Volume 1

Treatise on the venom of the viper; on the 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 description of a new canal of the eye ... / Translated from the original French of Felix Fontana ... by Joseph Skinner.

  • Fontana, Felice, 1730-1805.
Date:
1787
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Treatise on the venom of the viper; on the 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 description of a new canal of the eye ... / Translated from the original French of Felix Fontana ... by Joseph Skinner. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    leg, which was not treated. 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 wa5^ I treated each of them, and made them fwallow the volatile alkali. They all died, oile in two hours^ another in three, the third in fix, and the fourth riot till the twentieth hour had elapfed. That I might have a comparative experiment, I had four other guineapigs, entirely like the prece- ding onesj 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, arid 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 leaft very probablei I. That the bite of the viper is capable of kil- ling even the largefl; guineapigs. II. That the fmaller animals die fooncr than the larger ones of the fame fpecies. III. That the volatile alkali is riot a certain re- medy againfl: the bite of the viper. It may be objected, that the firfl; guirieapig bit and treated, at length recovered, and that all which were not treated died. This is true, but proves nothing, finte, as hds been feen above, there arc 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^ Npw if we confidcf La that