A Mechanical Account of Poisons in Several EssaysMead, Richard
Science
A Mechanical Account of Poisons in Several Essays
Mead, Richard
Poisons -- Early works to 1800; Venom -- Physiological effect -- Early works to 1800
Now as we every Day observe, that what is thrown out from Liquors in a
Ferment, is capable of inducing the like Motion in another Liquor of
the same kind, when duly mixed with it; so we may very well suppose
in the present Case, that the _Saliva_, which is it self one of the
most Fermentative Juices in Nature, being turgid with Fiery, Saline
Particles thrown into it out of the boiling Blood, when it comes by
means of a Wound to be Incorporated with the Arterial Fluid of any
One, does by Degrees raise a preternatural Effervescence in it; the
Effects of which will necessarily be most felt in those Parts which
being tender, are the least able to refill the distension of the Blood
Vessels; such are the Stomach, and especially the Brain; and hereupon
_Deliria_, with _Maniacal_, and such like Symptoms, will easily insue.
A Person thus affected may be said in a Degree to have put on the
_Canine_ Nature, tho’ his Reason be all this time untouch’d and intire,
may Bite, Howl, _&c._ because the _like_ violent Agitation of the Blood
in Him as was in the Dog will present like _Species_, and consequently
(so far as their different Natures will allow) produce like Actions;
just as it has been observed, that _Sheep_ bitten by a Mad Dog, have
run at the Shepherd like so many Dogs to Bite him; so much can an
Alteration of the Blood and Spirits do. And as a Timorous Creature
may be imboldened, so we oftentimes see Persons Courageous enough by
a change made in the Blood by Evacuations, that is, by want of Force
and Motion in that Fluid, made sheepish Cowards, in despight of their
Reason, so long as that Defect is continued.
But the main difficulties in this matter are, the Mischief discovering
it self so long after the Bite, and the _Hydrophobia_.
As to the former, we are to consider, that Fermentation being a Change
made in the Cohæsion of the compounding Parts of a Fluid, it is
sometimes a longer, sometimes a shorter time before this Alteration is
wrought; which variety may proceed either from the different Nature
and Constitution of the Ferment, or of the Liquor Fermented, and a
great Number of Circumstances besides. So that this Venom may be all
the while doing its Work, tho’ the change made by it may not be so
considerable as to be sensibly taken Notice of till a long time after.
Nay, it may so happen, that the _Ferment_ being Weak may not raise
in the Blood any remarkable Agitation at all, till some accidental
Alteration in the Body unluckily gives it an additional Force. As
we before observed, how much external Heat concurrs to heighten the
Symptoms from the Bite of the _Tarantula_. And this probably may be
the Case of Those in whom this Malignity has not appear’d till Six, or
Twelve Months after the Wound.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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