The works of the Honourable Robert Boyle, Esq., epitomiz'd by Richard Boulton ... ; illustrated with copper plates.

THE WORKS Of the HONOURABLE ROBERT BOYLE, Esq EPITOMIZED.

BOOK V. PART III.

CHAP. I. Of the Original and Virtue of Gems.

THO' I am far from believing, that Gems are endowed with so many Me∣dicinal Virtues as are usually ascribed to them; yet I believe they may have considerable Effects on Humane Bodies, which Virtues they may receive from the Intermix∣ture of Mineral and Metalline Parts, whilst they were in a fluid form. And that preci∣ous Stones have once been in a fluid form, may be argued hence, viz.

• First, from their Di∣aphaneity;

• fluid Bodies being more apt to have their Parts ranged in an order requisite to transparency, than solid Bodies; as Silver dis∣solved in Aqua Fortis, and Lead in Spirit of Vinegar, not only become transparent, but may form Diaphanous Crystals.
• Secondly, from their External figure; it being usual for Bo∣dies to form more regularly and curiously sha∣ped Crystals when in a fluid, than a solid Am∣bient substance; for which Reason, if a Glass-Bottle be filled with a Solution of Nitre, and the Water hath been pretty well consumed by boiling, the Salt will shoot into a Mass, whose side next the Glass answers the form of it, but that next the Water will be set with Prismatical Crystals of a Nitrous figure: And I have seen Indian Granates taken out of a lump of Heterogeneous matter, some of whose Surfaces were Triangles, others Paralellograms, &c. ac∣cording the figures of the Cells they were con∣tained in.

And I have seen not only Bristol Stones, but Cornish Diamonds curiously shaped like Crystals of salt Petre: And I have like∣wise seen Rubies very Geometrically shaped; and amongst other Rarities, a Diamond whose Sur∣face consisted of several Triangular Planes, which contained several lesser within them, which for the most part met at a Point, and formed an obtuse solid Angle. And I have observed, that most Diamonds have angular and determinate shapes.

And in favour of the Hypothesis already laid down, I shall add, that precious Stones be∣ing dissolved in a Particular Menstruum, they shoot into Crystals like those of Nitre, but

insipid. And I have observed, that tho' Bristol Stones have on the upper part, six smooth sides which were so cut as to represent six smooth Triangles, which terminate like those of a Pyramid in a Virtex, yet the lower Part which was next the matter it adhered to, made it appear less transparent, and conformable in figure to the Cavity of its womb, this is more remarkably evident, when clusters of these Crystals grow out of one Mineral lump. And to this I shall further add, that I have seen a Mass which consisted of two flat Parallel Cakes, which seemed to be composed of a dirty kind of Crystalline substance; and out of each Cake there grew towards the other a great number of Stones, which having a little space about them, were regularly shaped, and of the co∣lour of a German Amethyst. And I have a Stone which consists of four Parts, the lowest being like a flake of coarse Stone, only adorned here and there with very minute glittering Particles, as if of a Metalline Nature; over this is spread a thin white Opacous bed, and the third is made up of a long series of Crystals thick set, and which look whitish; and upon these which are not much thicker than a Barly-Corn, lyes another made up of Crystals like Amethysts, some higher tinged than others, and more elevated where they had most Room to shoot; those that were most elevated being hard e∣nough to grate lines upon Glass. And I have found in the Cavities of concreted Stones Cry∣stals which were set round the sides of them, and seemed to be formed of a Lapidescent Juice, which was Percolated through the substance of

the Stones, and formed curiously shaped Cry∣stals. And I am told by a digger, that he hath observed several clusters of these Crystals which stuck to no part of the Rock, but seem∣ed to be hastily formed in a soft Mould.

But thirdly, not only the External but their Internal Texture favours our Hypothesis; since it seems to imitate that of those Bodies which have been formerly fluids: For it hath been observed, that several Particles of Salt sticking together have not only formed large lumps, but Sal-Gem and lumps of the Isle of Mayow Salt be∣ing broke seemed to be made up of the like Parts. And tho a solution of Silver usually shoots into thin Plates, yet it may be so orde∣red, that several of these joining together may form larger Crystals, whose outsides may be finely shaped like some peculiar kind of Vitriol. And tho' transparent Bodies are usually thought to be of an uniform Texture, yet I have obser∣ved, that a thin Muscovy Glass Plate, which was so thin as to be scarce visible, might be fur∣ther divided into Plates; and the like hath been observed in other Stones; and to this I shall add, that I have been able to perceive the grain of a large Grizolette with my Eye, as well as in Hyacinths and Saphirs; and English Gra∣nates when they are broke, appear mani∣festly to be made up of flakes or Plates; and so do even Diamonds themselves, which are observed to cleave much more easily with the grain than against it, as Wood is observed to do, which is made up of an assimilated Juice which was first fluid: But it is observed in some Diamonds, that the flakes are not wholly

Parallel, but in the substance of the Stone, sometimes make Angles; for which reason some of them break in pieces before they will cleave through.

Fourthly, it seems requisite, that these Stones should have been in solutis Principiis, that they might be tinged with Mineral Juices. Which proposition suggests several Observations; and First, That most Gems lose their colour, or have it altered by the fire, and tho' it may be suggested, that the loss of a colour may be effected without the addition of a Pigment, by a change of the superficial Texture of a Body; (as when red Ink is beaten into a froth, or when Crystal receives several flaws in its Surface, by being suddenly cooled in Water, and becomes white, or in Cochinele, and puts on a pleasing colour, by the insinuation of the Tincture into the cracks and flaws) yet Indian Granates are observed to change their redish for a dark and dirty Iron colour, and Agats being kept a competent time in the fire be∣came white, except where Mineral Veins ran, where it was observed, that the colour was not destroyed but changed, and became a deep red, tho' I suspected that a more lasting fire would have turned them white, and the like change of colour hath been observed in Pebbles, and other Stones, some of which losing their Transparency by Ignition, acquired a deeper colour upon their Extinction in Water. And to countenance what I have laid down, it may be further offered, that Gems are generally found near Mines, or Mineral Veins; and tho' they are not sufficiently skilled in digging

Mines to discover what they otherwise pro∣bably might, yet I have seen several Amethysts which were taken out of Ground abounding with Iron and Tin Ores; and those softer Gems called by Mineralists Fluores, are often to be found in or near Metalline Veins, finely tinged with Mineral Juices, which were they in hot Countries and sufficiently hardened with the Sun, they might pass for Emaralds, &c. And I remember, that I once prepared a Menstruum no more corrosive than white Wine, which being poured upon well coloured Granates ex∣tracted a lovely Tincture from them. And Benvenuto Cellini tells us, that he saw a Rubie which was not of the usual colour but white, as also he acquaints us, that he hath seen Berils, Topazes, and Amethysts of the same colour; and Rubies and Saphirs have been observed to be of the same degree of hardness, so that they were looked upon to be the same kind of Stone tho' differently tinged; and that the same kind of Stone may be differently tinged appears, since Diamonds have been observed to be yellowish, more yellow and perfectly yellow, bluish, greenish, and some as green as Emaralds. And one who lived near the River Siam or Pegu in the East-Indies told me, he had seen Stones taken out of the Water partly void of colour, and partly of the colour of a Rubie. And besides what I have obser∣ved in Agats and Opacous Gems, as to the differing colours of the same Stone; I wear a Sardoinx in a Ring, the uppermost part of which is black, the middlemost of a Chesnut, and the other of a blue colour, almost like

a Turquois, and each of these of an uniform breadth and Parallel to each other, and even amongst Saphirs tho' they are commonly azure, yet a white Stone hath been called by the same name, because of the same degree of hard∣ness. And to these I shall add, that in Italy I have seen a large piece of Crystal, whose Py∣ramidal part was of a trnsparent green; the Vertex being richly tinged like an Emerald; but the further the colour spread from the Vertex, the more dilute and pale it grew, so that the Base was transparent and like ordina∣ry Crystal; agreeable to which Josephus Acosta says, that Emeralds seem to grow in Stones like Crystals, and by little and little to thicken and refine. He likewise says, he hath seen some half white and half green; others all white, and some green and very perfect. And I have seen a Saphir so odly tinged with Mineral fumes, that it might well be taken for a Chalcedonian, tho' of the hardness of a Saphir.

And to shew further, that solid Gems may include Heterogeneous matter in them; I shall add, that not only I but others have perceived something in the Body of Rock-Crystal, which by varying the posture of that Stone might be rendered visible; and the like hath been seen in Grisolets brought from the East-Indies: And in a hard Stone brought from thence, and designedly broke, I found several clear and transparent Crystals, which had their Points in∣wards, and were Arguments that they had swam in some Liquors, whose incoagulable Parts were either imbibed by the Ambient matter or penetrated it. And to illustrate

what I have said I shall add, that I have not only seen a Fly in shape and size much like a Grass-hopper, enclosed in solid Amber, but variously and curiously coloured with his wings displayed. And I have seen white Amethists in which there appeared to be several lines, some of a brownish and some of a reddish colour, which looked like hairs, some lying Parallel to each other, and others more inclin∣ing; and I am apt to believe, that even Dia∣monds are not void of Particles of Heteroge∣neous matter, which is countenanced not only by odd Clouds which I have seen in a great many of them, but the different specifick Gra∣vity of those of the same Water, the difference amounting to a Carrat betwixt Diamonds of the size of two ordinary Pease.

But, besides what hath been already offered, to prove that Gems have been once in a fluid form, it may be further alledged, that the Mineral Particles which they are so uniformly tinged with are convincing Arguments, since it is inconceivable how they should otherwise be so impregnated. And to what hath been already delivered; I shall further add, what is delivered by a French Author, viz. That the Stones which are found in the Earth have their Water coloured by the Earth, whether it be fat and black, or abounds with black or red Sand, and in some the Gems have been obser∣ved to be black or yellow; but tho' this Au∣thor hath said thus much which countenances our Hypothesis, yet I must not omit to adver∣tise, that tho' he asserts Diamonds to be not only the hardest but heaviest of Stones, I must yet

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say, that they are not the heaviest as may be Hydrostatically discovered.

But perhaps against what we have said, It may be urged, first that the figures of these Crystals are so curious, that a Plastick or Se∣minal Power seems requisite to the forming of them; which were it requisite, it might be an∣swered, that that Plastick Power may be lodged in fluid as well as solid substances, since the so∣lid Parts of Animal Bodies as well as Plants are formed of liquid substances; but that the figures of these Crystals may be owing to an apt convension and coalition of fluid Particles may be argued hence, viz. Since common Salt, by the help of Oyl of Sulphur or of Vitri∣ol and Water, will shoot into Crystals with Points like Diamonds, and not unlike native Crystal in shape and transparency; but if the Quality or proportion of the Oyl of Vitriol be varyed, they will shoot into Crystals some∣times of one shape and sometimes of another, for the most part fiuely figured. And to shew that the regular figure of Sea-salt contributes not to such figurations, I shall add, that hav∣ing dissolved some Stony Stiriae, found in Caves or Grottoes, in Spirit of Verdigrease, and e∣vaporated the clear solution in a digestive Fur∣nace after the ordinary manner, it yielded ra∣ther a coagulated Mass, than any thing like Crystals; whence it appears, that a concourse of circumstances may be sufficient to determine the figures of consistent Bodies, made of fluid ones; especially since when I allowed a longer time for the fluid to shoot in, it afforded a

good number of distinct Crystals; long, trans∣parent, and curiously shaped.

And not only the external figure of Cry∣stalized Bodies may be accounted for, without he help of a Plastick Power, but their inter∣nal Construction likewise, since divers Bodies upon a slow coalition will form Concretes, some of which will consist of streaks, and o∣thers of flakes; as lumps of Sal-Armoniack, which tho' a factitious Body, when broke will appear to be full of streaks, like those Stiriae observed in petrifying Water. And I have made artificial Concretes of Salts alone, or of Salts or Minerals, as Stones, or Antimony which look very like Talk, being white Bodies made up of a multitude of streaky Particles, lying long ways one upon another as in that Mineral, and I have not only found Concretes shaped like Rhomhus's or Lozenges, composed of a multitude of flat and extreamly thin Plates, but have imitated such by Art. And I have observed, that tho' generally Crystals of Silver form flakes seemingly simple like scales of Fish∣es, yet when they have shot leasurely they are Geometrically enough shaped, and made up of thin flakes sticking one to another. And Tin-Glass which naturally consists of a multitude of shining and polished flakes, will, tho' beaten to Powder, and melted, upon its Refrigeration form several broad and shining flakes, which lying one upon another, cross each other at various Angles, as the matter happens in several Portions to be variously refrigerated. And the like instances may be observed in some Mixtures of Copper, Iron, and other

Minerals; and very conspicuously in good Regu∣lus Martis Stellatus, whose internal structure appears upon breaking of it, to be made up of shining flakes, almost of a specular Polish. And tho' whilst we are looking on some Concretes, the Stony Stiriae in some places have a streaky and in others an angular Configuration, yet I have seen several of them made up of Parts con∣fusedly jumbled together, and if there be a due disposition in the components Parts to such Configurations, they may be brought to Con∣cretes in a far shorter time than any one would expect or believe; so that a solution of Silver being heated hot, and removed suddenly into cold Water, one might not only very easily, but plainly see the Silver shoot with ones nak∣ed Eye; but even a strong Solution of Sal-Ar∣moniack, or some Urinous Spirit, being spread upon the outside of a Glass in which a frigori∣fick Mixture is contained, will in less than a minute of an hour be coagulated into Cry∣stals of a determinate figure, according to the Nature of the Liquor that afforded it.

But if against these instances it be urged, that tho' they are taken from saline Bodies, which are for the most part disposed to con∣vene into smooth Surfaces, and Angular shapes, and are easily wrought on by External Cold, yet it may seem strange, that the figure of a Mould or Womb should alter the Internal Con∣struction of solid Minerals and Gems; but that it may is evident, since, tho' Tin-Glass con∣sists of several smooth and bright Planes, which sometimes meet, and sometimes lye a∣cross

each other, at very different Angles, yet having beaten a sufficient quantity of it to Pow∣der, and when it was melted cast it into Iron Moulds, whose Cavities were each an Inch in Diameter, it formed a Bullet, which when varily broke seemed to be made up of a multi∣tude of shining Planes, so shaped and placed that they rought every way like so many Radi∣us's of a Sphere tending from a Centre to the Circumference, so that they seemed gradually to decrease, as they were removed further and fur∣ther from the Circumference. But if the mel∣ted Tin-Glass was permitted to cool in a Cru∣cible, the hardened matter would form several Planes irregularly and confusedly associated to∣gether. And the like Experiment being tryed with Regulus of Antimony it succeded, tho' not so uniformly as with Tin-Glass: And melted Sulphur being hardened in the same Moulds, the Concreted Mass seemed when broke to consist of flakes like Straws lying Parallel to each other: But how the flakes of Tin-Glass came to be so regularly situated; and whether the outside being first condensed, the contiguous Liquor was connected by ap∣position, successively as it moved within the crusted Surface, or whether it was otherwise effected, I shall not now stay to examine; but to what I have said I shall add, that having broke several Marchasites of a peculiar sort, I found them to consist of several rows of Planes reaching from the inermost Parts to the Exter∣nal Surface; and in those which were some∣what Cylindrically shaped on the outside, these Ranks of Gold coloured Particles, in the seve∣ral

Planes of the broken Mineral seemed like Semi-Diameters issuing out from from a row of Physical Points, conceived to be placed on an Imaginary Line; lying almost like the Axes of a Cylinder between the apposite ends; as if the Wombs wherein those Marchasites were found, contained the fluid matter as in Molds, and as if it Concreted there, as Tin-Glass or Re∣gulus did in the Molds.

But tho' from hence it may appear, that tho' the figures of such Concretes be curious enough, yet they may easily be accounted for without a seminal Principle, yet I find not the uniformity of the figrue always so great as is imagined, but rather to depend on the diffe∣rent Figure and Texture of the Wombs they are contained in; for comparing American, African, and European Granats together, I found that one which weighed eleven grains and a half, tho it seemed to have been coagulated in a fluid Medium, and to consist of twelve Plains, at the concourse of two or three of which it seemed to have been broken off from the Root or Womb, yet it was not of the Do∣decahedron of Geometricians; for whereas that consists of twelve equilateral and equiangled Pentagons; almost all the Planes that made up our Granate, were quadrilateral, and not of a regular shape or Magnitude; for one of them seemed to have five sides; others resembled a Rhombus, some a Rhomboides▪ but most were a little bigger than the Trapezia But, besides the want of uniformity in these Stones, I observed amongst Cornish Diamonds, that some of them were cu∣riously and Geometrically shaped like Rock-Crystal,

having each six sides, whereof every two that were opposite were equal to each o∣ther; and tho' the Stone had a Pyramidal Ter∣mination, made up of several resembling and curiously figured Planes, that terminated in a solid Angle or Apex, yet the greatest number of the Titular Diamonds were made up of very irregularly shaped Stones; for tho' most of them had six long Planes, yet the opposite were most of them irregular and unlike; and tho' the Apex was made up of Planes apart usually Angular, yet being compared with each other they were far from being uniform; tho' it appeared that they shot in a fluid Ambient, except at the bottom where they were fastned to the Rock. And I have observed a great irregularity in the Area of the Superficial Planes, or their figures, or both, in Diamonds brought from the East-Indies.

