold blood*

It has already been feen in a former part of this
work, that even the frog, a cold animal, and one
very hard to kill, dies in a few hours, if it is bit by
the viper. This, however, is not fufficient to admit
a certain conclulion, that all the other animals with
cold blood would die in the fame way. We fre*
quently incur the rifk of being deceived by this
method of employing analogies on too narrow and
limited a fcale.

A fingle fpecies of animals is not fufficient to fur-
mfh an analogical argument of any weight.

Vol.T, T Had

274 F O N T A N A

Had five or fix hundred kinds of animals with
cold blood been examined/and had certain fymp-
toms of poifon been obferved in all of them after
they had been bit, the analogy, in this cafe, would
have' formed an argument of probability, and we
might have been enabled to draw concluiions on
this fubje&, not only in regard to animals with
warm blood, but likewife as to thofe that have the
blood cold.

We can fcarcely do otherwife than fufpeS: that
the venom of the viper is innocent to the viper it-
felf. This animal, in all the difeafes or wounds of
its mouth, would otherwife run a very great rifk of
killing itfelf with its own venom. It is not very
unufual to find vipers with the bag or iheath of
their teeth inflamed and bloody. Small red fpots
are frequently obferved in the mouth of this animal
when it bites, and it is befides eafy to conceive,
that if it mould be bit in the mouth by any other
animal, its own venom would prove deftructive to
it, if its particular nature did not guard it againft
fuch an accident.

The venom of the. 'viper is conftantly fecreted
and laid up, in the fpongy gland. This gland has
its canal continually open, through which the fu-
perfiuous venom that cannot be contained in the
gland, is forced to fhed itfelf into the viper's mouth.

However, it is eafy to have recourfe to experi-
ment. In the fir ft part of this work a detail may
be found of a great number of trials I made on this
fubjecTi, and from which it refults, that the venom

of

ON P D t S O N S. ' 275

of the viper is not a poifon to vipers, but that, on
the other hand, it is altogether innocent to them*
I was defirous of repeating feveral of thefe experi-
ments over again, and out of the great number,
which brevity obliges me to omit, I think it fuffi-
cient to relate a fingle one. '

After having enraged a viper very much, I forced
it to bite itfelf feveral times in the part towards its
tail ; it, however fuffered nothing from this, al-
though it had certainly forced its teeth well into
the part. I repeated this experiment on three
other vipers, with the fame fuccefs. It is there-
fore very certain, that the venom, or bite, of the
viper, is entirely innocent to this animal when it
bites itfelf, and it likewise is when one viper bites
another.

But this very lingular exception is not confined
to the viper. There are other animals to which
this venom is innocent, and others again in which,
although they were fmall, one or two vipers are
fcarcely capable of producing any fenfible change.
I have mentioned fome of thefe cold animals (a) in
the firfl part of this treatife, but to come at the
number of them, the experiments fhould be ex-
tended to other fpecies, I could not at that time
procure, and on which I thought it fuperfluous to
make this trial.

If it is altogether extraordinary, that the fame
matter is entirely innocent to feveral fpecies' of

(a) Animals with cold blood.

T 2 animals,

2y6 FONT A N A

animals, and that it is mortal to an infinity of others,
it is much more furprifing, and at the fame time
more difficult to conceive, how, and by what prin-
ciples, it happens, that an infipid gum, as far as we
can perceive, excites the moil violent diforders in
fo many very large animals, and that it does not
bring about the fmallefl change in others that are
incomparably fmaller and weaker.

The known diftinction of animals with cold, and
animals with warm blood, which is only founded on
a greater or lefs degree of heat, and on fome other
trivial difference in the circulation of humours, is of
no ufe in the prefent cafe, fince there are certain ani-
mals with cold blood that die of the venom, and
others again that are not at all adted on by it.

If a comparifon is formed betwixt two cold ani- •
mals, one that dies of the difeafe of the venom, and
the other that furvives its action, they will be found
to pofTefs the fame organs, the fame circulation, an
equal tenacioufnefs of life, and, in a word, to the
eyes of the obferver, they will both of them appear
perfectly alike.

What is it, then, that caufes this matter which
flows from the viper's tooth to be a poifon to one,
and not to the other ? We are not only entirely ig-
norant of this, but it appears that we are likely
always to remain fo. To obtain fuch a knowledge,
it would be neceffary to be acquainted with the
mofl hidden nature of this extraordinary animal
gum. It would be neceiTary to penetrate into the
mofl internal and latent fubftance of the folids and

fluids

ON POISONS. 277

fluids of animals with cold blood, to know the me-
chanifin of their organization, and to comprehend
perfectly the principle of life. We might then re-
ply to all that could be afked on this head. But
how is it poflible to acquire fo extenfive an infor-
mation, whilft the activity and penetrability of our
organs are fo limited and confined ?

But if we are not permitted to know what this
very active principle of the venom of the viper is,
which when it is introduced into a living animal
caufes its death ; we are allowed, however, to en-
quire into the quantity of this venom, that is necef-
fary to kill an animal of a certain fize. This en-
quiry, very curious in itfelf, cannot but be of fome
ufe in the practice of medicine, particularly in cau-
tioning us againft thinking the danger greater than
it really is, when any one of our own fpecies has the
misfortune to be bit by this animal.

To be able to fpeak with fome degree of preci-
fion, in this refearch, it was proper to begin by de-
termining very fmall quantities of venom, and by
introducing them without lofs into the fubftance of
the body of a living animal. It was like wife expe-
dient to operate on very fmall animals, that would
die foon and to a certainty, to the end that the con-
fequences might be lefs equivocal. It is true, that
by an endlefs multiplication of experiments, the
fame confequences might at length be obtained from
large animals ; but a longer time, and greater con-
veniences would be required, and one ought befides

T3 to

278 F O N T A N A

to be perfuaded of the importance of the under-
taking.

In the following experiments, I made choice of
fparrows and young pigeons, knowing them hy ex-
perience to be readily killed by the venom.

To determine fmall known quantities of venom,
I began by taking four grains in weight of the ve-
nom of the viper, and mixing with it eight grains
of di {tilled water. I then, with a fmall brum, fpread
it equally over a fquare inch of thin paper. This
may be done with a fufficient degree of eafe and
precifion to exclude any confiderable errour, and
indeed I found that the halves and quarters of the
fquare inch of paper were of the fame weight when
dried.

I cut this paper in two, and again divided one of
the halves, continuing in this way till I had made
fix divifrons, reckoning the firft. I then did the
fame with the other half, that. J might have two
pieces of the fame fize, and of each fize, inilead of
one.

I ftripped the mufcles of the leg, in ten fpar-
rows, of the fkin, and bound upon them the ten bits
of paper I have mentioned, The confequences, be-
ginning with the larger bits of paper, ^, 4-, tVj tV>
V+, were as follows. Of the two fparrows to
which the papers marked ^ were applied, one died
at the end of fifteen minutes, the other not till the
end of thirty-five. One of thofe with the papers
marked ~ died at the end of an hour, the other fur-
yived. One of thofe with the papers marked ^

died

ON POISONS. 2Jf

died at the end of two hours, the other recovered.
One of the two with the papers marked T*T died at
the end of two hours, the other at the end of five.
And of the two with thofe marked -JT, °ne died at
the end of three flours, the other at the end of feven
minutes.

On repeating this experiment, the confequences
were flill more irregular. I therefore abandoned
this method, as altogether infufficient and delu-
fory. This is probably owing to the paper,
which, when put in contact with the humours of
the animal, may not allow itfelf to be either equally
or entirely deprived of the venom that adheres to
it. This obliged me to have recourfe to another
method, which is perhaps lefs exact in determining
the precife quantity of venom, but which has af-
forded me confequences as conftant and as uniform
as can be expected in fo difficult an undertaking.

This is the method I employed : — I took a given
quantity of venom, for example three grains, and
fpread it over a bit of glafs, in fuch a way that it
occupied a determinate fpace of a circular form.

The venom in the centre was not more than a
quarter of a line in depth.

I procured a fmall capillary glafs tube, which ter-
minated in a fmall fcoop of about half a line in dia-
meter. I plunged this fmall fcoop vertically into
the centre of the venom, and drew it out in the
fame direction.

To determine the quantity of venom that adhered
to the fmall fcoop, and to know at the fame time,

T 4 whether

280 MONTANA

whether this quantity would be conftantly the fame,
I put the three grains of venom, laid on the bit of
glafs, into a very nice ballance, and plunged the
fmall glafs fcoop ten times fucceffively into the li-
quor, taking care to wipe the fcoop well every time.
After the ten plunges, I found the equilibrium to
be loft, and that about the x-i-o part of a grain of
venom was deficient. I now plunged the fmall
glafs fcoop ten other times fucceffively into the
venom, and the ballance having again loft its equili-
brium, found that the venom was diminiihed about
the t-J-5- Part of a grain. With a little practice, one
can make this experiment in lefs than two minutes,
and in that fpace the three grains of venom are not
fenfibly diminiihed in weight by the natural evapo-
ration, as I have affured myfelf by trial. I cannot
take upon myfelf to fay, that all the quantities are
here rigorouily the fame ; nay I agree that, in re-
peating this experiment feveral times, a fenfible dif-
ference, which I have indeed met with myfelf,
cannot fail to occur : but all thefe differences taken
together can make but a very trifling variation in
the quantity of venom that adheres each time to
the fmall fcoop. On the whole, I can lay it down
as an eftablifhed rule, that the fmall glafs fcoop
plunged perpendicularly into the venom, in the way
I have defcribed, carries away with it about the
t-sVs- part of a grain of the venom of the viper.

1 laid bare a portion of the right leg of a fparrow,
and made a fmall longitudinal incifion into the muf-
cles with, a lancet. Into this incifion I introduced,

at

ON POISONS. 281

at the very inftant, the fmall fcoop armed with ve-
nom, and kept" it in this fituation for thirty feconds.
The fparrow died at the end of two hours, with a
lividnefs of its leg.

I repeated this experiment on fix other fparrows,
exactly obferving the fame circumftances. They
all died, one after the other, at the end of the fol-
lowing times, exprefTedin hours, 2, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7.

I again repeated it in the fame way on twelve other
fparrows, and the confequences were {till more ir-
regular than thofe of the preceding experiment.
One of the fparrows died at the end of four mi-
nutes, another at the end of three days, and another
at the end of five. The fymptoms of the difeafe
were, notwithftanding, indubitable in all the three.
The nine others all died at the end of the times ex-
prefTed by the following numbers, which denote fo
many hours ; that is to fay, 2, 3, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12.

The firft confequences mow, that the quantity of
venom I have mentioned is fufficient to kill an ani-
mal of the fize of a fparrow, but that it produces in
thefe animals very unequal effects, and a difeafe of
greater or lefs violence. An animal that dies at the
end of three minutes, and another perfectly firnilar
to the firft, that does not die till the end of five days,
prove that the difeafe in each of them has been very
diftind:. But fuppoiing the quantities of venom
which were introduced to have been equal, and that
the incifions were fo too, a little more, or a little
lefs, blood, oozing from the incifed vefTels, might
have caufed all this difference, fince it might have

occa-

2$2 F O N T A N A

©ccafioned a greater or lefs quantity of venom to
enter into the circulation of the humours, or, to
exprefs it {till better, into the animal itfelf.

I wilhed to fee whether I could bring on a more
fpeedy death by doubling the quantity of venom ;
and being at a lofs for a certain method of collect-
ing this double quantity together, I made two inci-
fions inflead of one, and introduced the fcoop I have
mentioned into each. Twelve fparrows on which I
made this experiment, all died, but at very diffe-
rent, intervals. One died at the end of three mi-
nutes, another at the end of twenty-feven, and a
third at the end of forty ; the others at the end of
the hours exprefTed by the following numbers, i, i,
2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 5, 6.

The experiments I made on fparrows, and the
method of introducing a given quantity of venom
into the incilion in their mufcles, have occaiioned
me to make a very interesting obfervation. I ufually
kept the fmall fcoop in the incilion for about twenty
feconds* and obferved that the lips of the wound
became livid at the end of a certain time. I re-
garded this fymptom as a fure mark of the commu-
nication of the difeafe, and it will be feen by and by
that I was not miftaken in this conjecture.

I was delirous of feeing what effect would refult
from a certain quantity of venom, applied to an
animal larger than afparrow.

I {tripped apart of a pigeon's leg of the ikin, in
fuch a way that the mufcles beneath were entirely
bare. Having made the ufual incilion, I intrc^

duced

ON POISONS. 283

duced the fmall fcoop, which hadbeed firft plunged
into the venom, and kept it there till I faw the lips
of the incifed part become livid ; this happened, as
in the fparrows, in the fpace of about twenty fe-
conds. At the end of half an hour the leg became
flightly livid, but neither feemed fwelled nor hard.
The pigeon neither died, nor fuffered in any fenfi-
ble degree.

I repeated this experiment on fix other pigeons,
exactly obferving the fame circumftances. One of
them had not the fmalleft fymptom of difeafe, nei-
ther did the inciflon become livid, notwirhftanding
I kept the fmall fcoop in it for upwards of a minute.
Four others had fymptoms of the difeafe of the ve-
nom, and two of thefe did not recover till after
forty hours had elapfed. The lixth, like the fir ft,
was not at all difeafed ; the incifion, however, I
made in its leg, bled at the time I introduced the
venom.

I repeated this experiment, with the fame cir4
cumftances, on fix other pigeons. One of them
died at the end of fix hours. Three had all the
fymptoms of the difeafe of the venom, and did no£
recover till the third day. Two others had not
any fymptom of the difeafe. I think it proper to
obferve here, that the mcifioiis in the leg, in thefe
two laft, bled very fenfibly when I introduced the
venom. This fhows that the blood which flows
from the veftels, may prevent the venom from en-
tering them, or from remaining in them after k
has entered,

5 , . I #

284 F O N T A N A

I repeated this experiment over again on twelve
pigeons, one of which died at the end of ten hours.
Two others were exceedingly ill. The other nine
had no fenfible complaint.

Thefe new experiments fhow, that the quantity
of venom which ufually kills a fparrow is not fatal
to a pigeon. We fee, however, at the fame time,
that a cafe may occur, in which fuch a quantity of
venom is introduced as is capable of killing a pi-
geon, notwithftanding that the quantity employed
in the experiment would fcarcely have been fuhi-
cient, generally fpeaking, to kill a fparrow.

I was defirous of trying on pigeons, as I had done
on fparrows, what would be the effecl: of two inci-
iions, and a double quantity of venom.

Having laid bare the mufcles of a pigeon's leg, as
ufual, I made two fmall incifions into them, intro-
ducing into each, the fmall fcoop armed with ve-
nom, in the accuflomed way. The livid fpot ap-
peared at each incifion, and almoft the whole of the
leg became livid, and remained in that ftate for
two days, at the end of which time the animal was
perfectly recovered.

I repeated this experiment on twelve pigeons,
and the confequences were fomewhat various. Two
of the pigeons died at the end of three days. The
others had all a lividnefs of their legs, and all reco-
vered notwithftanding.

On repeating this experiment on twelve other
pigeons, four of them died ; one an the end of fix
hours ; another at the end of twenty ; and the two

others

ON FOISONS* 285

others not till the fifth day. All the others had
the difeafe of the venom, but recovered.

Inftead of making two incifions only, I tried the
experiment on twelve other pigeons, by making
four incifions at the fide of each other. Nine of
thefe pigeons died ; one in ten minutes, two in an
hour, two in two hours, and three in five hours.
The other three had the difeafe of the venom, and
their legs became livid, fwelled, and hard.

What is the Quantity} of Venom required to kill an
Animal f

We may, I think, from the above experiments,
determine with fome probability, the quantity of
venom it requires to kill an animal. This queflion
already begins to become important to us on our
own accounts, fince we may at length be enabled to
flatter ourfelves, that the bite of the viper is not fo
dangerous as we have been hitherto taught to ima-
gine it to be.

We have juft feen that the ^Vo Patt of a grain
of venom, introduced immediately into the mufcle
by an incifion, may be a fufficient quantity to kill a
fparrow, although this animal does not always die
in confequence of the introduction of fuch.a quan-
tity ; and that it requires about four times as much
to kill a pigeon. We may even fuppofe it to re-
quire about fix times as much to kill the hit ani-
mal to a certainty-

The

286 F O N T A N A

The fparrows on which I made my experiments
weighed fomewhatlefs than an ounce each, and the
pigeons fomewhat more than fix ounces each.
Now let us fuppofe that fparrows weigh exactly
an ounce, and pigeons exa&ly fix. The quantity
of venom it will require to kill a large animal, an
ox for inftance, fuppoling it to weigh 75olb. will
be about twelve grains ; and it will require nearly
two grains and a half to kill a man, fuppofing him"
to weigh the fifth part of what an ox weighs, that
is to fay 1501b.

It is true that this calculation takes for granted
fome new hypothefes more or lefs probable, but of
which neither is unlikely. A fufficient number of
experiments are wanted, to render them either ab-
folute truths, or fufceptible of fome reftri&ions.

The firft hypothefis fuppofed here is, that the ve-
nom of the viper adts on an animal in proportion to
its quantity. There is nothing unreafonable in be-
lieving this to be the cafe, fince if a very fmall por-
tion of venom is capable of deranging the economy
of an animal to a certain pointy a greater dofe of it
ought to produce a greater derangement, a more
violent difeafe. Befides we have feen, that animals
bit feveral times by one viper, or by feveral, die
fooner than thofe that are only bit once by a fmgle
viper ; and we know that a viper which bites feve-
ral times, introduces frefri venom into the part at
each bite.

The fecond hypothefis is, that the diforder pro-
duced in the animal economy by the venom of the

viper,

© n p o i s o -."N s. 287

viper, is lefs in proportion, or rather that the power
of the animal to refifl the a&ion of the venom, is
greater in proportion, as the animal is larger. This
is generally lb, although there may be exceptions
to this law, that may prevent its being rigorouily
the cafe.

The third hypothesis is, that from the effects
produced in an animal of one fpecies, we may argue
as to the effects produced in an animal of another
fpecies ; that is to fay, from birds to quadrupeds.
This argument is drawn from a.. Ample analogy;
but this analogy is at the fame time formed be-
twixt animals with warm blood, and it may there-
fore be deemed of fome weight.

Now granting that a viper of a middle fize has in
its veficles two grains in weight of venom, it will
require the venom of fix vipers to kill an ox, and
nearly of two to kill a man.

But -if we reflect that a viper which bites, does
not leave itfelf without venom ; that at each bite,
at leaft for the firft three or four, it may bring about
the death of an animal with almofl the fame facili-
ty ; it will not appear altogether unlikely, that it
may perhaps require twenty vipers, each biting only
once, to kill an ox, and five or fix, with the fame
restriction, to kill a man:

CHAPTER

288 MONTANA

CHAPTER II.

Of the Time it requires for the Effefts of the Venom of
the Viper to become fenfihle.

A QUANTITY of the venom of the viper which
fcarcely weighs the %&& part of a grain, produces,
on being introduced into the body of a fmall ani-
mal, fo violent a difeafe, that death follows in a few
minutes. It is therefore very clear, that it mult
pofTefs a great degree of activity, and that its effects
mufl be both fudden and powerful. I have ad*
vanced in feveral parts of this work, that the ve-
nom of the viper renders the parts that have been
bit, in animals, and that almoft in an inflant, inca-
pable of exercifing their ufual functions. I am at
leaft certain, that I have obferved this effect .in fe-
veral that I have had bit. It has been feen that the
venomed part becomes livid after it has received
the bite, but that this does not happen till within
a certain fpace. The wounded parts foon become
fwelled and painful, and the adipofe membrane is
fhortly after filled with a black and diflblved hu-
mour ; whilft the blood that remains in the veflels
is black and coagulated.

One would naturally fuppofe, that the action of

this venom on the organs of an animal is momenta-

3 neous^

ON POISONS. 389

heous, and that it is not different from that which
takes place when two fubflances of different natures
are blended together, and of which chemiftry fur-
hifhes us a thoufand examples* 1

Defirous of purfuing this idea, and flattered with
the hope of difcovering fome effedyor fome parti-
cular, that might be ferviceable to my prefent re-
fearches, I formed a new plan of experiments.

My firft trials had for their principal aim, the ob-
fervingof the changes the venom of the viper would
produce, when introduced into a part cut from art
animal, but ftill warm and palpitating.

Experiments on the Limbs of an Animal, recently feta^
rated from the Body.

At the very inftant the part was cut off> I had it
bit by a viper, fo that when the experiment fuc-
ceeded well, as it frequently did, there could fcarce*
ly pafs a fecond betwixt the amputation, and the
bite.

I made choice of young pigeons for this experi-
ment, becaufe I had obferved in thefe animals,
that the venom of the viper very fpeedily produces
a livid fpot, in the part of the mufcles through
which it has introduced itfelf,

To make this experiment, a perfon holds the ani-
mal in one hand, and in the other a pair of open
fciffars, betwixt which is the leg of the pigeon to be
cut off. Another perfon holds this leg in one hand,

U and

290

F O N T A N A

and in the other the head of a viper with the teeth
laid bare, and forces thefe teeth deeply into the
mufcles of the leg, the inftant it is feparated from
the body. The head of the viper has been fepa-
rated from the body fome minutes before, and, to
make the experiment more commodionfly, has been
deprived of the lower jaw. This head is Hill alive,
and the fmalleft compreffion that can be made, is
fufEcient to make it of itfelf draw its teeth from
out of their bag or fheath, and force them into the
parts that are made to approach it.

It is certain that there never paiTed, in any one of
the dozen experiments I firft made, more than
three feconds betwixt the amputation and the bite ;
feveral of thefe experiments were made in a fingle
fecond, or precifely at the very inftant of cutting eff
the limb.

In fome of the legs that were cut off, the venom
was feen furrounding the holes made by the teeth ;
in others it was feen flowing out of the holes ; and
in others no venom was to be perceived exteriourly.
On examining the mufcles bit in this way by the
viper, I could difcover no fign of a communicated
difeafe, neither could I obferve any fupervening li-
vidity about the holes. The blood continued in a
fluid ftate in the veins and arteries.

Thefe legs, which were yet warm and palpitating,
and which bled, being kept for minutes, and even
for hours, afforded me nothing further that was
worthy of obferYation*

I re-.

on foisoNS. 291

1 repeated this experiment on the bared, and al~
moil pale and tranfparent, mufcles of twelve frogs.
The event was exa&ly the fame ; there was not the
fmalleft apparent fymptom of communicated dif*
eafe.

I repeated thefe experiments afrefh, as well on
pigeons as frogs, having the amputated legs bit by
frefh vipers, previoufly well irritated. The refult
was the fame in alh

I got ready the legs of pigeons and frogs, and as
foon as they were cut off, wounded them with teeth
taken from the head of a dried viper. The fymp*
toms that refulted from thefe iimple mechanical
wounds, were not fenfibly different from thofe of
the wounds into which the venom had been intro-
duced, although made within the fame time.

It feems then to be an eftablifhed truth, that the
venom of the viper produces no fenfible change in
parts feparated f rom an animal, notwithstanding they
are yet in a ftate of palpitation. This truth appears
to me of the higher! importance in ejftablifhing the
theory of the venom, and deferving of the utmofl
attention.

In the firft place, it is certain, as I have particu-
larly aflured myfelf, that there ftill fubfifls in the
amputated leg, for upwards of twenty feconds,
the degree of heat it had before it was cut off.
A perfect irritability is ftill retained in the mufcles,
which continue to move, even for whole minutes.

U 2 The

2<)2 F O N T A N A

The arterial and venous fluids ftill remain in tne
part, at leaft in a great meafure, and they ftill keep
in motion there during fome time.

Thofe who have examined the circulation of the
blood in cold adimals, know that this fluid ftill con*
tinues to circulate for a long time, in the parts of
thefe animals that have been cut off.

Notwithftanding this, the venom feems to be en-
tirely inactive and innocent, in all the cafes I have
related above, although every thing fubfifts in the
part bitten ; that is to fay, humours, arteries, veins,
nerves, irritability, and motion.

