Plus ultra, or, The progress and advancement of knowledge since the days of Aristotle in an account of some of the most remarkable late improvements of practical, useful learning, to encourage philosophical endeavours : occasioned by a conference with one of the notional way / by Jos. Glanvill.

CHAP. II. The Ways of improving Useful Know∣ledge proposed. The Advantages this Age hath from the great ad∣vancements of Chymistry and Ana∣tomy, (Book 2)

AND having said this, I come to en∣courage your hopes in the present Philosophical Endeavours; and to discourse more largely, what I could but suggest to the Reverend Disputer. And here I am to represent in as many material Parti∣culars as I can now call into my thoughts, the Advantages for Vseful Knowledge, which the later Ages have beyond those of the days of Aristotle, and remoter Antiquity. And in order to this, I consider,

That there are Two chief ways whereby Knowledge may be advanced, viz. (1.) By inlarging the HISTORY of Things: And (2.) By improving INTERCOVRSE and COMMVNICATIONS. The HISTORY of Nature is to be augment∣ed, either by an investigation of the Springs of Natural Motions, or fuller Accounts of

the grosser and more palpable Phaenomena. For the searching out the beginnings and depths of Things, and discovering the in∣trigues of remoter Nature, there are THREE remarkable ARTS, and mul∣titudes of excellent INSTRV∣MENTS, which are great Advantages to these later Ages; but were either not at all known, or but imperfectly, by Aristotle and the Ancients. The ARTS in which I instance, are CHYMISTRY, ANA∣TOMY, and the MATHEMA∣TICKS: The INSTRVMENTS, such as the MICROSCOPE, TELE∣SCOPE, THERMOMETER, BA∣ROMETER; and the AIR-PVMP: Some of which were first Invented, all of them exceedingly Improved by the ROY∣AL SOCIETY.

TO begin with the Consideration of the ARTS mentioned, I observe, That these were very little cultivated or used in Aristotles Times, or in those following ones in which his Philosophy did most obtain.

For the FIRST, CHYMISTRY, it hath indeed a pretence to the great Hermes for its Author (how truly, I will not dispute) From him 'tis said to

〈◊〉〈◊〉 come to the Aegyptians, and from ••em to the Arabians; Among these it was ••••••nitely mingled with vanity and supersti∣••••ous devices: but it was not at all in use ••ith Aristotle and his Sectators. Nor ••oth it appear that the Grecians, or the ••••sputing Ages, were conversant in these ••seful and luciferous Processes, by which Nature is unwound, and resolv'd into the minute Rudiments of its Composition; and by the violence of those Artful Fires it is made confess those latent parts, which, up∣on less provocation, it would not disclose. And now, as we cannot understand the frame of a Watch, without taking it into pie∣ces; so neither can Nature be well known, without a resolution of it into its begin∣nings, which certainly may be best of all done by Chymical Methods. And in those vexatious Analyses of Things, wonderful discoveries are made of their Natures, and Experiments are found out, which are not only full of pleasant surprise and informati∣on, but of valuable use, especially in the Practice of Physick; For It directs Medi∣cines less loathsome and far more vigorous, and freeth the Spirits, and purer parts, from the clogging and noxious appendices of grosser matter, which not only hinder and disable

the Operation, but leave hurtful dregs 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Body behind them. I confess, Sir, tha•• among the Aegyptians and Arabians, th•••• Paracelsians, and some other Moderns Chymistry was very phantastick, unintelligi∣ble, and delusive; and the boasts, vanity, and canting of those Spagyrists, brought 〈◊〉〈◊〉 scandal upon the Art, and exposed it to suspicion and contempt: but its late Cultiva∣tours, and particularly the ROYAL SO∣CIETY, have resin'd it from its dross, and made it honest, sober, and intelligible, an excellent Interpreter to Philosophy, and help to common Life. For they have laid aside the Chrysopoietick, the delusory Designs and vain Transmutations, the Rosie-crucian Vapours, Magical Charms, and superstiti∣ous Suggestions, and form'd it into an In∣strument to know the depths and efficacies of Nature. This, Sir, is no small advantage that we have above the old Philosophers of the National way. And we have another,

(2.) In the Study, Vse, and vast Im∣provements of ANATOMY, which we find as needful to be known among us, as 'tis wonderful 'twas known so little among the Ancients, whom a fond Superstition de∣terr'd from Dissections. For the Anatomi∣zing the Bodies of Men, was counted bar∣••arous

and inhumane in elder Times: And 〈◊〉〈◊〉 observe from a Learned Man of our own, That the Romans held it unlawful to look on the Entrails. And Tertullian severely cen∣••ures an inquisitive Physician of his time, for this practice, saying, That he hated Man, that he might know him. Yea, one of the Popes (I take it 'twas Boniface 8.) threatens to Excommunicate those that should do any thing of this then-abominable nature. And Democritus was fain to excuse his Dissection of Beasts, even to the great Hippocrates. Nor does it appear by any thing extant in the Writings of Galen, that that other Fa∣ther of Physicians ever made any Anatomy of humane Bodies. Thus shie and unac∣quainted was Antiquity with this excellent Art, which is one of the most useful in hu∣mane Life, and tends mightily to the evis∣cerating of Nature, and disclosure of the Springs of its Motion. But now in these later Ages, Anatomy hath been a free and general Practice; and particularly in this it hath received wonderful Improvements from the Endeavours of several worthy Inquisi∣tors, some of them Ingenious Members of the ROYAL SOCIETY, as Sir George Ent, Dr. Glisson, and Dr. Willis. I instance in the most remarkable of their

