This leads me last of all to hint something concerning the Use of the Viper in _Physick_; because Authors are very large in enumerating its Virtues against many, and those too some of ’em very obstinate, Distempers. One of the first whom we find in Antiquity to have made use of the Flesh of this Creature to Medicinal Purposes, was, I think, _Antonius Musa_, the Famons Physician to _Octavius Cæsar_; of whom _Pliny_ (31) tells us, That _when he met with incurable Ulcers, he ordered the eating of Vipers, and by this means they were quickly Healed_. It is not improbable that he might have learned this from the Great _Greek_ Physician _Craterus_, mention’d often by _Cicero_ in his Epistles to _Atticus_, who, as _Porphyrius_ (32) relates, _very happily cured a miserable Slave, whose Skin in a strange manner fell off from his Bones, by advising him to feed upon Vipers dressed after the manner of fish_. Be this as it will, in _Galen_’s time the profitable Qualities of the Viper were very commonly known; himself relating (33) very remarkable Stories of the Cures of the _Elephantiasis_, or _Lepra_, done by the Viper Wine. _Aretæus_, who most probably liv’d about the same time with _Galen_, and of all the Ancients has most accurately described the _Elephantiasis_, commends, as _Craterus_ did, the eating of Vipers instead of Fish in the same Diseases (34). And to this purpose I remember, that _as Lopes_ (35) in his Relations of the Kingdom of _Congo_ in _Africa_, takes notice how greedily the _Negroes_ eat _Adders_, roasting them, and esteeming them as the most delicious Food; _so Dampier_ (36) also informs us, that the Natives of _Tonquin_ in the _East Indies_ do treat their Friends with _Arack_, in which _Snakes_ and _Scorpions_ have been infus’d, accounting this not only a great Cordial, but also an Antidote against the _Leprosie_, and all other sorts of Poison. The Physicians in _Italy_ and _France_ do very commonly prescribe the Broth and Gelly of Vipers Flesh for much the same Uses, that is, to invigorate and purifie the Mass of Blood exhausted with Diseases, or tainted with some Vicious and Obstinate _Ferment_. From all this it appears, That the main Efficacy of the Viperine Flesh is to quicken the Circle of the Blood, promote its due Mixture, and by this means cleanse and scoure the _Glands_ of those stagnating Juices, which, turning to Acidity, are the Origine of many, at least, of those troublesome Distempers in the Surface of the Body, which go under the Names of _Scrophulous_, _Leprous_, &c.