This circumftance appeared to me fa new, and at
the fame time fo paradoxical, that I was deiirous of
trying a new kind of experiments, in which the
amputated part of the animal fhould approach ftill
nearer to its natural ftate, at the moment of being
bit by the viper.

I divided the mufcles, nerves, and blood-vefTels, of
a pigeon's leg with a fharp knife, and left the bone
untouched. The incifion was made at the begin-
ning of the tibia, immediately below the femur. At
the fame inftant, I had the flelh beneath the inci-
lion bit by a viper.

But in fpite of all this precaution, I could not
perceive, either that the mufcles were rendered li-
vid, or that the difeafeof the venom had been com-
municated to them.

I repeated this experiment on eleven other pi-
geons, and, although I kept them alive a great

while

ON POISONS. 293

while, could never obferve any fymptom which in-
dicated in the fmalleft degree, that they would have
died in confequence of the operation.

We may therefore regard this circumftance,
however paradoxical it may appear, as beyond all
kind of doubt. On obferving it, I began to flatter
myfelf that fome truth in phyficks, relating to the
mechaniiin of the venom of the viper, might be
drawn from it ; and that we might likewife gather
from it fome principle that would be ufeful to the
comprehending of animal motions. In the firft
place it is certain, that the venom, as far as can be
obferved, does not act by a fimple mechanical mo-
tion, or by a fimple mixture of fluids ; fince, if that
ivere the cafe, as the mufcles were provided with
both the accuftomed humours and motions, it ought
to have produced its ordinary effects in the inftances
related above. Neither does its action feem to de-
pend on an effect in chemiftry, fuch as is brought
about, for example, by the contact of an acid with
an alkali ; and precifely for this reafon, that no ef^
feet is produced, although the venom is in contact
with the humours of the leg of the animal.

U 3 Experiment*

294- F O N T A N A

Experiments to determine the Time the Venom of the Vi*
per requires to produce its Effecls, after it is intra*
duced into a Wound.

To have excluded an hypothefis of any kind on
the mode of action of the venom of the viper, may
without doubt be a ftep towards the truth ; this is
not, however, fufrlcient to inftruct us how, and on
what part of an animal, it acts. My curiofity was
therefore rather excited than fatisfied, and I imme-
diately began to confider how I ought to purfue my
experiments.

I reflected that, if the venom of the viper pro-
duces no effect on a detached part of an animal,
however near it may be to its natural flate, it is cer-
tain that it produces very violent, and very fudden
effects, on parts that have not been yet feparated.

The firffc enquiry that naturally prefented itfelf,
was to know whether this venom produces its ufual
effects, or rather, whether it communicates its dif-
cafe to the part bit, at the inftant, or not till the end
of a certain time.

With this view, I enraged a large viper, and made
It bite the leg of a pigeon twice, the fecond bite in-"
ftantly fucceeding the firft. I immediately cut off
the leg, and examined it with attention. It was ve-
ry eafy to diftinguifh in it the holes made by the
teeth •, but although I kept it a great while, I could
never difcover any mark of difeafe or lividnefs.

I had

ON POISONS. 295

I had fix other pigeons bit in the fame way, each
repeatedly by a fingle viper, and almoft immediate-
ly after cut off the leg that had been bit. There
was very little difference in the time of my doing
this, to all the fix. As there appeared no fymptom
of difeafe in the part, it follows as an inconteftible
truth, that the venom of the viper does not aft in-
ftantly on the part that has received the bite, but
that it requires a certain time for this purpofe ;
fince it is well known, that the parts wounded by
this animal, ultimately become livid and fwelled.

The fpace of time it requires to adt, was to be
determined by experiment,

For this purpofe I had a dozen pigeons bit, each
once by a diftincl: viper. I meafured with a watch
the feconds that palfed betwixt the bite of the vi-
per, and the fucceeding amputation, and managed
in fuch a way, that the intervals of time, increafed
in a ratio of ten feconds ; fo that the legs were cut
off at the end of jq, 20,30,40, 50, 60, 70, 80,
90, 100, no, 120, feconds after they had been
bit. I had previoufly ftripped the fkin from the
mufcles, without cutting or lacerating them ; and
wiped away the blood that flowed from them after
the incifion, with a wet fponge. In the leg of ten
feconds, I could perceive no change, nor any livid
fpot; but in that of twenty there were fymptoms
of difeafe. I conceived, at leaft, that I faw an inci-
pient lividnefs about the holes made by the teeth
of the viper, In all the others^ the difeafe of the

U 4 venom

296 F O N T A N A

venom was fo decidedly apparent, that not the
fmalleft doubt could remain on the occafion.

I repeated this experiment on twelve other pi-
geons ; but inftead of making the intervals of time
betwixt the cutting off of the legs in an increafecl
ratio often feconds, I made them in an increased ra-
tio of feven,

The leg cut off after feven feconds had no ap-
pearance of difeafe. That of fourteen was in the
fame found ftate ; but all the others, beginning at
that of twenty-one, had marks of lividnefs about
them. The livid fpots were in general greater in
proportion to the delay that was obferved in the am-
putation. This rule was, however, not without fome
exceptions, occasioned by a great variety in the cir-
cumftances, which, as any one may readily con-
ceive, are never exactly the fame.

To obtain a more precife information of the time
in which the difeafe is communicated, I had twelve
other pigeons bit, and in cutting off their legs ob-
ferved a ratio of from five to fix feconds, beginning
with five.

There was fome doubt in that of twenty feconds,
but the difeafe was certain in that of twenty-five,
Thofe of five, ten, and fifteen, were without any
marks of difeafe, or the fmalleft livid appearance.

A certain concluficvn may, I think, be drawn
from thefe repeated experiments, that the action of
the venom of the viper on the part bitten is not in-
flantaneous, but that it requires a certain time for
its effects to become fenfible in that part,

a The

OH POISONS

The fpace of time that elapfes before the venon}
gives manifeft tokens of the difeafe it produces, is,
from fifteen to twenty feconds, or thereabouts,

We mult naturally conceive that this time varies,
in different animals, and that the difeafe difcover§
itfelf fooner in fome, and later in others. The pe-
culiar conftitution of the animal, and its fize, ought
to make a feniible variation, and to modify in a
greater or lefs degree, the action of the venom of the
viper.

But it is fufficient for us to know, that this ve-
nom does not operate inftantaneoufly, and to be in:
fome meafure acquainted with the time it requires
in acting on certain fpecies of animals, Thefe data*
ppen the way to further refearehes.

Is it by thefmple local Difeafe, or by a Di foxier excited
in fome of the moft ejfential Principles of Life, that the
Death of the Animals bit by the Viper is occafioneif.

The firft enquiry that prefents itfelf, and which
is very important, is to know whether the venom of
the viper produces a difeafe, independant of that
which difcovers itfelf in the part of the animal that
has been bit ; that is to fay, whether it deranges the.
animal economy in fuch. a way, after a bite has been
received in any particular part, that the animal ma^
die in confequence of fuoh a derangement alone.

I have feen animals, even pretty large ones, fuch
as dogs^ fall proitrate on being bit by a viper, with-
out

298 F O N T A N A

out being able to ftir for fome time, and with a
fearcely fenfible refpiration. I have feen others
yoid their urine and excrements at the very inftant,
as if their fphin&ers had become paralytick at the
moment of their being bit. It is not a rare cafe to
ebferve men fall into a fwoon almoft immediately
after they have received a bite from a viper. But
the agitation of certain animals, and the fear of
others, may contribute a good deal to the produc-
ing of thefe efFedts ; and fmce it is invariably the
cafe that there is ftill a communication of organs,
and a continuation of humours, betwixt the animal
and the part that .has been bit^ we may miftake for a
communication of difeafe, what is no more than a
femple correfpondence betwixt the part bit, and the
other parts of the animal. After all, it muft be left
to experiment to decide on this, as well as on every
other point.

I had a pigeon's leg bit repeatedly by a viper,
and cut off the part foon after at one blow, at the ar-
ticulation of the femur with the tibia.

The leg, when cut off, had all the fymptoms of
difeafe ; the holes made by the teeth of the viper
were livid, and the ufual fmall fpots were diftin-
guiihed. The pigeon died at the end of four mi-
nutes.

I had remarked, in making the experiments re-
lated above, that the amputation of the leg is not
mortal to pigeons ; at leaft, I found feveral that
were deprived of that part, dill living at the end of
feveral hours,

T«

ON POISON'S. 299

To prevent the following experiments from being
in the leaft equivocal, I cut off in the firft place the
legs of fix pigeons, a leg from each, to ferve* by
way of comparifon to the others.

I had twelve pigeons bit fucceffively, fome once,
others feveral times. Betwixt the bite and ampu-
tation, there did not elapfe in any one of them, lefk
than one minute, and more than two. All the pi-
geons died, and the times of their death are ex-
preiTed by the following numbers, denoting fo ma-
ny minutes, 2, 2, 3, 4, 4, 4> 7> h I0> I2> I2> 14.

Of the fix pigeons mentioned above, the legs of
which I had cut off without having them bit, nei-
ther died, nor did either of them appear to have
fuffered in any fenfible degree. I let them live
eight days, during which time they fed as ufual,
and they then ferved me for other purpofes.

Thefe firft experiments fhow, and that in an un-
queftionable way, that a mortal difeafe is communi-
cated to the animal in a very little time ; and that
it dies, independently of the local difeafe, by an in-
teriour derangement, which the venom has already
communicated to its whole fyltem. .

This new difcovery was of too much importance
not to require Hill further experiments.

I had twenty-four pigeons bit by as many vipers
and at the end of a minute, or with very little varia-
tion, if any, from that time, cut from each of them
the leg that had been bit. They all died, at the
times expreffed by the following numbers, denot-
ing

JOO F O N T A N A

ing fo many minutes, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, $ 7, 7, %

ft 9, 9, IO, 10, IO, 10, IO, 12, 12, 13, 13, 14, 2CX

It is certain, as I have iince allured myfelf by
frefh experiments, that the amputation of the leg
is not only not mortal to pigeons, but that it does
not feem to be productive in them of any kind of
complaint. It is* equally certain, as we fee by the
experiments related above, that the pigeons; bit in
the leg by the viper die, notwithstanding the part is
removed, provided the amputation is delayed till
the end of a certain time. It is therefore a demon-
flrated truth, that the venom of the viper excites in an
animal that has been bit, a difeafe independent of the
part bitten ; and that the animal dies of this feconcl
difeafe, and not of the local difeafe of the leg ; iince
the latter fubfifts no longer when the part is cut off,
which' does not however prevent the death of the ani-
mal. This at leaft has unqueftionably been the cafe
in the pigeons on which the above experiments have
been made. But what is Hill more extraordinary, is
that thefe animals die much fooner when the ve-
nomed leg has been removed, than when it has not.
We have already feen, that in pigeons the limple
amputation of the leg is, of no confequenee, and it
Is therefore very furprizing that the local difeafe,
which becomes extremely violent, being removed,
this circumftance, inftead of retarding the death of
the animal, rather accelerates it. This would lead
one to fuped: that the part bitten ferves to divert
the vitiated humours in the animal, and that it is,
if I may fo exprefs myfelf, a difeafe excited by the

animal

ON POISONS* 30!

animal itfelf, or rather by that principle which
cxifts in a living animal, and which, agreeably
to the opinions of Hippocrates and, Sydenham,
feems to prefide over its life, and to be the modera-
tor of it*

Js the internal Derangement which the Venom of the
Viper caufes in Animals that are bit, produced at the
Inftant of the BiU, orfome Time after f

What is now of the greater!: confequence to be
known, is whether the difeafe of the venom is com*
municated to the animal] inftantly, or not, on the
introduction of the venom itfelf*

We have already feen what the local malady isf
and what are the -fymptoms of it; the time has
likewife been determined that the venom requires
to produce any feniible effect on the part bitten.
The internal difeafe is that which becomes uni-
verlal in the animal, and which even occafion its
death, independently of the external and local dif-
eafe juft mentioned.

To determine whether the internal difeafe is in-
ftantaneous, or not, I ^ade the following experi-
ments.

I had a dozen pigeons, bit in the leg by as many
vipers, and cut off the part immediately after, in
each of them, at a fingle blow. There was not
more than three or four feconds betwixt the bite

and

$0Z F O N TANA

and the amputation. Neither of the pigeons died>
nor had any fymptom of difeafe.

I repeated this experiment on twelve other pi-
geons, which were likewife bit and mutilated with-
in the fpace of three or four feconds. Neither of
them died, nor had the leaft apparent illnefs.

It is therefore certain that the venom of the viper
does not produce the internal difeafe inflantaneoufly>
but that it requires a certain time to communicate
itfelf to the animal. We are now to enquire what
that time is. Is it the fame as that which it re-
quires to produce the external difeafe ?— If this is
the cafe, by what common principle do thefe two
effects go hand in hand together ? And why may
not the external difeafe be anteriour to the internal
one ? The venom begins by touching the local
part, and previoufly mixes with the humours of
that part.

But let us proceed to experiment.- 1 had a

dozen pigeons bit, each once in the leg by a diftindfc
viper, and cut the leg from each, with an interval
of five feconds betwixt the refpective amputations.
The firft leg was taken off at the end of five fe-
conds. The others at the times exprefled in fe-
conds by the following numbers, 10, 15, 20, 25,

3°> 35> 4°> 45> 5°. 55> 6o-

That of fixty feconds died at the end of feven

minutes ; that of fifty-five at the end of fix *

that of fifty at the end of feven ; that of forty-five

at the end of fix ; that of forty at the end of

twenty ; that of thirty-five at the end of an hour;

that of thirty at the end of three hours ; and that

•f

OK POISONS. 503

of twenty-five at the end of ten hours. Thofe of
twenty, fifteen, ten, and five feconds, neither died,
nor feemed to fuffer in any fenfible degree.

However irregular the time of death in thefe
animals may appear, we, notwithftanding, remark,
in one particular fenfe, a degree of regularity.
Neither of the pigeons died on which the amputa-
tion had been made before twenty-five feconds ;
and neither of thofe recovered, the legs of whick
had been cut off, on or after twenty-five feconds.

We likewife obferve, that in general the pigeons
on which the amputation was made the lateft, were
thofe that the fooneft fell victims to thedifeafeof
the venom.

I was defirous of repeating this experiment of
twelve other pigeons, obferving the fame intervals
of time. The confequences were it is true fome-
what different ; but there was Hill a great regula-
rity betwixt the time of the amputations, and that
of the deaths.

The pigeons on which the operation was made at
the end of 5, 10, 15, feconds, recovered. That of
twenty died at the end of feven minutes, and that
of twenty-five furvived. Thofe of thirty, thirty-
five, forty, forty-five, fifty, fifty-five, and fixty, all
died ; and the times of their death, beginning with
that of fixty, and going back, are 5, 10, 7, 7, 6, 40,
minutes, and eight hours.

Here again we obferve, that neither of the pi-
geons the leg of which was amputated before
twenty feconds, died ; and that only one of thofe

lived

364 F O N T A N A

lived in which the operation was performed at
twenty feeonds, or afterwards. They in general
died the fooner, in proportion to the delay obferved
in the cutting off of the leg.

The pigeon that died, notwithstanding it was
mutilated as foon as twenty feeonds, made me fuf-
pedt (as in the] former cafes; neither of thofe that
had been fubmitted to the operation at this period
died) that the fize of the viper, and (till more the
circumftance of its having been irritated, mighty
partly, however, have occafioned this difference.

To be certain of this, I had two pigeons, perfect-
ly alike in fize, bit, one of them by a large well-en-
raged viper, the other by a fmall one, that was not
irritated. I cut off a leg from each pigeon ;at the
end of twenty feeonds. The firfl died at the* end
of five minutes ; the fecond had not the fmalleft
fymptom of difeafe.

This experiment convinced me^ that the time in
which the internal difeafe is communicated, may be
greater or lefs, according to the different circum-
itances, that the vipers, and the pigeons or other
animals, may be in at the time, and according to
the manner of biting.

To affure myfelf (till more fully of this circum-
ftance, I had two other pigeons bit, one by a very
large viper, the other by a very fmall one. The
firft was enraged, and hilled at the time of biting*
The other was made to bite, without being pro-
voked in the leait. The amputation of the leg
was made in both of them at the end of fifteen

feeonds.

OK POISONS* 30^

feconds. The firft pigeon died at the end of
nine minutes ; the other had not the fmallelt com-
plaint.

It follows from all that has been obferved, that
it requires a certain time for the venom of the viper
to be communicated to an animal, and that this
time is fomewhere betwixt fifteen and twenty fc*
conds.

It has been feen above, that it requires pretty
much the fame time for the external difeafe to be
communicated to the part bitten ; and hence it
appears, that thefe two difeafes accompany each
other, and that the venom produces both within
the fame fpace of time.

This agreement of difeafes and effects, which has
thus far appeared fo very regular and conftant*
fully deferved to be confirmed by a continuation of
experiments, frill more precife and fimple than the
preceding ones.

Of the Symptoms which charatlerize the Difeafe.

The difficulty confifts in determining the death or
difeafe of the animal by the fymptoms that appear
in the part bitten ; and vice verfa, in determining
the fymptoms of the part bitten by the death of the
animal. On one hand, thefe fymptoms, as has.
been remarked before, are neither equivocal nor
difficult to obferve ; and on the other ^ the death of
Vol, L X the

gQ6 F O N T A N A

the animal, in confequence of the introduction of
the venom, is a truth eftablifhed by experiment.

It would be long and tirefome to enter into a de-
tail here, of the diftincl: confequences of the experi-
ments, more than eighty in number, that I made
with this view. It will be fufficient for me to fay
in general, that neither of the animals on which
they were made (except one indeed, the cafe of
which was doubtful) died without manifefl fymp-
toms of the difeafe of the venom in the part bitten ;
and that (except in five inftances only) I obferved
in all the others, that when the animal recovered,
there was no fymptom of the local difeafe of the
venom. The few exceptions that occurred, which
might have depended on a thoufand accidental
caufes, do not render the law that thefe two difeafes
obferve, nor the conftancy with which they are at
the fame precife point of time excited in the ani-
mal, lefs certain.

This agreement, fo conflantly obferved, made
me fufpeft ftill more the existence of a certain
principle in the animal machine, which prefides
and watches over life.

Scarcely has an animal encountered any thing
that troubles and deranges the functions of its life,
than a new force feems at the fame time to be ex-
cited, and to be, as it were, awakened, which en-
deavours ftrenuoufly to keep the caufe of death
from the organs that are the moil effential to life,
and to carry the morbifick matter to the part that
is the moft difpofed to receive it, whether on ac-
count

ON ? O H G N S* 3O7

•ount of wounds that have previoufly been made
in it, or of humours that are extravafated by the
rupture and laceration of vefTels.

The venom of the viper occupies but a very
fmall fpace in the leg of an animal, and may, if one
wifhes it, be driven into fo narrow a compafs, as
fcarcely to occupy the hundredth part of a line in
fuperficies, without any phyfical or feniible foli-
dity.

Now granting the fuppofition that this fmall
quantity of venom is entirely abforbed, and carried
into the torrent of the circulation, it ought to be
equally diftributed in the mafs of humours of the
animal, to the fize of which, or to its vefTels, the
diftribution of it ought to be proportioned.

But it is quite the contrary ; the humours and
the blood are carried tumultuoufly, and in hafte^
to the part that has been bit, and the blood not
only collects about the fimple mechanical wound
made by the tooth, but fpreads to a great diflance,
and changing its colour, pours in torrents into the
adipofe membrane, whilft another part of this
fluid penetrates in a dhTolved ftate through the
coats of the vefTels.

It therefore appears, that all the efforts made by
an animal which has been bit by a viper, are di-
eded to the difcharging of the blood and hu-
mours that are affected by the obnoxious principle
the latter conveys by its venom, and to the throw-
ing of them, as much as it can, on the part that has
keen bit.If it fucceeds in t his way, in fupporting
X 2 the

308 F O N T A N A

the highly neceffary functions in the vital parts, it
furmounts the very fudden and dangerous internal
difeafe that would otherwife have been deftru&ive
to it.

As to the externardifeafe, the circumftances are
altogether different. It becomes fimilar to many
other difeafes caufed by an obftrudtion of humours
in the veffels, of fluids extravafated in the adipofc
membrane, and of blood which threatens gangrene
and fphacelus. If the animal is very ftrong, how-
ever great the local difeafe may be, it at length re-
covers ; and I have obferved monftrous fwellings,
enormous extravafations, and an entire lividnefs and
gangrenoufnefs of the parts, and, notwithftanding
all this, the animal has got about again. This is
frequently obferved in the larger fpecies' of ani-
mals, fuch as relifl for feveral days the aftion of the
venom.

I wounded the crural mufcles of three pigeons
with venomous teeth, and, almoft at the very in-
Itaht, cut off the leg in each of them. The mufcles
of the firft pigeon's leg had no apparent fymptom
of difeafe. Thofe of that of the fecond had a fmall
red fpot, which penetrated through the fibres with-
out changing its colour. In thofe of the third pi-
geon's there was a fmall red fpot, fimilar to the
former one, which penetrated to the tibia itfelf,
where it appeared fomewhat darker than ufual.

I wounded the crural mufcles of two other pi-
geons, with teeth which had been dried a long
time, and which I had previoufly well warned, and

a moment

ON POISONS. 309

a moment after cut off the leg in each of them that-
had been thus punctured. In one of thefe legs
there was no fymptom of difeafe or wound ; in the
other there were two red fpots, which penetrated
into the mufcles, infenfibly lofing their rednefs.

I wounded the crural mufcles of three other pi-
geons with venomous teeth, and bound and cut off
the legs at the very inftant. In one of thefe legs
there was an appearance of black and extravafated
blood. The fymptoms of difeafe in the other two
were perfectly vifible and certain ; that is to fay, a
livid colour, and black and extravafated blood for
the whole depth of the mufcle.

I wounded the crural mufcles of two other pi-
geons with dried teeth, and at the fame time bound
and cut off the legs. The blood was extravafated
in both, and was become of a dark colour.

Experiments to determine whether at the Moment of
Amputation, a fubtile Principle of Jo me Kind does
not efcape from the Blood.

The little conflancy I met with in thefe experi-
ments, and the fufpicion that a volatile fluid of fome
kind might have efcaped from the blood on the
moment of its being difcharged from the veffels,
and expofed to the open air, induced me to engage
in fome other trials, which I conducted in the fol-
lowing manner : — I held the pigeons in fuch a way,
that although their legs were perfectly dry, their

X 3 thighs

310 V O N T A N A

thighs were entirely plunged in water. The
amputation was made beneath the water, in the
thigh, fo that the incifed part could have no com^
munication with the air ; and the mufcles were
wounded under water with venomous teeth. This
being done, I kept the foot under water for three
or four minutes, drew it out again, and examined
it.

I repeated this experiment on the fame number
of pigeons, and fimply wounded their mufcles with
dried teeth. There were marks of the fimple me-
chanical wounds, not only in the venomed mufcles
of the pigeons in the former experiment, but like-
wife in'thofe that had not been venomed of this
one. As I found no difference betwixt them, I
cannot take upon me, with any degree of probabi-
lity, to eftablifh a fadfc of any importance on thefc
appearances.

I examined feveral times into the parts adjacent
to the one that had been bit, either in animals
which were already recovered, or in thofe in which
there were no longer any certain fymptoms of dif-
eafe, and of which the parts had almoft regained
their ufual motions. I obferved with furprife in
feveral of thefe animals that had been bit in the
leg, that there was Hill a great extravafation of hu-
mours in the adipofe membrane, at a very great
diftance from the part that had been bit ; and
iikewife that all the abdominal mufcles were ftill
red and inflamed. Every thing in fhort concurred
to perfuade me of the exiftence of that principle,

which

ON POISONS. 31I

which has been either fufpecled or admitted by
others ; and to convince me that the local difeafe
is not a mechanical effect of the introduction of the
venom into the part, but is rather the means this
vital principle employs to drive towards the exte-
riour parts the morbifick matter that circulates
in the humours, and to relieve from it the organs
that are the moll effential to the prefervation of the
animal. I mall point out at the conclufion of this
work, the purpofe that may be drawn, and the uti-
lity that may be derived, from this diitincYion of
the two difeafes that the viper occasions in an ani-
mal by its bite. The want of attention to thefe
two Hates of the animal, fo different from each
other, has thrown the greateft perplexity on this
fubjecl, and has enveloped it in errour and obfeu-
rity. That which belonged to the one has been
afcribed to the other, and thus has every thing
been confounded.

