For the source text click/tap here: Bava Kamma 115
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Our sugya explains that our sages forbade use of water that remained exposed lest a snake drank thereof and left venom in it. The prohibition remains even if someone drank thereof and was unharmed as the specific gravity of one snake’s venom differs from another’s. Some types of venom sink to the bottom of a vessel while others float above or in the middle. Till all the water is drunk, therefore, we cannot know if it contains venom and danger persists (Tur, Y.D. 116).
What is the meaning behind the specific gravity of snake venom and its chemical properties? We explore the history and mythology of poison and its current uses for recreational drug purposes.