Having shewn that the figures of Stones are far from discountenancing our conjectures of their Originals, I shall proceed to shew, that they help to confirm them; since I have seen a small Cornish Diamond so bedded in a large one, that it left a Cavity in it when separated, and on the contrary I have sometimes seen a large one so joyned to a smaller as to form a Cavity within it, which is a likely Argument, that the one being first hardened, afterwards a soft matter was collected together, and being contiguous, hardened in such a form as to con∣tain part of the other in the Cavity, which was formed whilst the one was fluid, and the other was hardened; which may be illustrated by considering, how Nitrous or Aluminous

Salts fasten themselves about pieces of sticks, and leave a Cavity proportionably to the solid contained: To which I shall add, that I have seen a Stone which was taken out of a Silver Mine, which had coagulated about the Branches of a Silver Wire, which was produced by Na∣ture in the Mine.

Another Argument of the fluid state of Gems, and their Impregnation with Mineral Stems, may be drawn from their Specifick Gravity, for whereas common Rock-Crystal is to its bulk of Water as two and almost two thirds to one, the weight of an American Granate was as four to one. And tho' by this method a tinged Gem hath not so great a difference in its proportion to Water, yet it may never∣theless be impregnated with Mineral Particles, for I found by Hydrostatically weighing Water impregnated with Iron, that it was not much heavier than common Water.

Another Argument may be drawn from the Medicinal Virtues of Stones, and the Metalline or Mineral substances, as well from Opacous Stones as Opacous Gems, &c. as the Tur∣quois, the Onyx, the Sardonix, &c. as also Cats Eyes, Opates, &c. And indeed I much question whether Diaphaneity depends on the essence of a Gem; since it may rather proceed from the Position of the Parts of a Pigment, and the scituation of the Pores in reference to the Beams of Light: But waving a further consideration of this matter, I shall rather sub∣joyn, that precious Stones and even Diamonds themselves, have sometimes great clouds, which makes them in those Parts almost Opacous, with∣out

out being less of the Nature of true Diamonds. And it is observable that Cornelians and Agats are some of them transparent, and some of them Semidiaphanous, as the Portion of the Mineral Pigment is greater or less, or as it is more or less inconveniently mixed. And I have seen even a Sardonix transparent, and on the contrary, figured Granates which were both of them Diaphanous: And I have some by me of several Countries, which tho' they are in some places Diaphanous, yet in the main they are almost as dark as ordinary Stones. And I question not, but that if the Glassy Na∣ture of Gems did not render common Men∣struums inaccessable, Mineral Particles might be extracted from them; and when they are con∣siderable, I question not but that they may be obtained from solid and transparent Gems; for having kept Granats in a hot Crucible till they changed their colour and afforded a very fine Powder, that being digested with rectifyed Spirit of Wine, afforded a curious Tincture; and burnt Granats gave Aqua Regis a Tincture, which in some measure resembled a solution of Gold; but a drop of the Liquor being put to a great many drops of Tincture of Galls, it turn∣ed them as black as Ink, if not blacker. And the like measures being taken with Granates which were looked upon by some to be Rubies, the Tincture coloured an Infusion of Galls not quite so black as the other; but a white Powder was precipitated at the same time; and by the use of an urinous Spirit a redish substance, which being dryed in the Air formed Bodies like Moss, and here and there small Mushrooms prettily

coloured. And from other Granates I obtain∣ed a Tincture, which after evaporation did in the Cold afford saline Concretions, but so small that their figures could not be determined. And probably, were tryals made, other Mineral Concretes might be wrought on by appropri∣ated Menstruums, for tho' the Spar that is found in Lead Mines next the Veins of Ore be Semi∣diaphanous, and usually breaks in smooth and Glassy Superficies, and looks like a Talck, and also for the most Part is made up of figured Particles shaped like Rhombuus's or Rhomboides, yet I found it was a more open Body than Talk, being dissolved in Spirit of Salt, without the assistance of Heat.

But I am apt to believe, that besides the methods already mentioned, there are other methods to discover the Metalline Ingredients of a Body, by Fusions and proper Additaments. And to conclude this Chapter, I shall subjoyn the following Experiment, viz. Having dissolved Stony Stiriae of petrifyed Water, in Spirit of French Verdigrease, and after a gentle Evapora∣tion, placed it in a cool place, it yielded •…•…∣stals, figured much like those of pure Nitro••, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 some of this Stony solution being mixed wi•••• a solution of Copper, they did not precipitate each other, but upon Evaporation yielded Cry∣stals transparent and colourless, and that were richly adorned with a greenish blue Tincture of the Metal.

CHAP. II. Containing a Conjecture about the Causes of the Virtues of Gems.

FROM what hath been elsewhere, and in the preceding Chapter laid down, it appears, that the Earth does not only abound with seve∣ral Mineral and Metalline substances, a great many of which are undiscoverd, and a great many already known, but also that several Mines are furnished with Water, which being impregnated variously, may be no dispicable Menstruums, but may likewise concur to the Production of Mineral Bodies, and not only serve as corrosive Menstruums, but pure Sol∣vents to Mineral Earths. And that common Water is able to impregnate it self not only with Saline but Mineral Parts, is evident from the various tasts of Waters, and their uses; some being fitter for brewing; others for wash∣ing; some for dying particular Colours, and some to temper Steel; and others again for o∣ther uses: And amongst the most remarkable •…•…ies are Thermae and Acidulae reckoned up by various Authors, as also Salt Springs, and those Waters of Hungary and other Parts, which yield a Vitriol, which is a substance com∣pounded and decompounded, containing a saline, a Sulphureous, a Metalline, and an Earthy Part; and if Water may be thus impregnated with Metalline Parts, it is no difficulty to apprehend how a Lapidescent Humour, being sufficiently

mixed with and proportioned to it, may be coagulated into Stony Stiriae, and from such like Coalitions may arise those precious Stones, and transparent Gems; for the Virtue of specifick Juices are so powerful, that I have seen Vegeta∣ble substances sufficiently hardened by them to grave on Iron; and I had a substance which I looked upon to be a petrifyed Gum, which was hard enough to grave on Glass.

And if the Parts of Minerals may thus, by be∣ing dissolved in Water, be mixed with a petri∣fyed Body, by this means Gems may not only be impregnated, but thence receive their Me∣dicinal Virtues, as the Nature of the Mineral is different in Qualities and abounds in Quantity, which Original of their Virtues may be rende∣ed probable, not only by what hath been said in the foregoing Chapter, but by their diffe∣rent colours.

And that their Impregnation with Mineral Parts, enobles them with Medicinal Virtues, is evident from the Testimony of Experience, and is rendered probable by the Effects of a Loadstone, which tho a much harder substance than some Gems, emits Effluvia very copiously, and hath not only manifest Effects on Iron, but Humane Bodies. And even those Pebbles with which they counterfeit Diamonds, have been caused in a trice to emit copious and strongly scented Steams; and even Diamonds the hardest of Gems, may by rubbing be caused to emit Electrical Effluvia. And tho' it be thought by some, that the digestion of a Man's Stomach is not able to extract the Metalline Parts, yet there may be a greater Congruity betwixt the

Juices of our Bodies, and the Mineral substan∣ces with which they were impregnated, than we are aware of; besides we see that the Stomach hath manifest Effects on Chalybe∣ate Preparations, and even crude Steel it self. And I have obtained a Tincture from several hard Bodies, and even Gems themselves, by a Liquor distilled from a Vegetable substance, as temperately qualifyed as Bread. And that the natural Heat of our Bodies, may contri∣bute to the extracting of the Virtues of preci∣ous Stones, I am perswaded, since it makes an evident alteration in the hardest of them, so as to render a Diamond Electrical; and I have had one which by warm Water would be exci∣ted to shine in the dark.

And indeed it is not altogether improbable, that Gems having the most subtile Mineral Steams in them, being not dispersed by the action of fire, they may be more Effectual considering their quantity, than Preparations of Metals which have undergone a Fusion. And their Virtues may sometimes be much different, upon the account of a great quantity of Mineral Particles, since Ʋunzerus tells us, that amongst those Stones which are called Nephritick Stones, some are much more effectual than others, besides the petrifick Juices themselves may have distinct natures, and peculiar Qualities, upon the account of their Coalitions with Ad∣ventitious Liquors. And if petrifying Liquors may have such manifest effects on several Bodies one would think indisposed to petrify, why may not such a Liquor subdue transparent Minerals abounding with Saline, Sulphureous, and Bitu∣minous

Bodies, which being excited may emit their most subtil Parts; and as in the Earth there are severl Bodies compounded by the acti∣on of Subterraneal fires, those petrifyed may enable the Body with correspondent Qualities; on which occasion I here subjoyn, that I have seen a saline substance which was formed in the Bowels of the Earth, like that which is artificially made. And I have seen Volatile Salts and Sulphurs shoot into transparent Crystals in a fluid Medium after Distillation, which have been more curiously figured than several Gems. And if it be objected in disfa∣vour of the Medicinal Virtues of Gems, that they grow no lighter when they are said to e∣mit Effluvia, I shall add, that, not to urge that the Antimonial Cup impregnates Wine with∣out losing of its substance, and that Mercury will give Water a Virtue of killing Worms, by being boiled in it, tho' by these means it loses nothing of its weight, I shall rather de∣mand how it appears, that Bodies grow no lighter by the loss of their Effluvia. And tho' in some cases the Gem may be lighter than Crystal, yet it is no argument of their more languid Effects, since the specifick Gravi∣ty of those Bodies they are impregnated with, may be of a saline Nature, and specifically lighter than Crystal: And I shall in favour of this add, that I have several times made Bodies colourless like Crystal; and curiously and regularly figured, which were of a compound Nature, and abounded with an easily separa∣ble and strongly scented Sulphur. And on this occasion I shall further add, that tho'

when Gems are specifically heavier than Cry∣stal, it is an Argument of a Metalline substance mixed with them; yet sometimes those mine∣ral Particles may be so spirituous, as not to in∣crease their specifick Gravity, for I have seen a ferruginous Water, which, tho' strongly im∣pregnated, was little heavier than common Water.

And now, if, together with what hath been delivered in this Chapter, we reflect on what follows concerning the Atmospheres of consi∣stent Solids, and the efficacy of Effluviums, it will not be absurd to ascribe to precious Stones some Medicinal Virtues, especially to those that disposed to emit copious Effluvia.

And to shew that what we have deliver'd, may not only be applyed to transparent but o∣pacious Gems; and to render our Hypothesis not only probable, but possible, I shall intimate, First, That I have seen lapidescent Juices so penetrating, as to turn several Animal and Ve∣getable Substances into Stone; amongst which, one was a new Cheese, which could be distin∣guish'd no otherwise from another Cheese, but by its stony Hardness; and I have a piece of Wood petrified, which retains its grain, and is hard enough to grave upon Iron or Glass, and to resist the action of the Fire, and likewise to strike Fire like an excellent Flint.

But to render this Hypothesis further probable, I shall subjoin the following Arguments. And, First, It appears from the Method taken, to weigh Bodies in our Medicina Hydrostatica, where White Marble was proposed as a Standard, to determin whether Metalline parts were in

Bodies or not; for a piece of White Marble being in proportion to its Bulk of Water, as 2 72/100 to 1; and Blood-stone, as 5 2/10 to 1; a Load∣stone, as 4 and 6/10 to 1; Lapis Calaminaris, as 4 7/10 to one; and Lapis Tutice as 5 to 1; It fol∣lows that those must proportionably be impreg∣nated with Mineral Parts, heavier in specie than Stone; and for that Reason I have found some Stones of the same kind specifically heavier than others, as they were impregnated in Solutis Principiis, more or Iess with mineral Parts. But it will not be amiss here to advertise, That some Stones lighter in specie than Fossils, may be compounded with mineral Parts, and thence deduce their Medicinal Virtues; and others may be impregnated with mineral Parts, light∣er in specie than Marble, and consequently their mineral Nature cannot be Hydrostatically de∣termin'd as yet, which is to its Bulk of Water, as 1 22/100 to 1, and yields no inconsiderable Pro∣portion of Oyl.

A Second Argument for the Confirmation of our Hypothesis, may be deduced from the Necessity of it, to explain several Phaenomena, as why Diamonds and other Gems shouldbe in∣cluded in Rocks or Clusters of hard Stones, which must be soft, or could not, at the first, admit a hard Gem to lodge amongst their Parts; and I shall further urge the Necessity of it, from several Gems which I found in an odd kind of Mineral, sent me from an American Colony. And it is not improbable, that Opacous Gems are petrified Earths, since they vary so much in their Dimensions, so that I have heard of a Spleen-stone which weigh'd 80 Pound weight.

And I have seen a Medicinal Stone, which be∣ing sawed asunder, its internal Parts were full of Cavities; whence it appeared to be made up of porous Earth petrifi'd, and not of an in∣durated Liquor. From our Hypothesis the fol∣lowing Phaenomena may be explained, viz. Why sometimes one part of a Gem is tinged with a Metal, and another is not, since in making Ar∣tificial Gems, the Mineral Pigment hath tinged one Part without discolouring the other. And I have now by me a lump of petrifi'd Matter, which consists of several Stones, which tho' first petrify'd apart, and afterwards joined together by a petrescent Liquor, bear an uniform polish, without discovering betwixt their Parts the least Commissures; and an acquaintance of mine discover'd several loose Stones, where this was found, which were separately of the same Na∣ture, and afterwards harden'd into stony Mas∣ses, by the intervention of a petrescent Liquor.

And I have an Agat by me, which seems to consist of several Layers of Clay or Earth, ly∣ing parallel to each other, and petrify'd part∣ly into Transparent, and partly into Opacous Stones; and to favour this conjecture, I shall add, that I have seen several Layers of mineral Earths one upon another, within the compass of an Inch, which lay in different postures, in re∣ference both to the Horizon, and each other; and sometimes the exterior ones successively surrounded the interior; and several of these have been found in a small compass of Ground; and by a like Method, differently coloured Chal∣cedonians and Jaspers may be accounted for. And from hence may be deduced a Reason why

Marchasites and Flints, Wood and Shells, have been found enclosed in other hard Stones. And on this occasion I shall add, that Stones which were partly Diaphanous, and partly Opacous, being calcin'd, the diaphanous Parts became White; and some others which were before tinged, had their Parts heighten'd so, as after Calcination to be of a rich and permanent Red; and this difference of Colours was not on∣ly remarkable in the thin Layers, but in the specks, and irregularly shaped Clouds, whether Greenish or Bluish.

And to illustrate an Observation formerly made on Diamonds bedded one within another, I shall urge what is observed in Cryftalizing Salts, where, as well as in a Metalline Solution, I have observ'd, that when a number of Cry∣stals had shot after the first Evaporation, seve∣ral successive Layers shot upon those; in the lat∣ter of which Solutions, the Crystals of one Layer were not only fastened to the others, but differed considerably, as well in their Shape as Postures. In this Metalline Solution the Mine∣ral was only one, and the Menstruum simple; but had the first been Compound, there would have been a greater diversity, as likewise Cry∣stals of a compound Nature; as when a Solution of Salt-Petre and Sea-salt in Water is set to Cry∣stalize, where besides Salts of resulting Figures, a considerable part of the Sea-salt coagulates in the Form of imperfect Cubes about the Bottom, before the nitrous Particles shoot into Crystals of their own shape. And I shall further add, That Crystallization may not only be promoted by Evaporation, but by soaking part of the Water

up either by immersing it, or by placing dry Earth under the Solution, or some other porous Body. And by some Analogy to these Instances, we may conceive how some of the superfluous Moisture of a Petrescent Liquor, being disper∣sed, the remaining may be more apt to coagu∣late; but by a moist Season or supervening Cold, the moisture ceasing to be further dispersed, the Coagulation may be for a time suspended, and upon that account, upon the second Cry∣stallization, may yield Crystals less regular, and apt to convene uniformly with the others, than in Artificial concretions perform'd in di∣stinct Vessels. And on this occasion I shall add, That I have had Fire-stones brought from seve∣ral Places, in one of which, the internal Tex∣ture was very different from the more Central Texture; and in another, I not only observed one Spherical Stone contained within another, but of a different Texture, and distinguished by a visible Commissure, tho' the Commissure was not so uniform as to admit these two to be se∣parated.