X 4 CHAPTER

312 F O N T A N A

CHAPTER III.

On the Aftion of the Venom of the Viper upon the Blood
of Animals.

IF the matter of the preceding chapter has been of
feme importance, which cannot be denied ; if it has
prefented new and altogether unexpected pheno-
mena ; if it has been a guide to us in eflablifhing
principles and vital powers in the living machine ;
the Subject of the following chapters will certainly
not be lefs important, whether we regard the no-
velty of their contents, or the ufe and applications
that may be made of them, in obtaining a know-
ledge of the venoms that are analogous to that of
the viper, and in explaining the animal mechanifm,
as well in a ftate of difeafe as in perfect health.

Mead, to determine whether the venom of the
viper had any degree of action on the blood of an
animal that had been bit, mixed five or fix drops
of it with half an ounce of blood, in the colour
and confidence of which he could obferve no
change., as the confequence. There was in ihort
no difference betwixt this blood and another quan-
tity drawn at the fame time, which he had put into
a vcflel fimilar to that which contained the firft, by
way of comparing the two together. This experi-
ment

ON POISONS. 3I3

merit I repeated, and received the blood which
flowed from the divided velTels of an animal, im-
.mediately into a concave glafs, which I had pre-
vioufly warmed, and into which I had put five
grains in weight of the venom of the viper. The
palTage of the blood from the velTels to the glafs
was fo quick, that it is not poffible to have it out of
the veflels, in a condition approaching nearer to its
natural one. On the moment of the union of the
venom with the blood, I obferved the latter, the
quantity of which was about an ounce, or fome-
what more, with a very flrong lens. I could never
perceive any kind of motion in it, neither could I
diftinguiih in it any dilTolution, nor the fmalleft
appearance of coagulum ; in a word, it was entirely
in its natural ftate. Its globules were of their ufual
fliape, and its colour was equally preferved. This
particular ought not to furprize us, after the expe-
riments that have been made on the legs of pigeons
bit by the viper at the very juncture of their being
cut off; and likewife after thofe in which they were
cut off fometime after they had been bit. The blood
in thefe cafes certainly approaches much nearer to its
natural ftate than when it is drawn from the velTels.
There is here both the natural heat and ordinary
motion of the humours, and in ihort the life of the
organs themfelves.

Nothing appears more natural than the deducing
from thefe particulars, that the venom of the viper
has no action on the blood of the animal that re-
ceives the bite. This is indeed the inference that

Mead

314 F O N T A N A

Mead has drawn from the above recited experi-
ments on the blood of animals taken warm from
the veifels.

However perfuafive this experiment on the blood
might have been, and however refpectable the au-
thority of Mead, I determined to try a new kind of
experiments, partly analogous to thole related
above, but more direct and more fimple,. Thefe
experiments confift • in introducing the venom of
the viper in an immediate way, without touching
sfany of the parts that are previoufly cut, into the
blood. They are indeed fomewhat difficult, but
are flill poflible, and are made by injecting the ve-
nom of the viper, by means of a fmall glafs fyringe,
into a vein that has been opened with a lancet. I
forefee an objection that will be made, that expe-
riments of this kind are altogether ufelefs after
thofe that have been related, to which they are be-
iides perfectly analogous ; and that feeing there has
been no change obferved in the venomed blood, It
ought, from a parity of reafoning, to be concluded,
that there will be no greater change in it, in thefe
experiments. Such is the rifle of being miftaken,
that thofe incur who love rather to reafon than to
experiment ; and this is the mode of arguing of
thofe philofophers, who, perfuaded that they are
arrived at the fountain-head of natural fciences,
flatter themfelves that they know every thing, and
are capable of explaining every thing.

Injeftion

ON POISON St 31^

Injeftion of Venom into the Blood Fefels; and its
EffeBs.

The experiments I am about to relate, were made
on large rabbits. The jugular vein was the veflel
on which I operated,

When a great portion of hair has been removed
from the inferiour part of the fide of a rabbit's
neck, and a large incifion made in the ikin, the
jugular vein is difcovered dividing itfelf into two
fmaller branches. I flrip in the experiment, the
two branches and a part of the trunk of the jugu-
lar vein, of about ten or twelve lines at leaft in
length, of the adipofe membrane, and the other
neighbouring parts. I tie one of thefe branches
with a thread, at the diftance of ten lines from the
trunk, and tie another thread to the fame branch,
about feven lines below the fir ft, fo that this fecond
thread is only three lines from the trunk. This
laft thread has a knot, ready to be drawn tight at a
proper time. But before I go any further, I think
it neceflary to explain the manner of making ufe of
the fmall fyringe, intended to convey the venom
into the veffels.

This is a fmall common glafs fyringe, termi-
nating in a capillary tube of ten lines in length, ,
and crooked. I put into this fyringe the venom
that I mean to introduce into the vein. I uiually
cut off two vipers' heads, and receive all the venom

from

316 F O N T A N A

from their veficles in a fmall cryftal fpoon. I add
to this venom the fame quantity of water, and when
the liquors are well blended together, draw them
up by fudfion into the fyringe. There ufually en-
ters into the fyringe at the fame time, a fmall air-
bubble, which is eafily difperfed, by pufhing the
pifton forward a little towards the tube. The fmall
quantity of the liquor that flows with the air out of
the point of the tube, is received in the fmall fpoon,
and is fucked up again into the fyringe, by once
more withdrawing the pifton a little.

The fyringe being thus freed of the external air,
I withdraw the pifton in an -almoft infenfible degree.
The venom retreats a little, and leaves the point of
the capillary tube, which remains full of air, for the
length of four lines. The quantity of this air is
very trifling, on account of the fmallnefs of the dia-
meter of the tube in that part. I now wipe the
crooked part or extremity of the fyringe with a piece
of very fine moiflened linen, and introduce a very
fine and dry linen thread, for the length of two
lines, to cleanfe the venom, and iikewife the fmall
fpace in the capillary tube, that is occupied by the
air.

The fyringe being thus in readinefs, I raife a lit-
tle, by the upper mod thread, the branch of the ju-
gular vein to which the two threads are fattened, be-
twixt which I open it with a lancet, and introduce
the capillary extremity of the fmall fyringe at the
orifice, continuing this till it has entered four or
five lines into the principal trunk. I now draw the

end

ON POISONS. 317

ends of the threads together, the lower one of which
binds the coats of the verTel very flrongly to the ca-
pillary tube of the fyringe. Things being in this
Hate, I pufh forward the pifton of the fyringe by de-
grees, and force out of it all the venom, which paries
entirely to the trunk of the jugular vein, to be car-
ried an inltant after to the heart.

This experiment requires two perfons at leafl,
and fucceeds ftill better when there are three. If
the fyringe has been previously got in readinefs, it
does not continue at the moil for more than two
minutes altogether ; and when the parts of the ani-*
mal are known, and it has been made a few times,
is not fubjed: to any inconvenience.

Before the fyringe is drawn out of the vefTel, I
have been accufromejd to withdraw the pifton a lit-
tle, that a fmall quantity of blood may enter the
capillary tube, and that none of the venom may re-
main at the orifice of it. At the moment of my
drawing out the fyringe, I again tighten the lower
thread, fo that the veflel remains perfectly clofed. I
raife with pincers the portion of the jugular vein
betwixt the threads.

It was not without reafon that I made choice of a
f effel which branches out into two others ; neither
was it at hazard that I introduced the capillary part
of the fyringe into the principal trunk itfelf.

I wiihed that the venom mould be carried imme-
diately to the heart, and I could not think of a bet-
ter expedient than that of procuring a very large
lateral verTel, where the blood continuing to run in a
3 tulL

2l8 MONTANA

full ftream towards the heart, muft neceffarily carrf
with it the venom that it meets with in the trunk.

Thefe experiments are too important not to be re-
lated with fome degree of detail. They at leaft re-
quire me to defcribe the principal circumftances by
which they were accompanied. I mall give them
here in the order in which they were made.

I injected into the outer jugular vein of a large
rabbit that weighed feven pounds, the venom of two
viper's heads, got ready in the manner defcribed
above, and with a nice obfervance of all the pre-
cautions I have juft laid down. The venom fcaree-
ly began to enter the vein, when the animal gave fe-
veral horrible cries, difengaged itfelf, writhed itfelf
about, and died a moment after.

The novelty of this ftrange and unexpected event/
prevented me from calculating the exad: time the
animal lived after the injection of the venom; nei-
ther could I afcertain the time I employed in pro-
pelling the whole of the venom from the fyringe.
It is certain, however, that the animal did not live
more than two minutes, and that the injection was
made within the fpace of eight or tenfeconds.

As I was delirous of feeing whether this experi-
ment was a certain one, or whether the animal diec^
in confequence of fome circumftance I was igno-
rant of, I examined the ftate of the vifcera in the
dead animal, and likewife that of the blood in its
vefTels. I was likewife induced to vary fome of the
circumftances in making the fucceeding ones.

I got

ON POISONS. 319

1 got ready another rabbit in the above manner,
and began by injecting a quantity of water into a
branch of the jugular vein, equal to that of the
mixture of venom and water in the preceding ex-
periment. The rabbit did not fuffer in the leaft. I
kept it in this Hate during five or fix minutes, and
perceiving that it did not become at all difordered,
fat about injecting into the fame vein, the quantity
of venom mentioned above.

The animal, however, neither cried out nor was
agitated. At the end of a few minutes I perceived
that it had fickened, and it died at the end of twelve
hours. All the parts I had ftripped of the fkin, to
lay bare the jugular vein, were violently inflamed,
and very livid. The adipofe membrane was filled
with black extravafated blood. All the pectoral
mufcles at the fide on which I had injected the ve-
nom, and a part of the abdominal ones, were already
become livid. The very interlines were inflamed.
The inner part of the thorax was inflamed likewife,
and was bloody; and the heart had formed adhe-
fions. The blood, both in the large veflels and
heart was coagulated and black ; and the lungs were
marked here and there with fomewhat livid fpots.

This fecond experiment convinced me of the ve-
ry great importance of thoroughly examining the
Hate of an animal after its death. It is principally
by this ftate, that we ought to judge of the action
of the venom on the blood.

But how came it about that the fir ft rabbit died
as it were inftantly, and the fecond not till the end

of

320 F O N T A N A

of twelve hours ? To what is this difference to fee
afcribed ?

I inftantly proceeded to a third experiment, hop-
ing to draw fome further information from it.

I got ready a rabbit, and injected the venom of
two vipers as before, into the branch of the jugular
vein. The rabbit did not feem to fuffer in the lead
from this operation, and recovered of the external
difeafe in a few days, as readily as if it had only un-
dergone the preparation necefTary to the injection ot
the venom. An hour after this injection had been
made, I found it eating, as if in perfect health.

This third experiment completed my perplexity,
and I began to miftruft altogether. In the firft
place I faw an animal die, as it were at the moment
of injection, and diftinguifhed a real difeafe in that
■which lived twelve hours. It was therefore certain
that the venom, when united with the blood, was
capable of producing fuch a derangement in the ani-
mal machine, as to excite in the 'animal a very vio-
lent difeafe, terminating in death. All this was
real ; but how could thefe two cafes be reconciled
with the third ?

Some doubts occurred to me as to the method I
had purfued in making thefe experiments, which
had not been altogether conducted with the exact-
nefs and precision I defcribed a little time ago. I
did not make the fecond ligature in the vein ; I did
not examine whether the capillary tube reached in-
to the principal trunk ; and I did not withdraw the
pifton of the fyringe, before I drew the capillary

tube

a N POISONS* 3Zt

tube of the latter out of the vefleL The neglect df
thefe precautions made me look upon the three
experiments I have juft related as fufpicious, and I
fat about experimenting afrefh, with a greater de*
gree of attention and precifion than before.

For this purpofe I got ready a large rabbity
healthy^ and in good plight. I made the two liga-
tures in the external branch of the jugular vein,
and introduced the capillary tube into the common
trunk, tightening the thread on the tube, and in-
jecting the whole of the liquor at once. I took care
to withdraw the pifton a little, before I drew the
fyringe out of the vein, and to tighten the thread
once more. In a word, I did not neglect any one
of the precautions I had previouily determined to
take. The confequences were as follows.

The whole of the venom had fcarcely pafTed from
the fyringe into the jugular vein, when the rabbit
gave feveral horrid fhrieks^ and was feized with very
violent convulfions. It died in lefs than a minute
and an half* There were not more than feven fe-
conds fpent in the injection*

The blood in all the large veffels was black and
coagulated. It was likewife fo in the heart and au-
ricles. The coronary veins were fwelled and livid ;
and an extravafated black blood, in large fpots, was
feen about them in the mufcular fubftance of the
heart. The pericardium was entirely filled with a
liquor, fo as to be diftended like a bladder ; and this
liquor was tranfparent, with a flight red tinge.

Y The

322 F O tf T A N A

The lungs were, full of the ufual fpots, through
which, when they were touched in the flighteft de-
gree, the air ruihed out of the water that covered
this vifcus. The interlines, flomach, and mefen-
tery$ were covered with fmall, livid, and red fpots.

This experiment fucceeded too well to leave me
in any kind of doubt as to the nature of its confe-
quences. The animal died almoft inftantly, and
cried out tjie moment the venom had entered the
vefTel.

The two vifcera that are the principal organs of
life, were inftantly attacked by a violent and mor-
tal difeafe. The blood was immediately coagulated
in the large vefTels, in the lungs, and in the heart.
In a word, every thing concurred to the fudden
itoppage of the circulation, and to the death of the
animal. *

The extravafation of the blood of the coronary
veins is furprizing, and the livid fpots of the lungs,
and dilacerations of this vifcus frill more fo. But
what fuprized me moft of all, was the b'ood collect-
ing in fuch an abundance, in fo many vefTels, and in
fo many cavities. In this difeafe an extreme difTolu-
tion of a part of this humour, exuding every where
through the vefTels, takes place ; and, at the fame
time, a coagulation of another part, which fixes and
condenfes in a few moments.

Every advance I made, in this new career of ex-
periments, prefented me either with fomething pa-
radoxical, or with a novel and unexpected circum-
iSahce. I paffed on to the fifth experiment, which

I made

OKf POISONS. 323

I made exactly as I had dona the fourth. Although
the refult of it was fomewhat different from that of
the laft, it agreed very well as to the nature of
the difeafe, and as to the opinion that ought to
be held of the introduction of the venom of
the viper into the blood. On the injection be-
ing made, the rabbit did not cry out, neither did it
feem to fuffer in any fenfible degree. At the end
of an hour, however, it appeared to be lick, refufed
its food, and died at the end of twenty-four.

On opening its body, I did not find the abdomi-
nal vifcera to be much inflamed ; but to atone for
this, the ufual livid fpots, and the air gufhing freely
out of them, were feen on the lungs. All the muf-
cles of the breafl were confiderably inflamed, and
the whole of the adipofe membrane, from the neck
to the lower part of the belly, was filled with black,
extravafated, and fluid blood. The blood in the
heart, in the lungs, and in the large venous vefTels,
was coagulated ; but much lefs fo than in the cafes
related above in which the rabbit died almofl iri-
ftantaneoufly.

I immediately proceeded to the fixth experiment,
to fee whether there would be any degree of uni-
formity betwixt the injection of the venom, and
the death of the animal. I neglected to remark, in
relating the preceding experiments, that I had
found fometimes a greater, fometimes a lefs, quan-
tity of venom in the viper's heads, and that in fome
of them I had even oblerved a white and fomewhat
glutinous matter flow from the tooth.

Y z I had

324 F O N T A N A

I had likewife found the palate of fome of the
vipers I employed inflamed to a certain degree, and
the two fheaths or bags of the teeth likewife inflamed
and red.

But I could not fay pofitively, whether thefe cir-
cumflances could have been capable of influencing
the effects of the venom on the animal. I there-
fore refolved to take it in future from no other heads
of vipers, but fuch as were perfectly found, and
the bell fupplied ; and to procure it in a greater
quantity.

I got ready a large and ftrong rabbit in the ufual
way, and introduced into the fyringe the venom of
two very large vipers, the heads of which were in a
found flate.

The venom was not yet completely injected,
when the rabbit, began to fhriek, and died in lefs
than two minutes in very violent convulfions.
Having opened the breafl, I found the auricles and
ventricles filled with grumous blood. That of the
large venous veflels was in the fame flate. There
was a great deal of lymph in the pericardium, in
which there was likewife extravafated and concreted
blood. All the interlines were in a very inflamma-
tory flate, as were alfo the flomach and mefentery.
The arteries were in general empty. The lungs
were but little fpotted ; but in inflating them be-
neath the water, the air was feen rufhing out in fe-
veral parts, and the fmall fpots were then apparent.
The blood in the lungs was likewife concreted.

I got

ON POISONS. 325

I ' got ready another rabbit, and injedted in the
ufual way into the jugular vein, the cuftomary
quantity of venom.

It fcarcely began to enter the vein, when the rab-
bit cried out, and in lefs than two minutes died,
with the moll terrible fhrieks and convulfions.

I opened it, and found the lungs fpotted as ufual,
and the blood coagulated in the two ventricles. It
was much more fo in the right ventricle than in
the left, as I had alfo found it in all the preceding
cafes. It was likewife in the fame ftate in the auri-
cles and veins. The pericardium was filled with
water mixed with blood. The coronary veins had,
for their whole circumference, two large, longitu-
dinal, and livid fpots. The blood in the lungs was
black and grumous, and the air guihed out as ufual.
The inteftines were inflamed, as were alfo all the ab-
dominal mufcles ; and there was a great deal of ex-
travafated and dhTolved blood in the adipofe mem-
brane.

Thefe two laft cafes are very uniform, and agree
too well with the preceding ones, to admit of any
doubt as to the immediate action of the venom of
the viper on the blood.

Further Experiments on the Jugular Vein of Rabbits.

Notwithstanding the uncertainty and obflacles
that are met with in experimenting on the blood-
veffels, I was defirous of making fome further trials

Y 3 on

326 F 0 N T A N A

on them, conduced with all poffible care and at-
tention, as the very great importance of the fubjecl
feemed to require. I chofe for this purpofe, two
of the largeft rabbits I could procure, each of
them weighing ten pounds. I took the venom
from two found vipers, which I had previously ex-
amined with great attention for that purpofe. I
had not yet finilhed the injection in either of the
two rabbits, when they gave feveral loud ihrieks,
and died in the mo ft violent convulfions in lefs
than two minutes. Having opened the thorax of
each rabbit, I found the lungs fpotted as ufual, and
the blood vefTels and auricles filled with black and
grumous blood. The pericardium, as in the former
cafes, contained a humour, and the inteftines and
mufcles were, as ufual, inflamed.

The immediate action of the venom of the viper
on the circulation of animals with warm blood, is
therefore both indubitable and conftant. It is a
fact, however, that would not have gained any de-
gree of credit, had it not been for thefe laft experi-
ments, iince it feemed in fome meafure to be con-
tradicted by the former ones, which, although they
were lefs direct and }efs fimple, were neverthelefs
made on the blood. This fhows us how cautious
we ought to be in the inferences we draw from ex-
periments ; and at the fame time proves to us, that
we know little or nothing, at leaft with any cer-
tainty, and without incurring the rifk of being de-
ceived, beyond that which is demonstrated to us by
experiment alone,

But

ON POISONS. 327

But in what way are we now to reconcile the im-
mediate aftion of the venom of the viper on the
blood, when it is injected by the veins; and the in-
activity of this fame venom, not only on the parts
of an animal recently cut off, but likewife on thofe
that have remained in an entire Hate, and united
with the animal, during a period of 15 or 20 feconds^
after it has been introduced ?

I muft acknowledge that this is a very great diffi»
culty, and that it would be no eafy talk to explain it
in a fatisfa&ory way. It appears that there can be
nothing deficient in the parts that are Hill connect-
ed with the animal when they are bit by the viper.
It even feems probable that thefe cafes have an ad-
vantage over thofe in which the trial is made on the
blood, fince both the mufcular fibres and nerves
are wounded by the viper's teeth, inilead of which
the venom, when injected into the vefTels, certainly
touches neither one nor the other of thefe parts.
What is then the caufe that retards the difeafe of
the venom for feveral feconds in the part of an ani-
mal that has been bit ; and how it is that the ve-
nom does not produce any difeafe in the parts that
are either cut off and bit immediately after, or are
cut off immediately after they are bit.

It is probable that there may be an unknown
principle in the blood circulating in the vefFe.ls,
which ceafes to exift the moment this fluid is drawn
out of them, and which is likewife no longer to be
found in the parts that are recently feparated from
the body of an animal. This principle, granting

Y4 the

328 F O N T A N A

the fuppofition, therefore, poffeffes fuch very
active and fubtile qualities, that it is diflipated at
the very moment the part is feparated from the
animal.

We have feen that the venom fcarcely comes
[ in contact with the blood in a veffel, when the moil
violent derangements are produced. The animal
fufFers extremely, and the blood is condenfed in an
inftant. If this fame venom is mixed with the
blood as it flows warm from a veffel that has been
opened ; or if it is introduced into any part of a
mufcle that has been feparated an inftant before; it
produces no effect, and no appearance of difeafe is
obferved, nor any condenfation of humours. Here,
however, every thing is the fame, unlefs it be that
in the cafe in which the venom is introduced into
the veffel, there is a blood circulating with the reft
pf the humours, and always covered by the cpats of
the veffels ; inftead of which, the blood that is
drawn from a vein is out of the torrent of the cir-
culation ; and that of the parts which have been rer
cently cut off has already been in contact with the
air, and the veffels which contain it are open. —
However it may be, fince the effects are very differ^
ent from each other, the circumftances muft be fo
likewife ; and the only conclufion we can draw, as
to the humour contained in a veffel, and the hu«
mour drawn out of a veffel, is, that there exifts in the
firft cafe, fomething that is not to be met with ig
jhe fecond.

Agreeably

ON POISONS. 329

Agreeably to this hypothefis, this new principle
which exifls or refides in the blood, in the veffels
of a living animal, does not produce the fame ef-
fects every where equally, and in the fame time.
The venom has no fooner united itfelf with the
blood in the jugular vein, than the animal is at-
tacked by a very violent difeafe, and the blood is
coagulated a very few inflants after. Inflead of
which, in the parts that are more diftant from the
heart, where the veffels are fmaller, it requires a
certain time for the difeafe to difcover itfelf, and
for any fenfible change to take place in the part
into which the venom has been introduced.

It thererefore appears, that this principle ob-
ferves certain laws in governing the animal eco-
nomy, and that it is itfelf fubject to certain regu-
lations.

In the cafes in which the difeafe is the mod re-
mote from the heart, and the leafl dangerous, the
blood coagulates by degrees, is driven back to the
parts bitten, and affords time and opportunity for
the efforts of nature to overcome the difeafe, and
to preferve the circulation in the organs the moft
neceffary to life.

But at length what is this new principle, and what
are the organs that fecrete it, and convey it to the
veins ?

In this very difficult enquiry, it appeared to me
that experiment could alone furnim me with fome
light, and conduct me to fome new truth. But
where are the experiments to begin ?

3 CHAPTE.R

33°

F O N T A N A

CHAPTER IV.

Experiments on the Nerves,

xN the long courfe of my experiments on the
venom of the viper, and in collecting together the
circumflances and ideas that prefented themfelves,
I never lofl light of the principle of fenfation in an
animal, which appeared to me to be adled on by
the venom of the viper. I have in confequence of
this, judged it necefTary to examine the nerves in
which it reiides, or which are the organ and inftru-
ment of it.

