A compleat discourse of wounds, both in general and particular whereunto are added the severall fractures of the skull, with their variety of figures : as also a treatise of gunshot-wounds in general / collected and reduced into a new method by John Brown ...

CHAP. XVI.

Of Wounds made by the Bite of an Ad∣der, or any other venomous Creature.

THese may be properly called Stinging Bites; and these came into the world soon after Man's Fall, and have continued ever since, for the punishment of sin∣ful Man. I shall begin this Discourse with the Bite of an Adder, which by some is called Coluber, quia colit um∣bras, or à Lubricis tractibus, as Oribasius observeth; that is, because it haunteth Shadowy and grovy places, or from her winding Paths. When this Animall does bite a man, the Part becomes of a leaden colour, and very painfull. If not presently cured, foetid and black Matter does issue from the Sore.

As touching the Cure hereof, you may use those which are prescribed in the foregoing Chapter. Dress the Wound with Treacle dissolved in the Oyl of Scorpions, inwardly giving your Patient Treacle-water, or Aqua Scordii composit. to which may be added a little Vinegar, Carduus-water, Rue-water, and the like.

Paraeus, lib. 20. cap. 23. shews how he cured a Cook bitten with an Adder, upon gathering of wild Hops from a hedge. So soon as he was bitten in the Hand, he suc∣ked the Wound with his lips, hereby thinking to mitigate the pain, and extract the poyson: but so soon as his tongue had touched the Wound, it swelled so big, that it hin∣dred his speech; besides which, his Arm even to his Shoulder so tumefied, and caused such sharp pains, that he twice fainted away. In this miserable condition being undertaken by him, he washed his Mouth with Treacle dissolved in White wine, adding to it Aqua vitae; the Arm was scarified with many and deep Scarifications; and the Bloud, which was both waterish and full of Se∣rum, was permitted to flow plentifully from the incised Parts, the which were afterwards well washed with Mi∣thridate and Treacle dissolved in Aqua vitae. The Pa∣tient was after this committed to his warm bed, and there caused to sweat, not to sleep, lest hereby the Poyson might be drawn to the inward Parts. By this method all the malign Symptoms ceased, and the Wound was kept open for a long while, for the discharge of the peccant Matter, and washed with Treacle and Wine: and within a small while after he recovered. (By the way, such people who do make it their trade to catch Adders, do apply the Powder of them to the affected Part, if they be bit∣ten, and do take the same inwardly.)

To these I shall adde Toads, for these two are the most venomous creatures we have in England. And what a Toad is, is so well known, that it will be needless to set down its description. This onely I shall assert, it lea∣peth not as do Frogs, but creepeth slowly; partly by reason of its short legs, and partly in respect of its dull body. If it be stirred, it swells, and looks very ugly with its flaming eyes. It infecteth by its venomous Spit∣tle or Slaver, and whom it thus infecteth it does inflict in them most of these following Symptoms: it generally

does change the Colour of the body, the Patient does find difficulty of breathing, is perplexed with troublesome Syncope's, with blackness of Lips and Tongue, Raving, cold Sweat, and the like.

As touching the Cure hereof, Treacle, Mithridate, Orviatan, Electuar. de Ovo, Aqu. Theriacal. Bezoard. mine∣ral. Harts-horn, Terra Lemnia, and the like, are good; and to the wounded Part use strong Lixivium's, such as I have set down in the Curing of a Gangrene, being made of Scordium, Rue, Angelica, Wormwood, Sage, Bays, and the like.

I will conclude this with two remarkable Histories. The first is of Johannes Boccatius, who while he was sporting with his Beloved in his Garden near a bed of Sage, by rubbing his Teeth and Gums with some of the Sage-leaves, he speedily died. His Wife was called be∣fore a Judge, who enquiring of her how her Husband be∣came poysoned, she carried with her some of the same Sage-leaves to shew him, and tasting thereof in his pre∣sence, died also, to the great admiration of all the By∣standers. The wise Judge considering of which, did much suspect this Sage, and ordered it to be pluckt up from the roots, and commanded it to be committed to a workman's care to clear the ground: upon the doing of which, there appeared a great black Toad, which had harboured at the bottome of the Sage, the which by its poysonous Vapour and tabifick Illuvies did infect the whole Plant with its venomous Saliva or Slaver; these two taking whereof, it did occasion the loss of both their Lives. And hence may be collected, although Toads have no Teeth, yet have they heard Gums, and the parts to which they adhere they do so closely constringe and close, that they compell and force their whole Poy∣son into the whole part, and thereby do infect the whole Body by their fastning.

I have also read from a very Worthy Friend, of two Merchants, who while Dinner was providing, took a few turns about the Garden which belonged to the House, wherein they delighted themselves with the beauty and shape of the Sage-leaf; of which they pluckt some, and these being unwasht they put them into a Glass of Wine. They had scarce dined, but by drinking of this Wine they were taken with a Vertigo, all things see∣ming to their view to turn round: and being thus blinded, they both fell into a Syncope, and were speedily after∣wards overtaken with Convulsion; their Tongues and Lips grew black, with a horrid Aspect, accompanied with cold Sweats, and their whole Bodies were raised into a Tu∣mour by this Venome; whereupon both very suddenly died. It being generally reported that they were both poysoned, the man of the house and his servants were all convened before a Judge, for suspicion of poysoning these two Gentlemen; who upon their Examination declared by a generall consent, that themselves putting some Sage∣leaves into their Wine were herewith poysoned. The Judge hereupon sending for a Physician, and enquiring of him whether Sage might be infected with Poyson, he presently asserted it might. He further enquired of the Master of the Garden, whether any virulent Slaver, Froath, or Matter, was upon the Sage. To which they all readily answered, There was. And upon making a Cavity at the bottome of the Sage-bed, there was found a great Toad, the which then was conjectured to poyson the Plant at the root by its Slaver and venenate Liquor. And hence may we collect how imprudent all such men are, who do readily eat Herbs and Fruits newly plucked, without be∣ing either washed or wiped.

Notes

• hs Cure.
• History.
• Bitings of Toads.
• History.
• Another.