But perhaps it may be objected against what we have delivered, That these Bodies are found where petrifying Springs are not. Against which it may be offer'd, not to urge that Men and Beasts have been petrify'd upon the sudden invasion of a petrifying Spirit, that Rain-Wa∣ter may bring such Particles along with it. Since over a Bath in Hungary, that abounded with petrifying Particles, the Steams which were arrested by the building over it, were turn∣ed into stony Concretes; which may give us Reason to think, that petrifying Vapours raised

from the lower Parts of the Earth, meeting with rightly disposed Matter, may form Stones, without the help of Rain or Springs; which Conjecture may be favoured, by relating, that I have not only found an Earthy and Sulphureous Sediment in the bottom of Rain-water, but I have observed that a distill'd Liquor being kept some time in a Vial well stopp'd, the Steams penetrated the Cork, and formed whitish Stiriae, very slender and of a surprizing length. And that petrescent Springs are not always requisite, will appear, since I have found transparent Stones in a dry Soil, which lay upon a Rock; and I have found that a solution of stony Stiriae in Spirit of Verdigrease, being poured upon Bolus Armenus, contained in a Glass, when the superfluous moisture was exhaled, several tran∣sparent and untinged Crystals appear'd, dis∣persed through that Red Earth. And the best petrify'd Wood that I know of, was taken up out of a Plot of sandy Ground, where there was not the least signs of a petrifying Spring. And tho' some Stones seem to grow as from a Root, yet these may easily be supposed to have been formed in certain Molds; and that after their formation, the Winds or Rains washed a∣way the looser Soil from their upper Parts. Be∣sides it might be easily shewn, that stony Con∣cretions might be produced by the mechanical action of the Air upon the stony Parts, that successively apply themselves to the Matter that first begins to coagulate; and began to be for∣saken by that moisture that accompanied those Parts, and was necessary to their due Applica∣tion to their casual Roots; in imitation of

which I have obtained from saline and stony solutions, dry Turfs prettily sigured, and dia∣phanous or White; as also slender Stiriae that seemed to grow out of the solid Glass.

But further, sometime petrifying Particles may be so diluted with ordinary Water, as not to discover themselves 'till they have fit Bodies to work upon: For I have received transpa∣rent and petrify'd Cristals from a Lake in the North of Ireland, which grew to the Rocks in the bottom, but had no ill effects on the Fish which swam in that Water; and it is easie to sup∣pose, that whether Water which lies in the Cavities of Rocks be impregnated with petri∣fick Particles from Springs, Rain-water, or sub∣terraneal steams; I say it is easie to conceive, how these, after an Exhalation of the superflu∣ous moisture, may petrifie the adjacent Soil, and form different Stones, according to the par∣ticular Nature of the petrescent Liquors, and the disposition and structure of the Soil they in∣vade; in which Soil if any Heterogeneous Mat∣ter be lodged whether Vegetable, Animal, or Mineral Substances, they must needs be found in that petrify'd Soyl when broken up: Nor is it requisite that this Soyl should be all petri∣fy'd at once; for it may be petrify'd gradually, as the Position or porousness of the Body give advantage to the petrifying Body that works upon them; so that from hence it appears, how medicinal Stones of different Colours, Consistencies and Effects, may be formed, and seem entire Bodies. And I have a Stone by me which contains a perfectly shaped Serpent coiled up in it, but without a Head; which

appears to have been formed before the Stone, in as much as in the upper and lower Parts of the Stone, there are Cavities left, which toge∣ther form one Cavity, of the size and shape of the contained Body; and that the Serpent and the Stone about it, were petrify'd at several times, may be argued from the different Tex∣ture of the petrify'd Animal, it being a clearer kind of Stone than that of the Mold; and e∣ven that Part of the Mold it self which is con∣tiguous to the included Body is whitish, and abounds with shining grains or flakes, in both which respects it differs from the other Parts.

But to proceed, in those several places in which Stones are plentifully found, in times past pretrescent Liquors may have been, since not only Earth-quakes, Inundations, sinking of Grounds, but the incroaching of the Land on the Water, as well as fiery Eruptions, have been able to dry up Pools and Lakes, and to divert the course of Springs and Rivers, so as to leave not the least footsteps where they flowed before.

Another Argument which will favour: the Hypothesis already laid down, may be deduced from this, that by proper Menstruums Mine∣ral Parts may be drawn from some of these Stones, so a Solution of Blood-Stone turned an Infusion or Galls blackish, and so did a Load-Stone Emeri and Marchasites opened with cor∣rosive Menstruums. And Lapis Calaminaris kept in Fusion with Copper, changes it yellow for a Golden colour, and makes it Brass; and adds to its specifick Gravity considerably.

And Quick-silver is known to be distilled from Ore found in the Mines of Friuli. But as we be∣fore intimated, there are several Stones, which owe their Virtues to a Mixture of Bodies speci∣fically lighter than Crystal; which is evident, since not only Brimstone, but Bitumens, are specifically lighter, the proportion of Brim∣stone being as two to one, and that of Asphal∣tum as one and a little less than 4/10 to 1. And even some Bodies specifically Lighter than Cry∣stal, may owe their Virtues to Mineral Particles, since they may be mixed with Ingredients specifi∣cally Lighter than Crystal, which may compensate the Surplusage of theirs; for I have had a piece of blackish East-Indian Flint, and likewise an English one of the same colour, the one of which weighed as 2 6/10 to 1, and the other as 2 7/10 to 1, which is equal to the specifick Gravity of Crystal; so that the Blackish co∣lour seemed to proceed from some Mineral smoak that had pervaded it, which may give us Reason to believe, that the matter of Medi∣cinal Stones may be tinged with Mineral Va∣pours before it is hardened: And that several subterraneal Bodies may be raised in the form of Vapours, will appear from what hath else∣where been delivered; and that Quick-silver will, we are assured by the effects of Fumigati∣ons in the Lues Venerea; and that it may be incorporated with Stones, may be observed in some kinds of native Cinnabar. And I have found that not only artificial but natural Sal-Armoniack, may be raised in the form of Ex∣halations by the help of fire. And that Sal-Armoniack, Sulphur and Mercury, may be sub∣limed

into a Gold like substance, appears from the Preparations of Aurum Musicum, and that the Earth abounds with Mineral Ex∣halations of various kinds, appears from what hath been elsewhere delivered; as well by us as several other Authors; and since the Earth abounds with so great a Number of Minerals, there is no question but some of them may be able to penetrate and tinge some indurated Stones; and that a small quantity of a Mine∣ral may be sufficient to tinge a great quantity of a Stony substance, will appear from several Experiments already delivered.

But to proceed to the last Argument to be alledged on this occasion, I shall add, that it appears that opacous Gems receive their Vir∣tues from Mineral Particles, since most of them consist of Mineral Bodies petrified. And tho' most of these Bodies differ little from artifici∣al ones, we are not therefore to deny them Medicinal Virtues, since several Medicinal and specifick Virtues are attributed to Chymical Preparations, and that artificial Bodies may be endewed with Medicinal Virtues, appears from Galen, who delivers the ashes of a Cray-Fish as an Antidote against the biting of a mad Dog: And even Treacle is esteemed not on∣ly as an Alexipharmick, but endewed with specifick Virtues, upon the account of its mani∣fest as well as occult Qualities. And to what I have said, I shall add, that several Stones of the same kind differ in the goodness of their Medicinal Qualities, as Lapis Nephriticus; and several of them have Virtues which seem to belong to other kinds, when they are impreg∣nated

with the like Exhalations; so that I have seen a Blood-Stone which would stop Hemor∣rhagies when made use of without the Persons knowledge, yet by its colour it seemed to be of another kind of Stone.

But to the foregoing Particulars I shall add, that subterraneal Exhalations may be so pow∣erful and penetrating, as to petrifie both Ani∣mal and Vegetable Substances, as appears from petrifyed Skulls, Bones, and pieces of Wood; and that Vegetable substances may be hardened into Stones is evident, since Lapis Lyncurius, a Stone near Naples, being rubbed and moistened, and then exposed to the Sun in a due season, will yield Mushrooms fit to be eaten, so that the seminal Principles of Vegetables may be petrifyed, without losing a power of exerting themselves when they find an opportunity: And these kind of Stones are sometimes found to be of an extraordinary bigness. And that other Earths, subject to be petrifyed, may be endewed with Medicinal Virtues appears, since I knew a Clay-Pit in which a Bed of Clay yield∣ed by distillation a Volatile and strong Salt, which was a good Cordial, and a great opening and Diaphoretick Medicine. And that subli∣mable Salts, Sulphurs and Bitumens, may be met with in the Bowels of the Earth and in the Bodies of Stones, I have found by their Chymi∣cal Examens. And that Metalline Parts may concur to the Composition of a Medicinal Stone, may appear from native Sulphur, (which is it self a compound Body) besides a good proportion of Mineral Earth.

CHAP. III. Of the Atmospheres of Consistent Solids.

THAT fluid Bodies, such as Water, Wine, Urine, &c. emit Effluvia, is too evident to want proof; and that even consistent and solid Bodies emit Effluvia, will appear from what follows, since not only Leaves of Plants, but Ambergrease, &c. are manifestly odoriferous. And not only Volatile Salts are sensibly diminished, by being exposed to the Air, but Camphire which is a tough tenacious Body. And even from the Electrical Quali∣ties of Amber, hard Wax, &c. it appears that they emit corporeal Effluvia; which sen∣sibly affect the Nostrils when violently rub∣bed.

And as further instances of the Effluvia of consistent Bodies, we may add, that not only Apples but Eggs lose of their weight in Win∣ter, and so does Wood; for having caused a Cup to be made of it, and Counterpoised it, it grew sensibly and gradually lighter, so that tho' it wanted two drachms of two ounces, yet it lost forty grains of that weight in ten hours. And even Ice which weighed two oun∣ces in a frosty Night, lost ten grains of its for∣mer weight, tho' not in the least thawed. And it is known to those that deal amongst Lead and Tin, that those Bodies emit very hurtful Effluvia, and Cold-share Iron hath been observed to smell so rank whilst red hot,

that the Smith could scarce endure to work it; and not only Iron, but Brass and Copper, when heated smell very unpleasantly.

And to these instances I shall add, that be∣sides Load-Stones, black Marble, as well as o∣ther Stones, whilst a Polishing, will emit sensible Effluvia, which is evident by the smells they emit. And amongst other Bodies which convince us, that they emit sensible Effluvia by their smell, I shall enumerate those Coni∣cal Stones called Thunder-Stones, which upon attrition emit a Sulphureous smell; and so did a Substance which much resembled a Marcha∣site: And I made a Mixture of a Metalline Body and a coagulated Mercury, which had considerable effects on the Eyes as well as other Parts, near which it was worn as an Appensum. And Vitrum Saturni, made with a good quantity of Minium, is not devoid of Electricity; nor is Brass free from an offensive smell, when its Parts are put into a violent concussion by turn∣ing.

And amongst Electrical Bodies I have seen some of so close a Texture, and so hard, that they would strike fire, and Aqua Fortis it self would not work upon them, as Cornelians, Rock-Crystal, &c. And even so hard Bodies as Diamonds are found to be Electrical. And I have observed, that Concretions called Cugoli, made use of by Glass-men in the East-Indies e∣mits a smell upon attrition; and so will a Calculus Humanus; and Iron it self if held to a grinding Stone without the use of Water. And Marchasites likewise upon an attrition e∣mit a Sulphureous Odour.

And even so fixed Bodies, as Regulus of An∣timony, and its Glass, communicate to Liquors Emetick and Purgative Emanations; and Glass it self, which is fixed enough to endure the force of the Fire, upon Attrition, emits offensive Effluvia.

And the Heat of the Sun and Fire have so great a stroke in exciting the Atmospheres of Bodies exposed to them; that Amber being exposed to the former, and Glass to the latter, they both became Electrical.

And I question not, but that if a great many Bodies, not yet tryed, were carefully weighed, they would appear sensibly to emit Effluvia; tho' the waste made by some Bodies is so small, as to be scarce discernable, if at all, as in Load∣stones, Ambergrease, &c. Those requiring a long time to make their Consumption discernible, in which time we are not sure but the Weights themselves may have lost of their weight, as well as the Counterpoise, and consequently not be able to discover the loss those sustain.

But there are several other, besides statical, ways of trying whether Bodies emit Effluvia or not; and there are several peculiar ways re∣quisite to cause them to emit them; as Glass, &c. affect the Nostrils upon an Attrition. I had a Diamond, as well as a Ruby, which would be excited by a gentle heat in my Pocket, or only by strokeing my Finger over the former, tho' sometimes they would fail to be so easily or u∣niformly excited; and it is not a little strange, that upon the Tread of a Hare or Partridge, Effluvia should be so long emitted, as to give a Scent to Dogs several Hours after.

And if Load-stones and other Bodies may have Constant Atmospheres which are only to be discover'd by particular Bodies; several o∣ther Substances, not yet taken notice of, may e∣mit Effluvia, which by peculiar Methods may be discover'd.

CHAP. IV. Of the Strange Subtlety of Effluviums.

THE subtlety of the Effluviums will be most aptly represented, by considering,

• I. The strange extensibility of some Bodies, whilst their Parts remain tangible.
• II. The Multitude of visible Corpuscles, that may be af∣forded by a small Portion of Matter.
• III. The smallness of the Pores, at which the Effluvia of some Bodies will get in.
• IV. The small De∣crement of Bulk or Weight that a Body may suffer, by parting with great store of Effluvia And,
• V. The great quantity of Space that may be filled, as to Sense, by a small quantity of Mat∣ter, when rarify'd or dispersed.

And First, I have observed that a Grain of Silver Wire amounted to 27 Foot, or 324 Inch∣es; and since half an English Inch may be divi∣ded into a 100 Parts by diagonal Lines, it must consist of 64800 true Metalline Parts, which may be well conceived to be made of Parts yet more minute. And I had a gilt Wire, an Ounce of which made a Wire 1000 paces long, al∣lowing Five Foot to a Pace, and 720 Foot a∣bove;

and had this Wire been drawn out to an equal smallness with the Silver Wire, the Gold would have been divided to an indefinite num∣ber of Parts, being sufficient to cover the su∣perficial Area of so long a Wire. And I have known Silk to be drawn out of the Mouth of a Worm, which, tho' it weigh'd but two Grains and a half, was 300 Yards long.

But to evince the great extensibility of Mat∣ter, we took six beaten Leaves of Gold, the sides of whose Squares were 3 Inches and 2/8, which Number being reduced to a Decimal Fraction, viz. 3125/100, and multiplyed by it self, affords 10••5••/10000 for the Area of each, and this multiplyed by 6, the Number of the Leaves amounts to 6313750/10000 square Inches for the Area of the six Leaves of Gold; which weighed but 1 Gr. ¼; so that 4 Grains was extended to above 50 square Inches. And if each of these Inches may, by Lines drawn from opposite Points, be divided each into 100 Parts, one Grain of Gold must be divided into 500000 little squares, discernable by a good Eye; and if an Inch were divided into 200 Parts, as I have one by me that is, then a Grain may be divided into 2000000 of squares. And to be satisfy'd further of the extensibility of Gold, I enquired, and was told that 8 Grains of Gold would gild an Ounce of Silver Wire as fine as a Hair, and which would reach be∣twixt 90 and 100 Miles. But supposing the Wire to be as fine as that first mentioned, and that 8 Grains of Gold went to gild it; a sheath of Gold weighing but 8 Grains, may be extend∣ed so as to reach 60 times as much (in weight) of Silver Wire as it covers; and consequently,

a grain of that Wire being twenty seven foot long, the ounce of Gold would reach to 777600 foot i. e. 155 ½ miles; and if this Gold Wire were cut into as small thongs or lists as posibly it might be, it must reach to a stupen∣dious length.

But secondly, to shew into what a number of visible Corpuscles a Body may be divided, we put an ounce of Water into an Aeolipile, and having placed it upon a Chafing-dish of Coals, we observed that Vapours streamed out or above sixteen minutes; and considering a few intermitting gusts afterwards, and what drops of Water were condensed in the top of it, I guessed, that had the whole been driven out in Vapours they would have continued twenty minutes; N. B. to the Orifice of the Aeoli∣pile we applied a long Tube twenty Inches long and an Inch in Diameter, the remoter end being continued about six Inches longer, and so far expanded that its Diameter was four or five Inches; and by the help this Pipe we were able tho' not actly to measure the Ex∣tension of the rarified Vapours. To this in∣stance I might add the prodigious expansion of some Inflamable Bodies, when turned into actual flame, as Spirit of Wine, &c. Which being burnt in a Glass Lamp, so contrived that the Surface of the Liquor was still Circu∣lar, the waste made in ¼ of an hour was very small, tho' the Physical superficies of the Li∣quor must needs be successively rarified and ex∣panded, and fly away in streams; and if so lit∣tle of this Liquor was able to afford matter for flame so long, the same bulk of a more compact

Body may easily be supposed to be capable of be∣ing expanded to much greater Dimensions. And to these instances I shall add, that half a grain of Gun-Powder being exploded under a Vessel, whose Basis was eight Inches and its Altitude twenty; and its figure such, that it was more Capacious than a Cone of that size, the exploded Gun-Powder was observed to fill the whole Cavity of the Vessel as to sense, and successively issued out of the upper Orifice for half a quarter of an hour, so that the Diame∣ter of it being two Inches, many Myriads of visible Corpuscles, must be conceived to throng out in so long a time as they crouded out one after another: But to make a kind of an estimate of the Expansion of this Substance, we filled the Vessel full of Water, and found that the weight of it amounted to 320000 half grains: And if we suppose the specifick Gra∣vity of the Gun-Powder to be as much again as that of Water, we my probably guess the smoak to posses 500000 times the space that the Gun-Powder did. And as a further Ar∣gument of the great minuteness of small Parts of matter, I shall urge the smallness of Cheese-mites; which being so small as not to be dis∣cernable to a naked Eye, but when they move, must be made of extremely fine Parts, other∣wise there would not be room enough for an Organical Body; and if an Organical Body fur∣nished with all the Parts requisite for the Pre∣servation of Life be contained in so small a com∣pass, how minute must they be at the first, since the Eggs out of which they are formed bear but a small proportion to them, when perfectly for∣med,

and even comparative Observations tell us, that a Mite being ten days a hatching, the Rudiments of its Body at the first must bear but a small proportion to the bulk of that small Egg; and to this I shall add, that tho' these Creatures be so very small, yet I have been able to discern single hairs growing upon their Legs.