Mead fays, in the introduction to his work on
Poifons, that having better confidered the nature
and quality of the fymptoms of the bite of the
viper in animals, he is certain that this difeafe is
altogether nervous, and that it is communicated by
the medium of the nerves, and not of the veffels.
In confequence of this theory, he has recourfe to
the animal fpirits, againf! which he believes that
the immediate ad ion of the venom of the viper is
exercifed. Indeed if we examine the fymptoms
that this venom produces in animals, we are eaiily
led to believe that a difeafe of fuch a nature belongs
to the clafs of difeafes which the phyficians flile

i nervous,

ON POISONS. 33I

nervous. In the courfe of my experiments, I
have feen a pretty large dog fall down motionlefs,
the moment after it had been bit by two vipers. I
at firft thought it dead, but at length perceived
fome little remains of refpiration, which was, how-
ever, fo flight and feeble, that it could fcarcely be
diftinguifhed. The dog continued in this lethar-
gick ftate for more than half an hour. 1 have feen
feveral others thrown by the venom into very vio-
lent convulsions. Vomiting, anxiety, and- rage^
occur very frequently ; the motion of the heart is
irregular and convulfive, and the arterial fyftem
hard and contracted. In fliort, they die in the
midft of the moil unequivocal fymptoms of fpafms
and contractions, and, in a word, with the affections
that are by the faculty termed nervous.

Another idea occurred to me, that perhaps an
active principle, a fubtile fluid, is fecreted by the
nerves themfelves, which, when it mixes with the
blood, contrives in fome way to animate it, to ren-
der it vital, and to maintain its fluidity. In this
cafe, the action of the venom of the viper may
perhaps have been directed againft this principle
itfelf-; and thus we may explain, why it is that the
blood, when drawn from the veflels, and in the
open air, is no longer fufceptible to the aftion of
this venom.

.Exj>e+

332 F O N T A ,N A

Experiments on the Nerves, Spinal I,l^row9 and
Brain 3 of Frogs.

I opened the belly of a frog, and laid bare the
crural nerves. I poured a fmall quantity of venom
on thefe nerves, taking care that it did not fpread
to the furrounding parts. At the end of two
hours I pricked the nerves with the point of a needle,
and the rnufcles of the foot contracted. At the
end of four hours, however, no part of the animal
was fenfible to ftimulation. A frog intended for a
companion, lived twelve hours, notwithstanding I
had opened the abdomen, lacerated the inteitines,
and punctured the lungs.

I" repeated this experiment twice, and the event
was each time pretty much the fame. I began,
however, on a little confideration, to think the me-
thod I had adopted fallacious. It is almoft impof-
fible to prevent the venom, when applied to the
nerves, from communicating to the adjacent parts.
In this cafe, the difeafe, or death, of the frog, may
be the effect of the communication of venom to the
other parts of the animal, and not the confequence
of its contact with the nerve itfelf.

I changed my mode of experimenting, but Hill
employed the fame animals.

I cut off the heads of two frogs, alike in fize, and
touched the fpinal marrow of one of them, but not
of the other, repeatedly with the venom. At the

end

on poisons, 333

end of three hours the venomed frog appeared to
be dead, whilft the other continued to live, and to
leap about.

1 introduced a pin into the fpinal marrow of the
frog to which the venom had been applied. Its
fore-legs remained motionlefs, but there was a
flight tremulus in the feet. The heart and auricles
likewife had a fmall degree of motion. In an hour
more every part was at reft. The fecond frog
leaped about the chamber at the end of twenty-four
hours.

I cut off the head of another frog, and introduced
a drop of venom into the fpinal marrow. At the
end of an hour the frog fcarcely gave any figns of
life. On opening the breaft, the heart and auricles
feemed llill to preferve fome degree of motion,
which was however perceived with difficulty. A
pin introduced into the fpinal marrow, occafloned
an almoft imperceptible motion of the fore-legs and
feet. The heart, however, on being ftimulated,
performed its ofcillations for a long time.

I cut off the head of a frog, and removed a fmall
portion of the fpinal marrow. I introduced by the
great opening of the vertebras, a drop of venom.
At the end of two hours the frog was to appearance
dead. The heart fcarcely preferved fome little re-
mains of motion,, which were not encreafed by fti-
mulation. A pin introduced into the fpinal mar-
row was barely capable of exciting a feeble motion
in fome of the mufcles,

I cut

334 * ° N * A it XA

I cut off the head of another frog, and having
removed a fmall portion of the fpinal marrow,
introduced a drop of venom into the great foramen,
At the end of "three hours the frog appeared to be
dead. Having opened the thorax, I remarked that
the heart was itili irritable ; a pin, however, that
I introduced into the fpinal marrow fcarcely occa-
fioned a feniible contraction of the feet.

I repeated this experiment on two other frogs,
and the refult was pretty much the fame as in the
above experiments. The death of the frogs fue-
ceeded the operation and introduction. of the venom
in a fpace" of betwixt two and three hours. The
heart was fomewhat irritable, but the mufcles were
little fo, or not at ail, notwithstanding my Simu-
lating the fpinal marrow with a needle.

I now thought it proper to make a little variation
in my experiments.

I removed a portion of the cranium of a frog,
and applied a fmall quantity of venom to the brain.
At the end of four hours the frog was dead, and the
heart infenfible to every Simulation. On pricking
the fpinal marrow with a needle, not the fmalleft
motion was reSored in it.

I opened the cranium of another frog, and ap-
plied a drop of venom to the brain. The frog fur-
vived this operation two hours, at the end of which
time the heart had ftill retained a flight degree of
motion ; it was fhrivelled, black, and contracted.
On Simulating the fpinal marrow, there was an al-
moS infenfible contraction of the mufcles.

I re-

on poisons. 335

I repeated this experiment on the brain of four
other frogs, and the confequences were very analo-
gous to thofe of the two preceding ones. How-
ever having removed the cranium of the two frogs
without applying the venom to the brain, by way
of a comparative experiment, they both died in the
fpace of ten liours.

The confequence of thefe experiments appearing
ncithet furBciently clear nor uniform, I had once more
recourfe to the cutting off of the heads, thinking
that by dint of multiplying my experiments in that
way, I might allure myfelf of the action of the
venom on the nerves.

I cut off the heads of two frogs, and applied
venom to the fpinal marrow of one of them, but
did not venom that of the other. At the end of
three hours the venomed frog was to appearance
•lead; the other was ilill living, and had a free
motion in all its parts. I introduced a pin, which
had been dipped in venom, into the vertebral open-
ing of the firft frog, and it excited a very feeble
motion of the feet, but had no fuch effect on the
fore-legs. I fcarcely Simulated the fpinal marrow
of the other frog with a needle, when the frog
leaped about brifely. At the end of the fourth
.hour there was not the fmalleft perceptible degree
of motion in the venomed frog, and neither the
heart nor auricles were any longer fenfible to
ftimuli. The other frog was ilill leaping about -at
the end of thirty hours.

I cut

336 F O N T A N A

I cut off the head of another frog, and introduced
the venom into the fpinal marrow. At the end of
two hours the frog was to appearance dead. Hav-
ing opened the thorax, the heart was motionlefs,
and even infenfible to ftimulations. The fpinal
marrow, when likewife Simulated, fcarcely excited
any degree of motion in the feet*

I repeated this experiment, obferving the fame
circumftances, on another frog. At the end of
three hours I found it dead. The heart and muf*
cles were perfectly motionlefs. On treating ano-
ther frog in the fame way, the confequences were
altogether fimilar.

I cut off the head of another5 frog, and applied ve-
nom to the fpinal marrow. At the end of five hours
the frog flill retained fome feeble figns of life* On
opening the thorax, I found the heart motionlefs |
it however renewed its ofcillations on being touched.
The confequences of all thefe experiments toge-»
ther may reafonably induce us to fufpect, that the
venom of the viper adts on the nerves, and that
when it is applied to thefe parts in frogs, it pro-
duces a mortal difeafe. But this mode of experi-
menting is not entirely irreproachable. The fpinal
marrow and brain are too fmall to enable us to be
certain that the venom does not communicate to the
adjacent parts. No precaution whatever can in my
opinion prevent this. When the venom is applied,
it is too near to the velTels and other parts; and
how indeed can it be kept from the blood-velTels o{

both brain and fpinal marrow ?

This

on poisons* 537

This enquiry is too important to be confined to
the limits of fimple probability, I ftill flattered
myfelf, that the purfuit of it would tend very much
to the obtaining of a true knowledge of the venom
of the viper and its qualities, and of the animal eco-
nomy itfelf.

With this view I formed a plan of experiments,
to be made on the nerves of the largeft rabbits I
could procure* This animal is hard to kill, and as
it is gentle in its nature, may be managed agreeably
to one's wifh ; it is likewife not fo fmall, but that
its nerves may ferve for the moil decifive experi:
ments*

Experiments on the fciatick Nerve of Rabbits*

I made choice of the fciatick nerve as the fubjedfc
of my principal experiments. I removed the hair
with fciflars from the fkin that covers the great
gluteus mufcle, and made an incifion, beginning on
the great trochanter, and descending in a direction
with the thigh* I detached the anteriour part of the
gluteus mufcle from the os innominatum and tro-
chanter, and gradually raifed the mufcle with my
fingers, freeing it from the adipofe membrane. A
little cuftom in thefe experiments, enables one to
make them in lefs than two minutes, and in fuch a
way, that after removing the fmall quantity of
blood which flows from the integuments, it is not
fucceeded by any frefh hemorrhage that is capable

VqjuL Z ef

338 F O N T A N A

of retarding or difturbing the operation. Now,
holding the' great gluteus mufcle with one of my
hands, I paffed, with the affiftance of fmall pincers,
a piece of fine linen in feveral folds under the fcia-
tick nerve, upon which, being in this Hate, I began
my experiments.

Having got ready one of the fciatick nerves of a
large rabbit, in the way I have juft defcribed, I
wounded it in feveral places with a venomous tooth.
The rabbit fhook itfelf a little at the time of my
doing this. At the end of twenty hours it ate, and
feemed in full vigour. It died however at the end
of feven days, with a large wound in the part that
had been cut. This experiment was not made fo
well as it mould have been ; more than half the glu-
teus mufcle was cut, and there was a great he-
morrhage.

I laid one of the fciatick nerves of another rab-
bit perfectly bare, pafling beneath it feveral folds
of linen. I then wounded it, in upwards of twenty
places, with the venomous teeth of two vipers.
The rabbit fcarcely gave any figns of feeling pain,
and at the end of ten hours, ate and appeared lively.
It was in this flate at the end of twenty-four hours,
but died at the end of forty-eight. The nerve was
marked here and there with dark red fpots ; the
parts about it were violently inflamed ; and the
blood in the auricles and heart black and coagulated.
In wounding the part with the venomous teeth,
I took the greateft care imaginable to prevent the
venom from communicating to the adjacent parts;
2 and

on poisons. 339

and conftantly covered the nerve after I had wound-
ed it.

Having got ready one of the fciatick nerves of
another rabbit, I paiTed under it the ufual folded
linen, and wounded the nerve in feveral places with
the venomous teeth of two vipers, I covered the
nerve well with linen, and Hitched up the ikin. I
had obferved this latter precaution in the preceding
experiments.

The nerve was prepared for the introduction of
the venom in lefs than two minutes, and the he*
morrhage from the integuments was very flight in-
deed. Notwithstanding this the rabbit died at the
end of eighteen hours. The nerve was to appear-
ance in its natural ftate. The blood in the heart
and auricles was black 'and grumous. The muf-
cles in the vicinity of the nerve were a little in-
flamed, and there was a degree of lividnefs on their
fuperficies.

Thefe experiments, although few in number, and
not diftinguifhed by any great uniformitv, began
however to make me fufpect, that the bite of the
viper is lefs dangerous to the nerve, than to many
other parts of an animal. The rabbits lived much
longer than one would naturally have conceived,
and notwithftanding it appears that they all died
fooner or later, I conjectured that here, as in the
cafes of the tendons, the venom might have com-
municated to the neighbouring parts, and that the
animal might probably have died rather from this,
than from any other caufe.

Z 2 A*

340 F O N T A N A

As a ftill further precaution in purfuing thefe ex-
periments, I had recourfe to the piece of lead I had
before made ufe of, putting it betwixt the folds of
the linen. In this way the nerve was very well fe-
cured from the other parts, and it did not feem pof-
fible for the venom to fpread beyond it*

I wounded a fciatick nerve of a rabbit in feveral
places, after having got it ready in this way, with
the venomous teeth of two vipers ; covering it with
linen, and binding it up fecurely afterwards. Dur-
ing the time employed in forcing the teeth into the
nerve, the rabbit cried out feveral times, and was
feized with violent convulfions. It died at the end
of twenty hours. All the mufcles about the nerve
were livid and fphacelated for their whole fubftance;
and the fphacelus extended for the whole length of
the leg. The lungs were fpotted ; and the nerve
itfelf was likewife covered with red and livid fpots.
The blood in the auricles and great venous veffels
was black and coagulated.

The circumftances that accompany this experi-
ment are fufficient to induce one to believe, that the
venom of the viper has in effect a flrong action on
the nerves. The fphacelus of fo many mufcles,
even" of thofe that were diftant from the wounded
part, made a great impreffion on me. I, however,
did not on this account terminate my experiments.

Having laid one of the fciatick nerves of another
rabbit perfectly bare, 1 wrapped it carefully in the
linen, in which I had not, however, enclofed the
bit of lead. I now wounded it in feveral places with.

the

e n poisons. 341

the teeth of two vipers, and covered it with li-
nen as'ufual. The rabbit died at the end of thirty-
two hours. The nerve was but little redder than it
naturally is, and was not fpottcd. The blood in the
auricles and large verTels was but /lightly coagulated.
When I opened the rabbit, I found it ftill to pofTefs
a degree of warmth.

This experiment is very different from the pre-
ceding one, and fhows how little confidence we ought
to place in experiments themfelves, however nicely
they may have been made, unlefs they are in a great
number, and agree with each other.

I laid bare a fciatick nerve of another rabbit, and
wrapped it carefully in the folded linen, in which I
had previouily enclofed the bit of lead. I wounded
it in feveral places with the venomous teeth of two
vipers, and afterwards covered it fecurely. The
rabbit died at the end of thirty-two hours. Several
parts of the nerve were red, and there were livid
fpots in it. The mufcles adjacent to it were in their
natural Hate ; but the lungs were livid and fpotted.
The heart, auricles, and principal verTels, were fill-
ed with black grumous blood.

I repeated in four other rabbits, the application
of venom to one of the fciatick nerves, but with
fome little change in the circumftances. I appre-
hended, that probably the linen which enclofed the
nerve on all fides, and remained on the wound,
might occaiion the death of the animal, and the de-
rangements we have obferved. It therefore became
aeceflary to feparate thefe two circumftances,

Z 3 and

£42 F O N T A N A

and to remove the linen after wounding the nerve
with the venomous teeth. Before the linen was re*
moved, I wiped the venom carefully from the fur-
face of the nerve with fmall brumes, which I repeat-
edly changed. After this, I dipped bits of linen
in water, and holding them with pincers, employed
them in warning the whole extent of the nerve.
The linen I had pafTed under the nerve, folded up-
wards of ten times, prevented the water from com-
municating to the adjacent parts0 I now removed
this linen, and threw on the nerve a confiderable
quantity of water, which warned at once, nerve,
mufcles, &c. fo that it was not poffible for any par-
tide of venom, however fmall, to continue lodged
in the parts that furrounded the nerve.

Thefe four rabbits all died in lefs than thirty-fe-
ven hours. In three of them no fenfible change
was to be obferved in the parts adjacent to the ve-
nomed nerve. The mufcles, except that they
were a little redder than ufual, were in their natu-
ral Hate.

1 confefs that on one hand it did not appear poffi-
ble to me, that the venom could, notwithstanding
all the precautions I had taken, have been commu-
cated to the furrounding parts ; and on the other
hand, I could not find any fymptom of difeafe, any
effect of the venom, in the mufcles adjacent to the
venomed nerve. The death of the animal was the
moll conftant refult in thefe experiments ; and this
did not however take place till very late, and was
not attended with either fpafms or convulfions. If

frhs

on poisons. 343

the bite of the viper is really venomous to the
nerves of animals, it is certain that it acts on thefe
parts with lefs force and activity than on many others.
As this enquiry appeared to me a very important
one, I thought it proper to perfevere, making fome
little change in my experiments.

Experiments on the Sciatick Nerve, divided in its upper

Fart.

I laid bare the fciatick nerve of a rabbit on one
fide, in the ufual way, and with a pair of fcifTars di-
vided it in its upper part, as near to the vertebrae
as poffible. The cleared part of the fciatick nerve,
towards the extremity, was about an inch and aa
half in length. I wrapped it in linen, which was
as ufual in feveral folds, wounded it in feveral places
with venomous teeth, and covered it fecurely, to
prevent the venom from communicating to the fur-
rounding parts. The rabbit died at the end of thir-
ty-fix hours.

I opened it whilft it was yet warm. The blood,
in' the heart and auricles was black, but not gru-
mous. The mufcles adjacent to the nerve were
fomewhat inflamed.

I laid bare one of the fciatick nerves of another
rabbit, and divided it in the manner defcribed above.
I wrapped it in linen, wounded it with venomous
teeth, and covered it. The rabbit died at the end
of eighteen hours. The nerve in fome parts was

Z 4 dari.

344 ** FONTANA

dark and livid ; the adjacent mufcles were in a very
flight degree inflamed ; and the blood in the heart
Hill fluid.

The principal aim of this method of experiment-
ing, was to fee what effed: the venom of the viper
would produce, when applied immediately to a
nerve, leading it is true to an organized part, and
one endued with fenfation, but which had no lon-
ger any immediate communication with the life of
the animal. The action of the venom in the two
above cafes could not in any poflible way be com-
municated from the nerve to the animal, and could
not awaken in it any immediate pain or fenfation.
This however did not prevent the nerve from com-
municating the difeafe of the venom to the inferiour
part in which it terminated. It mull be obferved,
that in this part the humours continue in motion as
before ; that the mufcles are in their entire natural
ftate ; that the fibres ftill preferve their irritability ;
and that the part retains itsfeniibility, in confequence
of the other nerves that terminate there. With all
this, no difeafe is obferved in it. There is no tu-
mour, no gangrene nor fphacelus, and no extravafa-
tion of black and grumous blood.

Thinking, however, that two experiments alone,
would not be fufficient to render this particular,
which is of fo much importance, certain, I was de-
sirous of repeating them in the fame way.

I deftined fix rabbits to this purpofe, and in each
of them laid bare and divided one of the fciatick
serves, wpunding it as ufual with the venomous

teeth,

ON POISOKS 345

teeth, and covering it carefully with linen. Thefe
rabbits all died, twe in eighteen hours, the other
four before the expiration of thirty- fix. The adja-
cent mufcles were in their natural flate, and the
nerves, in a greater or lefs degree, dark and fpotted.
It is therefore certain, that the venom of the vi-
per is not communicated by the nerve to the parts
into which that nerve enters and ramifies ; not-
withftanding it is true that the animal dies on which
this experiment is made.

Experiments on the Sciatick Nerve, divided in its in-
feriour Part.

But if the difeafe of the venom is not communi-
cated to the parts beneath that in which the nerve
has been divided, it may neverthelefs be communi-
cated to the upper parts, with which the nerve ftill
preferves its former union and correfpondence en-
tire. The animal continues to be feniible to the
fmalleft violence offered to the nerve, which confe-
quently never ceafes to be an organ and inftrument
of fenfation, and in which that principle, whatever
it may be, ftill exifls, that produces fenfation in the
machine.

Having laid bare the fciatick nerve in the ufual
way, inftead of dividing it in the upper part towards
the vertebras, I divided it in the inferiour part to-
wards the feet. The cleared part of the nerve was,
3S ufual, about an inch and an half in length. I

wrapped

346 F O N T A N A

wrapped it in linen as in the preceding experiments,
and wounded it with the venomous teeth, taking
care to cover the whole carefully, to prevent the
communication of the venom to the adjacent parts.

The following are the experiments I made in this
way :

The fciatick nerve of a rabbit being laid bare, I cut
it in the inferiour part towards the feet, and wrap-
ped it in linen which had been folded feven times.
I now wounded it repeatedly with the venomous
teeth of two vipers, and, in the midft of this opera-
tion, the rabbit exhibited llrong marks of pain. It
died at the end of twenty hours. The nerve was
lpotted and livid, as were likewife the lungs. The
blood in the heart was black and grumous ; but the
mufcles about the nerve fcarcely feemed to have
undergone the fmalleU: change.

This experiment feems to confirm us flill more
in the opinion, that the venom is not communi-
cated to the mufcles adjacent to the nerve, and that
there is no local difeafe in thefe parts.

I laid bare the fciatick nerve of another rabbit,
cut it in its inferiour part, and wounded it as ufual
with the venomous teeth of two vipers. The rabbit
cried out and writhed itfelf during the ad of wound-
ing the nerve, and died at the end of fixteen hours.
The nerve was livid and inflamed in feveral parts.
The lungs were covered with large black fpots.
The heart, auricles, and large venous veflels, con-
tained black grumous blood. All the adipofe mem-
brane covering the mufcles of the abdomen, was
+ inflamed,

ON POISONS. 347

"inflamed, and inner part of the ikin was fo likewife.
The ikin, adipofe membrane, and mufcles towards
the breaft, were all gangrened. The mufcles adja-
cent to the nerve were livid for the depth of a line.

This experiment is very different from the pre-
ceding one, and may induce one ftrongly to fufpect,
that the venom of the viper is alfo venomous to the
nerves, and that in thefe cafes, the difeafe of the
venom is communicated to all the parts of the ani-
mal, above that where the nerve has been cut. In
fuch an uncertainty there is no way of coming at
the truth, than that of purfuing the experiments*
It is aim oft impoffible not to obtain, in a long con-
tinuance of them, fome agreement and conftancy in
the effecls.

I divided one of the fciatick nerves of a rabbit in
the ufual way, and having wrapped it in linen,
wounded it with the venomous teeth of two vipers.
The rabbit ihrieked violently at the moment of its
being wounded, and died at the end of thirty-feven
hours. The nerve was full of black and livid fpots,
and the parts adjacent fome what inflamed. The
heart was very hard, and very much fhrivelled. I
did not open the rabbit till upwards of an hour af-
ter its death. The venae cava?, however, ftill ofcil-
lated with force. Their motion began at the part
where they open into the auricle, and they conti-
nued to move for upwards of five hours longer,
nptwith Handing the cavity of the thorax was ex-
pofed to the open air.

Having

348 F O N T A N A

Having divided the fciatick nerve on one fide, of
another rabbit, and wrapped it carefully in linen,
I wounded it in feveral places with the venomous
teeth of two vipers. The rabbit died at the end of fix-
teen hours. The nerve had feveral black fpots on its
furface, and the adjacent mufcles were livid through-
out their whole fubftance. The blood in the heart,
auricles, and large venous veffels, was fluid, and a
little darker than ufual.

I repeated this experiment with the fame circum-
ftances on fix other rabbits, and the confequences
were perfectly analogous to thofe I have related
above* The rabbits all died fooner or later, but nei-
ther of them in lefs than fixteen hours, nor after thir-
[ ty-feven. In fome of them the mufcles circumja-
cent to the nerve were inflamed and livid through-
out their whole fubftance ; and in others, on the
contrary, they were fimply a little redder than ufual.
The blood in the heart, in fome of the cafes, was fluid,
and in the others coagulated. The mufcles, adi-
pofe membrane, and fkin, of the breafl, were in-
flamed in only one inftance. The only thing con-
ftant in thefe experiments was the death of the ani-
mal.

We may, in my opinion, deduce in general, from
the experiments I have thus far related on the nerves,
that the changes obferved in the mufcles adjacent to
the fciatick nerve, or thofe in other parts of the ani-
mal, are entirely accidental ; fince they fometimes
exift, and fometimes do not.

Experiment*

ON POISONS. 349

Experiments on the Sciatick Nerve, on which a Liga-
ture was made.

A new fpecies of experiments 'remained to be
made on the nerves, which might probably decide
the queftion. I reflected that the nerve could only
communicate the difeafe of the venom to the ani-
mal, in confequence of there being a free commu-
nication betwixt the nerve and the animal itfelf, and
thought of putting an entire flop to this communi-
cation, without even cutting the nerve. We know
that a thread which makes a fmall prefTure on a
nerve, entirely prevents this communication; that
the mufeje no longer obeys the will of the animal ;
and that the nerve is no longer the inftrument or or-
gan, either of motion or fenfation.

