This, tho’ they keep as a great Secret, I have however upon strict Enquiry found out to be no other than the _Axungia Viperina_ presently rubbed into the Wound. And to convince my self of its good Effects, I inraged a Viper to bite a young Dog in the Nose; both the Teeth were struck deep in; he howled bitterly, and the Part began to swell; I diligently applied some of the _Axungia_ I had ready at Hand, and he was very well the next Day.
But because some Gentlemen who saw this Experiment were apt to impute the Cure rather to the Dog’s Spittle, (he licking the Wound) than to the Virtue of the _Fat_, we made him to be bit again in the Tongue, forbearing the Use of our Remedy, and he died within four or five Hours.
At another time I made the like Trial with the same Success.
_As_ this _Axungia_ consists of Clammy and Viscid Parts, which are withal more Penetrating and Active than most other Oily Substances, _so_ these, without all doubt, do involve, and as it were sheath the Volatile Salts of the Venemous Liquor, and thus prevent their Shooting out into those Crystalline _Spicula_, which we have observ’d to be the main Instruments of that deadly Mischief which attends the Bite.
By this means it comes to pass, that this Cure, if rightly manag’d, is so easie and certain, as not to need the help of any _Internal_ Medicines to forward it; but _These_ however must take place, where, thro’ Want of the other, the Poison is spread farther, and has tainted the whole Mass of Blood.
Nor yet is it necessary even in this Case to fatigue the Patient with a _Farrago_ of _Theriacas_, _Antidotes_, &c. for the _Volatile Salt_ of Vipers is alone sufficient to do the Work, if given in just Quantities, and duly repeated; provided moderate Sweats be incouraged in Bed; thus it succeeded with Monsieur _Charas_ in the before cited Case, and in some others I could relate; in one of which the Mischief had gone so far as to induce an universal _Icterus_.
This leads me last of all to hint something concerning the Use of the Viper in _Physick_; because Authors are very large in enumerating its Virtues against many, and those too some of ’em very obstinate, Distempers.
One of the first whom we find in Antiquity to have made use of the Flesh of this Creature to Medicinal Purposes, was, I think, _Antonius Musa_, the Famons Physician to _Octavius Cæsar_; of whom _Pliny_ (31) tells us, That _when he met with incurable Ulcers, he ordered the eating of Vipers, and by this means they were quickly Healed_.