Another instance of the Extension of mat∣ter minutely divided is this, viz. We dis∣solved a grain of filings of Copper in Spirit of Sal-Armoniack; pouring the Solution into a tall Cylinder four Inches in Diameter, and suc∣cessively filling it four times with distilled Wa∣ter, still pouring it off into a Conical Glass; which being done, and the weight of the Glass Cylinder deducted from the Joint weight of the Liquor contained in it, we found that one grain of Copper was able to give à Tincture to 28534 times its weight of Water, tho' its specifick Gravity is not half so much as that of fine Gold: and if we estimate the proportion not by weight but the bulk of these Bodies, the bulk of Water to Copper being as nine to one, the aforementioned number multiplyed by nine will give us the proportion betwixt the tinged and tinging the Body, so that one grain of Copper gives a colour to 256806 parts of Limpid Water, and by prosecuting this Ex∣periment further, I found that it was able to give a manifest Tincture to above 385200, and a faint but discernable one to above 513620 times its bulk of Water.

To shew that the Effluvia of Bodies may enter in at very small Pores, I shall intimate the effects of Cantharides held in the hands of some Persons; and on the Neck of my own Bladder when applyed outwardly to my Neck. And not only Scaliger tells us of Spiders in Gascony, whose Virulent Poyson would pene∣trate the Shooes of those that trod upon them, but Piso speaking of a Fish called Amoreatim, and by the Portugals Peize sola, he says, Quae mira sane Efficacia non solum Manum vel le∣vissimo attactu, sed & pedem, licet optime cal∣ceatum, Piscatoris incaute Pisciculum conterentis, Paralysi & stupore afficit, instar Torpedinis Eu∣ropeae, sed Minus durabili, Lib. 5. Cap. 14.

And to shew that some Emanations, even of solid Bodies, may be subtle enough to get through the Pores even of the closest Bodies; I shall add, that a needle being Hermetically sealed up in a Glass Tube, and that laid upon Water, a Load-Stone would cause the Needle to leap up in it, and by the help of the Load-Stone, I could lead the Tube from one part of the Surface of the Water to another, as I moved the Load-Stone. And to shew that the Magneti∣cal Effluvia of the Earth, may penetrate so close and compact a Body as Glass, I shall add, that a Cylindrical piece of Iron being sealed up in a Glass Cylinder, and held in a Perpendicular Posture, it acquired such Mag∣netical Virtues, as to become a North Pole, and according to Magnetical Laws to drive a∣way the North Point of a Needle; but be∣ing inverted, and held under the Point of a

Needle, it became a South Pole, and attracted it.

Another Proof of the great subtlety of Efflu∣viums, may be taken from the small decrease of Weight, by parting with store of such Ema∣nations; as Vitrum Antimonii, Crocus Metallo∣rum, and Quick-silver, the two first of which give a Vomitive Virtue to a vast quantity of Wine, without growing sensibly lighter, and so Quick-silver impregnates Water with a Virtue of killing Worms. And a piece of Amber∣grease which weighed about 100 or 120 Grains, being suspended three days in the o∣pen Air, lost not sensibly of its Weight, not∣withstanding the quantity of odoriferous Steams it must have parted with in that time. Assa Foetida, in about six Days, lost about half a quarter of a Grain; one Ounce of Nutmegs, in six Days, lost 5 Grains ½; and an Ounce of Cloves, 7 grains ⅝. And tho' Loadstones emit Effluvia without a sensible loss of weight, yet I suspect, that as these Magnetical Particles fly out of one Pole, they enter in at the other, and so make the Pores of the Load-stone their con∣stant Thorow-fares. To these Instances I shall add, that a Grain of Copper being dissolved in a spoonful of a Menstruum, and that put into a Glass-Lamp, the Metal tinged the Flame, which continued half an Hour and six Minutes; so that supposing the Flame to have streamed through a Cylindrical Pipe so long, that small parcel of Metal must be divided into a vast Number of small Parts; for Water, which ran through a Cylinder, whose Diameter was but half as great as that of the Flame, amounted to

above Nine Gallons, or Seventy two Pounds.

The last Particular I shall insist upon, to shew the strauge subtlety of Effluviums, is the great quantity of space a small parcel of Matter may be extended to, and as to Sense possess it; this we may be enabled to guess at, by consi∣dering how long a Dog will distinguish the Scent of Partridges, Hares, &c. after they have left the Place, and will almost give one sufficient grounds to guess how long the Animal hath been gone from thence before. And I am told that a Blood-hound will not only perceive the Seent of a Man that hath gone over a piece of Ground several Hours before, but that the scent of a Deer will continue upon the Ground from one Day to the next. And if we consider that the eighth part of a Grain, can scarce be sup∣pos'd to be left on the Ground where such an Animal hath stood, and likewise at what di∣stance it may be scented, and how long that scent continues, it will be sufficient to convince us of the extraordinary minuteness of those Parts of Animals, which were rendered more apt to be dissipated in Effluviums, by their having been first strained through the Pores of their Bo∣dies. Nor is it less remarkable, that Birds, especially Crows, are able to discover the smell of Gun-powder at a considerable distance; and that they are, I am satisfi'd by my own Obser∣vations, as well as the Relations of others.

And on this occasion I shall add, That Julius Palmarius, in his Tract de Morbis Contagiosis, observes, that Horses, Beeves, Sheep, and other Animals, have grown mad by eating the Straw that mad Swine have lain on; which may give

us Reason to suspect, that the Feet of distemper∣ed Animals may leave an Infection upon the Grass they tread on.

But to prosecute the chief aim of our Dis∣course, I shall add, That since Corpuscles that are too minnte to be visible, may affect an Or∣gan of Sense; it is not improbable, but that there may be a great many which may be so fine as not to affect any one of our Senses, and consequently may continue an Atmosphere much longer than we are able to take notice of. So Forestus tells us of a Pestilential Contagion that was a long time preserved in a Cobweb. And Alexander Benedictus tells us of a Flock-Bed, which, when several Years after the Plague, it was beaten, it presently infected the By-stand∣ers. And Sennertus tells us that in Ʋratisla∣via, in six Months, six Thousand Men dyed of the Plague; and that from that time, the In∣fection was preserved in a Linnen Cloth, and being displayed in another Place, 13 Years after, it infected that Place likewise. And Trincavel∣la tells us, that an Infection was preserved a long time in Ropes, by which dead Persons were let down into their Graves. And an In∣stance of the like kind we are furnished with by Diemerbroeck, who acquaints us that an Apothe∣cary of his, turning over some Straw, upon which a Bed had lain which held an infected Person, the Steams immediately caused Blisters upon his Legs, and a Carbuncle which was a For∣tnight in healing. And to conclude this Chapter, I shall add, that I have a pair of Spanish perfum'd Gloves, which have continu'd their scent about Thirty Years, tho' they were not so much as shut up in a Box.

CHAP. V. Of the great Efficacy of Effluviums.

THO' Particles of Matter which are minute, are looked upon to be unable to have any considerable Effects; yet I shall endeavour to shew, that they may have considerable Effects.

• I. Up∣on the account of their great Number.
• II. Their Penetrating Nature.
• III. The Celerity and Mo∣dification of their Motions.
• IV. The congruity of their Bulk and Shapes to the Pores of the Body they are to act upon.
• V. The Motion of one Part of a Body which they cause to act upon the other.
• IV. Their Aptitude to cause themselves to be as∣sisted by more Catholick Agents;

tho' they may perform several things considerable upon these Accounts; yet sometimes two or three, or more, concur to the producing of the same effect.

And, First, From what hath been deliver'd in the fore-going Chapter, it appears that the Effluvia of Bodies are very minute, and con∣sequently it will follow, they must be numerous, and that a great number of small Agents, when they act per Modum unius, may have conside∣rable Effects, is evident; since inundations of whole Countrie▪ may be caused by Showers of Rain when drops fall in multitudes; and ag∣gregates of small Sands, not only bound the Seas, but form Banks, upon which the greatest Ships are sometimes split; and tho' the Effects of a single Grain of Gun-powder is immaterial, yet prodigious things may be done by a great number of them; and tho' Vapours are made up of very small Particles, which seem to be ina∣ctive,

yet in moist Weather, they cause Salts to melt, wood to swell, and Viol-strings, if they be stretched too much, to break. And it hath been observed, that the invisible Steams of a newly whited Room are so offensive, that People who slept in such Places, have been found dead in the Morning, being suffocated with those Fumes; and tho' the Vapors which can issue out of such Bodies at once, cannot be sufficient to produce such Effects, yet if we consider that they continually succeed each other, as Wind out of an Aeolipile; their Number and Minuteness may enable them to cause considerable Effects.

And that the subtlety and penetrating Nature of Effluvia, contribute much to their Effects; appears, since good Aqua-fortis and Spirit of Nitre are so penetrating, as in a little time to pervade the Corks with which the Bottle they are contain'd in are stopp'd, and to reduce them to a Pap. And running Mercury hath been found in the Heads of those that have been too much exposed to Mercureal Fumes. And in the Laboratories of Chymists, the Steams of Sulphur, Antimony, Arsnick, &c. make those stagger that less cautiously unlute the Vessels in which they have been sublimed or distilled. To which Instances may be added, the infectious Steams in the Plague which suddenly infect the internal Parts; and likewise the sudden. Effects of a Torpedo. And I prepar'd a Sal-Armoniac so powerful, that it restored a faculty of Smelling to one that had lost it a considerable time; which Virtues it had, besides those more com∣mon ones, of affecting the Eyes, Mouth and Sto∣mach. And on this occasion, I shall subjoin, that

the Steams of Water assisted by warmth, are sufficient to dissolve hard and solid Bodies, so that by Philosophical Calcination, solid pieces of Harts-horn are made so friable, as to be easi∣ly reduced to Powder, only by being hung over the Steams of distill'd Waters: And to this I shall add, that under several Places in the Tor∣rid Zone, the Dew is so penetrating, that it causes Knives to rust in their Sheaths, and Swords in their Scabbards, and even Watches in their Cases: And in England I have known hard Bodies become friable by the insinuation of Va∣pors into their Pores; and I have known solid and Mineral Bodies burst, by the powerful insi∣nuation of Effluviums.

And that the Celerity of the Motion of mi∣nute Bodies, may contribute much to their Ef∣fects, appears from the Effects of Gun-powder, Aurum Fulminans, Flames, Whirl-Winds, and Winds. And I have made it appear, that those Odoriferous Steams which swim in the Air, and affect our Nostrils, are in too languid a Moti∣on, 'till enabled to affect the Sensory more powerfully, by running through the Nostrils in a Stream; and I have likewise made it appear, that Setting-Dogs, &c. will be much more af∣fected with a Scent, when the Wind Blows from the scent towards their Nostrils, than when it comes the contrary Way, the current of the Wind causing the Odoriferous Steams to affect the Sensory more briskly. And Electri∣cal Bodies exert that Faculty more strongly af∣ter Attrition, the emission of their Electrical Steams being by that means excited: And the Learned Faber hath observed, that if a Hare was

suspended near an Electrick when the Effluviums were too briskly agitated, it would not be at∣tracted, but driven away from it. And I know a certain substance made by distillation, whose smell in the Cold is very inoffensive, but when it is warm, it emits Steams more strong and penetrating than Sal Armoniac. And I have known solid Substances stink egregiously when excited to emit their Effluvia by Attrition. And as celerity of motion contributes to the Effects of subtile Bodies, so does the different modifica∣tion of that Motion; for as a Stick or a Javelin, hath different Effects when they fly with one end first, from what they have when they twirled round with a certain Rotation; and the sounds of Musical Instruments are different, according to the different determination of their Motion, And the Impressions made upon the ambient Air.

And that, besides what we have already ta∣ken notice of, the congruity or incongruity of the Particles of Matter, in reference to the Bo∣dies they are to work upon, contribute much to their Effects, appears from the Effects of Light∣ning: For I have seen two tall drinking Glas∣ses so alter'd in their shape by the influence of Lightning, that the one was a little widened near the bottom, and the other so far bent, that it stood awry; the Beams of Lightning being able, in the twinkling of an Eye, to melt Glass; tho' in Glass Furnaces the Fire is sometime be∣fore it can produce that Effect. And I once saw Lead melted by Lightning, which left the Glass unaffected; and likewise other combustible stuff that was near it; and tho' it left these Things

untouched, yet it threw down part of a Wall, belonging to the House, by passing through it. And it is a common Observation, that Thun∣der, either by giving a determinate Concussion to the Air, or transmitting some Effluvia, turns Beer sowre; but having sealed some up in Glas∣ses Hermetically, the Thunder was not able to affect the Liquor contained in them; and it is a common practice to prevent Beer from sowr∣ing upon Storms of Thunder, to place Chafing-Dishes of Coals under the Barrels, the sulphu∣reous steams, being by that means so alter'd, as either not to be able to penetrate the Barrel, or not able to alter the Liquor.

Another Way, by which considerable Effects are caused by Effluvia, is by exciting such a Mo∣tion in the Body they work upon, as to make one part of it act upon another. Instances of which may be brought from inanimate Bodies, as well as living ones, since some vigorous Load∣stones destroy the attractive Virtues of an Ex∣cited Needle in a trice; or give it a Virtici∣ty quite contrary to the former, without touching it; and these magnetical Emissions which must needs be very minute, since they are subtle enough to penetrate Glass, are able to take up a considerable weight of Iron; so that I have seen a light one which would take up Eighty times its weight.

But the chief Instances I shall now insist on, are those wrought upon Animals; for it is evident, that our Organs of smelling are chiefly affected by such minute Particles of Mat∣ter as the finest Odours consist of; nor do they always affect us as Odours, since violent smells,

whether stinking or sweet, are able to cause very troublesome Head-achs. And the smell of a very pleasing Perfume may produce in a humane Body, which before was well and strong, both faintness, swoons, loss of sensible Respi∣ration, Intumescence of the Abdomen, seem∣ing Epilepsies, Convulsive motions of the Limbs, &c. And I had a Sal-Armoniack which would in a little time remove Hysterick fits, and recover People, who by the by-standers were judged to fall down in Epileptical fits, which sudden effects seem to depend on the consent of the Genus Nervosum. But, besides these effects of Odorous Bodies upon Women, I know a Man of a strong Body and a sanguine Constitution, who will be put into a violent Head-ach by the smell of Musk; and another to whom the smell of Roses was as offensive; and I know a Lady, who would presently swoon at the smell of Roses, if they were not speedily removed. And as these slight smells have proved offensive, so it is not much less considerable that the smell of Sal-Armoniack cures the Head-ach. Besides, the aforemen∣tioned effects of Effluvia, it is observed, that Women have miscarryed upon the stink of a Candle carelesly extinguished. And I not on∣ly know a Gentleman who will Vomit upon the smell of Coffee, but a Physician who will Vomit and Purge, if he does but smell at Electuarium Lenitivum: And I know another whom the smell of the grease which is about the wheels of a Hackney-Coach will make sick, and cause to Vomit, if it does but pass by him.

And not only smoak is offensive to the Eyes and Lungs; but the invisible steams of Sal-Armoniack. And besides, the aforementioned instances of the effects of Effluvia upon the Genus Nervosum, I shall add one of their Effects on the humours; for I know an Apothecary who upon the smell of Roses, hath such a Col∣liquation of Humours in his Head, that they set him a coughing, make him run at the Nose, and give him a sore Throat, and also by an affluence of humours make his Eyes sore.

And as Effluvia may be enabled to perform several things on the account of the structure of particular Bodies; so they may effect seve∣ral things, by Virtue of the Fabrick and Laws of the Universe, for Bodies by Effluvia may be rendered fit to be wrought on by Light Magnets, the Atmosphere, Gravity, or some other Catholick Agent of the Universe. And to what instances have already been given of Bodies working upon others placed at a di∣stance, I might add the effects of contiguous Bodies, as Bloodstones, Cornelians, Nephri∣tick Sones, Lapis Malacensis, and some Amu∣lets, and other solid Substances externally ap∣plyed by Physicians, as Cantharides, &c.

CHAP. VI. Of the determinate Nature of Effluviums.

THO' Aristotle and his followers, have on∣ly distinguished the Exhalations of this Globe into those which he calls fumes, and which rising from the Earth, he terms hot and dry; and those Vapours which rise from the Water, which he calls hot and moist, in these words, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; yet besides these slight differences, since the Earth contains several Bodies, which have each of them distinct Atmosphere, we may probably conceive them to have their distinct and determinate natures; and even in fluid Bo∣dies Heterogeneous Parts may swim, which notwithstanding their fluidity may retain their determinate Nature, since Rock-Allom and Salt-Petre being dissolved together in Water, upon a gentle Evaporation, will each of them shoot into Crystals of their respective and de∣terminate Natures.