Discoveries briefly; And those I take noti•••• of are, The Valves of the Veins, disco∣ver'd by Fabricius ab Aquapendente; Th•• Valve at the entrance of the gut Colon•• found, as is generally thought, by Bauhinus•• The Milkie Veins of the Mesentery, by ••••••sellius; The Receptacle of the Chyle, b•• Pecquet; and the Lacteae Thoracicae, by th•• same Discoverer; The Glandulae Lacte•• Lumbares, by Bartholin; A new Ductusi•• the Testicles, by Dr. Highmore; The Du∣ctus Virsungianus, by Io. George Wirsung o•• Padua; The Lymphatick Vessels, by Dr•• Ioliffe, Bartholin, and Olaus Rudbeck; Th•• internal Ductus Salivaris in the Maxillar•• Glandule, by Dr. Wharton, and Dr. Glisson•• The external Ductus Salivaris in the con∣glomerated Parotis, The Ductus of the Cheek•• The Glandules under the Tongue, Nose, and Palate, The Vessels in the nameless Glandul•• of the Eye, and the Tear-Glandule, by Nich•• Steno; The Sinus of the Veins, and their Vse, by Dr. Willis; The Ductus Renales, by Laurentius Bellini; A new Artery, called Arteria Bronchialis, by Fred. Ruysch. I add, the Origination of those Nerves which were of old supposed to arise out of th•• substance of the Brain, but are found by late Anatomists to proceed from the Medull••

Oblongata. And though the Succus nutri∣tius be not yet fully agreed upon by Physici∣ans, yet it hath so much to say for it self, that it may not unreasonably be mentioned among the New Inventions.

But of all the modern Discoveries, Wit and Industry have made in the Oeconomy of hu∣mane Nature, the Noblest is that of the Circulation of the Blood, which was the In∣vention of our deservedly-famous Harvey. 'Tis true, the Envy of malicious Contem∣poraries, would have robb'd him of the Glory of this Discovery, and pretend it was known to Hippocrates, Plato, Aristotle, and others among the Ancients: But whoever considers the Expressions of those Authors, which are said to respect the Circulation, will find, that those who form the Infe∣rence, do it by a faculty that makes all kind of Compositions and Deductions, and the same that assists the Enthusiasts of our days to see so clearly all our Alterations of State and Religion, to the minutest Particulars, in the Revelation of St. Iohn. And I think it may be as well concluded from the first Chapter of Genesis, as from the Remains of those Ancients; who, if they had known this great and general Theory, how chance they spake no more of a thing, which no

doubt they had frequent occasions to men∣tion? How came it to be lost without me∣mory among their Followers, who were such superstitious porers upon their Wri∣tings? How chance it was not shewn to be lodg'd in those Authors, before the days of Dr. Harvery, when Envy had impregna∣ted and determined the Imaginations of those, who were not willing any thing should be found anew, of which them∣selves were not the Inventors? But 'tis not only the remotest Ancients, whom time hath consecrated, and distance made venera∣ble, whose Ashes those fond men would ho∣nour with this Discovery: but even much later Authors have had the glory fastned upon them. For the Invention is by some ascribed to Paulus Venetus; by others, to Prosper Alpinus; and a third sort give it to Andreas Caesalpinus. For these, though ei∣ther of them should be acknowledged to be the Author, it will make as much for the design of my Discourse, as if Harvey had the credit; and therefore here I am no otherwise concerned, but to have Iustice for that Excellent Man: And the World hath now done right to his Memory, Death having overcome that Envy which dog's li∣ving Virtue to the Grave; and his Name

rests quietly in the Arms of Glory, while the Pretensions of his Rivals are creeping in∣to darkness and oblivion.

Thus, Sir, I have done with the Instances of Anatomical Advancements, unless I should hitherto refer the late Noble Expe∣riment of Transfusion of the Blood from one living Animal into another, which I think very fit to be mention'd; and I suppose 'tis not improper for this place: Or however, I shall rather venture the danger of impropriety and misplacing, than omit the taking notice of so excellent a Discovery, which no doubt future Ingenu∣ity and Practice, will improve to purposes not yet thought of; and we have very great likelihood of Advantages from it in present prospect.

For it is concluded, That the greatest part of our Diseases arise either from the scarcity, or malignant tempers and corrup∣tions of our Blood; in which cases Transfu∣sion is an obvious Remedy; and in the way of this Operation, the peccant Blood may be drawn out, without the danger of too much enfeebling Nature, which is the grand inconvenience of meer Phlebotomies. So that this Experiment may be of excellent use,

when Custom and Acquaintance have hard∣ned men to permit the Practice, in Pleuri∣sies, Cancers, Leprosies, Madness, Vlcer, Small-Pox, Dotage, and all such like Di∣stempers. And I know not why that of in∣jecting prepared Medicines immediately in∣to the Blood, may not be better and more efficacious, than the ordinary course of Practice: Since this will prevent all the danger of frustration from the loathings of the Stomach, and the disabling, clogging mixtures and alterations they meet with there, and in the Intestines, in which no doubt much of the Spirit and Virtue is lost. But in the way of immediate injection, they are kept intire, all those inconveniences are avoided, and the Operations is like to be more speedy and succesful, Both these no∣ble Experiments are the late Inventions of the ROYAL SOCIETY, who have attested the reality of the former, that of Transfusion of Blood, by numerous Tryals on several sorts of brute Animals. Indeed the French made the Experiment first upon humane Bodies, of which we have a good account from Monsieur Dennis: But it hath also since been practiced with fair and encouraging success, by our Philosophical Society. The other of Injection, if it may

be mentioned as a different Invention, was also the product of the same Generous In∣ventors; though indeed more forward Foreigners have endeavoured to usurp the credit of both. This latter likewise hath succeeded to considerable good effects, in some new Tryals that have been made of it in Dantzick, as appears in a Letter writ∣ten from Dr. Fabritius of that City, and printed in the Philosophical Transactions.