In confequence of this hypothecs, I laid bare
the fciatick nerve on one fide, of a rabbit, and tied
it ftrongly in two parts with a thread. There was a
portion of nerve betwixt the two ligatures of more
than ten lines. I covered it with a piece of linen in
feveral folds, and wounded it repeatedly with the
venomous teeth of two vipers, taking care to co-
ver all the parts about it effectually, to prevent a
communication of the venom. The rabbit died at
the end of fixteen hours. The part of the nerve
betwixt the ligatures was white ; the mufcles adja-
cent to the nerve were but very little redder than
lifual ; the heart, auricles, and great venous veffels,

were

250 F O N TANA

were filled with a fluid blood, fcarcely darker than
it is in its natural (late.

I laid bare the fciatick nerve on one fide, of ano-
ther rabbit, and tied it in the way I have juft de-
fcribed. I then wounded it betwixt the two liga-
tures with venomous teeth, and covered it with
linen. The rabbit died at the end of eighteen
hours. The nerve was in its natural ftate. The
adjacent mufcles were red and livid, for the depth
of four lines and more.

Having laid bare one of the fciatick nerves of
another rabbit, I wounded it as above. The rab-
bit died at the end of feventeen hmirs. The nerve
was in its natural Hate, and the mufcles about it
fcarcely inflamed.

Thefe three experiments fhow, that thfc greater
or lefs degree of inflammation and lividity in the
mufcles adjacent to the fciatick nerve, is not owing
to the venom ; and that even the death of the animal
may arife from fome other caufe. It is very cer-
tain, that in the cafes in which the nerve is tied, we
do not fee any livid fpots on this part; and, confe-
quently, that they are occafioned by the free com-
munication of the nerve with the animal.

I repeated this experiment, with the fame cir-
cumftances, on four other rabbits,- all of which died
in lefs than nineteen hours. The nerve in each of
them was white, and in its natural ftate. The ad-
jacent mufcles in two of them were fcarcely in-
flamed^ in the other two they were livid for a cer-
tain

© N POISONS. 3$t

tain depth. In one of thefe two laft, a part of the
pectoral mufcles was inflamed.

I confefs, that in combining all thefe experi-
ments together, I find nothing that can give me the
fmalleft fufpicion, of the nerve being a means of
communicating the venom of the viper to an ani-
mal, and of exciting in it the difeafe this venom
occaiions. It is true, that there are livid fpots on
the venomed nerve, which are not obferved when
it is tied ; but may not thefe be purely mechanical,
and the effecl: of the wounds made by the teeth ?
And even though they mould be occafioned by the
venom itfelf, does it on that account follow, that
the venom a&s on the nerve, as a venom and not
otherwife ? Is it therefore demonftrated, that the
nerve ought to communicate it to the other parts
of the animal ?

We are now acquainted with the confequences
that enfue from the application of the venom to the
fciatick nerve ; when this nerve is entire ; wh, 1 it
is cut, as wrell above as below ; and laftly, when
there are two ligatures made in it. It remains to
compare all the effe&s already known, with thofe
that will be obferved, in inflicting on the nerve
fimple mechanical wounds. After what we have
feen, thefe comparative experiments can leave no
future doubt.

As the experiments thus far related on the fcia-
tick nerve, were made in three different ways, Co I
fhall divide the comparative experiments into three
correfponding claffes,

Expe-

%$t F O N T A N A

Experiments on the Sciatick Nerve, in which tnecha*
nical IVounds were made.

Having laid bare the fciatick nerve on one fide, of
a rabbit, and wrapped it, as ufual, in linen, to the
end that all the circumftances might agree with
thofe of the preceding experiments, I wounded it
in feveral places with a viper's tooth, that had been
dried for upwards of a month, and had been carefully
walhed in water, to remove all fufpicion of its con-
cealing any venom. The rabbit appeared to fuffer
violently when the tooth pierced the nerve* It
died at the end of twenty-four hours. The nerve
was in feveral parts red and livid ; the mufcles ad-
jacent to it were inflamed and dark, and thefe ap-
pearances extended to the lower part of the leg.
The abdominal mufcles and integuments were like-
wife inflamed. The right ventricle contained gru-
mous blood.

I laid bare one of the fciatick nerves of another
rabbit, and having wrapped it in linen as ufual, I
pierced it in feveral places with the point of a fine
needle. The animal fhrieked terribly, and died at
the end of thirty-fix hours. There were feveral
dark fpots in the nerve, and the parts adjacent to it
were fomewhat inflamed. The blood in the heart
was black and coagulated.

Having laid bare one of the fciatick nerves of

another rabbit, and wrapped it in linen, I pricked

3 it

ON POISONS* 3£3

it federal times with a needle. The rabbit exhi-
bited marks of pain, and died at the end of twenty-
feven hours. The mufcles about the nerve were
fomewhat livid and inflamed, and the nerve itfelf
covered all over with red and black fpots. The
blood in the heart was black and coagulated.

Several important truths are demonflrated by
thefe experiments*

I. That the livid and red fpots of the nerve are
the effect of fimple mechanical wounds.

II. That the death of the rabbits is owing to
the fimple wound of the nerve, and not to the
venom.

III. That the venom of the viper, communicated
to the nerves, neither occafions in any degree the
clifeafe of the venom, nor haflens the death of the
animal.

IV. And Iaftly, that the venom of the viper is al*
together innocent to the nerves, having no greater
action on them than pure water, or the limple folu-
tion of gum arabick in diitilled water. I have af-
fured myfelf by other experiments, that it is not at
all offenfive to thefe organs.

The experiments 1 have juft related were hot yet
fufficient to fatisfy and convince me perfectly. I
knew by experience how eafy it is to be milled by
facts, when they are but few in number, and was,
therefore defirous of repeating the fame procefs
over again on four other rabbits. The event was
perfectly fimilar to that of the three cafes related
above. The rabbits all died ; the fsiatick nerve,

Vol, I. A a . in

354 * O N ? A ft A

in each of them, was more or lefs covered with
livid and red fpots ; the adjacent mufcles were, in
a greater or lefs degree, inflamed and livid ; and
the blood in the heart was in general black and
coagulated*

Experiments on the Sciatick Nerve*

Having laid bare the fciatick nerve on one fide,
of a rabbit, I tied it in two places with a thread,
and pricked it feveral times with a needle betwixt
the two ligatures. The rabbit died at the end of
thirty-three hours. The lungs had feveral dark
fpots; the nerve was white, and in its natural ftate;
the blood in the heart was dark, but fluid. The
rabbit, when I opened it, was Hill warm.

Having laid bare the fciatick nerve on one fide,
of a fecond rabbit, and tied it in two places, I prick-
ed it betwixt the two ligatures with a needle. The
rabbit died at the end of eighteen hours. The nerve
was white, and in its natural ftate ; the blood in the
heart black and coagulated ; and the mufeles that
grounded the nerve red and livid.

I repeated this experiment on two other rabbits,
tying the nerve, and pricking it with a needle, as
ufual. Both rabbits died ; one at the end of thirty-
hours, the other at the end of thirty-five. The
nerves were in a natural ftate, but the mufcles were
inflamed, and in one of the rabbits, livid for a con-

fiderable

OH ? O I S O N S. g5£

ftderable depth. The blood in the heart was black
and grumous.

Experiments on the Sciatkk Nerve divided above an$
below.

Having laid bare the fciatick nerve of a rabbity
I divided it in its inferiour part, and wrapped it in
linen, in the way I had done in all the cafes related
above. I pricked it feveral times with a needle*
The rabbit gave repeated ihrieksfj and died at the
end of thirty-feven hours. The nerve was covered
with black and livid fpots ; the adjacent parts were
fomewhat inflamed, and the heart ihrunk, and very-
hard. The venae cavae continued to move for five
hours after I had opened the thorax, their motion
beginning at where they arife from the auricles.
t I divided the fciatick nerve of another rabbity
and having wrapped it in linen, pricked it feveral
times with the point of a needle. The rabbit died
at the end ,of fifty-four hours. There were black
fpots in feveral parts of the nerve; the mufcles
about it were fcarcely inflamed ; the blood in the
heart was in a fluid Hate.

I made the fame experiment on another rabbit,
the fciatick nerve of which, when divided, I prick-
ed feveral times with a needle. The rabbit died
at the end of thirty hours. The nerve was in feve-
ral places red and livid; the mufcles were livid
A a a and

W

F © N T A N A

and inflamed; and the blood in the heart black
and grumous.

I was defirous of repeating the fame experiment,
with precifely the fame circumflances, on four other
rabbits, all of which died in lefs than forty hours,
and one of them before the expiration of eighteen.
The mufcles in all of them were in a greater or lefs
degree inflamed, and the nerve more or lefs red and
livid. The blood in the heart, in fome of them
only, was black and coagulated.

Seeing that all thefe experiments correfpond in
a certain degree, both with each other, and with
the relative ones of the venomed nerves, I did not
think it neceflary to make a great number of trials
on the fciatick nerve cut in the upper part. I
therefore made only two, and thefe agreed in their
confequences with thofe of a fimilar kind in which
I employed the venom,

I do not conceive that any doubt can remain
after thefe experiments, as to the entire innocence
of the venom of the viper, applied to the fciatick
nerve, and as to the impoffibility of the bite of
this animal producing the difeafe of the venom,
when confined to a nerve alone.

This new truth in animal phyflcks is of the
greater!: importance in underflanding the nature of
the venom of the viper, and its aftion on the animal
body. I mult acknowledge, that I had need of all
the experiments on the nerves thus far related, and
which are in fo great a number, and varied fo many
different ways, to be fully and clearly perfuaded of
4 this

on poisons. 357

this tircumftance. Every thing concurred to a be-
lief of the contrary. The rapidity of the difeafe,
the fuddennefs of the death, the momentaneous
lofs of ftrength, the very violent convulsions, the
very acute pain, and, in a word, every fymptomthat
characterizes the difeafes of the nerves, feemed to
exift in the animal when the nerve was bit. It is
however certain, that the venom of the viper does
not communicate itfelf to the other parts by the
medium of the nerves, and that the fubftance of
them, which caufes the fenfation of the animal, and
on which life itfelf feems to depend, is not changed
by the action of this venom. The experiments
are direct, they are in a great number, and varied
exceedingly ; the fact is certain, and the errour
was on our fide, the offspring of prejudice and opi-
nion, and not of nature and experience. On the
other hand, we have feen that the venom of the
viper, introduced into the blood, without touching
any vefTel or any folid part, kills animals inftantly,
bringing on very acute pains, and very violent con-
vulfions, I have feen the relaxed fphincters give
paifage both to the urine and fceces.

Here an occasion prefents itfelf of examining the
principles and grounds on which this doctrine of
theoretical and practical medicine, that afcribes dif-
eafes to the nerves, and fubmits fo many motions
and functions to a nervous principle, is fupported.
The field is fo very extenfive, that, although this
difcuffion might be very ufeful to the practice of
medicine, I cannot allow myfelf a moment's !u>.y

A a 3 in

^53 .' * O N T A H A

in it. It will be fufhcient for the prefent to draw
this general conclufion— that the ufual fymptoms
of nervous difeafes are equivocal and deceptious ;
that they may exift without there being any difeafe
of the nerves ; and that a fimple change in the
blood may be capable of producing all this de-
rangement, and that inftantly.

Had the celebrated Englifh phyfician, Mead,
known that a fmall quantity of the venom of the
viper introduced into the blood, kills a large and
itrong animal almoft inftantly ; and that this venom
is. entirely innocent to the nerves ; he certainly
would not have had recourfe to the animal fpirits,
and to the nerves, to explain the action of the venom
on animals that have been bit. But he was entirely
ignorant of thefe two important truths, which
were likewife unknown to all the other phyiicians
of his time.

Mead employed the fame principle, that is to
fay, the nerves and animal fpirits, to explain the
riature and effedts of the other poifons. The nerves
are affected every where ; the animal fpirits are de-
ranged and in motion everywhere; and tumult and
nervous agitations are obferved every where. He
will have this principle applied, not only to the
effects of the venom of the viper and the other poi-
fons, but likewife to feveral other very violent dif-
eafes, and amongft others, the plague, This theory
is abfolutely falfe as to the venom of the viper,
which it feemed to favour the moft. I do not be-
" any truer as to feveral other poifons2

par-

0 N POISONS.

359

particularly, thofe of the animal kingdom ; and
after the experiments I have made, I do not find it
demonftrated as to the plague, and other difeafes.

When we examine the reafons that have deter-
mined naturalifls and phyficians to recur to the
nerves in explaining thefe difeafes, (whether natural
or the effect of poifon) we find them to be founded
on two principles — the rapidity of the difeafe itfelf ;
and the convulfions and very fudden proflration of
ilrength in the animal.

The firfl of thefe two reafons is of no weight*
fince I have mown, that a very fmall quantity of the
venom of the viper introduced into the blood, kills
an animal in a few inflants ; and the fecond is nei-
ther evident nor certain, fince experiment itfelf
has demonftrated to us, that a little of this venom,
in the fame circumftances, produces very violent
convulfions, and caufes a proflration of ftrength in
the animal in a few moments, notwithflanding it
only touches the fluid parts of the blood. I do not
befides think it difficult to explain the convulfions,
without recurring either to the animal fpirits, or to
the nervous fyflem. In the firfl part of this work,
I have mentioned the circumflance of convulfions
arifing fimply from a want of equilibrium in the
parts, occafioned by the unequal diflribution of
blood in the organs, and by the unequal lofs of irri-
tability in the mufcles. I did not know at that
time, either that the nerve was not obnoxious to the
venom of the viper, or that this venom was mortal
when fimply introduced into the blood. This fub-

Aa 4 je<ft

g6o F O N T A N A

je<5t appears to me of fufficient importance to de-
ferve a work apart. In that work the other poifons
might be examined, as I have done the venom of
the viper ; their effedts might be analized ; and all
the circumfcances attending them might be noted.
What lights might not fuch an undertaking throw
on animal phyficks, on the theory of poifons, and
on medicine itfelf 1 The road is open, and nothing
is needed but a patient and induftrious obferver. I
can venture to promife him, in the courfe of a few
years, the moll: brilliant, and perhaps too, the moft
ufeful, difcoveries.

But let us return to our experiments.

Although I had affured myfelf of the innocence
of the venom of the viper, when applied imme-
diately to the nerves, I had a conflant fufpicion
however, that the nerves might at leaft be neceflary
to the adbion of this venom on the blood. They
might perhaps depofitfome unknown principle, fome
fubtile fiuid, in the velTels of the animal, and this
principle, or fluid, might be eiTential to life, and
likewife to the found ftate of the blood. This was
a new mode of coniidering the adtion of the venom
en the living bo_dy, differing effentially from all the
hypothefes that phyficians had hitherto invented ;
and it remained to know whether the venom of the
viper would produce a difeafe of greater or lefs vio-
lence, on the nervous communication betwixt th$
part bitten and the animal being Hopped.

Bite

OH POISONS, 364

Bite of the Vipr on Frogs that had been deprived of
the Head,

To obtain fome Information on thefe refearches,
I made the following experiments.

I cut off the head of a frog, the leg of which I had
bit, twice by a viper. This was followed by no
fymptom of difeafe in the part.

I cut off the head of another frog, and, after flip-
ping off the ikin, had one of its legs bit repeatedly
by two vipers. The frog has, .no fymptom of dif-
eafe.

I cut off the head of a third frog, which I had bit
repeatedly in the leg, the fluri flill remaining on.
There appeared fome ilight fymptoms of difeafe in
the leg. At the end of two hours I introduced a
pin into the fpinal marrow, and there was fome
fmall degree of motion in the mufcles.

I repeated this experiment on four other frogs
that had been deprived of the head. Three of
them had no lign of difeafe ; in the fourth, there
were fome little indications of it.

Thefe experiments appearing to me neither fuffi-
ciently clear nor uniform, I was defirous of repeat-
ing them on twenty-four other frogs, in which I
cut off the head, as ufual. Twelve were bit in the
leg repeatedly by feveral vipers, and the twelve
others had punctures made in the leg, either with
line needles, or with vipers' teeth dried, and free

from

362 F O N T A N A

from venom. The confequences were very vague,
Of the twelve that were bit, three only had the dif-
eafe of the venom ; and of the twelve that were not
bit, but pricked with needles, or wounded with
venomous teeth, one had fymptoms of inflamma-
tion and lividity in the leg, that might have been
confounded with the fymptoms that accompany
the difeafe of the venom.

We may, I think, fay in general terms, that a
frog deprived of its head, contracts the difeafe of
the venom with greater difficulty on that account;
and that in thefe circumftances the part bitten is
Iefs changed by the venom than otherwife. Thefe
experiments, however, did not throw a fumcient
light on the queftions I propofed to myfelf to clear
up, and I therefore determined to fall on a new
mode of experimenting.

Experiments on Frogs, in which the Spinal Marrow
was divided.

I divided the fpinal marrow of a frog, at two
lines above the part where the nerves that are fent
to the legs and feet, rife out of trie vertebrae. I
then had one of the legs of the animal bit repeat-
edly by two vipers. There was no appearance of
a communication of difeafe.

I repeated this experiment on four other frogs,
and the event was the fame ; I could not obferve
any iign of difeafe in the legs that been bit.

After

OK POISONS. 363

After having feparated the head from four other
frogs, I entirely deftroyed the fpinal marrow with a
bit of wood. I then had the legs of the animals
bit, but could obferve no fubfequent fymptom of
difeafe.

On repeating the experiment of the divided
fpinal marrow on fix other frogs, I found in four
of them not the fmalleft appearance of difeafe.
There was fome doubt as to the fifth, but the
fixth appeared to have a real attack of the difeafe
of the venom.

This laft cafe made me fufpecx the experiments I
have related above on the nerves of frogs, and I
therefore thought it expedient to proceed to fome
experiment that would be more luminous and lefs
equivocal. I procured large rabbits for this pur-
pofe.

Mite of the Viper on the Parts, the Nerves of which
had been divided.

I divided the fciatick and crural nerves of the
right leg of a rabbit. I Hitched up the incifed
fkin, and had the leg bit by three vipers, "each
viper biting thrice. The rabbit returned to its
food a little time after it had been bit, and reco-
vered. At the end of twenty days I employed it in
another experiment. I muft remark, that a degree of
motion ftill continued in the leg, and that I had

my

364 V O & T A K A

my doubts as to the crnral nerve having been tffco
tually divided*

I cut the fciatick and crural nerves of the right
leg of another rabbit, aiiuring myfelf that they
were completely divided. Having flitched up the
fkin, I had the leg bit by three vipers, each of
which bit thrice. The rabbit died at the end of
eighteen hours; the mufcles of the leg that had
been bit were black, livid, fwelled, and fphacelat-
ed \ the abdominal mufcles were inflamed ; as was
alio the whole of the internal part of the ikin.

Thefe two experiments could not have been more
contradictory to each other ; it is however certain,
that in the fecond cafe there was a true difeafe of
the venom. The firft cafe proves nothing more,
than that an animal may, on fome particular occa-
fion, be bit repeatedly, even by feveral vipers, and
not have an attack of the difeafe. Cafes analogous
to this have been related in the preceding parts of
this work.

I cut the fciatick and crural nerves of the leg of
another rabbit ; the nerves were effectually divided,
and the leg had loll all motion. I then had the part
bit by three vipers, repeatedly by each. The rabbit
died at the end of fixteen hours. The mufcles of
the leg were livid and gangrened throughout their
whole fubftance.

I repeated this experiment with the fame clrcum-
ftances on two other rabbits, one of which died at
the end of twenty hours, the other at the end
- enty.fouj*. They had both the moft determin-
ed

OK POISONS. 365

td fymptoms of the difeafe of the venom, in the
leg that had been bit.

Thefe experiments are poiitive and uniform, and
prove indubitably, that it is of no confequence as to
the difeafe of the venom, whether the nerves of the
parts that are bit, are, or are not, cut; or whether
they communicate, or have no longer any commu-
nication, with the animal.

But in thefe experiments, there Hill fubflfts a
nervous communication betwixt the part bitten and
the animal. This communication is formed by
the ikin of the animal that covers the part where the
venom is received. We muft therefore put a flop
likewife to this communication^ by removing the
fein.

. After having divided the fciatick and crural
nerves on one fide, of a rabbit, and Hitched the in*
cifed ikin, I made a circular incilion in the leg, at
four fingers diftance above the part where I had
propoied to have it bit by vipers. As foon as the
incilion was made, I Hitched it all round. I then
had the leg bit repeatedly by three vipers, the teeth
penetrating into the ikin. At the end of two hours
there was no fymptom of difeafe ; at the end of fix:
the part that had been bit was viiibly inflamed ; at
the end of ten, there was an oozing of blood from
the part of the ikin that had been pundtured by the
teeth of the viper ; at the end of twenty-two, the
blood flowed in Hill greater abundance ; at the end
of twenty-four, the part was very much fweiled, but
.no lividnefs was to be difcerned ; at the end of

thirty

3&6 MONTANA

thirty the fkin opened, and a wound formed. The
rabbit after living eight days, was employed on ano-
ther occafion.

In this laft experiment, there can be no doubt but
that the difeafe of the venom was communicated to
the part bitten, although it was not very violent.

I now thought of making a comparative experi-
ment.

For this purpofe I had a rabbit bit repeatedly in
the leg by three vipers, without cutting either the
nerves or the ikin. At the end of eight hours the
leg was fwelled, but not livid* At the end of twen-
ty-two, a cyft. or bladder, filled with -a dark-coloured
humour/ formed betwixt the legs, near the part
that had been bit. The rabbit died at the end of
forty hours. The fkin was broken, and corroded
at the part bitten ; the mufcles of the leg were li-
vid and gangrened ; the heart, auricles, and large
veffels, were filled with black and grumous blood ;
and there were concretions of blood even in the
aorta, which is ufually found empty.

I repeated the preceding experiment on three
other rabbits, and, after dividing the nerves, mak-
ing the circular incifion in the Ikin, and Hitching it*
had each of them bit repeatedly by three vipers^
They all had fymptoms of the difeafe of the venom
in the part bitten.

I had another fufpicion, that there might ftili
fubfift, after all, fome nervous communication be-
twixt the animal and the leg, after the fciatick
nerve was divided. I conjectured that the viper

might

bsc poisofts. ifij

• might have ftruck its teeth on fome fibre of the
great gluteus mufcle, which defcends very low in
the leg. This was a fumcient inducement to nie
to make the following experiments.

I divided the fciatick and crural nerves on one
fide, of a rabbit, and made a circular incifion in the
ikin, which I afterwards ftitched. I had the leg bit
by three vipers, by each repeatedly, but in fo low a
part as to avoid the above-mentioned mufcle. At
the end of two hours the part that had been bit be-
gan to inflame ; at the end of twenty-two the ikin
was broken, but not puffed up; at the end of for-
ty-two the animal was apparently recovered ; and at
the end of eight days, was employed in other pur-
pofes.

I divided the fciatick and crural nerves on one
fide, of another rabbit, and made an incifion, which
I afterwards flitched, for the whole circumference
of the leg. I had the leg bit in its inferiour part
by three vipers, each viper biting thrice. At the
end of eight hours, the ikin burft, and difcharged a.
humour ; at the end of twenty-two this broken ikin
was fwelled and livid ; and at the end of fixty, the
rabbit was in a dying ftate. I opened it, and found
all the mufcles of the leg gangrened, and almoft the
whole of the adipofe membrane that covers the ah*
dominal mufcles full of extravafated blood. The
blood in the heart was in a difiblved ftate.

I divided the fciatick and crural nerves of another
rabbit, and made an incifion in the (kin, which I
flitched, all round the leg. I had the inferiour part

3 of

368 . F O N T A N A

of the leg bit repeatedly by three vipers. At the
end of two hours the part that had been bit was be-
come fwelled -, at the end of eight it was confidera-
bly fo ; at the end of twenty- two, the fkin was
broken, but without fwelling ; at the end of forty-
two hours, there was limply a wound at the part
bitten. The rabbit lived ten days, and was em-
ployed in other experiments.

