'Some observations upon Vipers on occasion of the foregoing relation' by C J Sprengell

Description

Sprengwell describes meeting a viper-catcher in Milan, and how they observed together that only a pregnant viper will feed when in a confined space. He goes on to describe an experiment he undertook in Brussels, in which a pig was bit on the tail by a viper. After four minutes he cut the tail off the pig, and noted that the pig appeared to suffer no adverse reaction to the venom. He concludes with the observation that dogs bitten by vipers were able to recover after being given emetic tartar (Antimony potassium tartrate).

Subject: Zoology / Herpetology

Read to the Royal Society on 24 January 1722/3
Printed in 'Philosophical Transactions', vol 32 (1722), p 296

Reference number

RBO/11/72

Earliest possible date

1722

Page extent

4 pages

Format

Manuscript