And that Effluvia retain their determinate natures, tho' so small as to swim in the Air or Water, appears, since upon their Re-union they are of the same Nature with the Body that emitted them; as Water raised in Va∣pours condenses again into drops of Water: And Quick-Silver in Distillation, if it be raised with a convenient fire, will almost all be found in the Receiver, in the form of running Mercury: And if when Chymists are either making an Amalgama, or forcing the Mercury

away from it by the fire; they hold a piece of Gold in their Mouths, it will be white as if it were Silvered over. And not only Sul∣phur, but Camphire sublimed in close Vessels, unites into a Substance of the same Nature as the other, and tho' a Body be compounded of a Metal and another Mineral, and two or three Salts; yet upon the Purification of the Mixture from its grosser Parts, if the remain∣ing and finer Parts be minute enough and fine∣ly shaped, the wholy Liquor will ascend; and yet in the Receiver altogether recover its pristine form of a transparent fluid, compo∣sed of differing Saline and Mineral Parts, which is evident in the Distillation of Butter or Oyl of Antimony very well rectify'd; for this Liquor will pass into the Receiver dia∣phanous and fluid, tho', besides the Particles of the sublimate, it abounds with Antimonial Particles, carried over and kept invisible by the corroding Salt: And I am told, that Tin will retain its own Nature in the form of fumes or flowers, which is evident, since that white sublimate which is gathered above the Furnaces where the Ore is brought to Fu∣sion being melted down, will yield store of Tin.

And besides these ways, the determinate natures of Effluviums, may be distinguished by their sensible Qualities, since the Exhalations which rise from several Bodies produced by Art, appear to be of different colours; tho' no external Heat is employed to raise them; for the fumes of Spirit of Nitre well rectify'd, when cold and stopped up, appear in the

Vial to be of a redish colour; and when the Vessel is unstopped they will ascend in the form of a redish, or Orange tawny Smoak. And Spirit of Salt or Oyl, will when exposed to the open Air, ascend in the form of a white Smoak; and so will a Volatil Tincture of Sulphur made with Quick-lime; and both this and that of Salt-Petre do by their smell, as well as operation, discover of what Nature they are; and I have observed, that the essenti∣al Oyl of Wormwood, being drawn off in a Copper Alembick Tinned, was not only green, but retained that colour when rectify'd in a Glass-Vessel; and tho' these essential Oyls be but the condensed Effluvia of Vegetables, yet they retain the genuine taste of the Bo∣dies from whence they were drawn. And not only Wormwood but Amber may com∣municate their taste, by Effluvia raised with∣out the help of Heat; for Wormwood having been kept in a close Room, not only affected the Nostrils strongly, but the Tongue with a bitter taste, and Amber kept in Spirit of Wine impregnated it sufficiently to give it a genuine taste, as well as smell; and that most essential Oyls retain their genuine Odours is very evi∣dent.

And that the Effluvia of Bodies may affect even the Touch of Animals, may not only be argued from the effects perceived by some People upon changes of Weather, but by that memorable passage related by Diemerbroeck, who after he was cured of the Plague, it left such a change in some Parts of his Body, that he says, Ab illo periculo ad contagiosos mihi ap∣propinquanti

in emunctoriis successit dolor, vix fallax Pestis indicium. To which I shall add, that I knew one who could hear very soft whispers when ill of a Feaver, tho' the sound and healthful standers by could not; and I was told by a Lady, that she could tell by her smell, whether one that came to visit her had been in any place where the Ground was co∣vered with Snow. And I knew a Gentleman, whose Eyes were so tender during a Distem∣per he had in them, that he could discern and distinguish colours in the dark. And I am told, that a Blood-Hound found out a Man barely by scent, tho' he had passed through a Market Town, and several Crouds of People. And further instances may be brought from Obser∣vations made on Blood-Hounds, some of which will scent a Deer twenty four hours after. And a Gentleman told me, that he knew when his Dogs were in pursuit of a Fox or a Hare, because they ran with their Noses nearer the Ground after the latter, the scent of it not be∣ing so strong. And I prepared a Body of a Vegetable Substance, which, tho' actually cold, would impart its colour to a Metalline Plate; tho' separated from it by the interposition of a piece of Paper.

But perhaps it may be Objected by some, that these Effluviums may be altered by unit∣ing with each other in the Air. To which it may be answered, That they may nevertheless reserve their determinate natures, tho' they act conjointly or so near it, that their distinct Operations cannot be perceived; as when two strings of a Musical Instrument are struck at the

same time, they both of them seem to make only one Impression upon the Ear. And if Spirit of Nitre be dropped into Oyl of Tartar per deliquium, upon an Evaporation of the su∣perfluous moisture, the Acid and Alkalious Particles will form Nitrous Concretions, whose taste will be different from that of either of the separate Ingredients: And so if an equal pro∣portion of Sal-Armoniack, be added to a strong solution of Pot-ashes or Salt of Tartar, a subtil urinous Spirit will come over in Distil∣lation; and also a Caput Mortuum, which is almost wholly a compounded Salt, differing enough from either of the Ingredients, especi∣ally the Alkalizate, in taste and other Quali∣ties. And to these Instances I shall add, that several flowers being aptly mixed in a Nose∣gay, and held at a distance they make a confused and joynt impression upon the Organ of smell∣ing; and so do Perfume made up of several In∣gredients; and Spirit of fermented Urine, and of Wine being well dephlegmed, will incorpo∣rate like Wine and Water, without affording the least dry Sediment; but if in a convenient Vessel, they be exposed to a moderate Heat, the ascending fumes will adhere to the upper part of the Glass, in the form of a white but tender Sublimate, different from either of the Liquors not only in consistence but taste and smell. And if Spirit of Salt and Nitre, be elevated by Distillation in the form of fumes, the condensed Liquor will dissolve Gold, tho' neither Spirit of Nitre nor of Salt would do so. And to demonstrate the Coalition of steams in the Air, I shall add, that having filled two

Vials, the one with Spirit of Salt, and the o∣ther with Spirit of Sal-Armoniack well rectify'd, the ascending fumes which before were invisi∣ble, working one upon another in the Air, form∣ed visible steams, which appeared like Smoak, but when they were removed a greater distance from each other, the separate and invisible steams were no longer discernable. And one thing relating to this Experiment which was remarkable was, that a drop of Spirit of Salt hanging at the end of a Glass stick, being held over the Orifice of a Vial with a long Neck, the ascending Vapours of Sal-Armoniack would form a Smoak, which would be visible till it was a quarter of a yard above the Glass; but if the drop was held within the Neck of the Vial, the aforementioned fumes would fall in∣to the Ball of the Glass, like a stream of Li∣quor, and spread it self like a mist upon the Surface of the Sal-Armoniack. Which Experi∣ment may help us to account for the sudden Invasion of Meteors and Clouds, especially in reference to the coming in or ceasing of seve∣ral Epidemical diseases; and more particu∣larly the Plague, which seems to depend on the Occult temper, and alterations of the Air, differently impregnated with subterrane∣al Effluvia.

An Instance of which is related by Diemer∣broeck, who tells us of a Plague occasion'd by washing of foul Linnen with Soap, the Fumes of the Smoak uniting with other Effluvia in the Air, causing that Effect; to which might be added, what is observed about the ceasing of the Plague at Grand Cayro in Egypt, but enough of

that having been already delivered in another Place; I shall add here, that I have made a stain upon a Body by the invisible steams and Effluvia of another cold Body; I altered the Colour of that Stain by the invisible and cold steams of a Third.

And to countenance my Conjecture of the Cause of Meteors, besides what hath been said of subterraneal Effluvia in another Place, I shall add the following Citation from Agrico∣la; who having mention'd, out of Ancient Hi∣storians, the raining of White and Red Li∣quors, subjoins. Ʋt autem majorem fidem habea∣mus Analium monumentis facit res, res illa de∣cantata, quae Patrium memoria in Suaevia acci∣dit; Aer enim ille stillavit guttas, quae lineas ve∣stes crucibus rubris, quasi sanguineis imbuebant. And it will not be thought strange that subter∣raneal Salts, Bitumens and Sulphurs, may be raised into the Air, if so fixed a Body as com∣mon Earth may, which the newly cited Author testifies. And that the odoriferous Particles of Plants reserve their determinate Nature much longer than we are wont to imagine, may appear; since one drop of Oyl of Cin∣namon, gave not only a taste to 14000 times its Bulk of Water, but withal, diffused a great number of odoriferous Particles through the ambient Air.

The Last way we shall mention to evince the determinate Nature of Effluviums, is from their Effects on other Bodies. As the stupefying Ef∣fluvia of the Fish Amoreatim mentioned by Pi∣so. The effects of Opium and Hypnoticks upon a Boy, who whilst he was distilling them, cast

him into a sleep. And the Root and Juice of Mandragora is said to cast those that take it in∣to a deep Sopor like a Lethargy; and Levinus Lemnius tells us, that the Apples of the same Plant being laid in his Study, made him so slee∣py, that he could scarce recover himself: Au∣relaeus tells us, that the Poison of a Mad Dog hath been convey'd to one in the form of Ef∣fluvia; and Calius Aurelianus acquaints us, That some have become mad by being wounded only by the Claws of a mad Dog; and that one fell into an Hydrophobia, solo odore ex rabido cane attracto. And Matthiolus tells us of one who was poisoned only by putting his Hand into the Mouth of the mad Dog, without being bit; and to this I shall add, that Sennertus relates, that a Painter having opened a Box, in which Realgar had been contained, the Fumes being snussed up his Nostrils, presently caused a giddi∣ness in his Head, and fainting Fits.

To these Instances I shall add, That several have been purged by the smell of Black Helle∣bore; and as Sennertus witnesses by the O∣dor of Coloquintida; and there are several other Things which purge when only externally applyed: And it is attested by approved Wri∣ters, that the Shadow of a Wallnut-Tree, with the Leaves on it, is very hurtful to the Head. And it is not only observed, That Birds will not so much as light upon those Poysonous Trees in the West Indies, called the Manchinello-Tree; and it is looked upon as safe for Men to eat of Fruit found in a strange Country, if it appears that the Birds have been pecking at them before. And Nico∣laus

Florentinus tells us of one, who drawing in∣to his Nostrils the Smoak of a burnt Spider, he was much disordered, and fell into a faint∣ing Fit, and was much disordered about the Heart, his Pulse being likewise weak; tho' after he was cur'd by a mixture of Treacle, Diamosc. and the Powder of Zedoary. And I saw a Berry called Maccu-buy in Ireland, which being pounded in a Mortar, caused the Head and Face of one that stood hard by, to swell enormously. And,

To what hath been delivered of the deter∣minate Nature of Effluviums, I shall add, that Amber, Musk, Civet, &c. will communicate a Perfume to Gloves, tho at a distance off them; and contagious Distempers, as the Plague, Small-Pox, or Measles, may not only be communicated by immediate Contact, but by steams which issue from the Body of the sick Person.

But to conclude this Chapter, I shall add the following Experiment, Viz. Having shut up an Ounce of a Volatile Tincture of Sulphur in a Vial, capable of holding at least twice as much, and having placed a Paper at some distance, and unstopped the Vial, the spreading Fumes presently caused what was writ with invisible Ink to become legible. And so would several Letters writ with a Solution of Sublimate in Water, some of them being more, and others less Black, according to their distances from the smoaking Liquor and other Circumstances: And when the Paper thus writ upon, was held over the Orifice of the Vial, tho' the Let∣ters were on the upper side, yet in a quar∣ter

of an Hour, they became legible; and as in some cases, this smoaking Liquor, with a solution of Sublimate, will produce a Precipi∣tate of a Silver Colour, so in some of the Co∣lourless Ink we found the like Colour. And I have performed the like with a couple of Li∣quors, wherein was neither Sulphur nor Sal-Ar∣moniac, nor Sublimate. And as a farther Proof of the great penetrancy of Effluviums, I shall add, that having a Paper which was writ on with this invisible Ink, betwixt six folds of Paper, these Fumes penetrated it in Ten Mi∣nutes, and turned the Ink Black; and another piece of the same Inked Paper, being placed betwixt the Leaves of a Book, the steams pe∣netrated Twelve in three Minutes, and turn∣ed the Ink blackish.

CHAP. VII. Of the Porousness of solid Bodies.

THAT even solid Bodies are not desti∣tute of Pores, I am inclined to be∣lieve, because most solid Bodies, as Gems, &c. have once been in fluid Forms; and since Flu∣ids are generally made up of Particles of a determinate size and shape, they must needs leave some Pores betwixt them.

Another Reason why I am inclined to think most Bodies porous, is their specific gravity; which would not vary were the Parts of them equally compressed and closed

together, but since Copper is heavier than Iron and Gold, as nineteen to one to its pro∣portion of Water, and Copper only as nine to one, it must follow, that the matter of Iron possesses as much space again as Gold and more. And tho' hardness is urged by some as an Argument of their Substance being condensed, yet I have elsewhere shewn, that tho' Diamonds are the hardest Bodies, they are far from be∣ing the heaviest, which is the only sign whether they be condensed or not.

And since Metals themselves are made up of a Coalition of several Parts, it is impossi∣ble they should be so Physically adapted, as to∣tally implere spatium; since were Cubes made of Marble, it is impossible they should be so exactly Polished as every where to be con∣tiguous, since the Bodies employed to Polish them are observed to make little furrows up∣on them, and consequently leave little Inter∣vals or Pores.

And that Wood is not void of Pores will appear, since Quick-silver hath been observed to penetrate the sides of a hollow Cylindrical piece of Wood, and when the Air was drawn out of my Pneumatical Instrument, the exter∣nal pressed so hard upon the outside of a Board which covered it, that tho' it was of strong Wood, and of a considerable thickness, yet it made its way into the Cavity of the Re∣ceiver, through the Pores of the Wood; and to these Instances I shall add, that the fumes of a Smoaking Liquor tinged a Copper Half-penny, through a broad thin shaving of Deal, tho' we could not discover any sensible Per∣foration;

and the same Experiment being a∣gain repeated with two, and a third with three shavings, they tinged the Copper Half-penny, tho' not in so little time, nor quite so conspi∣cuously. And,

That baked Clay is not void of Pores is evident, since Oyl will soak through strong and well baked Earthen Vessels, and so will Solutions of Nitre and some other Salts; and very few except Hassian Crucibles will keep Salt of Tartar long in Fusion without being penetrated by them. And Vitriol and Salt-Petre have been observed to lose much of their weight when distilled in Earthen Vessels, the subtle and spirituous Parts flying away through their Pores. And I am told, that those Juggs that are made of Earth, hardened suffi∣ciently to strike fire with a good Stell, have their Pores pervaded by the most subtle Parts of Spirituous Liquors; and it hath been found by Experience, that Spirituous Cyder hath sweat through the sides of Stone Bottles; which manifested it self by its taste: And I have found, that Silver dissolved and turned into a horny Substance with Aqua Fortis, be∣ing kept in Fusion in an Hassian Crucible, se∣veral Particles penetrated the Pores of it, and appeared on the outside.

And to prove that natural Stones are po∣rous, I shall intimate, that I had a Vessel made of Stone sent from the West-Indies, through whose Pores Water would sweat; and if the Transparency or Opacity of Bodies proceeds from a rectitude or crookedness of Pores, which makes them fit or unfit to transmit the Rays

of Light, Oculus Mundi will be an Argument of the Porosity of Stones; since whilst it is dry and in the Air it is opacous, but when it hath lain a while in the Water it becomes trans∣parent like Amber, but soon loses its Diapha∣neity when exposed to the Air again, and so Paper wet with Water becomes more transpa∣rent, but loses of that Transparency when dry∣ed again; and to favour this explication, I shall add, that an Oculus Mundi having been weigh∣ed after it was taken out of the Water, it ap∣peared to be heavier than before. And since several Stones, as Granates, Emeri, &c. con∣tain Mineaal Parts, it is impossible they should be exactly contiguous without leaving some Pores betwixt them and the Parts of the Stone; and for the like Reason all artificial Gems made by Fusion, and tinged with Heteroge∣neous Pigments must be supposed to be fur∣nished with Pores; and since natural Gems are made up of Stony Ingredients, and Mine∣ral Parts, for the same Reason we must suppose them to be furnished with Pores likewise; and the like may be concluded in reference to all Heterogeneous and compound Substances; as Marcasites, Load-Stones, &c. And that white Marble is not void of pores may be argued not only from its easie Solution by Aqua For∣tis, Spirit of Salt, &c. but from its aptness to be tinged with Vapours, that are not fretting, so that red and other colours may be soaked into it as Oyl is into Wood. And having ce∣mented some clear Fragments of native Cry∣stal with a composition of some Volatile Mi∣nerals, together with a Salt or two, and hav∣ing

suffered the Crucibles to cool leisurely, se∣veral of the Fragments were stained here and there with different colours, some more and o∣thers less dull; but whether the Tincture these pieces of Crystal received proceeded from some of the finest of the Mineral Parts, imbi∣bed into the Stone when flawed with too much haste; and whether upon cooling those flaws did not grow too close to be discernable to the Eye, I shall not determine, but shall add, that it hath been observed, that Rubies when Po∣lished upon the Wheel, and very hot, have seemed full of cracks, which upon their cool∣ing wholly disappeared.

