[83]. Raii Synopsis, p. 334,—Solo reste—caroque ejus pro cibo gratissimo venditur.
BRASILIAN Serpents call’d Lizards are slay’d, broil’d as little Fishes, and eaten by the Negroes or Blackmoors that are transported into that Country from Africa.
I am inform’d of a Gentleman of the Law at Ludlow, who having prick’d a living Toad in various Parts, sucks its Moisture, and leaves it as must a Skeleton as the Purse of a Client.
Thus we see that the Almighty is so far from being chargeable with Defect of Wisdom and Goodness, in forming of Serpents, that both as Food and Physick, they may be equally improv’d to our Advantage.
I shall only add one Remark here, that if Serpents, and other venemous Creatures, are hurtful to us, ’tis only by Accident, that is, they are not vexatious to us, of Necessity, but through our own Ignorance, Carelessness, or Mistake; e. gr.
“The Birds we call Stares, safely feed upon Hemlock; Storks feed on Adders, and Slow-Worms; which, and other hurtful Creatures, would be as harmless to ourselves, had we always Caution enough to avoid them, or Wit enough to use them as we should. Thus Aloes has the Property of promoting Hæmorrhages; but this Property is good or bad, as ’tis used: if by one that has the Green Sickness, it will prove a good Medicine; if by one subject to a Dysentery, or to spitting of Blood, a pernicious Poison.”[[84]]
[84]. Dr. Neh. Grew’s Cosmologia Sacra, B. iii. cap. 2. p. 103.
And it is very probable, that the most dangerous Poisons skilfully managed, may be made, not only innocuous, but, of all other Medicines, the most effectual. Opium corrected, loses its narcotic Quality, and is safely given in great Doses, in Fluxes, Catarrhs, and convulsive Cases.
It is generally agreed, there is no Part of a Viper, not even the Gall itself, but may be swallowed without harm; accordingly the Ancients, and, as several Authors of Credit assure us, the Indians and others at this day, both of the East and West, eat them, as we do, Eels.
Spontaneous Productions of the Earth were the first Food, and still are the Sustenance of numerous Nations. It was some time before they came to the Juices of Cattle, as Milk, and longer before they commenced carnivorous, and devoured their Fellow-Animals.