[77]. Heylin’s Cosmography, B. iv. p. 151.
The Kalmuck Tartars feed very much upon Snakes, Adders and Foxes——The Syrians eat Crocodiles, which live on the Land only.
MITHRIDATE, formerly one of the Capital Medicines in the Shops, has the Name from the Inventor, viz. Mithridates King of Pontus, who being overcome by Pompey, would have poison’d himself; but no Poison would work upon him, having accustom’d himself to eat Poison; thus described in an old Doggrel Rhyme, viz.
King Mithridates cou’d not poison’d be,
He drinking Poison oft, grew Poison-free.
After King Mithridates was vanquish’d, Cneus Pompeius found in his Closet the following Receipt, against Poison, writ with his own Hand, in this Manner, viz.
TAKE two dry Walnut-kernels, as many Figs, of Rue twenty Leaves, stamp all these together into one Mass, with a Grain of Salt.——Under this Receipt was writ——Whoever eats this Confection in the Morning fasting, no Poison shall hurt him that Day[[78]]. In America, where Lizards are very good, they eat them, and so large, that one Lizard is enough to satisfy four Men. ’Tis very probable that they were eaten in Arabia and Judea, since Moses ranks them among the unclean Creatures[[79]].
[78]. Pliny’s Natural Hist. Tom. ii. B. 23.
[79]. Calmet in verbum——Hieronym. contra Jovinian. lib. ii.
Though the Flesh of venemous Creatures be nutrimental, and eaten with a good Relish, in many Places, yet it must be allow’d our old Historiographers in some Things hyperbolize upon the Subject. Thus Avicenna, the great Arabian Doctor, and others, speak of a young Maid, who was fed with the Flesh of poisonous Creatures, from her tender Age; by which her Breath became venemous to those who stood by her. And thus Porus, a certain Indian King, is said to use Poison every Day, that he might kill others. It is a known History, adds he, of a young Woman, fed with Poison, with which the Persian Kings destroy’d whom they pleas’d.