2. Whereas commonly it hath hitherto been believed, that the poyson of Vipers being swallowed, was present death; this _Author_, after many reiterated Experiments, is said to have observed, that in Vipers there is neither Humour, nor Excrement, nor any part, not the _Gall_ it self, that, being taken into the Body, kills. And he assures, that he hath seen men eat, and hath often made Bruit Animals swallow all that is esteem'd most poysonous in a Viper, yet without the least mischief to them. Whence he shews, that it needs not so much to be wondred at, that certain _Empiricks_ swallow the juyce of the {161} most venomous Animals without receiving any harm thereby; adding, that, which is ascribed to the vertue of their _Antidote_, ought to be attributed to the nature of those kinds of Poysons, which are no poysons, when they are swallow'd, (for which Doctrine he also alledges _Celsus_) but onely when they are put into wounds. Which also has been noted by _Lucan_, who introduces _Cato_ thus speaking; _Noxia serpentum est admisto sanguine pestis,_ __Morsu_ virus habent, & fatum _dente_ minantur;_ __Pocula_ morte carent._ And what also some Authors have affirm'd, _videl._ That it is mortal, to eat of the Flesh of creatures killed by Vipers; or to drink of the Wine wherein Vipers have been drowned; or to suck the wounds that have been made by them, is by this Authour observed to be wide of truth. For he assures, that many persons have eaten Pullets and Pigeons, bitten by Vipers, without finding any alteration from it in their health. On the contrary, he declares, That it is a soveraign Remedy against the biting of Vipers, to suck the wound; alledging an Experiment, made upon a Dog, which he caused to be bitten by a Viper at the nose, who by licking his own wound saved his life. Which he confirms by the example of those people, celebrated in _History_ by the name of _Marsi_ and _Psilli_, whose Employment it was, to heal those, that had been bitten by Serpents, by sucking their wounds. 3. He adds, that although _Galen_ and many modern _Physitians_ do affirm, that there is nothing, which causeth so much thirst, as Vipers-flesh, yet he hath experimented the contrary and knows divers persons, who did eat the flesh of Vipers at all their meals, and yet did assure him, they never were less dry, then when they observed that kind of Diet. 4. As for the Salt of Vipers, whereof some _Chymists_ have {162} so great esteem, he saith, that it hath no _Purging_ vertue at all in it; adding that even of _All Salts_, none hath more vertue than another, as he pretends to have shew'd in an other _Book_ of his, _De natura salium_; which also hath not been yet transmitted into these parts.