And that Metals themselves are porous may be argued, from their aptness to be dissolved in proper Menstruums. And especially by lay∣ing Sulphur and thin Plates of Copper SSS, in a Crucible upon which another was luted, to keep the Sulphur from taking fire; for having kept them thus about three hours in a heat, which was sufficient to melt the Sulphur, but not the Metal, when it was taken away from the fire and cooled, we found, that the Sulphur had so penetrated the Body of the Copper as to turn most of it into a brittle Substance, which would crumble away with ones fingers, being altered not only in Texture but colour, some being of a dirty dark colour, others of a violet, and many of the Plates when they were broken, seemed to have been divided into two Plates, and to have a manifest distance betwixt them, and we could likwise discern the fibers of the Metal, extend themselves from one side of the Copper Plates to the other. And that the Sul∣phur

penetrated into the Pores of the Cop∣per-Plates might not only be discerned by their increase of weight, and bulk, but a Blue Flame which would discover it self when they were laid upon quick Coles. And by a like Experiment, we found that the Body of Sil∣ver, Tin, and Lead, might be penetrated. And not only Sulphur, but Arsnick will pe∣netrate thus into the Body of Metals. And I know a Pigment which tinged the Body of Copper, so as to give it the Colour of Gold: And Perfumes do not only continue long in the Pores of Glasses; but I am told by one, that he had a Watch, whose Metal∣line Case was richly perfumed. And I re∣member I made a Substance much like Gold, which retained several Mercurial Particles in it, and being cast into a Ring, it was observed to have manifest Effects on the Eyes of several Persons. And I am told that the Off-spring of the Granadine Moors, had an Art of curiously perfuming the Weapons they forged; and the same Nobleman who told me this, acquainted me that he had a Fowling-piece whose Barrel was perfumed, but its smell was much fainter after it had been scou∣red.

And, Lastly, To shew that even common Glass is not void of Pores, I shall reduce what I have to say, and comprise it under the following Propositions.

PROP. I. It's very probable, that Glass may be pierced into, at some distance, even by visible and tangible Bodies.

And besides the Arguments already offered to evince the porosity of Bodies, I shall add, That a certain Spirit of Salt being kept in a Glass in a cool Place, it corroded some Parts so much as to leave them as thin as a piece of Paper; and lined with a white Substance, which seemed to be some of the Alkali of the Glass and Sand corroded by the Saline Spirits of the Menstruum, and coagulated with them into this odd kind of concrete; and this wrought no higher than the Liquor contained in the Glass. And besides this, I had another Vi∣al corroded by a distilled Liquor of Vitriol, which contained more Phlegm than Oyl; and to this Relation I shall add, That a Pound of Dantzick Vitriol, and a Pound of Sea-Salt, the one calcin'd lightly, and the other decrepita∣ted, being distilled in a well coated Retort, by degrees of Fire, giving at the last a very strong one; when the Vessel was taken off, we found that the Heat had here and there melted it; and that the Fluxed Caput Mor∣tuum had corroded the Glass, fetching off Films from it; and those Parts which did not appear to the Eye manifestly wasted; seem∣ed by their brittleness to have been penetra∣ted; so that their Texture was spoiled by the Saline and Vitriolate Particles.

PROP. II. Common Glass is not ordinarily permeable by Chymical Liquors, tho' strong and subtle, nor by the directly visible or odorable expirations of Bodies; tho' absolutely speaking, it is permea∣ble to some corporeal Substances.

And, First, It is manifest, not only that se∣veral Spirituous Liquors and Menstruums, may be kept in Glass Vessels without sweating through them, but even distilled in them; and I have found that neither Salt of Tartar would lent by being held in a Glass Bubble in the Water, nor would Sal-Armoniac penetrate it, so as to make its way out. But it is to be considered, that some Circumstances may vary these Ob∣servations, as when the Texture of Glass is too lax and open; or when the Bodies are vehe∣mently agitated with Heat, or are too subtile; and have a certain congruity with the Pores of the Glass. For I have seen a sort of Glass so soft, that not only hot Liquors, but moderate∣ly Corrosives would work upon it; and I have heard, that some sort of Glass is apt to be prejudiced by corrosive Liquors. And I was told by one, That he several times observ∣ed Gold to penetrate the Pores of Glass; and I have observ'd Fumes to make their way through the Pores of ordinary Glass, upon di∣stilling of Spirit of Harts-horn with a strong Fire.

And that the Pores of Glass are penetrated by some Substances, is evident, by the Effects

of Cold and Heat, on Bodies contained in seal∣ed Glasses; and that so gross a Body as the Ef∣fluviums of Earth will penetrate Glass, and work on Iron contained in it: And Light it self appears evidently to be contained in close∣ly sealed Glasses; and by a cantinued Heat, I have found the Parts of Fire to penetrate Glass, and add to the weight of Iron sealed up; and having tryed this Experiment with Filings of Copper, I found that their Colour was much altered, some of them being adorn∣ed with exceeding vivid Dyes; which they yet retain without being increased in weight, as if they were not able to stick themselves fast enough in the Pores of the Metal, to add to its Gravity. And I had a Liquor which would va∣ry its Colour, as if something in the Air was successively communicated to it, and receded again.

And to these, other Instances may be brought from what may be observed in painting Glass; for the Pigment being laid upon the Glass, and that placed upon a Bed of Lime, and then continued in a violent Heat, the Pores of the Class will be so opened, as either to im∣bibe the Parts of the Pigment, or to vitrifie and mix with it: And I have found, that by lay∣ing prepared Silver upon Glass, and placing that upon live Coals; when it was nealed a while, by giving it a sufficient degree of Heat, the Glass will acquire a Yellow, and almost a Golden Colour, which is not to be washed off; the way of preparing this Silver, is not al∣ways the same, the Glass-painters usually ad∣ding to it Antimony, Yellow Okre, or the like.

But since the Colour proceeds from the pene∣tration of the Silver into the Pores of the Glass; I usually make use of the Powder of Silver calcined, by burning Sulphur upon thin Plates; and I have often coloured Glass barely by the use of Leaves of Silver laid upon the surface of the Glass, and moistened with something to keep it from flying away. And I have often observed that tho' the Glass betwixt and the Light appeared Yellow, yet being held from it, it appeared Blue; which is a Confirmation of what we have inferred from the variation of Colours, in a Tincture of Lignum Nephri∣ticum; Viz. That they may be solved by Me∣charical Principles. And that the Colour of Glass tinged, proceeds from an Incorporation of the Parts of a Pigment with it, tho' they penetrate not the whole Substance, but tinge the superficies, (as I observed in Glass Plates, which were part of the Windows of St. Paul's Church before it was burnt) may be urged, since the Parts of the Silver may be wrought on by the fix'd Salts in the Glass, and afford different Colours, according to the difference of the Bo∣dies that work upon them, as Copper with Spi∣rit of Urine, give a deep Blue; with Spirit of Salt, a fair Green; and with Aqua Fortis, a Co∣lour partaking of both. And in making Glass of Lead, with Minium and White Sand, or Crystal, the Glass will be of an Amethystine Colour, but if you add a due proportion of calcin'd Copper, the Metal will give it a good Green; so as to pass for no bad E••ner••uld▪ and I remember, that distilling some Gold in a Retort, amalgamed with such Mercury as would

grow Hot with it in the Cold; the Matter did, before it flew away, perfectly stain an Inch in the Diameter of the bottom of the Glass, with a Colour, which, held from the Light, appeared like that of the better sort of Turquoises; but when interposed between the Window and the Eye, appeared of a some what Golden Colour. And Gold incorporated with Mercury, and kept in digestion, when the Fire was once very vehement, it burst the Vessel, and flew away, but tinged the lower part of the Glass quite through, with a glorious Red Colour, not inferior to that of Rubies.

CHAP. VIII. Of the Porousness of Animal Bodies.

THE First Argument I shall urge for the Porosity of Animal Bodies, is from their Structure; for since they are most of them compounded of dissimilar, or similar Parts, we cannot suppose those so exactly united as not to leave Pores and Intervals betwixt them, whose Number and Variety must be very great.

A Second Argument of their Porosity, may be deduced from the apposition and consumpti∣on of their Nutriment; and which may be illustrated by observing that those moist Par∣ticles with which the Earth is moistened, be∣ing agitated by the Heat of the Sun and Air, those that happen to be commensurate

to the Pores of the Root are impelled into it, and thence conveighed into the other Parts of the Tree, being conveighed in the form of Sap, which passing through new strainers re∣ceives alterations requisite to turn it into Wood, Bark, Leaves, Fruit, &c. And in young thriving Animals it cannot be imagined, how the nourishment should be conveighed to all the Parts, without supposing them furnish∣ed with Pores for its reception and pas∣sage.

Another Argument of the Porosity of Ani∣mal Bodies, may be brought from the plenty of Humours carried off by sweat, and insensi∣ble Transpiration. And by the help of good Microscopes we may discern Pores in the skins of Animals, and especially in the inward sides of Gloves which are nothing but skins dressed; and they are further evident, since Quick-silver readily passes through the Pores of Sheeps skins, and leaves the dross behind in the Leather; and the like I have tryed with the skin of a Man's Arm tanned, which Pores according to Steno and Malpighius, are the Excretory Vessels of the Glandulae Miliares contained in the skin. And that the skins and shells of Eggs are not void of Pores, appears, since the moisture con∣tained is so far dissipated through them as to diminish their weight. And Sanctorius in his Medicina Statica tells us, that if the Meat and Drink taken one day amounts to eight Pound, five Pound will be carried off by insensible Transpiration. And he elsewhere says, that in the space of twenty four hours ••n the Winter time a healthful Body may ex∣hale

fifty ounces or more, a great part of which is carried off through the Pores of the Membranes of the Aspera Arteria: And if ones finger in hot Weather be held to the Surface of any cold Body, it will presently be sullyed over with the steams that issue out of the Pores of the skin. And their Porosity is further confirm∣ed by observing, how soon those black and blue spots in the skin occasioned by bruises are re∣moved: for which use Helmont employs white Bryony root, and I have seen a Poultess of chop∣ped Hyssop and fresh Butter remove the Pain, and black colour of a contusion in a little time.

And not only the Skins but the Membranes of Bodies are stocked with Pores, since the Bladder of a dead Animal appears to be full of them; for if Salt of Tartar be put into a Blad∣der, and it be then immersed in Water enough of it will penetrate the Bladder to dissolve the Salt and render it Liquid; and the like succeed∣ed, but much more slowly when the Experi∣ment was tryed with Sugar; and some say, that Syrups made this way, instead of using or∣dinary Water, are much more preferable. And as a further instance of the Porosity of the shells of Eggs, I shall add, that one having been immersed in very sharp Vinegar, tho' the shell was part of it consumed, yet being taken out and wiped, it was considerably swelled and heavier than before, the Menstruum being imbi∣bed and insinuated into the Pores of it. And I am not only told, that the Chineses had a way of salting Eggs, but I found by coating one over with Clay, after it had lain some time in

Brine, the substance contained tasted evident∣ly Salt. And I know a Physician who was af∣fected with a giddiness upon the use of Clysters of Sack, and another told me, that having ap∣plyed Tobacco to the sore Leg of one of his Patients, it caused her Stomach to turn, or actu∣al Vomiting; and another told me, that he used to Vomit himself, by applying Decoctions of Tobacco to his wrists or other extream Parts, and it is a common custom to Purge Children by the Application of external things; and it hath been observed, that Bathing the sore Heads of Children, with a Decoction of Tobacco hath caused a giddiness. And a Virtuoso told me, that having taken another by the Hand, which was gently besmeared with Oyl, it gave him three or four stools presently.

And to what hath been delivered of the Porosity of Membranes, I shall add the aptness of Lute-strings, to imbibe into their Pores moist Particles; and also the Metastasis or Translati∣ons of Morbifick matter in diseased Bodies; as the matter which causes a Feaver, being dis∣charged upon the Brain causes a Delirium; and other Distempers as it is discharged upon the Pleura, the Membranes of the Chest, the Throat or Guts.

Another Argument of the Porousness of Ani∣mal Bodies, may be drawn from their aptness to imbibe Effluvia from without, as when Can∣tharides externally applyed affect the Bladder; to which instance may be added the effects of Plasters, and Oyntments, and Pericarpia; for I have often cured Agues with a Mixture of ••••••∣ians, Hops, and Bay-Salt; and it is vulgarly

known, that Mercury externally used in Oynt∣ments will salivate. To which may be added the effects of Periapta and Appensa; of Blood∣stones in stopping of Hemorragies, and of a∣nother kind of Stone made use of by the Indians in Obstructione Menstruum. And I have found my self that the Moss of a dead Man's skull would stop an Hemorrhage, as soon as warmed by the contiguous skin. And Zwelfer tells us of one who preserved several from the Plague, by using Helmonts Troches of Toads in Amu∣lets; and several of these Troches being put upon the Plague sores of the infected, they were afterwards cured by the use of vulgar Re∣medies.

And to these I shall add, that having drawn a Spirit from a Mixture of flowers of Brim∣stone, powdered Sal-Armoniack, and good Quick-lime in equal quantities, by degrees of fire in a Retort till the sand be red hot, if a piece of Copper be foulded up in Sheeps Leather, and held over the Vial it is contained in, the Metal will be tinged with the rising fumes, without discolouring the Leather; and the same will succeed, only more slowly, through a double fold of Leather: And all the alteration the Leather received from these per∣vading fumes was, that they gave it a sulphu∣reous smell. And this Experiment may favour the accounts we have of the Effects of Light∣ning, which hath been observed to discolour the money in Men's Pockets, without burning them; and the same effect hath been taken no∣tice of by some, who have ascended a burning Mountain in America. And it is observed, that

Lambs Leather hung up in the Air, acquires a moisture, which adds considerably to its weight.

And to these instances may be added, the effects of Cantharides upon some that only carried them in their Pockets, the Effluviums of them having caused them to piss Bloody Urine. And as a further Confirmation of the Porousness of Bodies I shall subjoyn, that the Permeating Li∣quor above mentioned had the like effect upon Copper, through the tough skin of an Egg, and likewise through a wet Sheeps Bladder; and to confirm what I have said, of the Po∣rousness of Animal Bodies I shall add, that a Gentleman who had a long time a Perforati∣on in his Thorax, and was wont to inject me∣dicated Liquor often to cherish the Parts, and likewise to wear a silken Bagg stuffed with A∣romaticks upon the Orifice, he not only had the Taste of the Liquors in his Mouth, but the Aromatick Bag, when fresh, would perfume his Breath in Respiration. And Galen tells us, that Honey and Water having been injected into the Thorax, have been discharged through the Aspera Arteria by coughing. And in a Man who was troubled with a dry short Cough, we found some white curdled Matter betwixt the Pleura and the intercostal Muscles, which seemed to occasion the Cough by some noxious Effluvia transmitted to his Lungs.

And to these Instances I shall add, that it seems probable that these Humours collected in the Abdomen of an Hydropical Person, can be carrled off no other way but through the Pores of Membranes, upon the use of Diuretick and Purging Medicines. And an Instance not much

inferior, is the Translation of the Matter of an Empyreuma, so as to be voided by stool or U∣rine; and I have observed my self, that when I have been present at the Dissection of a Dog, whose Blood smelled very rank, the Excrements evacuated by siege, some time after, would re∣tain that Odour. And a famous Surgeon and Anatomist relates, That one who was ill of a Dropsey, judged to arise from a Schirrus of the Spleen; by applying a large Spunge dip∣ped in Quick-lime-water, to the Region of the Spleen, the Schirrus was dissolved, and the Hydropical Humor evacuated. And Galen tells us, that part of the Humors collected, upon the breaking of a Bone, is discharged through the Skin, whilst the Callus is a forming.

And not to repeat what Arguments have been already made use of, to prove the Poro∣sity of Animal Substances in general; that the Nails of Animals are porous, may be argued from their aptness to be tinged with a Soluti∣on of Silver in Aqua Fortis, or of Gold in A∣qua Regis; the former giving them a dark and black Colour; and the latter, tinging them with Purple Spots; which would continue, 'till by the growth of the Nail, they were forced to be pared off. And one thing in these Tinctures worthy our Notice is, that tho' the Menstruums are Acid, and Corrosive, yet the Tinctures are not, the Taste of the Tincture of Silver being bitter, and the other styptick.

And the same method may be taken to prove the porosity of Ivory; since a Tincture of Silver in Aqua Fortis will tinge it with a dark and blackish Colour, which is not to be washed off.

And I have long since tryed, that a Solution of Gold will give it a sine purple Colour; and that too when both the Ivory and the Liquor were cold. Copper dissolv'd in Aqua Fortis, stains Ivory with a bluish Colour. And even in the Cold without the Use of Corrosives, I have stained Ivory with a permanent Blue, like a Turquois, by suffering a Solution of Copper in Sal-Armoniac to dry upon it.

