Memoirs for the natural history of humane blood, especially the spirit of that liquor by Robert Boyle.

The IV. (Secondary) Title. Whether Spirit of Humane Blood be differing from Spirit of Ʋrine, and other Spirits that are call'd Vola∣tile Alcalies?

THe Question, Whether there be any difference be••ween the Spirit of Humane Blood, and other volatile Alcalies? As Spirit of Urine, Harts-horn, &c. seems to me very difficult to be decided, because two Bodies may agree in many Qua∣lities, and perhaps in all of those that are the most obvious, and yet may on some third Body, or in some Ca∣ses, manifest distinct Powers, and have their peculiar Operations. Nor do I yet see any certain way, by which the Affirmative part of the Question, thô it should be true, can be clearly demonstrated. Therefore

leaving the peremptory Decision of this Question, to those that shall think themselves qualify'd to make it, I shall (at least till I be further in∣form'd) content my self to make a Couple of Remarks, in reference to the propos'd Enquiry.

And first I think, there may be a great difference between Volatile Salts or Spirits, as they are ordinari∣ly prepar'd for medicinal uses, and as they may, by reiterated Rectifica∣tions, and otherways of Depuration, be brought to as great a simplicity or Purity, as a dextrous Chymist can bring them to: I thus express my self, because as to an Exquisite or Elementary Simplicity thô some eminent Artists pretend to it, I am not sure that Chymists can attain it; especially considering what I elsewhere shew of the unheeded Commix∣tures, that may (at least sometimes) be made by the Corpuscles of the Fire, with those of the Bodies it works on.

My other Remark is, that whether or no, if the Spirit of Humane Blood, and other Liquors abounding like it in Volatile Alcalies, were reduc'd to as great a purity as they can by Art be brought to, they would be altogether alike in their Nature and Qualities; yet, if we consider them (as men use to do) in that state wherein they are wont to be thought pure enough for medicinal uses, and are accordingly employ'd by Phy∣sicians and Chymists; I think it very probable, that there is some difference between the Spirit of Humane Blood and some other Volatile Alcalies, and particularly those afforded by Urine and by Harts-horn. For thô to me the bad smells of all these Liquors seem to be much alike, yet divers Ladies, and those of very differing Ages, affirm they find a manifest difference between these smells, and do abhor the odour of Spirit of Blood as a stink, though they will with pleasure hold their noses a great

while over the Sp. of Harts-horn, and even that of (vulgar or European) Sal-armoniac (which is in effect a Sp. of Mans Urine) and affirm themselves to be much refresh'd by it. And, whereas with Spirit of Urine or of Sal-armoniac joyn'd in a due proportion with Spi∣rit of Salt, I have usually (as I have long since noted in a∣nother Paper a 1.1) been able to make a Salt that shoots into the pe∣culiar Figure of Sal-Armoniac, which figure is very differing from that of Sea Salt, Nitre, &c. I have seldom, if ever obtain'd (at least in any quan∣tity) a Salt of that shape, by the commixture of the Spirit of Humane Blood, with that of common Salt; for, though their Saline Corpuscles, upon the Evaporation of the Super∣fluous moisture, would coagulate to∣gether, yet the concretion seem'd con∣fus'd, and either all or a great part of it was destitute of that neat and distinct shape, that I had several times

observ'd in concretions, made by the mixture of the Spirit of Sea-Salt with Urinous Spirits. And, as to the Medicinal vertues of Spirit of Blood, though I have not had opportunity to make comparisons experimentally, and therefore shall forbear to affirm any thing my self, yet, if we credit the famous Helmont, there is a con∣siderable difference between the Sp. of Humane Blood, & that of Humane Urine, since he somewhere expressly notes, (though I remember not the place, nor have his Book at hand) that the Spirit of Humane Blood cures Epilepsies, which is a thing the Spirit of Urine will not do.

Notes

• a 1.1

  The usefulness of Experimental Philosophy.