I alfo made an experiment with the solution of this poifon in vinegar.

Of fix animals treated with the folution in vinegar, two died, two had all the symptoms of the disease caused by the poifon, and the other two were not affected by it.

In thefe inftances, we cannot fuppofe, fays FONTANA, that the mineral acids prevented the effects of the poifon of the ticunas; or the lunar cauftic that of the viper; by crifping and hardening the blood-veffels, and thus preventing the poifon from infinuating itself this way into the blood, for the fluid volatile alkali has no fuch property, and this muft appear to us strange, he adds, when we confider the great agreement there is betwixt the FLUID ALKALI and LUNAR CAUSTIC.

Now the dawn of a probable theory has broke in upon us, we are able to diftinguish the operation of these two bodies, which destroy contiguity of parts in the living body from very different causes. The LUNAR CAUSTIC, as was faid before, is filver combined with the nitrous acid, and that to the oxygen of that mineral acid it owed its powers. Now the FLUID VOLATILE ALKALI is azot and hydrogen, which has the ftrongest affinity for fixed air (carbon combined with oxygen,) and by difpoffeffing from animal matter its carbon and oxygen it acts; for when previously faturated with fixed air, it has then no fuch property, but becomes mild alkali.

SECT

SECT. XXXIII.

OF THE BITE OF VENOMOUS SERPENTS, AND THE METHOD OF CURE.

ge

I HOPE the reader will forgive me, if I adduce one more inftance of a poifon to which we are ftrangers, from the confideration of a specific being discovered, which tends to confirm the neral conclufion respecting the power of oxygen. Dr. Ruffel, in his account of ferpents, affures us, that what is known in the Eaft, by the name of the fnake-pill, never fails in curing the bites of the moft venemous ferpents. The Tanjore, or Snakepill, confifts principally of the OXYD OF MERCURY, and of ARSENIC.

Swarts, a Moravian prieft, inftigated by the celebrity these had obtained for the bite of the Cobre de Capello, and other Indian ferpents, through the nobleft motives of philanthropy, purchased the fecret from the Brachmins, and communicated it to the Company's furgeons. One of these gave the information to Dr. Ruffel, with an account of several cafes, proving their fuccefs in fuch cafes,

SECT.

SECT. XXXIV.

OF CANINE MADNESS.

In the whole catalogue of diseases, hydrophobia feems the most dreadful. It often attacks in a healthy period of life, and when death appears far off, and leaves the patient until the approach of the disease in a horrid fufpenfe*. In viewing a hydrophobic patient, when labouring under the action of this dreadful poifon, the attention is naturally ftruck with the horrid convulfions which torture the unhappy patient, the difficulty of deglutition, and the wonderful diftrefs which he expreffes at the fight of water, though at the fame time his thirst be exceffive. Thefe, with his ghaftly countenance, extreme restleffnefs, and conftant wakefulness, has univerfally led the practitioner to confider the complaint as purely nervous. He flies, therefore, to whatever he prefumes may ftill the action of the nerves. Hence blifters, opiates, affafoetida, camphor, valerian, tonics, and every medicine of which he has either read or heard mentioned for that purpose, are immediately called to his aid. With what fuccefs

* John Hunter, though a man of courage, was diffecting a dog, which died of canine madness, and cut himself. He was fo alarmed that he dates the origin of his disease of the heart to this caufe.-Vide Home's Life of Hunter,

may

may be seen from the wretched detail of cafes, as fatal as they are numerous, which the experience of many centuries have recorded. The time indeed for action is fhort; its longeft period little more than a day or two; the disease most rapidly running its course, the symptoms hourly doubling their violence. The late period when the phyfician is called in, is another reafon for fo little having been done, for what can be effectually done towards the clofe of the fatal period? Thus placed, what can he often do, than merely to caft, with the bye-ftander, a look of commiferation on the hopeless fufferer, prepare the friends for the approaching catastrophe, or order fome medicine, which for the prefent fituation of things, though powerful in itself, he is confcious cannot for a moment arreft the fatal blow.

We have a very accurate defcription of the Symptoms of hydrophobia, or as it is more properly called, rabies contagiofa, by Dr. WOLF, in five cafes of perfons who died of this dreadful disease. The eye, as in typhus fever, is impatient of the leaft light; any bright colour creates uneafinefs; the mind is very irritable; the best friends. are difliked. It is remarkable that the lint, or other dreffings, when taken off, discover a black furface, even though the wound may discharge good pus; the fauces have no appearance of rednefs; the face, which at firft is pale, becomes VOL. IV.

L

brown,

brown, and during each fpafmodic attack turns almoft quite black; the lips are extremely livid; as the disease advances each paroxyfm is lefs violent; the patient has intervals of reafon; the dread of ftrangulation from water goes off; the pulse becomes weak, quick, and fluttering; and the body feels remarkably cold; he then composes himself as it were to fleep, and expires. Upon diffection there is not to be found the leaft trace of inflammation.

From this appearance of things, have we not reafon to expect fome advantage from fubftances containing OXYGEN? Opium, camphor, musk, and fubmerfion, have from repeated trials juftly loft their reputation in this disease. The abftraction

*These remedies have been employed from confidering this disease as purely NERVOUS. Opium in every different preparation yet invented, has been employed. It has been given in moderate, and alfo in large and powerful dofes. Dr. Vaughan. gave to one of his patients no lefs than 57 grains in fourteen hours. John Hunter exhibited it in a cafe that came under his care with a tolerable free hand, and Dr. Meufe has carried it from 5 to 15 grains; but it failed in every inftance, and fufpicion may arife whether this disease has not been aggravated by it, and the other antifpafmodics. The nature of fpafmodic difeafes, and the operation of opium, was formerly unknown. Its action on the blood has been before explained in Section XXVIII.

Convulfions appear to arife, fays FONTANA, from the deftruction at different times, and in an irregular manner, of the irritability of the mufcular fibres. It has been unjustly attributed to a fuperabundance of animal fpirits. Weak languishing animals, that die from hunger, perish in dreadful convulfions. It