Thefe experiments fhow, that the venom of the
viper produces its ufual effects on the parts bitten,
notwithstanding all nervous communication has been
Hopped, betwixt thefe and the other parts of the
animal* But it is not yet decided, whether, fup-
poling fome adtive principle which mixes with the
blood to be feparated from the nerve, this princi-
ple does, or does not, ceafe to exiil the inflant the
nerve is divided ; particularly as the nerves ftill re-
main in the part bitten, although they are no longer
the inftruments of fenfation, and voluntary motion.
This reflection made'me fall upon the following ex-
periments.

I divided the fciatick and crural nerves on one
fide, of a rabbit, and likewife made the circular in-
ciiion in the ikin, which I Hitched. I left the part
in this Hate during fixteen hours, and then had it
bit below the incilion by three vipers, each of which
bit repeatedly. The rabbit died at the end of twen-
ty-two hours. All the mufcles of the leg were li-
vid, gangrened, and putrid ; the pericardium was
filled with a tranfparent fluid ; the right ventricle
and right auricle were filled with black grumous

blood ;

on poisons* 369

hlooi ; and the blood in the large veflels Was it%
the fame ftate*

MffeBs of the Bite of the Viper on Rahhits, the fplnkl
Marrow of which was divided,

I fhall conclude my experiments on the pans de^
prived of their nerves, and bit by the viper, by re*
lating three experiments made on rabbits, the fpinal
marrow of which had been entirely cut through. I
divided it beneath the loins, and in fo effectual a
way on all fides> that there could be no fufpiciorx
of any communication of nerves, betwixt the legs
and the other parts of the animal*

The. fpinal marrow of a rabbit having been di*
vided in the way I have juft mentioned, and a circu^
lar incilion round the leg made in the fkin, which I
had ftitched, I had the inferiour part of the leg bit
by three vipers, by each repeatedly. At the end of
an hour, a fmall tumour formed in the part bitten 5
at the end of two this part was very much fwelled^
and very livid ; and the rabbit died at the end of
feven* The part that had been bit was gangrened
all over, and the gangrene penetrated into the whole
fubftance of the mufcles that had been wounded by
the teeth. The blood in the heart was black and
grumous*

I divided the fpinal marrow of another rabbit*
aad by the help of feifTars detached a great portion

b b $i

370 MONTANA

of the fkin that covers the crural mufcles. When
the latter were in this manner laid bare, I had them
bit repeatedly by three vipers. A few minutes af-
ter^ there were fymptoms of the difeafe of the ve-
nom in the part, and the rabbit died at the end of
feven hours. The mufcles that had been bit were
livid and inflamed ; the blood all about them was
extravafated into the cellular membrane ; there
were livid fpots in the lungs; and the heart was
filled with blood, which was almoft in an entire
ftate of diflblution*

I repeated this experiment' on another rabbit,
with the lame circumftances, and the refult was
likewife the fame. The rabbit died at the end of
fix hours, with the mufcles of its leg affected by the
difeafe of the venom.

Thus are we allured, that the nerves which are
fent to the parts bitten, in no way contribute to the
difeafe of the venom of the viper, and that this ve-
nom is altogether innocent to the nerves ; impor-
tant truths we were before ignorant of. What is
ftill hidden from our fight, is the occafion of the
blood, united with the venom, coagulating in an in-
ftant when it is inclofed in the veffels of the ani-
mal, and not coagulating in the open air.

EffOls

ON POISONS* 37*

Effefts of the Venom on the Farts of an Animal, ffli
Circulation of which was interrupted*

I hoped to draw fome information from the expe*
riments which follow. They conMed in examining
the eflfe&s of the bite of the viper, on the parts of
animals in which the arteries and veins had been
previoufly tied by ligature. This was altogether a
novel enquiry, and it was not at a)l amifs to know
the effects that would be produced in iimilar cafes.

I made a ligature in the belly, on the aorta def-
cendens and vena caVa of a rabbit. Having Hitched
the Ikin, I had the leg of the rabbit bit by three vi-
pers, by each repeatedly. The animal died at the
end of nine hours. The leg was gangrened in the
part where the bites had been received, but in no
other*

I divided and removed in the belly of a rabbit,
the arteries and veins that go to the right leg, and
likewife removed a large portion of the fkin of the
leg, which I had bit at the part where the mufcles
were bare, by three vipers, each of which bit thrice.
At the end of an hour there were certain fymptoms
of local difeafe. At the end of two hours the leg

o

was livid at the part bitten, but not elfewhere. The
heart was filled with black andgrumous blood.

I made a ligature, as in the firft experiment, on
the arteries and veins within the belly of two rab-
bits, Each of them was bit repeatedly by three vi-
B b 2 era

37a F O N T A N A

pers. In one of them the fkin was in an entire
ftate; in the other it was cut circularly, as in an
amputation, and Hitched. They were both dead at
the expiration of twenty hours. There were fymp-
toms of difeafe in the parts bitten. However, the
difeafe was flight, and neither deep nor exteniive.
The blood in the heart was black and coagulated.

I divided in the belly, the arteries and veins of
another rabbit, but neglected to have it bit by vi-
pers. It died at the end of fixteen hours. The
lungs were livid ; and the heart, auricles, and great
Veflels, filled'with black and grumous blood. This
experiment is a ftill further demonstration to us,
that the grumous blood in the heart and neighbour-
ing veflels is an equivocal iign, when it is taker*
alone, and without being accompanied by others.

I repeated this experiment of making a ligature
in the belly, on the veins and arteries, on three other
rabbits, having each of them bit in the leg by three
vipers. They all three died in lefs than feventeen
hours. The mufcles that had been bit were at-
tacked by the difeafe of the venom, but not the
adjacent ones. This local difeafe was but of little
confequence.

We may deduce with certainty from thefe expe-
riments, that the venom of the viper produces its
ufual effects, even when the parts bitten no longer
participate of the circulation of the blood in ths
animal machine. In thefe cafes we fee in general,
that the difeafe is lefs exteniive and lefs violent, than
when the blood circulates in the part ; and this
3 particular

©n poisons. 373

.^articular agrees very well with the experiments in
which the venom wasinje&ed into the jugular vein,

EffeBs of the Venom on Parts, the Fejfels of which
were cut,

I was defirous of feeing what would happen to a
rabbit, the crural arteries and veins of which were
tied, and cut beneath the ligature, feveral hours pri-
or to the leg being bit. In thefe cafes the blood
has not only ceafed to circulate in the leg, but has
been a long time ftagnant ; k may already be
changed in a great meafure, may have fuftained a
confiderable lofs in its quantity, and may be depriv-
ed of a fubtile principle of fome kind or other. The
rabbit that I got ready in this way, remained in this
ftate during upwards of eight hours. At the end of
that time, 1 had it bit in the leg by three vipers,
-each of which bit repeatedly, the ikin having been
previously removed from the part* The rabbit diecl
three hours after. The mufqle at the part where the
vipers had bit5 was fomewhat darker than in the
adjacent parts ; but this was fcarcely fenfible.

I cut the crural artery and vein of a rabbit, in the
fame way beneath the ligature, and waited ten hours
before I had it bit. At the end of twenty hours it
was very lively, and I had it again bit repeatedly by
three vipers, the leg being previously bared of the
ikin, in the part bitten. It died fix hours after. The
mufcles that had been bit were livid throughout
B b 3 their

374 F O N T A N A

their whole fubftance, but the difeafe was confinecl
to the part on which I operated,

I repeated this experiment on two other rabbits,
having them bit each in a leg, without removing
the ikin, eight hours after the ligature had been
made, and the crural artery and vein cut. I took
the precaution to make repeated compreflions on
the leg, that the arterial and venous blood might
flow out at the opening in the vefTels. Both rabbits
died in lefs than eleven hours. The flelh where the
teeth had entered appeared of a deeper colour than
ufual, and this difcoloration penetrated to the depth
the teeth had extended to. The other parts were in
3 natural Hate,

I got ready two other rabbits in the fame way, as
a comparative experiment ; they were therefore not
bit by vipers. They were both dead at the end of
feventy-two hours.

It now remained to examine the effects of the ve-
nom pf the viper, after having tied the arterial and
\renous vefTels feparately.

For this purpofe I made a ligature on the vena
cava in the belly of a rabbit, and afterwards made
the circular incilion in the ikin of the leg, and Pitch-
ed it, I then had the leg bit repeatedly by three
vipers. At the end of twenty-four hours, there were
fymptoms of the difeafe of the venom in the part
bitten. I killed the rabbit in this ftate, and found
that the difeafe was circumfcribed to 'the inciiion
made in the ikin. The mufcles were livid, and

on poisons. 375

the adipofe membrane filled with dark extravafated
blood.

I tied in the belly, the vena cava of another rab-
bit, and had its leg bit repeatedly by three vipers.
At the end of two hours there was an extenfion of
the fkin at the part that had been bit, but fcarcely
any fenfible f welling; at the end of four hours, a
moifture exuded from it ; at the end of ten hours
the fwelling had encreafed ; and the rabbit died at
the end of fifteen. The part bitten was livid and
gangrened throughout its whole fubftance ; the dif-
eafe was, however, entirely confined to the leg.

The confequences of experiments on two other

rabbits treated in the fame way, were pretty fimilare

I -tied the aorta in the belly of a rabbit, and had

its leg, covered by the fkin, bit repeatedly by three

vipers. At the end of fix hours, the fymptoms of

difeafe were perceptible, and the rabbit died at the

end of fifteen. The leg was fwelled and livid, and

the difcoloration penetrated fome depth into the

mufcles. The blood was black in the part that

had been bit, and was coagulated in the large vef-

fels.

This experimentHepeated on two other rabbits
was attended with pretty much the fame fuccefs..

I fhall conclude this chapter, by relating in a
few words, two experiments made on rabbits, in the
belly of which I had divided all the lymphatick
veffels I could find, as far as the- ductus thoracicus.
An hour after this operation, I had both rabbits bit
j*i the legs, covered by the fkin, repeatedly by thres
B b 4 vipers.

17^ y o sr t a n X

vipers. At the end of fix hours the leg in each, ex-
hibited the moil certain marks of the difeafe of the
venom, It was livid and fwelled, and a good deal
of humour oozed from it. Both rabbits died at the
end of eighteen hours, and the mufejes of the leg
in each, were livid throughout their whole fub-
#anee.

Expefting nothing from the continuation of thefe
experiments, and feeing that the flqppage of the
circulation of the lymph and chyle has no influence
on the ufual effects of the venom of the viper, I di$
not think it neceffary to make any further progrefe
in this fubjeft.

CHAPTER V.

EffeFis of the Venom of the Flper on Blood expo fid t$
the open Air.

ALTHOUGH the experiments hitherto relate4
afford us very important information, we are ft ill in
the dark as to the circumftance of the bloo<pl coagu-
lating when united in the veffels with the venom of
the viper, and not coagulating when blended with
the latter in the open air. I have at lead conceiv-
ed that I conftantly diftinguifhed a very fenlible
difference in this fluid, when I had the leg of an,

animal

on poisons. 377

animal bit after its being feparated from the animal
itfelf,and when I had it bit, either flill adhering
in an entire flate to the animal, or fattened to it me-
chanically.

In this uncertainty, I judged it expedient to make
an analyfis, followed by the experiment of Mead,
that relates to the effects of the venom of the viper
on the blood drawn from an animal ; and as Mead
made his experiment on a fmall quantity of venom
and a large quantity of blood, I determined that
my trials fhould be on much fmaller quantities of
the latter, that the effects might be more fenfible.

I let fall into a fmall conical glafs, three drops of
the venom of the viper, and twenty drops of the
blood that flowed from the neck of a fowl, into
which I had made an incifion. I reclined the glafs,
and fhook it circularly for ten feconds, that the ve-
nom and blood might mix well together.

At the fame time I let fall into a fimilar glafs,
twenty drops of the blood of the fame fowl, in the
fame flate as the laft. I fhook the glafs as I had
done on the preceding occafion, that, the venom
excepted, all circum fiances might be alike. At
the end of two minutes, the blood unmixed with the
venom coagulated, and was of a fine vermillion co-
lour. On the contrary, the blood united to the ve-
nom was black and fluid, notwithstanding it was a
little vifcous and compact.

I repeated this experiment, and the event was the
fame. The venomed blood did not coagulate^ and,
g§ before, was, of a dark colour ; whjlfl, on the con-
trary,

378 F O N T A N A

trary, the blood that was not venomed coagulated
very foon, and ftill preferved it's bright red colour.

I repeated this experiment on the blood of a gui-
neapig, one of the legs of which I had cut off. The
venomed blood at the end of twenty-four hours was
full black and dhTolved, whilft the other coagulated
in lefs than two minutes, and continued to preferve
its red colour. The venomed blood did not har-
den till it dried by degrees and fplit into fcales,
and preferved its black colour till the laft ; inftead
of which the blood in a pure ftate, ftill continued
red, even after it had dried and fplit.

The black colour of the blood that was mixed
with the venom/ agrees very well with the mo ft
ufual effects of the bite of the viper on animals,
2nd with the effects of the venom introduced .into
the jugular vein of rabbits. But the other circum-
ftance in thefe latter experiments is altogether An-
gular and unexpected. Inftead of the venom coa-
gulating the blood, as one would fuppofe it ought
to do, it even keeps it from that coagulation which
is natural to it in the open air, and preferves it in a
conftant ftate of difTolution. Here then the venom
not only does not produce its ordinary effect on the
blood, namely, that of coagulating it, but produces
an- altogether contrary effect, namely, that of keep-
ing it in a dhTolved ftate, and fo preventing that
coagulation which would otherwife-take place.

This lingular effect of the venom on blood ex-
pofed to the air, feemed to promife fome important
difcovery, relative to the action of it that fucceeds

the

on poisons. 379

the bite of the viper in animals. I reflected, that
this bite is entirely innocent to the viper itfelf, and
likewife to many other animals with cold blood,
and that it is not mortal to certain animals, fuch as
frogs, in which it does not produce the difeafe of
the venom till very late, and with difficulty. In
confequence of this, I perfuaded myfelf that the
effedts of the venom on the blood of vipers and
frogs mult be very different from thofe it produces
on the blood of warm animals, and that from this
difference, that of the difeafe and death of thefe
animals mull precifely depend. Thefe were my
reafonings, and I drew no fmall expectations from
them.

I accordingly put into a fmall conical glafs, three,
drops- of venom, and thirty drops of the blood that
flowed from the neck of a viper, after I had cut off
its head. I fhook the glafs, as ufual. The blood,
which became fomewhat darker, did not coagulate.
At the end of two hours there was a feparation of
ferum, which floated on the top, the red part of the
blood being beneath. This was dark, and vifcid
like glue, but was not coagulated.

I had at the fame time got ready a comparative
experiment. I had put into a glafs of the fame
kind, thirty drops of the blood of the fame viper,
but without having introduced the venom. I {hook
the glafs, as ufual. The blood did not coagulate,
and became covered with a great deal of ferum,
through which the fanguineous fibres, which were
Very reel, were diflinguifhed. At the end of two

hours;

3§0 MONTANA

hours the ferurn was in a much larger quantity thai*
in the preceding experiment ; at the end of twenty-
four the red fibres were in their ufual Hate -, but
notxvithftanding this, the blood was thinner than
that which had been venomed. At the end of thir-
ty-five it was ftill fluid, with a great deal of feruni
fwimming on the furface ; at the end of fifty it was
"become thicker and more tenacious ; and at the en<J
&£ fixty was dry and red.

I mixed in a glafs, three drops of venom with fifty
©f the frefh blood of a viper, and received in ano^
ther glafs fifty drops of the fame blood, without
making any addition to it. I fhook both glafles %
little, and equally. The blood unmixed with ve-
nom, remained till the laft redder than the other,
and with a greater proportion of ferum. At the
end of thirty hours the venomed blood coagulated,
but the other did not.

We fee by thefe experiments, that the colour of
the blood of vipers which has been united with the
venom of the animal, agrees very well with that of
the blood of warm animals blended with the venom
In the fame way, notwithstanding there is a great
difference in all the other circumftances. Thefe
experiments, however, are as yet too little varied
to admit any certain conclusions to be drawn from
them.

I put three drops of venom into a glafs, and
added thirty drops of the blood of a frog, the head
of which I had juft cut off. I likewife put thirty-
drops of this blood into a glafs, without adding any

vensra.

OH POISON S< 3$1

Yexiom. I fhook the two glafTes, as ufual, and at
the end of thirty minutes examined the blood m
each. I found the venomed blood black, but not
coagulated. The blood unmixed with venom had
lefs ferum than the other, was redder and more
fibrous, and was likewife in a fluid ftate. At the
end of three hours the blood was black and di£-
iblved, but vifcous, and without any apparent fe-
rum* The other blood had a great deal of ferona
on its furface. At the bottom it was red and coa-
gulated, but the coagulum was moveable, fibrous,
and vifcous.

Not fatisfied with this laft experiment, which 1
repeated twice with pretty much the fame fuccefsj,
I determined to make at the fame time, experi-
ments on the blood of vipers, on that of frogs, an4
on that of guineapigs, and to follow minutely all
the changes that I fhould obferve.

I took fix conical glafTes, limiiar to thofe I had
employed before, and put into each of the three-
firft, four drops of venom, and thirty drops of
blood. In the firfl glafs was the bfeod of a viper„
in the fecond that of a frog, and in the third that of
a guineapig. ' In each of the other three glalTes I
fimply put fifty drops of blood, taken from one of
the fame animals, and in the fame order. I fhook
the fix glafTes a little, and equally, and then left
them in an nndiilurbed flate for fome time. Ar
the end of a few minutes the blood in the three ve-
nomed glafTes was black, and much more dKco-
-loured than that in the three others, and was al-
ready

38a FONT A N A

ready coagulated ; the blood of the viper unmixed
with venom, was however much lefs fo than the
others, and was perhaps rather vifcous than effed^v
ally coagulated. The blood of the viper is. befides*
of a darker red than either that of the frog or gui-
neapig.' At the end of iome time, I obferved that
the venomed blood of the viper, and that of the
frog, had a good deal of ferum on their furface,
but that there was none on that of the venomed
blood of the guineapig. There was iikewife no
appearance of ferum on the furface of the blood in
the three glafTes, in which it was unmixed with
venom. At the end of eight hours the blood of
the frog contained as much ferum as the venomed
blood, and was in the fame diffolved ftate as the
laftj but redder. The pure blood of the viper
never had any ferum on the top, and continued
coagulated as ufual ; but the venomed blood of
the viper was darker than the other, diffolved, and
extremely vifcous. At the end of three days the
venomed blood of .the viper Hill preferved the large
quantity of ferum it had at the beginning ; it was,
however, black and vifcous. The blood of the
viper, unmixed with venom, had a little ferum,
was red, fibrous, and almoft wholly coagulated.
The venomed blood of the frog was entirely dif-
folved, of a greenim hue, and contained a little
ferum ; but that which had not been venomed,
had a great deal of ferum on its furface, was coagu-
lated, and redder than the other. The venomed

blood

ON P O I S O K S. 383

blood of the gui'eapig was black, vifcous, and
without ferum.

At the end of eight hours I examined the red
globules of the blood in the three venomed glafies,
and found them but very little changed in fhape,
and fcarcely different from the- globules of the
pure blood in the three other glailes* At the end
of eight day s5 however, I found that the globules
of the venomed blood of the viper were considerably
altered in fhape ; feveral of them were broken, and
they were m general much more changed than thofe
of the viper's blood unmixed with venom. The
globules of the venomed blood of the frog were ai-
tnoil all diffolved ; thofe that were not were disfi-
gured, and very much broken. The venomed
blood of the guineapig had, on the contrary, its
globules enlarged ; they had in fome meafure
changed their ihape, and were in a greater or lefs
degree diffolved ; they did not differ a great deal
from thofe of the pure blood of the fame animal.

Thefe laft obfervations on the globules of blood
can be of no ufe in explaining the immediate ef-
fects of the venom of the viper on its being intro-
duced into the veins ; and the changes we have
feen in thefe globules are not obferved till a long
time after the action of the venom on the animal.
If the animal is frrrail, it is dead a long time before
any of thefe changes are obferved.

I repeated the experiment on the blood of the
Tiper, frog, and guineapig, twice, and the confe-
rences, although they were not in every refpecl:

3 P<*r

384 F O N T A N A

perfectly fimilar, were very ^inform. I have
therefore deemed it unneeeflary to enter into a de-
tail of them.

We fee in a general way, that the venom of the
viper changes the blood both of warm and cold
animals black ; that of the animals on which if
acts as a venom, and that of thofe on which it has
mo fuch action. This very uniformity of change
of colour mows, however, that the venom of the
viper does not kill animals, in confequence of the
principle that changes the blood with which it is
United, black. It would otherwife be a venom to
the viper itfelf, which it is not.

But it is not the fame as to the coagulation of
the blood* The venom acts little, or not at all, on
the blood of the viper, and the trifling variations
We have obferved in this refpect are not at all to be
attended to. It is otherwife as to the blood of the
frog, and {till more fo as to that of the guineapig*
Scarcely is the latter in the glafs, when it coagu-
lates ; inftead of which if it is blended with a few
drops of venom, it coagulates no more, and re-
mains black, vifcous, and without ferum. This
effect of the venom is the more lingular, as one-
would fuppofe that it ought to produce a very con-
trary one. Does the venom, when united with the
blood, becaufe it is a venom, or from fome other
principle, deprive it of the power of coagulating?

It has been feen that the venom of the viper
produces a fenfible change on the blood drawn
from the veflels of an animal. In thefe cafes the

blood

ON POISONS, 385

Mood becomes black, and remains fluid, inflead of
coagulating, as it conftantly does, when it is not
mixed with the venom. On the contrary, this
venom, when it is introduced into the circulation
of an animal, fuddenly impedes it, by caufing a
coagulation of the blood. The effects of the ve-
nom on the blood of animals are certain, but we
do not on that account know, on what they de-
pend, nor by what mechanifrn all thefe changes
are wrought. Does the venom of the viper ad: ori
the blood limply as a venom ? that is to fay, by the
Very principle that renders it mortal ?— We have feeri
that this venom is a true gummy fubflanee, and
that it has all the properties which characterize
gums. We have likewife feen, that gums are en-
tirely innocent to animals ; and I have obferved^
that when they are injected in a very fmall quantity
into the blood, the death of the animal is by no
means fubfequent. But why may not the black
colour of the venomed blood, and the fluidity it
preferves out of the veffels, depend on the gummy
principle of the venom ? We know that gums''
abound with phlogifton, and that phlogifton gives a
black tinge to the blood. It is true, that as a
gummy fubflanee, it fcems that it ought rather to
coagulate the blood, than to keep it in a ftate of
difiolution ; but experiment alone can replv to all
thefe ddubts;

Vou & C c Qcmpa-

386 F O N T A N A

Comparative Experiments made with Gum ArabicL

I diffolved a few grains of gum arabick in a fmall
quantity of warm, diftilled, water. The mucilage
was transparent, and almofl fluid. I put three drops
of this mucilage into a glafs, and added fixty drops
of the blood of a pigeon, at the juncture of its
flowing from the divided veiTels.

At the fame time I put three drops of the venom
of the viper into another glafs, and added fixty
drops of the fame bloody perfectly in the fame
Hate.

I ihook both glafTes for a minute, that their con*
tents might be well blended together. At the end
of two minutes the blood united with the gum and
coagulated, its colour continuing red as in its natural
ftate, and no feparation of ferum followed, al-
though I kept it two days in the glafs. The blood
in the other glafs fuddenly became black, and con-
tinued fluid as ufual.

We fee by this experiment, that gummy fub-
flanees do not give a dark tinge to the blood, and
that they have not the property of keeping it in a
tiiflblved ilate, and preventing its natural coagula-
tion. Thus, then, the changes that are wrought in
the blood by the venom of the viper, are not the
effect of a gummy principle, but of fome other
principle yet unknown to us, probably the very one
that conllitutes it a venom ; and indeed we have

hitherto

o fc poisons. 387

Hitherto been able to diftinguifh nothing more in
this humour, than a gummy principle, and a ve-
nomous principle deftrudtive of animal life.

