VENOMOUS BITES
—are sometimes sustained by horses and dogs; and become the more perplexing, in consequence of not knowing from whence the injury proceeds. Vipers, slow-worms, efts, horse-stingers, hornets, and wasps, seem to be nearly the whole tribe from which bites (or stings) of this description are received. The effect of either is much the same, as to inflammation, pain, and tension; but that the symptoms are not equally severe, being gradational in their degrees of violence, according to the individual by which the wound is inflicted. Of these the viper is by much the worst; for the vesicle in which the poisonous particles are contained, being seated upon the gum close to the insertion of the tooth, in the very act of biting, the vesicle is broken, and the venomous fluid at the same moment communicated to the wound. This is followed by excruciating pain, increasing inflammation, and various violent symptoms, in either man or beast. By way of immediate relief, bleeding is first premised, to unload the vessels, and take off the increasing stricture from the part: this, followed by an early application of the oil of vipers, is said to be infallible. Repeated experiments have proved the finest olive oil to be equally efficacious. The others, however painful at first, soon submit to repeated bathings with the strongest white wine vinegar, or a weak solution of sugar of lead.