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is given us by Baglivi, in an exprefs Differtation on the Ta- rantula, publifh'd in 1696.
To filch extraordinary Fails, 'tis no Wonder a few Fa- bles fhould be added ; as, for Inftance, that the Patient is no longer affected than while the Infect, lives ; and that the Tarantula itfelf dances, all the while, the fame Air with the Ferfon bitten.
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^theory of the Effetls of the Tarantula's M. Geoffrey.
Site, by
The poifonous Juice injefled by the Tarantula, M. Geof- frey conceives, may give the Nerves a Degree uf Tenlion, greater than is natural to them, or than is proportionate to their Functions : And hence arifes a Privation of Knowledge and Motion. Bur, at the fame time, this Tenlion, equal to that of fome Strings of an Inftrument, puts the .Nerves in Unifon to certain Tones, and obliges them to fhake, after being agitated by the Undulations, and Vibrations of the Air proper to thole Tones. And hence this wonderful Cure by Mufic : The Nerves thus reftor'd to their Motion, call back the Spirits thither, which before had abandon'd them. See Unison.
It may be added, with fome Probability, and on the fame Principles, that the Patient's Averfion for fome Colours arifes hence, that the Tenlion of his Nerves, even out of the Paroxyfm, being ftill different from what it is in the natural State, the Vibrations thole Colours occafion in the Fibres of the Brain, are contrary to their Difpolition, and occafion a kind of Diffonance, which is Pain.
Theory of the Effetls of the Tarantula'* Site, by 2)r. Mead.
The Malignity of the Poifon of the Tarantula feems to coniift in its grear Force and Energy, whereby it immedi- ately raifes an extraordinary Fermentation in the whole Attetial Fluid 5 by which its Texture and Cralis is confide- rably alter'd : The Confequence of which Alteration, when the Ebullition is over, mult neceffarily be a Change in the Cohefion of its Parts, by which the Globules, which did before with equal Force prels each other, have now a very differing and irregular Niius, or A3ion ; lb that fome of them do fb firmly cohere together, as to compofe Molecule, or fmall Clullers : Upon this Account, as there is now a greater Number of Globules contain'd in the fame Space, than before, and the Impulfe of many of thefe, when united together, differing according to the Conditions of their Cohefion, as to Magnitude, Figure, t£c. the Impetus, with which this Fluid is drove towards the Parts, will not only be at fome Strokes greater than ordinary, but the Pref- igure upon the Blood- Veffels mull be very unequal, and irre- gular ; and this will be particularly felt in thofe which are mod: eafily diftended, as thole of the Brain, ££fc.
Upon this the nervous Fluid muft neceffarily be put into various undulatory Motions, fome of which will oe like thofe, which different Objects acting upon the Organs or Paffions of the Mind do naturally excite in it ; whereupon filch Anions mult follow in the Body, as are ufually the Confequences of the feveral Species of Sadnefs, Joy, Defpair, or the like Determinations of Thought.
This, in fome Degree, is a Coagulation of the Blood, which will the mote certainly, when attended with uncom- mon Heat, as is the Cafe in thofe Countries where thefe Creatures abound, produce fuch like Effects as thefe ; becaufe the Spirits feparated from the Blood thus inflamed, and com- pounded of hard, fixed and dry Particles, muff: unavoidably fhate in this Alteration ; that is, whereas their Fluid confifts of two Parts, one more active and volatile, the other more vifcid and glutinous, which is a kind of Vehicle to the for- mer ; their active Part will bear too great a Proportion to the Vifcid ; confequently they muft have more than ordinary Volatility and Force, and will therefore, upon the leaf! Occa- fion imaginable, be irregularly determined to every Part.
Whereupon will follow, Tumblings, Anger or Fear upon a light Caufe, extreme Pleafure at what is trivial, as particu- lar Colours, or the like : And on the other hand, Sadnefs at what is not agreeable to the Sight ; nay, Laughter, ob- ftene Talk and Actions, and fuch like Symptoms as attend Perfons bit ; becaufe in this Conftitution f the nervous Fluid, the moft light Occafion will make as real a Reflux and Undulation of it to the Brain, and prefent as lively Species there, as the ffrongeft Giufe and Impreffion can pro- duce in its natural State and Condition • nay, in fuch a Con- fufion, the Spirits cannot but fometimes, without any manifeft Caufe at all, be hurried towards thofe Or 'ans, to which at other Times they have been moil frequently determined 5 and every one knows which thefe are in hot Countries.
The Effects of Mufic on Perfons touch 'd with this Poifon, confirms the Doctrine above delivered.
For mufcular Motion, we know, is no other than a Con- traction of the Fibres, from the arterial Fluid's making an
Effervefcence with the nervous Juice, which, by the liaiif Vibration and Tremor of the Nerve, is derived into the: Mufcle.
