Zoologia: or, The history of animals as they are useful in physick and chirurgery.: Divided into four parts; the [brace] first treateth of the more perfect terrestrial creatures. Second third fourth of birds. fishes. insects. / By John Schroder, Dr. of physick.

The vertues in particular.

1. The whole ones burnt, viz. the flesh, heart, bones and liver, are Alexipharmacall, and have a sudorifick quality (not venomous.)

They are of especiall use outwardly in all veno∣mous and malignant diseases, as the Plague, Fever, Leprosie, and the like. Moreover Cardan brags of it as a secret, that the Consumptive, and those that have the French disease are holpen chiefly by the use of Vipers, if the flesh boyled be eaten, the broth drunken and the grease anointed on the spine and joynts. Neither is there cause that thou shouldest so much fear the internall use of Serpents, for thou mayest take the flesh, the skin pulled off the gall, tail, and bowels cast away, and use it in stead of meat.

N. 1. The head is rejected because it is very veno∣mous, the tail is cast away not because it is veno∣mous, but because it only consists of bones, the bladder with the gall is rejected because it is the nearest receptacle of venomous matter, which thence by two passages is carried to the sockets of the teeth in which it becomes more full of spirit and more strong in effect, in so much that if any be pricked with the teeth of a Viper though dead long before, he is infected with the poyson; otherwise the gall, with which being new Dogs do die, but they eat it dryed without harm; we use not the bowels or puddings, because of the excrements or egges sticking thereto, otherwise these being cast away they may become usefull without harm.

N. 2. According to some if thou keep asunder the heart and the liver, thou hast gotten a most preti∣ous

medicinall treasure: but thou art mistaken if thou perswade thy self to have any thing of virtue distinct from the flesh and bones; in like manner thou art deceived if (as the common opinion is) by swallowing down the serpentine powder (or of the heart, newly extracted and as yet moving it self) thou imagine thy self free from the stingings of Serpents.

2. The Fat softens strumes, cures the redness and spots of the eyes, sharpens the sight, asswages the pains of the Gowt.

3. The skin is thought to facilitate child-bearing (tyed to the belly or loynes) and to asswage tooth-ach (in Gargarisms) It cures Tetters (made into pow∣der and applyed) helps shedding of hair, and makes hairs to grow (anointed.)

4. The gall applyed on the stingings of Serpents, drawes the poyson to it. The same they affirm of the head applyed or laid to the place.