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

Experiment II.

IN regard the foregoing Experi∣ment, and another of the like nature formerly mentioned were made with dried and pul∣verable Blood of several Persons put together, though I knew it would be scarce possible, in so small a quan∣tity of Blood, as I could obtain at once from one Person, to find out with any accurateness, the quantities of the several substances, it was ca∣pable of affording; yet, to be able to make some tolerable estimate grounded upon experience, I was in∣vited to make a tryal, whose success, though in one part of it unlucky, was registred as follows.

An entire parcel of Humane Blood weighing ten ounces and 73 gr. be∣ing slowly distilled to dryness in a Head and Body on a digestive Fur∣nace,

afforded of phlegmatick Li∣quor ℥vij+. ʒij+. 47. gr. and of Caput Mortuum, or rather of dry substance ℥ij+. ʒij. This pulvera∣ble matter being beaten and put into a Retort, and distill'd in sand by degrees of Fire afforded ʒij+. 48. gr. of Oyl. But there happen'd an un∣lucky mistake about the Salt and Spirit: for after the latter was pour∣ed off, which weighed but 48. gr. the wet Salt which stuck in good quantity to the lateral and upper parts of the Receiver, instead of have∣ing been wash'd out, as it should have been, with the phlegm of the same Blood, was wash'd out with distill'd water, whence we obtain∣ed by sublimation into the neck of a glass Egg, ʒj+. 5. gr. of dry Salt. But by the tast of the distill'd Water whence it was sublim'd, it appear'd that all the Salt had not been raised: which invited me to put to it as much good Spirit of Salt as I supposed to be at least sufficient to satiate it, with

design to try, whether by evaporat∣ing this Mixture to dryness, and sub∣liming Salt by the help of an Alcaly, we might not recover all, or almost all, the Volatile Salt, that had been somewhat fix'd by the Acid Spirit.

The Retort being cut, that the Caput Mortuum might be taken out, it was found to weigh ʒvj+. 12. gr. which being carefully calcined yield∣ed but two Scruples and four grains of Ashes, which the Laborant said were Red. These being Elixiviated, afforded eighteen grains of Salt, be∣sides the remaining Earth or Ter∣restrial substance, which, I keep by me, because, notwithstanding all the violence of fire it has undergone, 'tis of a Red Colour, which seems to some to have an Eye of Purple in it.