I was afterwards defirous of trying whether the
Venom of the viper would be no longer a venom
when mixed with the blood* For this purpofe, I
put into a glafs thirty drops of the blood of a pi-
geon warm from the vefTels, and three drops o
venom. I blended the liquors well together, and
after twenty-four hours. were elapfed, applied feve-
ral drops of the mixture to the mufcles of a pi-
geon. The pigeon furvived, and at the end of
thirty hours teemed fcarcely to have any fymptom
of difeafe.

I prepared a mixture of venom and blood in the
fame way, in another glafs, but made it with ari
equal quantity of each fluid. Two minutes after*
I covered with it the wounded mufcles of a pigeon*
which, although it furvived, had certain fymptoms
of the difeafe of the venom.

I repeated this experiment on four other pigeons*
Three of them died in lefs than eighteen minutes 1
and the fourth had fo violent ari attack of the dif-
eafe, as not to recover till the end of the fixth day.
I got ready two other pigeons in the fame way, and
did not employ the venom till half an hour after
jts union with the blood in the glafs. Both pigeons
dted.

It appears from all thefe experiments, that the
Venom does not lofe its deadly qualities in confe*
quence of being united with the blood*

G c % Wjp

1

388 F O N T A N A

We have feen that the venom of the viper is Z
true gum, and that it has all the effential properties
of a gum. Why may not this venom prevent the
coagulation of the blood in warm animals, and
likewife in feveral of the cold ones, as a fimple
gum, and not as a venom ? And why likewife may
not the blood of the viper be different from that of
other animals, lince we fee that the venom is inno-
cent to the viper, and not fo to the others ?

In this cafe again it belonged to experiment to
decide.

As it ,did not appear to me that the experiments
I have hitherto related were fufficient to explain this
difficult phenomenon, of blood which coagulates in
the enclofed veffels of an animal, and which does not
coagulate in glaffes in the open air, I thought it
neceffary to examine more attentively than before,
the effects of the venom on the legs of animals cut
off, and bit by the viper ; and likewife on thofe
on which a ligature had been made previoufly to
their being bit. I was apprehenfive that I might
have made fome miftake in' my prior experiments,
and that fome neceffary- attention might have es-
caped me. It was natural to conceive, that after
all I had feen in my laft experiments, I was better
prepared for nice obfervance than before.

With this prefumpdon, I made the following
experiments.

I had a pigeon bit in the leg repeatedly by a
viper, and a few feconds after cut off the limb.
There was a degree of lividity at the precife fpot

wher

5 N POISONS. 389

where the teeth had penetrated ; but this was
Scarcely perceptible.

On repeating this experiment with the lame
circumftances, the confequences were perfectly
iimilan,

I had the leg of another pigeon bit by a viper,
a moment after I had cut it off. There was no
fymptom of difeafe, nor any livid appearance.

I wounded the leg of a pigeon with a venomous
tooth, and cut it off immediately after. There
was fome appearance of grumous blood in the
mufcle the tooth had pierced.

I wounded the leg of a pigeon with a viper's
tooth that had been dry a long time, and at the
fame time wounded the pigeon's other leg with a
venomous tooth. The wounds made with the ve-
nomous tooth became livid, and this lividity pene-
trated into the whole fubflance of the mufcle.
There was no appearance of any change in the
part of the other leg that had been pierced by
the dried tooth.

I wounded the leg of a pigeon with venomous
teeth, and cut it off immediately after. There
was a dark fpot, which however I could fcarcely
diftinguifh, at the part the teeth had penetrated.

I forced the venomous tooth into the leg of a pi-
geon, and cut it off immediately after. There was
no fymptom of the difeafe of the venom.

I cut off the leg of another pigeon, and wounded

it immediately after with a venomous tooth. Thers

was a flight appearance of dark extravafated blood,

C C % 1 agais

jJ^S F O N T A tf A

I again forced a venomous tooth into the leg of a
pigeon, and cut it off immediately after. This was
not fucceeded by any fymptom of the difeafe of the
venom.

I pricked the leg of a pigeon repeatedly with the
point of a needle, and cut it off immediately after.
I obferved dark and extravafated blood at the part
that had been pricked.

Although the greater part of thefe experiments
ihow, that the venom of the viper has no action on
the parts of animals that have been cut off, there
are fome of them, however, in which we find a
flight appearance of dark and extravafated blood.

The experiment made with the needle rendered
what I was deiirous of deducing from the others
Hill rr4ore uncertain. One would conceive that
every time the large veliels are ruptured, and there
is a feniible hemorrhage from them, the fpots and
dark colour may appear, without the intervention
of venom.

It is in general true, that there exifls a notable
difference betwixt the effects of the venom of the
viper introduced into a leg that has been cut off,
and the effects of the fame venom communicated to
a leg that continues to make a part of the animal,
This difference may occur, either becaufe the
quantity of blood in the amputated leg is leffened,
*becaufe the blood receives fomething from the air,
or becaufe it, on the contrary, lofes fomething
when in contact with the air. To difcover which

ON POISONS. 39I

df thefe hypothefes is the mod probable one, I
made the following experiments.

Experiments on the Venom of the Viper on Limbs thai
were JJoelt ere d from the Air.

I placed a pigeon in water in fuch a way, that I
Could cut off one of its legs without there being any
communication betwixt the divided part and the air.
A moment before I cut it off! had wounded the leg
with a venomous tooth . At the end of four minutes
I drew it out of the water. At the part where the
tooth had pierced the mufcle, there was a fmall li^
vid fpot, on which I immediately made an incifion,
and found it to have penetrated juft as far as the
tooth and venom had reached.

I repeated this experiment twice, and the con-^
fequence was the fame. . The livid fpot had ex-
tended in the fame way into the fubfiance of the
mufcle.

The blood of the leg amputated in the water,
flows from the veffels in the fame way as if the
part had been cut off in the open air. The fymp-
toms, therefore, of the difeafe of the venom in the
leg flill adhering to the animal, and the able nee of
thefe fymptoms when it is detached, do not depend
on the different quantity of blood that is found in,
the two different dates of the lee?.

This experiment feems like wife to determine,

fhat the blood meets with no effential lqfs when it

C c 4 is

392 F O N T. A N A

h expofed to the air, fince it does not feem pro-
bable that the water which fuffers the blood to flow
from the leg, prevents this fuppofed principle from
efcaping with it.

It remains probable, then, that the contact of the
air caufes fuch a change in the blood of the leg5
and that the air itfelf unites in fuch a way with itj
as to produce the diverfity of effects we have ob-
served, although it is certain that we cannot ex-
plain what this change confifls in, and how, in,
thefe cafes,- the air unites itfelf with the blood.

New Experiments on Tarts that were cut, after the
Circulation had been interrupted in them by a Lu
gature*

I had now an important experiment to make,
to determine the effects of the venom of the vipes
on parts of animals tied, and afterwards cut off.

I had the leg of a pigeon bit by a viper at the
fame infeant that I had it tied and cut off. The
whole operation was made in three feconds, and re-
quired the afliilance of three perfons. The ampu-
tation was made over the ligature, which was
fo very tight as to prevent the fmalleft hemorrhage.
The leg when cut off had the mod decided fymp-
fcoms of the difeafe of the venom. There were
livid fpots on it, the veffels were black and fwelled,
and the blood black, and partly condenfed. Having
opened the mufcles, I found that the livid colour

extended

on pcisons 393

extended for the whole depth of thofe that were
wounded.

I immediately made a fecond experiment, fimilar
in every refpect to the foregoing, except that the
leg was not bit by a viper. It had not the fmalleft
fymptom of difeafe.

I had the leg of another pigeon bit once by 3
viper, and, after four feconds were elapfed, made
the ligature and the amputation at one and the
fame inftant. In lefs than a minute the fymptoms
of the difeafe were apparent, the whole fub fiance
of the wounded mufcles being in a livid ftate.

I tied and cut off the leg of a pigeon, and imme-
diately after had it bit once by a viper. The fymft-
toms of the difeafe of the venom in the part were
very violent, and the mufcles were livid throughout
their whole fubftance.

I tied and cut off the leg of another pigeon, and
had it afterwards bit by a viper. The whole fub-
itance of the mufcles was livid.

Thefe experiments feemed to me ibfficiently uni-
form to difpenfe with my multiplying them any
further. They demonilrate, that the venom of the.
viper acxs as a venom on thefe parts, although they
are detached from the animals, provided there is no,
hemorrhage from them.

We like wife fee, that it is not necefifary that the
ufual circulation of the blood and other humours
ftill continue in the part, lince I have lince ob-
ferved that the venom acts on the legs that have.

bqea

394 F O N T AN A

been tied, even when they have been bit a pretty
confiderable time after the ligature has been made*.

Experiments o.n Animals with warm Blood, deprived of
the Head.

The experiments made on the frogs that had
been deprived of the head, in which it appeared to
me that the clifeafe of the venom was communi-
cated with difl iculty, gave me the idea of feeing
whether it woi jld be the fame with warm animals,
Thefe experiments have forne relation to thofe that
were made oru the legs of animals cut off and af-
terwards bit, ; md only differ from them in this par-
ticular— that 1 lere the greater part cf the body con*
tinues in conji morion with the leg, notwithftanding
the blood flow: 5 in a great quantity from the neck,
where the incif ion has been made.

I divided the trachea arteria of a fowl, and having
fixed in it the nozzle of a fmall pair of bellows, in-
flantly cut off the head. I now began to work the
bellows, and 2 it the fame time had the leg of the
fowl bit repe atedly by two vipers. The fowl
lived for upwards of fifteen minutes. There were
deep livid fpots in the leg, at the part the teeth
had penetrate xl.

I repeated this experiment on two rabbits, and
on a guinea] ug. They lived beyond all compari-
fon longer tl >an the fowl, and their life was not
equivocal., asj, was eafy to be diftinguimed by the

voiun-

ON POISONS. '395

Voluntary motions of the parts. It is true, that in
thefe laft I prevented the lofs of blood, in a great
meafure at leaft, by tying the veffels ; and it is
certain that they might have lived much longer., if
the total effuiion of blood could have been pre-
vented. The fymptoms of the difeafe of the ve-
nom were manifeft in all the three, and in all of
them the mufcles that had been bit were livid.

This experiment fhows, that the head of warm
and perfect animals is not neceffary to life, al-
though it is fo to a continuation of it. In a word,
an animal may live very well, although deprived of
its head, and may be fenfible to external objects.
The pulmonary refpiration, and the circulation of
humours in the parts, are fufficient for this effect.
This principle of life is ftill fuftained in the ani-
mal, which may reafonably be faid to be not alto-
gether dead, but only fo in part.

CHAPTER.

#»

96 f O K T A M A

CHAPTER VL

0# /#* (^?^ a//j&£ Death of Animals bit hy the Viper*

lYAY experiments on animals in which the nerves
were bit by vipers, fhow that the venom is a fubflance
perfectly innocent to thefe organs, that it does not
occaiion in them any fenfible change, and that they
are not even a means or vehicle of conveying it to
the animal. In a word, it appears that the nervous
fyftem does not concur more to the production of the
difeafe of the venom, than does the tendon, or any other
infenffhle part of the animal. On the other hand,
all the experiments on the blood, the injection of
Venom into the vefTels, and fo on, conftantly evince
that the action of the venom of the viper is on the
blood itfelf. This fluid is alone changed by the
venom, and this fluid conveys the venom to the
animal, and diffributes it to its whole body. The
action of the venom, and its effects on the blood,,
are almoft inftantaneous. The colour of the latter
is fuddenly changed, and the bright red colour that
is natural to it, becomes livid and black. This fir ft;
effect is fucceeded by a fecond. The blood coagu-
lates very fuddenly in the lungs, heart, auricles,
liver, and in the large venous veffels. Sometimes.

the;

on poisons. 397

the heart fr.il 1 continues its ofcillatcry motions, not-
with Handing the blood it contains is, at leafl: ia
part, coagulated. At other times, the heart beats
with greater force, as if it wifhed to flop the pria*
ciple of coagulation that exifts in the blood.

The coagulation of the blood of animals is cer-
tainly the moft remarkable effect of the venom of
the viper, and it is this which ought principally to
occafion the derangements in the vifcera, and in
their functions. But the whole mafs of blood h
not coagulated in the animal, iince a part of it ap^
pears in a diflblved Hate. The red and lymphatiek
parts alone form the coagulum, the ferous part if
more fluid and diflblved than before. It is certain
at leaft, that the latter is thrown in great abundance
on the venomed parts, and fheds itfelf in great
plenty on the adipofe membrane.

If the coagulated part of the blood is left for fom€
time in water, it lofes the black colour it had cori»
tracled, depofits the red part, which unites with th§
water, and leaves a tenacious, white, fibrous^ fub*
ftance, fimiiar to the polypus.

The blood , partly coagulated, and partly Mf*
folved, produces a very violent derangement in thg
organs of the animal. The part bit by the vipef
f wells inftantly, and becomes livid by fucceflivf
degrees. The blood in the large veins flops mi
coagulates. Tae ferous part traniudes into the adi*
pofe membrane, which it entirely fills. The eir*
culation is deranged in the vifcera, diminiihes by
degrees, and at length chafes* The Ivmgs are ths

Vifcui

39<*' F O N T A N A

vifcus in which the circulation ceafes fdoner than
in the other parts. In a moment after the injection
of venom into the jugular vein, the blood coagu-
lates in the lungs, the veffels of which are filled and
diflended with this humour, ,irt a black condenfed
ilate. In a word, the circulation is totally impeded
and flopped, and the animal dies. It is a known
fad:, that as foon as the circulation is flopped in an
animal with warm blood, death enfues in a few
minutes, whatever the principle may be that binds
and unites together the circulation and the life, the
motion of the fluids and the fenfitive faculty.

It will not be foreign to the purpofe to fpeak
here of the animal irritability, or of that property
of the mufcular fibres, by which a mufcle contracts
on the flighted: touch. We mufl conceive this pro-
perty of the mufcular fibres, as fomething that dif-
fers from the nerve, or from fen fation; notwith-
ftanding it is true, that the nerve is the* organ of
the voluntary motions of the animal, and thafcwheri
it is touched, it excites irritability in the mufcle*
The nerve, in whatever way it is ilimulated, is al-
ways motionlefs, and the mufcle continues to con^
tracx after it is feparated from the animal ; whence
it follows, that the nerve is rather the occafion than
the caufe of the contraction of the muielcs.

In my work entitled De Le gibus Irntabilitath nunc
pltium Sancitis, printed at Lucca in 1767, I de-
mon flrated that the nervous fluid cannot be the
efficient caufe of mufcular motion. The argument!
I adduced in that work are drawn from the hypo*
4 the%

on poisons* 399

thens, that the nervous fluid ads agreeably to the
laws of fluids in general. If the nervous fluid was
different from fluids in general, if it had laws alto-
gether different to theirs, or if it was analogous to
electricity, my reafons would be no longer applica-
ble to the prefent cafe.

However this may be, it is certain that the mo-
tion of a mufcle feparated from the animal, does m
no way depend on the animal, or on the fenfitive
principle that refides in it, and that the irritability
in the fibres fubfifts from itfelf alone. The irrita-
bility of the fibres is therefore diftindt from the fen-
fibility of the animal, and two things which appear
fo different, and which feem to have been feparated
by nature, ought no longer to be confounded.

But if this fenfitive principle, which constitutes
the life of the animal, is different from the irritabi-
lity of the fibres, why, in a part feparated from the
animal, may there not fubiiit an obfcure fenfation,
an imperfecl life, relative to the fize and to the na-
ture of the part feparated from the animal, and to
the nerves that are found in that part ?

In this fuppofirion, there is no agreement, no
harmony, betwixt the life of the entire animal, and
the obfcure fenfation of the part that has been fepa-
rated : but I do not fee why, in this cafe, the ir-
ritability may not likewife depend on the fenfation
of the part. The irritability would then depend on
the partial fenfibiliry, or would be the fame as the
latter, that is to fay, it would depend on the fcnflbl-

lity

4CO F O N T A K A

Iky of the part cut, and not on the fenfibility of the
animal.

But the opinion that an obfcure fenfation of life
fubfifts in the parts feparated from animals, is found-
ed on an immenfe number of obfervations and ex-
periments, which I have promifed to give in the
fecond volume of my Philofophical Enquiries on
Animal Phyficks, (Recherches Philofophiques fur la
Thyfmie Anlmale) the firft volume of which , in quar-
to, was printed in -Italian at Florence, in 1775^ ^n
the mean time I can venture to afTert, that 1 know
a Very great number of animals, even amongst thofe
that are called perfect, that is to fay, that have hu-
mours, heart, and vifcera, in which the hypothecs of
the continuance of animal fenfation, in parts thafc
have been divided, is verified.

But whatever opinion may be adopted on irrita-
bility, it is itill certain that this property exifts in
the mufcular fibres, that it is the principle of all
the motions of the animal, and that without it, all
would be ilill, the organs would become ufelefs,
and the functions would be fufpended*

When I wrote the firft part of the prefent work,
I was of opinion that the venom of the viper at-
tacked the irritability in an immediate way, and
that the animal died from the lofs of irritability in
the fibres. But I did not then know, that the ve-
nom of the viper has no action on the nerves, and
that when it is introduced into the blood, it kills an
Animal in a few inltants. This hypothecs ought
Row to be partly modified, It is not that in effect

the

O N POISONS. 401

the irritability is not diminished, in the animal that
has been bit, and that it is not even deftroyed in a
little time ; but this is rather an effect than a caufe,
and is a confequence of the change caufed in the
blood by the venom, rather than an effect of the ve-
nom on the mufcular fibres. It fometimes occurs
that we fee an animal, at the moment of its being
bit, lofe all its voluntary motions, and fcarcely dif*
cover any of the lateft fymptoms of life.

The debility of an animal, after it has been bit,
is in general very great ; but this fnows equally,
that the fenfibility is affected : and as the venom
does not act on the nerves, but on the blood, this
diminution of ftrength and fenfation, and likewife
the diminution of the irritability itfelf, may depend
on the blood.

I have had frogs bit in the leg by the viper, and
have found upon pricking the crural nerves a little
time after the bite, or upon drawing electrical fparks
from them, that they had loft but little, if any, of
their irritability. It is very true, that this irritabi-
lity diminifhes with time, and that, on the death of
the animal, it is frequently loft altogether ; but in
thefe cafes, the fenfibility is likewife diminifhed and
loft. It is beiides certain, that if the crural nerves
of the leg that has not been bit are ftimulated, they
contract with greater force than thofe of the other;
and that they frequently contract ftill, when thofe
of the venomed leg have no longer in any degree
that property.

Vol, I, D d The

402 F O N T A N A

The irritability of the fibres, in animals bit bf
the viper, diminilhes in proportion as the difeafe is
more confiderable, and as it continues a longer
time. An animal that dies in a few minutes, pre-
ferves in its mufcles more irritability, than one that
dies at the end of feveral hours, or of feveral days.
The irritability ceafes much later in the heart, fto-
mach, and interlines, than in the other parts. It
particularly ceafes very late in the interlines, which
continue to move, notwithstanding the animal has
been dead fome time. The irritability of the dia-
phragm, or the motion of the thorax, ceafes much
later than that of the other mufcles that depend on
the will.

I made all thefe obfervations on animals with
warm blood, in which it appeared to me, that the
electrical fparks were drawn with greater difficulty
from the parts bitten, than from the other parts of
the animal. This experiment fucceeds particularly
in fowls, in which there is no difficulty in laying
the mufcles of the leg bare, and in having them bit.
The diminution of irritability in the mufcular
fibres, is occafioned by the changes the venom
caufes in the blood. The latter in this ftate, in
which it is partly diffolved and partly coagulated,
is difpofed to a fpeedy putrefaction, and being pent
in the veiTels, dirTolves the texture of them,
gaffes through their coats, and fiieds itfelf in the
adipoic membrane, corrupting and decompofing
whatever it meets with- In animals, the. parts that
have been bit by the viper, pafs in a lhort time to

. the

ON, POISON S* 403

the ftrongeft putrefaction, and prefent gangrenes
and fphacelations. The ikin is fpeedily corroded
and deftroyed ; the mufcles black and foetid ; and
the adipofe membrane diffolved.

I have known a rabbit die in lefs than three hours,
with the mufcles of the leg already gangrened
throughout their whole fubftance ; they were black
and offenfive, and were divided by a knife without
any refinance. In a word, this putrefactive ten-
dency of the mufcles, in animals that have been bit
by the viper, cannot be denied, and is occafioned
by the change wrought in the blood by the venom.

It is very true, that when the animal dies in a
few minutes, there is as yet no actual putrefaction
in the folid parts, although the humours have a
true tendency to this fcate. The difeafe reiides
folely in the humours, and the ftoppage of thefe
humours in their natural courfe, occaiions the death
of the animal. Whatever tends to impede the mo-
tions in the animal machine, necefTarily tends like-
wife to deftroy in it the fenfitive principle and life ;
and we cannot conceive life there, where every
filing is in a perfect repofe*

Senfation is an active principle, and necefTarily
exprefles an action, and we cannot conceive action.,
without motion. We fay in effect, that an animal
is dead, when it is no longer fenfible; and we fay,
that it is no longer fenfible, when there are no lon-
ger in its organs, the figns, the external motions,
that indicate fcnfation. The moment thefe motions
ceafe, we fay that an animal is dead. This manner

D d 2 of

4^4 T O N T A N A

of judging is founded on obfervation itfelf. We
have feen that when an animal is reduced to this
ftate of repole, it does not return again to life ; and
think, we may, on the other hand, reafonably con-
clude, that an animal, when it is dead, can no lon-
ger revive in any manner whatever. This fecond
opinion, if we pay attention to it, actually appears
to be derived from the, firit, fince, after all, we do
not know the principle that conflitutes life and fen-
fation in animals ; it is, however, contradicted by
obfervations and experiments of more modern
date.

The obfervation that an animal deprived of mo-
tion does not return to life, appears to be combat-
ted, as I have faid, by modern obfervations of a
quite contrary nature. We have heard of ftrong
afphyxies, in which there was no longer any fign of
motion. We are likewife told of drowned perfons,
who have prefented the fame phenomenon, although
death in them was nothing more than apparent. I
therefore do not fee, why a certain obfcure motion
may not fubfifi in the organs of an animal, which
may not come within the reach of the evidence of
our ienfes. A motion to be iufenfible is not the lefs
real; and when a motion fubfifts in an animal,
there may Hill fubfift in it a principle of fenfation.

I cannot deny but that, when there no longer fub-
fifts any principle of fenfation, the animal is in all
phyfical rigour dead ; fince we cannot poffibly have
any conception of life, in an animal without fenfa-
tion. In the fame way it feems equally clear, that
2, a total

ON POISONS. 405

a total rcpofe in the organs of an animal, ought to
caufe this fenfation to ceafe, and confequently to
occafion the death of the animal. But is there any
method by which we can allure ourfelves of the to-
tal immobility of the organs of an animal, in which
the humours are ftill in a fluid ftate ? I cannot con-
ceive any one. A very fmall motion is entirely im-
perceptible to us, and we fee only the greater ones.
Every thing in nature is in motion, and it is not
pomble that a body, or any of its parts whatever,
can be found for a fingle inftant in a total and per-
fect repofe. Perfect repofe is befides repugnant to
the general laws of gravity, and to the nature of
fluids, which are in a greater or lefs degree pene-
trated by heat. Hence arifes the difficulty of pro-
nouncing on the death of animals, fince in ihort
there may ftill fubfift in them a motion which may
be infenfible to us, but which may yet be fufficient
to maintain in them an obfcure fenfation, to prevent
their being altogether dead, and to enable them to
return to life.

