Baneberry, (Actoea spicata) is a European plant, of the order Ranunculaceae, local in England, with a spike of white flowers and black, poisonous berries. Two American species are considered remedies for rattlesnake bite. Research Baneberry
The copper head (Trigonocephalus contortrix) is a poisonous North American snake of the pit viper family (Crotalidae) allied to the rattlesnake. It is generally a small snake, but occasionally exceeds one metre in length. The
copper head bears living young, usually between four and eight at each birth. The snake lives in rocky and woody habitats and eats mice, other small mammals, frogs, lizards and insects. The colouration is generally a reddish body marked with brown crossbands and a reddish head. Research Copper Head
Eryngo (Eryngium) is a genus of plants belonging to the natural order Umbelliferae. There are upwards of 100 species found in temperate and sub-tropical climates, but chiefly in South America. Eryngium maritlmum, also called sea-holly, is the only truly native British species. It frequents sandy shores, and is distinguished by its rigid, spiny, glaucous, veined leaves, and its dense heads of blue flowers. The roots are sometimes candied, and are reputed to be stimulating and restorative, as well as to have aphrodisiac properties. Eryngium campestre was formerly much employed in Europe as a tonic, and as tending to promote appetite. Eryngium aquaticum is an American species known by the name of rattlesnake weed. Research Eryngo
The rattlesnake is a name of various American venomous snakes of the genusCrotalus, of the pit-vipers family Crotalidae. They are distinguished by having a tail which terminates in a number of horny pieces which the animal vibrates to make a rattling sound. Research Rattlesnake
Senega (Polygala senega) is a North American plant, introduced into Britain during the 18th century, growing to some twenty centimetres tall and bearing terminal spikes of small, dull-white coloured flowers. The woody root of the plant was used by American Indians as an antidote to the bite of the rattlesnake, and is used in medicine to treat bronchitis. Research Senega
Thomas Henry Huxley was an English naturalist. He was born in 1825 at Ealing and died in 1895. He graduated MB at the University of London in 1845, and entered the royal navy as assistant-surgeon in 1846. He sailed with HMS Rattlesnake on a surveying expedition to Australasia, during which he sent a number of valuable papers to the Royal Society. After being professor of natural history in the School of Mines, Eullerian professor of physiology to the Royal Institution, Hunterian professor in the Royal College of Surgeons, president of the British Association meeting held at Liverpool in 1870, lord-rector of Aberdeen University in 1872, secretary of the Royal Society, substitute professor of natural history for Professor Wyville Thompson at Edinburgh in 1875 and 1876, a member of various royal commissions on fisheries, vivisection, universities, etc, and inspector of salmon fisheries, he resigned this and almost all his other offices in 1885 on account of ill health.
Amongst his works are The Oceanic Hydrozoa (1857), On the Theory of the Vertebrate Skull, Man's Place in Nature (1863), On our Knowledge of the Causes of the Phenomena of Organic Nature, a series of lectures to working-men delivered in 1862, Elements of Comparative Anatomy (1864), Elementary Physiology (1866), Introduction to the Classification of Animals (1869),
Lay Sermons, Addresses, and Reviews (1870), Critiques and Addresses (1873), American Addresses (1877), Physiography (1877), Anatomy of Invertebrate Animals (1877), The Crayfish (1879), Science and Culture (1882), etc. Research Thomas Huxley
HMS Rattlesnake was a British Algerine Class minesweeper of 950 tons displacement launched in 1943. HMS Rattlesnake was powered by two 3-drum type boilers providing a top speed of 16.5 knots. She carried a peacetime complement of 85 and between 104 and 138 in war. For defence she was armed with one 4-inch dual-purpose gun; four 40 mm anti-aircraft guns and two depth charge throwers. Research Rattlesnake
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Baneberry