But to return to the Porosity of Bones; it may be argued from the Marrow found in the Cavities of them; since nourishment must needs be conveyed to it, and it is not improbable that Blood Vessels penetrate at the least some depth into the substance of Bones, tho' the Juice re∣ceived from them, may afterwards be convey∣ed through the more internal Parts of them; for we see that the Lower Jaw is perforated by a Nerve, and also a Vein and an Artery to carry and return Blood for the Nourishment of the Teeth; and I have been told that Blood-vessels have been observed by good Anatomists, to enter into the substances of larger Bones; and Blood hath not only been observed in the cavities of the Bones of younger Animals, but in the spungy Substance of several larger Bones. To which may be added in favour of their Porosity; the black∣ness which they acquire when put into a com∣petent heat, and the fatness which they af∣ford; as also their specifick Lightness, and their aptness to be corroded with sharp Men∣struums. And Bones are observed in moist Weather, not only to grow heavier, but they imbibe the moisture of the Air so much, as evi∣dently to swell. And to these Instances I shall

subjoin what Observations I have made on large Ox-bones. Nov. 15. we weighed two (entire or unbroken) Marrow-bones, and found the one to weigh twenty nine Ounces half a Dram, and the other twenty four Ounces four Drams and thirty Grains. November 24. The former weigh∣ed twenty nine Ounces six Drams, and the lat∣ter twenty five Ounces, one Dram, and thirty Grains. December 28. The former weighed twenty nine Ounces, three Drams, and fifty five Grains; and the latter twenty four Oun∣ces, seven Drams, and thirty nine Grains. June 7th, The next Year the former weighed twenty nine Ounces, two Drams; and the lat∣ter twenty four Ounces, seven Drams; from whence it appears, that Bones are Porous, since they imbibe and lose moist Effluvia again. And that there may be Vessels fine enough in the substance of Bones, to convey Nourishment, may be rendred probable, by what the Learned Sennertus hath observed, viz. That Hairs being cut in the Plica Polonica, they have been ob∣served to bleed, so that they seem to be made up of a Bundle of cylindrical Pipes. And as a further Instance of the Porosity of Bones, I shall add, that Mercury hath been found lodged in the Bones of those that have been salivated in the Pox. And the same is attested by Eusta∣chius Rudius (apud Sennet.) Lib. 5. de Morbis Acutis, Cap. 15. And what hath been said may serve to favour the Use of Amulets and Periapta; or at least discountenance their being too sud∣denly rejected.

CHAP. IX. Of the Natural History of Human Blood.

PART. 1. Containing a List of Titles for the History of Human Blood.

BEfore I proceed to enumerate the Titles laid down for a Natural History of Human Blood, it may be requisite to advertise, that the first Set which I call primary, and to which those in the Appendix are secondary ones, con∣sist of such as offer themselves to the View at the First sight, which need not be either nicely Methodical, or accommodated to any Hypo∣thesis. The second Class consists of such as are to be ranged into a better order, being of a greater extent and more comprehensive, so that one Topick may be branched into several sub∣ordinate ones, or secondary Titles. And from the Materials drawn together under this Head, may be deduced a Set of Titles, reduced into an inchoate Natural History of the Subject they have Relation to.

And since the Subject to be treated of is ve∣ry difficult or comprehensive, as the Genera∣tion of Living Creatures, Magnetism, Fermen∣tation, Gravity, &c. it may be useful, if not necessary, to interpose betwixt the Titles of the last, and those of the first Order, a Set of Titles that may be called of the middle Or∣der

or Classis; in which the Nature of the Subject is more narrowly look'd into.

Titles of the first Order for the Natural History of the Blood of Healthy Men.

• I. Of the Colours of Human Blood, Arteri∣al and Venal.
• II. Of the Taste of Human Blood.
• III. Of the Odours of Human Blood.
• IV. Of the Heat of freshly emitted Human Blood; which is observed to be much violenter after it hath run a while, than when it first began. The Blood that came out of the Veins of a young Gentlewoman, falling upon the Ball of a Ther∣moscope, caused the Liquor to ascend above an Inch nearer the smaller and upper Ball of the Glass. And in another Tryal it was raised almost as high as to the Ball of an ordinary Thermoscope; but being held in the Blood of a healthful and lusty Man, the Heat raised the tinged Liquor a good way into the upper Ball; which was high∣er than the Heat of the Air in the Dog-days u∣sually does, and the Blood of a healthful Man continued its Heat so lo long, that it raised the tinged Liquor three or four Fingers breadth when it was coagulated.
• V. Of the inflamability, and some other Qua∣lities of Human Blood. A piece of Human Blood being dryed 'till it was fit to be powdered, and then held in the flame of a Candle, it took Fire, and afforded a flame not much unlike that which caused it, burning with a Crackling noise, and here and there melting; and if it was laid upon live Coals, and now and then blown, it

• would yield a very yellow Flame, and during its Deflagration, would seem to fry upon the Coals, and in a great measure to melt into a Black Substance almost like Pitch. And some of the Powder of Blood being cast into the flame of a Candle, they took Fire in their pas∣sage, and flashed not without some noise, as if they had been Rosin.
• VI. Of the Aerial Parts naturally mixed with Human Blood; and also found in its di∣stinct Parts.
• VII. Of the Specifick Gravity of Human Blood entire. It may be different in several Persons, according to their Sex, Age, Consti∣tution, &c. as also in the same Person, accord∣ing to the time of the Year, the Day, or, as it is taken out at a less or greater distance from a Meal. But to make an Estimate of its Speci∣fick Gravity, we took the Blood of a sound Man, and put it into an oblong Glass; and when it was setled, we marked with a Diamond, that part of the Glass to which the Liquor wrought; and then weighing the Glass, and the Blood contained in a very Tender Ballance; we poured out the Blood, and having washed the Vessel, we filled it up to the same Mark, and then weighed it in the same Ballance; and then weighing the Glass, and deducting that from the weight of the Glass, and the two Liquors, the Water weighed nine Ounces, six Drams, and fifty Grains. And the Blood equal to it in Bulk, weighed ten Ounces two Drams, and four Grains, so that the Blood being three Drams and fourteen Grains heavier, it was about ••/2•• part heavier than Water.

• VIII. Of the Specifick Gravity of the Fibrous and Red part; and of the serous part of the Blood.
• IX. Of the Consistence of entire Human Blood.
• X. Of the Disposition of Human Blood to Concretion; and the time wherein it was per∣formed.
• XI. Of the Liquors and Salts that coagulate Human Blood. Clotted Blood being kept some Hours in Spirit of Wine, which is a Men∣struum fit to dissolve some Bodies, it was taken out as hard as if it had been dryed by the Fire.
• XII. Of the Liquors and Salts that obstruct or dissolve its Coagulation.
• XIII. Of the Liquors, &c. that preserve Hu∣man Blood.
• XIV. Of the Mixture that Human Blood may receive from Aliments.
• XV. Of the spontaneous or Natural Analysis of Human Blood into a serous and a fibrous Part.
• XVI. Of the respective Quantities of the se∣rous and fibrous part of Human Blood.
• XVII. Of the differences betwixt the serous, and the Red part of Human Blood.
• XVIII. Of the Artificial or Chymical Analy∣sis of Human Blood; and first of its Spirit.
• ...

  XIX. Of the Volatil Salt of Human Blood, and of its Figures. This Salt is so fusible, that one part of it may be brought to boil, whilst the other flies way; and this Observation will hold in most Volatil Salts. And tho' this Salt, when sublimed, looks white and Clean, and a very homogeneous substance, yet I am apt to

• ...

  think, that it is made up of Parts of Matter of sizes and shapes different enough, for having weighed some Grains of re-sublimed Salt of Hu∣man Blood, that seemed pure, its smell was very strong and diffusive, so that one would have expected it to fly away in a little time, but we observed that it was very little diminished in seven or eight days time; yet what remain∣ed had lost its Odour, but retained a saline Taste; and being put upon a Solution of Sub∣limate in common Water, turned it White, so that its diffusive and penetrant Humour seem∣ed to depend on some more volatil Parts of the Blood. But it may be a Question to be solv'd by further Experience, whether the fixedness of this Salt may not proceed from the Coalition of an Acid Salt in the Air.

  A Dram of Volatile Salt of Human Blood sublimed in a Lamp-furnace, was put into com∣mon Water, and when a Thermoscope was brought to its right temper, being immersed in this mixture, the tinged Spirit of Wine mani∣festly subsided about 2/10 parts of an Inch; tho' a considerable part of the Salt lay undissolved in the bottom of the Water. And when the Liquor would descend no further, we added to the Solution strong Spirit of Nitre, 'till it would no longer make a manifest Conflict with the Salt; and then we observed, that whilst the Conflict lasted, the Spirit of Wine rose above three Inches and a half higher than the station it stood at before. The figure of this Salt may be either considered in reference to single Grains, or an Aggregate of them, when they are raised and sublimed to the top of the Glass;

• ...

  the latter of which may be best observed, when they fasten themselves to the inside of the Glass that is set to receive them; for in the begining of the Operation, one may ob∣serve the little saline Concretions to lye in rows, sometimes straight enough, and sometimes more or less crooked, with different Coherings and Interferings, so that they sometimes represent either Trees, or their Branches or Harts-horn, &c. which are casual figurations depending on se∣veral accidental causes and circumstances, as the degree of fire made use of to sublime the Salt, the quantity of the ascending matter in reference to the Capacity of the Vessel that receives it. And the like diversity of Configu∣rations I have observed amongst the Salts of other Volatile Salts, as well as those of Hu∣man Blood. And as for the single grains of the Salt of Human Blood, I discovered a good many of them to be finely shaped; but whe∣ther they were accidental or not, experience must determine. But these figures were only observed in the sublimate of the first Distilla∣tion, for those obtained by rectifying the Salt and distilling it again, were of a conside∣rable bigness and solidity tho' differently sha∣ped, some of them being Cubes, others Paral∣lelopipeds, others Octoedrons, being almost like grains of Allom; but most of them prettily shaped; being comprehended by Planes, smooth, finely figured, and aptly terminating in solid Angles, as if the concretions had been cut and polished.

  Another way I took to discover the figures of the Salts of the Blood, was to rectifie the

• ...

  Spirit, so that it may be fully satiated with the Salt, whilst the Liquor continues warm; for when it is refrigerated, a number of saline Concretions of different sizes, several of which shoot into very smooth Crystalline Plates pret∣tily figured, having their broad and parallel Surfaces of an Hexagonal or an Octogonal figure, regular enough.

  A drachm of dry Volatile Salt of Blood, being dissolved in some distilled Water, we dropped into it good Spirit of Nitre, till the two Liquors would no longer manifestly act one upon another, and when the conflict ceas∣ed, we slowly evaporated the superfiuous moisture, which steamed almost all away be∣fore the saline part would coagulate. At length it became dry, and the middlemost part ap∣peared in the form of thin Crystals, not un∣like those of Salt Petre; but the rest which was by much the greatest part of the Concretion, seemed to be a confused mass without any di∣stinct figure; and this mass weighed but twelve grains above a drachm; so that Volatile Salt of Blood may be satiated with a fifth part of its weight of the saline Parts of Spirit of Nitre. This Salt exposed to the open Air in a win∣dow was very apt to run per Deliquium, and a little of it being put upon a live Coal, it melt∣ed and seemed to boil; and towards the end made a noise, and afforded a flame yellower than that of common Nitre.

• XX. Of the Phlegm of distilled Human Blood.
• ...

  XXI. Of the two Oyls of Human Blood. By distillation in a Retort, it affords an Empy∣reumatical

• ...

  and a very fetid Oyl, whose colour is almost black; which seems to be occasioned by the increase and opacous redness of the Liquor, since some of it being spread thin upon Glass, and held against the light, appeared yellow, or of a reddish colour, as they lay thicker or thiner upon it, but when it was well dryed before committed to Distillation, it yielded a greater quantity of Oyl, so that once out of a Pound of not over-dryed Blood, we obtained an ounce and a half of Oyl, and from another we had a much greater quantity of Oyl. And having once prepared Blood by a convenient Digestion, and rectified very carefully the di∣stilled Liquor that came over with the flame of a Lamp, I obtained amongst other things two Oyls of very different colours; the one being of a pale Amber or yellow colour, and the other of a deep red; and tho' these Oyls were both of them afforded by the same Blood, and were clear and pure enough; yet they would swim in distinct Masses one over another, and if mixed by shaking would again separate like Oyl and Water. Whether the difference in specifick Gravity betwixt these two Oyls, kept them from mixing permanently, as well as it kept them distinct before they were mix∣ed; or whether the seeming incongruity pro∣ceeded from the Texture of these Liquors I shall not now stay to dispute.

  To shew that the Oyl of Human Blood con∣tains several saline Particles, capable of being separated from it, we put a parcel of unrecti∣fied Oyl, to a convenient quantity of distilled Water, and having mixed them sufficiently by

• ...

  agitation, so that the Water might rob the Oyl of its separate saline Particles, the event was that after the Liquors were well setled, the Water was found to be impregnated with saline Particles, that it obtained by dissilution from the Oyl; so that it acquired a moderatly brisk taste, and would readily turn Syrup of Violets green; and precipitate a white Pow∣der out of a solution of Sublimate; but whe∣ther the like will succeed with other Empyreu∣matical Oyls or not, drawn from Bodies be∣longing to the Animal Kingdom, I shall leave o∣thers to determine.

  Having put some unrectified Oyl of Human Blood into a concave piece of Glass, and then dropped as much Oyl of Vitriol into it, as might amount to a third or fourth part of the fetid Oyl, we stirred them together with a slender piece of solid Glass, upon which the Mixture emitted store of whitish fumes or Smoak; and acquired a considerable degree of Heat, so that tho' it amounted to not much more than a spoonful, yet I was not able to hold my finger under that Part of the Glass, that contained the Liquor.

  Having taken some Empyreumatical Oyl of Human Blood unrectified, tho' it was dark, and gross, and muddy, yet it would easily in the cold dissolve in rectified Urinous Spirits, to which it gave a reddish colour deep e∣nough.

• XXII. Of the fixed Salt of Human Blood. To obtain but one ounce of it, there is requisite to employ a considerable quantity of Blood; and duly prepared by a very obstinate fire; for the

• Caput Mortuum being kept three or four hours in the fire, it will yield no fixed Salt at all: But having by an obstinate Calcination obtain∣ed three or four drachms of this Salt, I found that it was of the Nature of common or Sea-salt, tho' a little different; for it tasted like it, and a strong solution did not readily turn Syrup of Violets green, nor precipitate a Brick colour, or brownish yellow, no more than a white Powder, out of a solution of Sublimate; nor did the Spirit of Salt dissolve it as an Alkaly. And having put a little Oyl of Vitriol upon our dryed Salt, it immediatly, as it several times did upon common Salt, corroded it with great violence, and with much foam and Smoak. We also dropped a little of it dissolved in Wa∣ter, upon a solution of Silver made in Aqua Fortis, upon which a white Powder was imme∣diatly precipitated: And having put some Leaf-Gold upon Aqua Fortis, which would not work upon it, whilst it was swimming there without being so much as discoloured, I put a little of our powdered Salt into it, which being thereby turned into a kind of Li∣quor, did without the assistance of Heat, pre∣sently dissolve it.
• XXIII. Of the Terra Damnata of Human Blood. From twenty four ounces of dryed Blood, we got after two days Calcination, but two drachms and nine grains of Earth; which probably was not pure Earth, since it had a red colour like that of Colchotar of Vi∣triol.
• XXIV. Of the Proportion of the differing Sub∣stances Chymically obtain'd from Human Blood.

• they are scarce to be determin'd, not only be∣cause of the sometimes great disparity, as to proportion, that may be met with of the fibrous part to the Serum, in the Blood of se∣veral Persons; but of the same, according to different Circumstances, and also, because it is hard to distil the pulverised part of the Blood; since no one hath so much as taken notice of the Necessity of shifting the Retort, to gain as much Volatile Substance as may be obtained; and leave as little as may be in the Caput Mortuum. For having distilled a quan∣tity of dryed Blood, the same Heat which made the lower part pass in the form of Exhalations into the Receiver, made the matter to swell, so that it lifted up a considerable quantity of Black Matter to the upper part of the Vessel, which a common Distiller would have called a Caput Mortuum, tho' to a discerning Eye, it appear∣ed to be of the same Nature with the Matter first put in, tho' blackened by the ascending Fumes, therefore taking it out, and mixing it with the remaining Substance, that was more of the Nature of Caput Mortuum; it was com∣mitted again to Distillation in another Retort, whereby we obtained more Oyl, &c. And perceiving that even this Caput Mortuum had upon the top of it, a pretty deal of Matter, which was not sufficiently despirited, I caused it to be distilled again in a fresh Retort, in which it afforded a not contemptible quantity of Volatile Matter. And having thus in three Retorts distilled twenty four Ounces of dryed Human Blood, we obtained of Volatile Sub∣stances,

• viz. Spirit, together with a little Phlegm, White Salt, and very high colour'd Oyl thirteen Ounces and one Dram, besides se∣veral parcels of thick Oyl that stuck to the Re∣torts and the Receiver, which we judged to be seven Drams more; so that the whole Quanti∣ty of the Volatile Part amounted to fourteen Ounces, of which the Oyl was six Ounces six Drams, and the clear Liquor six Ounces, three Drams and a half, besides the Volatile Salt, which, when the Spirit was drained from it, appeared white but wet; so that it was not possible to determine exactly, neither how much Liquor it yet retained, nor how much it self weighed; but it will be no hard matter to guess near the Truth to any Man that knows, that having carefully sublimed the Salt, there remained in the Glass two Drams and five Grains of Phleg∣matick Liquor; which was not wholly void of Salt; and of Volatil Salt in a dry form, we ob∣tained one Ounce and two Drams and a half; the Caput Mortuum amounting to eight Ounces and a half, and somewhat more, which being calcined for two or three Days together, afforded not White, but brounish-red Ashes, whence we obtained seven Drams ¼ of White and fixed, but not a truly lixiviate Salt; and two Drams and nine Grains of Earth. But indeed considering the great proportion of each of these Substances lost in distillations, it will, upon that account, be a hard matter to determine the true pro∣portion of the Principles of Human Blood.