The motion of the heart being fufpended, and
the refpiration and circulation flopped in an animal,
it is foon reduced to that ftate in which we fay of
it that it is dead ; notwithstanding that this may
probably not always be the cafe, when we believe it
to be fo. I know of only two Hates of an animal,
that can make us certain of its being really dead.
One of thefe is the total putrefaction of its organs;
the other, the abfolute deficcation of its humours.
D d 3 The

406 F O N TANA

The firft. renders all animal function impoffible ;
the fecond deftroys all principle of motion.

The total deiiccation of the fluids and folids of
an animal, not only forbids the ufe of the organs,
but even conveys an abfolute immobility into all
the parts. An animal, in this fcate of a total deiic-
cation of parts, and of an immobility of us organs,
is in my opinion certainly dead, and ought ro be fa
in the opinion of every body ; elfe we fhouki be ex-
pofed to a capricious and unreafonable pyrrhonifm.
A fiih, for example, dried in the fun, or by artifi-
cial heat, during twenty years, fo as to become hard
as wood, might mil pafs for being alive. I muft
confefs that I cannot conceive life without action,
nor adtion without motion, nor organical motion
when the organs are dry ; and this iiate is therefore
to me a ftate of death. The naturalift ought not,
however, to confound with each other thefe two
different ftates of death, that is to fay, the putrefac-
tion of the parts, and the deiiccation of the organs.
In the firft the animal is dead for ever ; in the fe-
cond, it may. yet again return to life. We do not
know any power, nature herfelf does not difclofe
any, that can recompofe an organ that is deitroyed,
and entirely decompofed by putrefaction, or by the
concufiions of external bodies, This is what has
never yet either been accomplifhed or feen. We
have therefore every poilible reafon, not only to be-
lieve an animal that is reduced to this ftate dead,
but likewife to believe it dead for ever. But if the
animal is (imply dry, if there is no phyfical difeafe
4 in

ON POISONS,

407

in its organs, if the component particles of the dif-
ferent parts ftill preferve their refpeclive fituations,
the animal may in this cafe very well return to life,
to which effect it is only necefTary, that the organs
are reftored to the ilate they were in when the ani-
mal was alive. And why ought not an animal to
revive in thefe cafes, provided it has every thing
that concurred to make it live before ? Whoever
had reafoned in this way a century ago, would have
advanced matters both probable and reafonable, but
would not have been liftened to, even by philofo-
phers, and would have rifked the paffing, at leaft
for an extravagant perfon, or for a vifionary.

But let us return to the animals that die by the
bite of the viper.

The blood coagulates in the vefTels of an animal
bit by the viper, and the animal itfelf is in a ftare of
death. The blood, changed by the venom, cor-
rupts and deftroys the organs of animals, and ren-
ders the leaft fufpicion of life altogether improba-
ble.

It is true that, in proportion as the circulation of
the blood flops in the vefTels, and as. the death of
the animal approaches, we likewife fee a perceptible
diminution of the fenfibiiity ; but this does not yet
demonftrate to us, that the nerves are either chang-
ed, or have received an injury.

There may perhaps be fuch an harmony or agree-
ment betwixt the circulation of the blood, the air
of the lungs, the principle of fenfation, and the
P d .4 nervesA

40S MONTANA

nerves, that the one being removed, the other may
diminifh, although one may not adl on the other.

My experiments have demonftrated, that an ani-
mal may lofe its fenlibility from quite another caufe
than from that of an injury to the nerves. • and I
therefore think that any one would reafon ill, who
fliould fay that the death of an animal depends on
the nervous principle alone, becaufe in proportion
as the animal draws towards its death, its fenlibility
is found to diminiih, The diminution of fenfibi-
lity in the nerves may be a fecondary efFed: of the
caufe that kills an animal ; and indeed, if the re-
pofe, if whatever puts a flop to motion in the anj^
mal, produces death, it mult likewife be productive
of a lofs of fenfation, which cannot fubfift without
motion.

Such is the death of animals with warm blood bit
by the viper ; but in cold animals it is not exactly
the fame. Animals with cold blood, fuch for ex^
ample as frogs, may live a certain time without the
circulation of the blood, and without refpiration.
It is precifely on this account, that the venom of the
viper operates on them with lefs activity than on
warm animals, and that they furvive much longer
than thefe lafr, in proportion to the fize of their
bodies. The adtion of the venom of the viper
is infenflbly communicated to the whole animal; the
mufcles difpofe to putrefaction, and the part bitten
becomes in a little time livid and gangrenous. The
death of the animal then follows, but happens
much later than in animals with warm blood, be-

cauf$

ON POISONS. 409

caufe the principle of life is not fo intimately con-
nected with the circulation of the humours.

Why the circulation is thus clofely connected
with life in animals with warm bloody and why it is
fo little fo in animals that have the blood cold, is a
much nicer enquiry. I propofe to fpeak on this
fubjed: in a work On Factitious and Natural Airs,
(8ur les Airs FaBices et Naturels) which I hope to
publifh very foon.

End of the Firjl Volume,

I N D E

TO THE

FIRST VOLUME.

>*

j4ciDS the Mineral, do not effervefce with the venom of

the viper - « - - *54

. they unite with it n - 255

! they do not diflblve it when it is dried ibid

Acids the Vegetable, do not diiiblv.e the dried venom of the

viper - - ■ . -

Acid the Vitriolich, is not mortal to animals when introduced

into their wounds - . - - 247

— — — does not diflblve the venom of the viper

when it is dried - - 255 2591

Acidity the, of the Venom of the Viper, has been falfely fup-

pofed by feveral authours - 241

- an acidity is really found in the venom of bees 266

■ but is not the caufe of the fvvelling and inflammation

of the parts - - - 267

Adder the, is not killed by the venom of the viper - 39

Air fixed, the -^iTES part of a grain of this air discovers it-

felf by the changes it caufes in the dye of the turnefol 246
Airs, that may be obtained by fxre, and by the nitrous acid,

from the venom of the viper and gum arabick - 260

Alkalies, do not effervefce with the venom of the viper 2^4

*— — do not diiiblve it when it is dry - - 256,

Alkali

II

I N D E X.

Alkali Volatile, owes its reputation, to a falfe theory - 129

— « — recommended in a late publication - 122

" experiments on its effects againft the bite of

the viper , - - - - « 132

■ is not a fpecifick againft the venom of this

animal to pigeons ... 138 142

• « — — nor to fparrows - - 136

Amputation, of the gills of fowls, after the bite had been
made in the comb - 207

Anatomy, of the viper's head - - - 234

Animals in general, the venom of the viper occafions their
death, by an internal derangement it produces - 229

Animals with warm Blood, are all fenfible to the deadly ef-
fects of the venom of the viper . - 41 272

caufe of their death - 297

Animals with cold Blood, live a long time without heart, and
without vifcera - - - 106

»'■ — • are not all fufceptible of the efFedts

of the venom of the viper - - - 27 £

Animals venomous, are probably not venomous to their own
fpecies - - - - 32

A/pick of the environs of Pifa, is nothing more than an in-
nocent fnake - 38

B

Bag, or Sheath, that covers the Teeth of the Viper, its de-

fcription - 8 235

. . it is not

the receptacle of venom - - 234

Jlaker afferts, that the venom of the viper caufes a diflblu-

tion of the humours - . - 79

Bees, experiments on their venom - - Z&3

— . — it, in feveral refpecls, refembles that of the viper 264

- but differs from it in changing the juice of the fkin of

radishes red - - - 266

Bite

INDEX. m

Bite of the Viper, in thebreaft of fowls more dangerous than
in the legs^ contrary to what was obferved in rabbits and
guineapigs - - - - 191

« . — not very dangerous on the ears of rabbits 197

, more dangerous in the gills than in the

comb of fowls -'".." 2°6

_ - — — « lefs dangerous on the nofe of quadrupeds

than el fe where - - - - 314

■ — its effe&s on limbs recently cut off 289

— on limbs in which the circulation had been

Hopped - - - - 371
■ on limbs fheltered from the air - 391
__ on parts cut off after the circulation had

been interrupted by a ligature - - 392

on frogs, the head of which had been pre-

vioufly cut off - 361

— ■ on frogs, the fpinal marrow of which had

been divided -'..... 362

■ on rabbits, in the fame predicament 369

■ on animals with warm blood, deprived of

the head - 394

, ■ has no effect on the tendons - 231

Blood globules of, errours of writers in regard to their figure 80
Blood, whether it lofes any of its principles when in contact

with the air - 309
when drawn from the veffels does not feem at all

changed by the mixture of the venom of the viper 313

— is found coagulated in the heart, &c. of animals killed

by this venom - - - 319

- Mead thought at firft, that the blood was the medium
through which the action of poifons rendered itfelf ge-
neral - - 89

■■■■*-" the blood of cold animals is acted on in the fame way

as that of the animals in which it is warm - 384

•i' ■ that of the viper excepted - - ibid

Bones, not atted on by the venom of the, viper - 19 $

Bonguer,,

i* INDEX.

Bongtt.er> his account of the American fnake, that may be
dried in the air, or in the fmoke of a chimney, and af-
terwards reftored to life by means of water - lit
Brain, infenfible to the action of the venom of the viper 199
Brogiani, his Treatifeon the'Venoms of Animals * y6
Muffon Monf. de, his idea of the action of the venom of the
viper * 86
' ■ of the nature of the pus of wounds 87

Cats, the confequences of having them bit on the nofe by
the viper - - - * 216

* experiments with the volatile alkali on thefe animals 153

Cavity, new one difcovered in the canine teeth of the viper 10
Char as, his opinion of the venom of the viper = 158

Cock, its gills fwell when it has been bit in the comb 203

Convuljions, by what caufes they may be excited ' 80 81

Cornea transparent, the venom of the viper produces no

change in it when fimply applied to its furface - 201
but when introduced by a wound, pro-

duces a leucoma and fweilin^ - - ibid

D

Death, definition of life and death - - 1 15

Di/eafe produced by the Bite of the Viper , the fymptoms that
characterize it 305

^ u ■u«h-*. .. .. . confidersd by Mead

as a nervous one ... - - - 330

» 1 , the circumflances

that render it more violent - - 164.
, r _ n0 appearance of

difeafe in the legs out oft' immediately after having been
bit by the viper « » * - 390

Dogs

INDEX. v

Dogs and Cats, effe&s of the volatile alkali on thefe animals
after they have been venomed by the viper 153 155 172 173

Drones, experiments on the wounds made with the fling of
thefe infe&s - - - 263

Dura mater , not a&ed on by the venom of the viper - 199

Ears, effe&s of the bite of the viper on thefe parts - 194

Earth-<worm, very fpeedily killed by the polypus - 109

Eau de luce, the ingredients that enter into its compofition izi
Eels in fmutty Wheat, dried till they were dead, and re-

ftored to life by humudity - - - i\z

Foam of the Viper, is not venomous ■* - 2%

Fowls, the uncommon difeafe they are attacked by when

bit in the comb by a viper = - 20*

" they die when bit in the breaft - - 191

■ ■ although the difeafe is not fo dangerous, they like-

wife die when bit in the leg - - ibid

■■ in the laft cafe they die much later than pigeons 144,

-. experiments to determine the effect of the volatile

alkali, as an antidote, on thefe animals - 143 166
the abfolute inutility of it - - 145

Frog, the venom of the viper deftroys in it the principle of
irritability - - - - 97

— experiments that prove the inefficacy of the volatile al-
kali, in the bites received by this animal - 157

— it is killed by the bite of the viper - 273
■■ effects of the venom of the viper on the brain and

nerves of this animal - - - 332

~~— - it is very fcon killed by mephitick vapours - 91

Gills.

if -I N B E X.

Gills of Fowls, the difeafe produced in them by the bite of
the viper - - 205

» ' the cutting them off does not prevent the ef-

fects of the bites of this animal, made in the comb 208

Gland, what appears to be fuch, and to be deftined to the
fecretion of the venom of the viper - - 235

Gordius, a worm that recovers its life, if after having been
dried it is wet with water - - 112

Guineapigs, experiments with the volatile alkali on thefe ani-
mals, which determine its efficacy againfl the bite of the
viper - - - 147 148

— the venom of the viper limply introduced into

the mufcles of thefe animals does not aft on them fo as to
occafion death - - - 186

~ •* the bite of the viper on the breaft of thefe ani-
mals very dangerous - - 190

— conferences that refult from their being bit on

the neck - - 208 209

'-. ■ ■ ■ from their being bit on

the nofe - 213

Gum Arahick, its general characterifticks compared with
thofe of the venom of the viper - ~ 258

is perfectly innocent when applied to wounds 261

*-j effects of this gum on blood drawn from the

veflels of an animal - 3S6

Gums, their charatteriiHck properties - - 256

— - — the venom of the viper is a fpecies of gum - 357

H

Head of the Viper, its defcription - - 234

Heart, that of the wheel-polypus in a voluntary mufclc 110

Jemu

I N B E X. vil

I

James Dr., believed in the acidity of the venom of the viper 240
. — i n — 1 the errours of this writer as to the feat of the

refervoir of venom - *. - 2%

Jaundice that fuper<ve?ies in thofe that have been bit bj the

Viper, the caufe of it explained - 83

Injeclion of the Venom of the Viper into the Blood-vejfels, and

its Ejfetts - - - - 315

Infecls that wound with a Sting, introduce into the wounded

part, a liquor of a gummy nature - - 265

Intefiines, effeds of the venom of the viper on thefe vifcera 192
Irritability, deflroyed by mephitick vapours - 93

— — . — — *■ by the venom of the viper - '98 102

it is rather one of the circurnflances that attends

it, than -the caufe of the death of animals bitten - 401
Jujfieu, recommended the ufe of the volatile alkali againft
the bite of the viper, in confequence of deeming the ve-
nom of this animal acid « ~ -» 344

Leeches, employed againft the bite of the viper -* 36

n .. defcription of their mouth - yz

Leg, the part of animals on which thegreateft number of ex-
periments were made with the venom of the viper — what
ought to be underftood by this exprelfion - 132

Lewenhoeck, his errour in relation to the fappofed wheels., or

arms of the wheel-polypus - - i©£

*» , » — motion of the heart of this animal, which ap-
pears to be a voluntary mufcle - - no
Ligaments, the venom of the viper has no effect on them 223
Limbs, bit by the viper, and cut off immediately after, do

not appear to be changed - ^9

Liver, effects of the bite of the viper on this vifcus - 193

Lungs, of animals bit by the viper, are covered with livid

fpots - - - - 322

lymph, its ch a rafter iflicks - - ZyJ

Vol. I* Ee Marrow

iU 3 N. D E XV

M

Marrow of the Bones, not acted on by the venom of the
viper - - 2o»

Mead, this authour is the firft who has written on the na-
ture of the venom of the viper - - 239

! he believes this venom to be hot and acrid to the tafte 252

— fuppofes the exiftence of certain falts - 47 247

he ingenuoufly agrees, at length, that it is neither

acid nor alkaline - 254

— his hypothecs, as to the action of this venom 78 244
■ remarks, that it produces no change in blood drawn

from the veffels - - - 312

— believes that it acts on the animal fpirits - 89
— has a dog bit in the nofe by a viper — the conclufions

he draws from thence - - - 21 1

»V ■ the drawings he gives of the teeth, &c. of the viper,

are defective - - - - 234

1 his opinion of the venom of bees - 263

Memhrane adipofe, experiments made with the venom of the

viper on thjs part - -< - 183

Mepbitick vapours, different hypothefes on their' mode of

action on animals - - 90

Morgdgni, his opinion of the pain excited by the fling of

the ox-fly . - - - 69

Mufcle the conflrittor, of the veficle of Venom of the Viper, its

defcription - - - 21

Mufdes, action of the venom of the viper on thefe parts 185 187

N

Nap el, effects of this juice on the flefli of animals - 101

Narcoticks, have no effect on dcgs - - 35

Keck, bite of the viper on this part - - 2°8

Nerves ,

I N D ' E

IX

Nerves , effects of the venom of the viper on thefe organs 330

— . __ on the fciatick

nerve of rabbits * - - 337

on the fame nerve

divided above the bite - - 343

• divided below - - 345

with a ligature, without being cut - 349

comparative experiments, by making iimple me-

chanical wounds on the fciatick nerve - - 352
Nintipolenga zeilanica, mode of action of the venom of this

fnake on the animals it bites - - 105

Nofe, effects of the bite of the viper on this part - 210

Nicholls, his drawings of the head of the viper imperfect 234

. =- his idea of the flowing of the venom from the point

of the canine teeth of the viper 6

O

Oils effential, are not difTolved by the venom of the viper 256
Opium, why it caufes convulsions - - 81

— its effects are very analogous to thofe of the venom

oftheviper - - - 174

Orvai, a fnake that refifts the bite of the viper - 39

Ox-fly, (the Taon of the French) feems to be the fame as
the Oeftros of the Greeks, the Affillus of the Latins,
2nd the Tabanus of Varro and Plinv 70

Palfy, caufed by the bite of the viper 99
Particles organical, falfely fuppofed in the venom of the

viper, and likewife in the pus of wounds - Sj 88

Pericranium, not acted on by .the venom of the viper 197

Periofleum, not acted on by the venom of the viper - 198

Pigeons, the quantity of venom required to kill a fparrow,

has in general very little effect on thefe animals - 284

it requires about four times as much to kill them 2S5

£ e 2 Pigeevs,

x T N D E X.

Pigeons, a jingle viper can fucceflively kill ten, or even twelve

of thefe animals - - _ 1$l

» they generally die within from eight to twelve mi-
nutes after they have been bit - - i^l

ip the volatile alkali is of no ufe to them 138, 142

effects of the bite of the viper on their breaft 1 89

on their pericranium - - ig j

bones and periofteum - - jog

. dura mater and brain - - 109

— — marrow of their bones, &c. - • 2oo

— on their mufcles - - . i8r

mufcular fibres - - - i$y

— the amputation of the leg does not occasion the

death of thefe animals - - 298

Poifons of the animal kingdom ; their mode of action 106

Polypus of frefh water; its venom is analogous to that of
the viper - - - 100

, «__ — — - it is the moft active of all venoms 106

Principle';, an unknown one that feems to exiltin the blood

of a living animal - -.- - - 327

Pus of wounds, improperly thought to contain live infects SS
Putrefaction is the real charaeterirtick of death - 405

Rabbits-, effects of the venom of the viper on their mufcles 185

. its eiFe^is on the tranfparent cornea of thefe animals 200

the bite of the viper on the breaft of thefe animals

very dangerous to them
»■ — the bite made en their belly occafions a tumour
effects of the bite on their inteitines

on their liver

on their ears

neck

nofe . -

oh their tendons, ligaments, &c.

190

ur 191

19&

l93

194

209

211

221

■ ' ■ - on

I N D E X. xl

— — on their nerves - • 337
— — - effe&s that enfue from the inje&ion of the venom
of the viper into the blood veflels of rabbits 3 iS, 325
inefRcacy of the volatile alkali, in checking the ef-

fects of the venom in thefe animals - 149, ty%

•>< it rather tends to encreafe than diminifli the difeafc

of the venom - - - i^z

Radijhes ; their fkin affords a blue ftain, very fenfible to the
action of the flighteft degree of acidity - 2^2

Rage or fury of the viper does not render its venom more
a&ive - • . • - 25, 26

Reaumur ; his opinion of the pain produced by the iling of
the ox- fly - - 6g

Receptacle cf the venom of the viper ; its defcription

21, 23 5, 236

Redi'y the fTrft who had any determinate ideas as to the ve-
nom of the viper - 23S

*' his errour in regard to the receptacle of the venom is
the viper - - - 6, zi 5, 339.

. his opinion of the pafTage of the venom along the outer

part of the tooth - 5

Rotifer , or wheel-polypus ; its wheels are not real, but ap-
parent - ~ \o%

Saline net-work, which Mead thought he faw in the venom

of the viper ; what it is - 50, Z47, 249-

Saliva of the viper is not venomous - zt

Salts ; Mead thought he could perceive falts in the venom

of bees - 263 ,

" there are no falts in the venom of the viper 54, \oz

Scorpion ; miftake as to its deflroying itfelf with its own ve-
nom - ~ - 33

«- authors do not agree as to the number of orifices In

its Hing - - >v 64

Xll

I fN D E X.

Skin ; experiments to determine the aclion of the venom of

the viper on this part - - 177

Slugs are not deftroyed by the venom of the viper 38

Snails are infenfible to the venom of the viper - 38
Sparrows ; the time in which they die after they have been

bit by the viper - - - 141

— ■ the quantity of venom required to kill them 285

t» — = * effect of the volatile alkali on thefe animals bit

by the viper . - - 133

Spirit of wine does not diffolve the venom of the viper 257

^^ precipitates it after it has been diffolved in

water - - - 258

Tartar Itibiated ; has no aclion on the eyes - 34

Tafte, hot and acrid, falfely fuppofed by Mead in the venom

of the viper - - - - 56

Teeth canine of the viper; their defcription - 9, 236

— — their number - 7, 237

. — — their double channelling - 10

Tendons ; experiments made on them with the venom of the

viper - - 220

•— in thefe experiments the death of the animal is oc-

eafioned by the denudation of the tendon, and. not by the

venom - - - 231

m — a reproduced vafcular fubftance covers the tendon

after it had been laid bare, and reiiores it to its former

Hate - - - - 232

Tooth venomed ; what it. is - - 185

Toxicodendron; microfcopieal examination of the juice of this

phnt - - - - 102

Tumour that fccceeds to the bite of the viper in the belly,

in rabbits and guinea-pigs - - 191

. it likewife appears when they are bit in the ear 194

m and in the nofe ■ - 211

, _ fowls

INDEX; xhi

— fowls that have been bit in the comb have a tumour

in the gills - 202

Tunica conjunttinja ; not acted on by the venom of the viper 57
Turtles-, are not fufceptible of the venom of the viper 4*

Valifnieri ; his opinion of the pafTage of the venom £

Venom of the Viper flows out at the elliptical hole at the

point of the canine teeth - - i&3 23

■ manner in which it is to be employed

in experiments, to obtain uniform confequences 141

•5

it has no tafte 55, 252

when liquid, unites with the mineral

acids without effervefcence - - 255

— . — the nature of it - - 23S

, it was thought acid by Mead za.o

is not fo 4£

neither is it alkaline - 254.

___— jt diffolves in water, but not in fpirit of

wine - 257

— - does not melt in the fire - 25 S

microfcopical examination of a drop of

this venom - - 48,259

— — — 1 — it is a poifon to every fpecies of animals

with warm blood - - %n%

— — has no action on leeches - 36

, — nor on fnails - - 3$

a determinate quantity of it isi required

to kill an animal - - 277,287

; a thoufandth part of a grain in weight

is fufficient to kill a fparrow - - 283;

■> it requires a certain time to produce its

effecl - - - 288, 294., 299, 302
-■ — it is not mortal if it dees not penetrate be-

aeath the adipofe membrane - - 185

SIT

INDEX.

. — — its action on parts bitten • zjt

__ it has in general no action on the muf-

cles of animals - - - 186

_ -,. nor on the bone, periolleum, and peri-

cranium - 197, 198

— nor on the dura mater and brain ' 199

, . nor on the marrow of the bones 200

, — nor on the tranfparent cornea 57, 200

. — has no effect on the tongue of rabbits 201

. nor on amputated limbs - 289

, — i — — when injected into the blood -veffels, it

kills an animal inflantly - - - 318

a caufes no change in the blood drawn.

from the veffels - - 313

prevents the coagulation of it ibid.

^ — ,— has no effect on the nerves - 356

■ ■ 1 — according to. Mead, it acts on the ani-

mal fpirits - - - 330

, 1 . « — does not lofe its deadly qualities, after

having been employed in killing animals - 188

— .■ ■ ■■ — nor after having been kept a long time 65

Venom of the polypus analogous to that of the viper 100.

Venomed ; what mould be underftood by this word 98

Vipers are not always provided with venom -> 140

....,,■■, are not deftroyed by their own venom • 29

— — — it probably requires nearly the venom of two vipers
to kiil a man ... * 287

W

Wafps ; experiments on their venom ' • - 263

Water diffolves the venom of the viper perfectly 257

Wheel-polypus ; its wheels w* not real, but apparent 108

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#W COUNTWAY LIBRARY OF MEDICINE

QP

F73 E3

1795

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X

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