Thus there is a two-fold Eftefl and Operation of the Mufic, that is, upon the Bodv and the Mind : A brisk Har- mony excites lively Species of Joy and Gladncfs, which are- always accompanied with a more frequent and ftronwr Pulfe, or an incrcafed Influx of the Liquor of the Nerves^into the Mufcles; upon which fuitable ' Aaions' muft immediately follow. *
As for the Body, fince it was fufBcicnt to put the Mufcles into Action, to eaufe thofe Tremors of the Nerves bv which their Fluid is alternately dropp'd into the moving Fibres, it is all one whether it be done by the Determination of the Will, or the outward Impreflions of an Elaflick Fluid.
Such is the Air ; and that Sounds are the Vibrations of it, is beyond Difpute : Thefe, therefore, rightly modulated, may fhake the Nerves as really, as the Imperium Voluntatis can do, and confequently, produce the like Effects.
The Benefit of Mufic arifes not only from their dancing to it, and fo evacuating, by Sweat, a great Part of the inflam- matory Fluid ; but befides this, the repeated Percuffions of the Air hereby made, by immediate Contact fhaking the con- traflile Fibres of the Membranes of the Body, efpccially thofe of the Ear which being continuous to the Brain, communi- cate their Tremblings to its Membranes and Velfcls; by thefe continued Succufflons and Vibrations, the Cohefion of the Parts of the Blood is perfectly broken, and the Coagulation prevented : So that the Heat being removed by Sweating, and the Coagulation by the Contraction of the mufcular Fibrilte, the wounded Perfon is reilored to his former Condition.
If any one doubts of this Force in the Air, he may confi- der, that it js demonflrated in Mechanicks, that the fmalleft Percuffion of the fmalleft Body, may overcome the Refiftar.ce of any thegreateft Weight, which is at reft ; and that the languid Tremor of the Air, which is made by the Sound of a Drum, may fhake the vafteft Edifices.
But befides this, we muft allow a great deal to the deter* minate Force, 'and particular Modulation of the trembling Percuffions ; for contractile Bodies may be acted upon by one certain Degree of Motion in the ambient Fluid, though a greater Degree of it differently qualified, may produce nothing at all of the like Effect : This is not onlv apparent in two common-ftringed mufical Inftruments tuned' both to the fame Height; but alfo in the Trick which many have of finding the Tone or Note peculiarly belonging to any Wine- Glafs, and, by accommodating their Voice exactly to that Tone, and yet making it loud and lafting, make the Veffe], though not touched, firft to tiemble, and then to burft ; which it will not do, if the Voice be too low, or too high. See SouNr-.
This makes it no difficult Matter to conceive, why diffe- rent Perfons infected with this fott of Venom, do require a dif- ferent Sort of Mufic, in order to their Cure ; inafmuch as the Nerves and diftractile Membranes have different Tenfions, and confequently are not in like Manner to be acted upon by the fame Vibrarions.
TARF, in Commerce any Defect, Wafte or Diminution in the Weight, the Quantity, or the Quality of Goods. The Seller is ufually to account to the Buyer for the Tare and Tret. See Tret.
Tare is particularly ufed for an Abatement, or Deduction in the Price of a Commodity, on account of the Weight of Ciiei l s, Casks, Bags, Frails^ '{£c.
The Tare is very different, in dirJerentMerchandir.es; in • fome, there is none at all allowed.
Tis a Thing much more regarded in Holland than in England or elfewhere : A Modern Author, M. Rieard, treating of the Commerce of Amjlerdam obferees, that the Tares UK one of the moft confiderable Articles a' Merchant is to be acquainted withal, if he would trade with Se- curity.
Sometimes, the Tare is, as it wcte, regulated by Cuftom ; but generally, to avoid all Difpute, theBuyer and Seller make a particular Agreement about it. We fhall here add, from the fore-mentioned" Author, fome Pittances of Tares allowed at jQmfitrdam, referring the Reader for a more ample Account tohis Negece d'Amfteriam, Edit. 1722.
Spanifi Woolls arc r ubjecl to a kind of double Tare : For, Firft, they deduct the Tare mark'd on the Bales ; and after that, 24 Pounds Tare for every 175 Pound weight, befides the Rebate for prompt Payment. Indeed, for the common Woolls, the Sellet will feldom allow above 14 ferCent. for the whole Tare ; for which Reafon, the Bargain is to be agreed on before.
Tare of Roman Alum is 4 lib. per Sack, of trip, S?c. Butter, infer Cent. of crude Borax, %^ lib. per Cent. of Cinnamon 1 1 lib. the Burthen, of Capers ^ : per Cent. of White Peoper 40 lib. per Barrel, of Black Pepper j lib. &C,
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