Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-01-03
AMERICAN ORGAN.
Smithsonian Lectures.

i SmithsOnian Lectures.
ANIMAL POISONs AND THEIR ANTIDoTEs
By DR.. BRAINARD.
l The doctorhas devoted much of his time to exper
imenting on poisons, and, from his intimate know
edge of their nature, il afitperson to explain them
He was introduced by Prof Henry. who spoke Q
the experiments of the morning, and the satisfac
ton they gave
| The doctor commenced by remarking the supe
riority Of the science of the present day over tha
! OF the ancients in detecting posons
In the time Of Charles TX, poisons could be ad
ministercd in perfumes, could be deprived Of thei
bitter taste, yet SO concentrated kill in shor
time, and yet so subtle to defy the efforts Of thu
most skilful 70 detect them.
Ambrose Pare. surgeon of Charles TX, gives al
account OF the poisoning Of Pope Clement by the
vapors ofa TORCH and gives directions to every one
whose death would be of advantage to others, such
as benefccd clcrSymen, how to best avoid poison
He advised abstinence from all seasoned sauces
large draughts, &C., and the eating Of such things
as fat soups, dried figs, &C., as they would break
the force Of the poisons,
Modern science has revealed the nature of these
posons, and now the law Is enabled to give the &C.
curity to ALL that the most powerful could not then
enjoy. But science is not yet perfect. The are
many poisons not yet analysed, for which no an.
tidote has been found.
Here he spoke Of venomous serpents, the most
dangerous Of which ID the rattle-snake. Then fol
lowed history Of the reptile, explaining with mi
nuteness the operation and position Of the fangs,
the use Of the rattle, and the snakes mode Of In.
ecting poison; at the same time illustrating his
remarks by preserved heads Of serpents Also, Of
the symptoms and effects in different stages of the
pois6n. He said the venom of the rattle-snake Is
OF the consistency and e0ler of olive oil, has dis
agreeable odor, pungent taste, and may be swal-
lowed without danger II is not perceptibie by
the severest chemical tes'. There are times when
the most venomous serpent inHict but slight
wound, AZ the venom Is at times much less viru.
lent than at others.
There is reason to believe that the poison used
by Indians on their arrows Is, in many cases
nothing but the venom Of serpsnts. And though
this substa1ce called warrari eurare, and woorara
has been yariously described by different travellers
as being of an animal or vegetable nature, or d
mixture of both; from experiments he has made he
believes it to be the same as that of serpents caus
ing the same result producing the sano effects in
detail, and yielding TO the Same antidotc.
Since the experiments of Magend;e in Is09 It ID
GENERALLY admitted that poisons produce their effect
on the system, by being absorbed and carried into
the circulation, and that they exact their influence
by virtue of their peculiar properties. Various
opinions have been entertained respecting the ac-
ton Of the poison ON tho blood--Fontana attribu-
ting 1t to coagulatiOn. lie experimental in six
thousand cases with vipers IN every possible way.
DR.. B. had never experimental with vipers, but he
found il the reverse in case of the rattlesnake
Here he explained the action of the globules Of
blood as seen in frogs leg, or bats wing these
slobucs traversng the veins and arteries to pre-
serve life but the poison causes them to adhere TO
each other, SO that they no longer traverse the
capilaries. This theory 10 not new. Shakespeare
put it In the mouth Of the ghost In Hamlet who,
speaking of the poison poured in his ears, said
-----" II doth possett
And curd, like eager droppings into milk
The thin and wholesome blood"
Here came ttc treatment Of poisoning by serpent
bite and worare. He spoke Of the many remedies
brought down by tradtion-such as the burial
Of the affected part in the earth placing Che affect
cd part in the entrails of freshly killed animal
&c.--the many plants recommcnded--the applica-
ton OF stimulants-and the results of his expert
ments with them, total failure In some, an alevi-
alton OF pain by others, but total cure from none
But an antidotc is finally found. The doctor does
not tell us who found out this Invaluable remedy !;
but she discoverer is suspected. Much credit TO
his perseverance in so noble cause through the
revolving experiments from which il was CLEANED
II Is a solution Of iodine and iodide Of POTASH
der the skin. .
During the forenoon, in the presence of most Of
the Medical Faculty Of our city, he conclusively
showed the eflcscy Of The remedy, by making
ratte-snakes bite pigeons md chickens then
showing the mode Of administering tho sntidote
which affords instant relief He showed that d so
luton Of woorrara, injected under the skin Of a
pigeon, would kill II In FIVE minutes The same
amount, mixed with twenty drops Of the antidotc,
Of the strength Of ton grains of iodine, and thirty
ofioddc TO an ounce Of distilled water, injected In
to the veins produced no sensible effect 0ther
experiments Of the same character proved beyond
| doubt the efficacy Of the antidote.
But he says there may be cases that the antidote
cannot reach, on account of the depth Of the
wound but wherever II is possible for IL 10 follow
the poison il neutralizcs II completely. t
The principle on which the antidote acts Is Us
antpurescent qualities and u possesses over chic
ne the additional value of not causing Inflammation
or modification. 9 u
He also believes the solution mentioned an anti
dote in cases Of poisoning by strychpia TO great
egrco also Of prussic acid.
His plan Of treatment for the bite Of serpent,
or wound from poisoned arrow is, first, to wash
the part with solution of iodine and iodidc OF po-
tassun, and apply cupping glasses over the wound,
or Hgaturcs around the member Second. IL the
wound be deep, or II absorption has already taken
place, inject the solution under the Skin beneath
the cupping glass, disseminating tby friction about
the wound.
This treatment and 8ntidote he has proved in
more than hundred instances on various birds
and animals.
lie closed by adverting to the romantic stories
rife respecting the power Of the rattlesnake's
breath TO cause blindness and his power OF fsscina
tion---but dismissed them as naginations unworthy
men of science.
Aner the lecture, the audience wereInvitcd "a
examine bis specimens, and live rsttlespakes were
taken from their cages in tongs, that they might
be better seen some persons pressed so close, u
was several times thought that II would be neccs1
sary 10 provo the antidote then, but happily nc
injury was inflicted. The audience was not very
large but attentive, and all seemed pleased with
the result Of the lecture.
Retiring address of Professor Joseph Henry, o.
resigning the Presidency oftte A,nsrican As'o
citation, for The Advancement Of Education.
The speaker said he had supposed that, in conse
auence Of his many duties, he would be permitted
| TO present his address at the next meeting; but
| finding the Executive Committee inexorable, h
had hastily thrown together a few ideas on