• XXV. Of the Fermentation or Putrefaction of Human Blood and its Phaenomena.
• XXVI. Of the Mechanical Uses of Human Blood, as in Husbandry, &c.
• XXVII. Of the Chymical Uses of Human Blood.
• XXVIII. Of the Medicinal Uses of Human Blood.
• XXIX. Of the difference betwixt Human Blood, as its found in sound Persons, different∣ly constituted, and circumstantiated, as Men, Women (when Monstrous and when not) Chil∣dren, Moors, Negroes, &c.
• XXX. Of the affinity and difference betwixt the Blood of Men, and that of several other Animals, as Quadrupeds, Birds, Fishes, and Sanguineous Insects.
• XXXI. Paralipomena relating to the History of Human Blood.
• XXXII. Micellaneous Observations, Ex∣periments and Enquiries about Human Blood.

Were this Treatise applyed to any o∣ther than extravasated Blood, to these we might add the following Titles.

• I. Of the process of Sanguification, or the series of changes that the Aliment succes∣sively undergoes, from its first being taken in at the mouth, till it be turned into Blood.
• II. Of the motions of the mass of Blood, and particularly its Circulation.
• III. Of the Chyle, Lympha, and other Li∣quors, that are supposed to enter and mingle with the Blood.

• IV. Whether Phlegm, Gall and Melancholly, be constituent Parts of the Blood.
• V. Whether some other Substances may not, with as much reason be admitted into the composition of the Blood.

Titles of the first Classis, for the natural History of Human Ʋrine.

• 1I. Of the colours of Human Urine.
• II. Of the taste of Human Urine.
• III. Of the Odours of Human Urine fresh and putrified.
• IV. Of the Heat and Cold of Human Urine.
• V. Of the specifick Gravity of Human Urine.
• VI. Of the Consistence of Human Urine, as to Density, Viscosity, &c.
• VII. Of the Aerial Parts contained in Hu∣man Urine.
• VIII. Whether Human Urine is a fit Li∣quor for Fermentation properly so called.
• IX. Of the differences betwixt fresh and stale Human Urine.
• X. Of the Fermentation or Putrefaction of it, and the time it requires.
• XI. Of its Spontaneous separation of Parts.
• XII. Of its Vulgar Analysis by Distilla∣tion.
• XIII. Of some other ways of distilling Hu∣man Urine.
• XIV. Of the proportion of the Principles, or Ingredients of Human Blood.

• XV. Of the Spirits of Human Urine.
• XVI. Of the Phlegm of Human Urine.
• XVII. Of the Volatile Salt of Human Urine.
• XVIII. Of the fixt Salt of Human Urine.
• XIX. Of the compounded Salts of Human Urine.
• XX. Of the shining Substance obtainable from Human Urine.
• XXI. Of the Salt that is Predominant.
• XXII. Of the Empyreumatical Oyls of Hu∣man Urine.
• XXIII. Of the Mellago, or Rob of Human Urine, and its uses.
• XXIV. Of the Terra Damnata.
• XXX. Of some accidental differences of Human Urine, as it's emitted in the Morning, or at certain distances from Meat, or after the use of certain Aliments, or Medicaments, as Asparagus, Turpentine, &c. Or at diffe∣rent seasons of the year, as Winter, Sum∣mer, &c.
• XXVI. Of the affinity of Human Urine with divers other Bodies, especially Vegetables and Minerals.
• XXVII. Of the Hostility of Human Urine with Acids, &c.
• XXVIII. Of the affinity and difference be∣twixt Human Blood, Urine, Gall, Milk, &c. and divers Liquors, or Juices belonging to the Animal Kingdom; particularly of the com∣parison betwixt Human Urine and that of Beasts.
• XXIX. Of the Mechanical uses of Human Urine.

• XXX. Of the Chymical uses of Human Urine, and its Parts, especially as a Menstru∣um.
• XXXI. Of the Medicinal uses of Human Urine External and Internal.
• XXXII. Paralipomena relating to the Histo∣ry of Human Urine.
• XXXIII. Promiscuous Observations, Ex∣periments and Enquiries about Human Urine.

The second Part of the Natural History of Hu∣man Blood, containing Miscellaneous Ex∣periments and Observations about Human Ʋrine. The third Part containing Promiscuous Experi∣ments and Observations, about the Serum of Human Blood.

HAving separately weighed the Serum, and the consistent part of the Blood, the latter weighed four ounces, six drachms and a half, and the former three ounces, six drachms. And having taken the same measures with the Blood drawn from another Person, the fibrous part weighed four ounces, five drachms, and the Serum four ounces. But from these Experiments it does not follow, that the fibrous part is alone heavier than the Serum; since a great deal of the latter is dispersed through the Pores of the former,

which appears, since four ounces, five drachms, and thirty four grains of the fibrous part of Blood being distilled in a digestive Furnace, the dryed Blood remaining weighed but one ounce, three drachms, and thirty four grains; whereas the serous Liquor distilled from it amounted to three ounces, fifty three grains; and the like tryal being again repeated with another parcel of Blood, the dryed mass a∣mounted to one ounce, six drachms, and fifty grains; and the Phlegmatick Liquor distilled from it, to seven ounces.

Red Sealing-Wax suspended at a Hair, weighed in the Air one drachm, fifty six grains; in Water thirty five; in Serum thirty three. And having made use of an Instrument pur∣posely made, when common Water weighed 253 grains, an equal bulk of Serum weighed 302; and the Serum of the Blood of another Person being weighed, it wanted but two grains of the weight of the former.

Serum which was tinged with Blood being strained through Cap-Paper, the Liquor which passed through it was of a yellow colour.

Spirit of Salt being dropped into Serum, coagulated some Parts, which subsided in the form of Cheese-Curd; and Oyl of Vitriol had the same effect, but more powerfully: But Spi∣rit of Sal-Armoniack rather made it fluid. Oyl of Tartar per Deliquium produced a white Curd, by uniting with some Parts of the Serum, but not so powerfully as the other had done. Spirit of Wine rectified produced a copious white Curd, but so soft that it swam upon the top of the Liquor.

Upon an infusion of a solution of Sublimate, it yielded a white Curd; but some of the Se∣rum of Human Blood being poured upon filings of Iron, the Liquor dissolved some of the Steel; which appeared, since upon an addition of some of an infusion of Galls, the Liquor which before was muddy and thick, laid down a whitish Sediment; and a convenient quantity of the infusion being added, the two Liquors united into a consistent Body, wherein the Eye discovered no distinct Liquor at all.

But having put some of our Liquor upon filings of Copper, which, when wrought up∣on by Bodies that have in them any thing of Urinous Salt, usually give a conspicuous Tincture, we accordingly found, that the Me∣tal was in a few hours discoloured by the Menstruum; and afterwards it began gradually to grow more blue, and in a day was of a deep Ceruleous colour: And to shew that this colour proceeded from some Volatile Salt la∣tent in the Serum, we mixed some of it with Syrup of Violets, and found that it appeared of a fine green. And one thing observable in the Serum impregnated with Copper was, that I kept it several weeks in my Win∣dow without perceiving that it in the least sunk.

About two ounces of Serum was left in a South Window three weeks in the Month of July; but did not appear in the least putrified; but had let down a considerable Sediment, and in three or four days after it stunk offen∣sively; and that at the same time it was void of Acidity appeared, since it would not take

off the blue colour of a Tincture of Lignum Nephriticum. This fetid Serum being distilled in a low Cucurbite, the Liquor that first came over was so little Spirituous or Saline, that it would not in an hours time turn Syrup of Vi∣olets green; yet that it was not without a Volatile Alkaly appeared, since being dropped into a good solution of Sublimate, it caused it to lay down a white precipitate.

Serum of Human Blood filtred through Cap-Paper, being distilled in a small Retort placed in a Sand Furnace; we obtained only a few drops of a darkish red Oyl, some of which subsided to the bottom of the other Liquor, but the greater part swam upon it; and after a good deal of insipid Phlegm had been drawn off, there came over a good proportion of Spirituous Liquor, which smelled almost like the Spirit of Blood, and contained a pretty deal of Volatile Alkaly; so that it would rea∣dily turn Syrup of Violets green, and cause a white precipitate, and ferment with Spirit of Salt. And this Spirit being rectified in a small Head and Body, a good quantity of a thick Substance like Honey was left in the bot∣tom of the Glass, which was for the most part of a dark red, and seemed to contain more Oyl than appeared upon the first Distillation. The Liquor that came over the Helm was purer, but not stronger than the first; but having put it into a Glass-Egg with a slender Neck, and given the Vessel a convenient Scitu∣ation in hot Sand, we obtained a Volatile Alkaly, that sublimed into the Neck in the form of a white Salt; from whence it seems

to follow, that the serous part of the Blood affords the same Elementary Principles or Si∣milar Substances, both as to number and kind, as the fibrous and consistent part, tho' not as to quantity; that of the Oyl and dry Salt be∣ing less in a determinate proportion of Serum, than of Blood.

Tho' it be necessary, to loosen the Spirit of Urine from the more drossy Parts of it, that before Distillation it should putrefie for about six weeks, yet if fresh Urine be poured upon Quick-Lime a great part of the Spirit will pre∣sently be united, and ascend in Distillation: Encouraged by which Observation, I mixed Se∣rum with Quick-Lime, upon which there ensu∣ed a transient Heat; and this mixed Body be∣ing committed to Distillation, first it afforded a Phlegm in a gentle fire; and then in a stronger, a moderate quantity of Liquor, that was thought to smell manifestly of the Lime, but had not a brisk taste; and this was accompa∣nyed with a greater quantity of fetid Oyl than was expected. The other Liquor being slowly rectified, the Spirit which first came over had a strong and piercing smell, but less rank than common Spirit of Human Blood: Its taste was somewhat fiery, and being drop∣ped upon Spirit of Violets it presently turned it green; in a solution of sublimate with Water, and another of Quick-silver in Aqua Fortis, it presently made two white precipitates. And being mingled with some good Spirit of Sea-Salt, there appeared a thick and whitish Smoak, but neither any visible conflict nor bubbles; yet the colour of the Spirit of Salt

seemed much heightned by this operation. And here I shall observe, that having set the lately mentioned Mixture of the Spirit of Se∣rum and of Salt to evaporate, the Salt afforded by it was not like that of Sal-Armoniack, but the colour produced in the Mixture whilst fluid, was so heightned in the Concrete, that it appeared of a Blood-red colour; but of such a confused shape, that it could not be reduced to any kind of Salt; by all which Phaenome∣na this Spirit of the serous part of the Blood, seems to be very near of kin to that of the con∣creted mass.

To try whether the fixed Salt of Pot-ashes would have the same effect on Serum of Human Blood, to four Parts of Liquor we put one of Salt, and having distilled them slowly in a Glass-Head and Body, we obtained a good store of a Liquor, but not near so strong as that drawn off from Quick-Lime; and having rectified this Spirit by a gentle Heat, the two first spoonfuls which rose were not Spirituous▪ but Phlegmatick; nor would it turn Syrup of Violets green, tho' it afforded a light Sublimate when put upon a solution of Sublimate.

Having put one part of Salt of Pot-ashes into three of Human Urine, and slowly distil∣led them in a Head and Body; first a Spiri∣tuous Liquor ascended; which being set aside, we continued the Distillation till the remains appeared dry: in which operation we ob∣tained not one drop of oyl; besides which it was observable that this Spirit of Urine was not near so fetid, as that made

the common way; and that that Liquor which came over at the latter end of the Distillation, was so unlike that which the Serum of the Blood affords us, that it was not only con∣siderably strong, and manifestly stronger than that which first ascended, but had a penetrate∣ing and fiery taste which left a lasting impres∣sion upon the Tongue, and made a notable Ebullition with Spirit of Salt, which the Spirit of Urine drawn from Quick-Lime did not; and whereas in the last Liquor I never observed any Volatile Salt to ascend in a dry form, in the operation made by the help of Salt of Pot-ashes, there ascended without Recti∣fication, several grains of Volatile Salt, one of which was Crystalline and very large, so that it appeared to be like a Plate curiously figured; but some lesser corns of Salt hiding one part of it, I could not clearly discern whether it were Hexagonal or Octa∣gonal. And this Experiment being repeated a second time, the Liquor ascending was more Phlegmatick, tho' we both times applyed Salt of Pot-ashes taken out of the same Vessel, and the Urine of the same Person; but this Liquor being rectified per se, afforded more of a brisk saline Spirit, from which we obtained a pretty quantity of Volatile Salt in a dry form, and of a very white colour.

Having put betwixt two and three ounces of Serum of Human Blood into a Bolt-head, capable of holding four times as much, and having sealed the Glass Hermetically, and set it aside, we observed the following Par∣ticulars.

First, No alteration appeared in the Liquor for twelve Months, nor were any Worms or Magots bred in it; and tho' it be generally believed, that Insects naturally breed in the fluid Parts of Human Bodies, yet I have ob∣served, that if Blood be so exactly closed up, that Flies cannot blow upon it, and that too before it is putrified, or blowed upon, it will not breed them.

But, Secondly, In this Liquor there appear∣ed not the least Mother which usually accom∣panies Putrefaction; but the tip of the sealed Glass being broken off, a pretty deal of Air rushed out with a considarable noise; and that this Air had been considerably compressed, whilst it was penned up appeared, since upon its eruption a multitude of bubbles remained on the Surface of the Liquor, as upon the opening of Botled Drink, or other Liquors, when the Vessels they are contained in come to be unstopped. And to these Observations, I shall add, that some Sheeps Blood being shut up in Vacuo, upon a gentle Putrefaction, the Elastick and Aerial Particles that were produ∣ced blew it up, with a surprizing noise. But, Thirdly,

The smell of our Serum was strong but not Cadavarous; rather resembling that of the Tincture of Sulphur made with Salt of Tartar and Spirit of Wine, or some such Sulphureous preparation.

Fourthly, This Serum being committed to Distillation in a small Glass Head and Body in a digestive Furnace, the Liquor which first came over, first smelled strong enough, yet

tasted not at all brisk or spirituous, like that distilled from putrefied Urine, nor did it pre∣sently give a manifest greenness to Syrup of Violets; but in a solution of Sublimate, it had the same effect with Spirit of Urine or a Vola∣tile Salt. And having mixed some of it with Syrup of Violets, spread all night upon white Paper, and another parcel of it with filings of Copper, the former in the Morning was turn∣ed green; and the latter was so far dissolved, as to leave a large blue stain upon the Pa∣per.

One part of Salt of Tartar being dissolved in eight Parts of Serum of Human Blood, and stirred over a gentle Heat, it was not turned red by it as Milk is. That Blood will be co∣agulated by Heat in a short time into a kind of Gelly, is a common Observation. But having put Spirit of Human Blood into Serum, and kept it a convenient time over a fire, the Volatile Alkaly seemed to make the coa∣gulation more slow. And this effect was more considerable, when we tryed another parcel of Serum with Salt of Tartar instead of Spirit of Blood.

The fourth Part, containing the History of the Spirit of Blood, begun.

BEfore I proceed to the Titles belonging to this Part of the History, it will be requi∣site to advertise,

First, that the Spirit made use of in the fol∣lowing Tryals and Observations, was drawn from Human Blood without any Sand, Clay, or other Additament; and that the fir•••• Di∣stillations were performed in Retorts placed in Sand, care being taken that the Vessels should not be too much filled, because Blood if not well dryed is apt to swell, and pass into the neck of the Retort, if not into the Re∣ceiver.

Secondly, It is to be observed, that the Blood we made use of, was such as was drawn from People, who frequently bleeded by way of prevention.

Thirdly, There is so great a Cognation be∣twixt the Spirit, and Volatile Salt of Human Blood, that the latter seems to be the former only in a dry form.

A List of Secondary Titles, concerning the Spirit of Human Blood.

• I. Whether Human Blood may be so or∣dered by Fermentation or Putrefaction, as that in Distillation, a Spirit either Urinous or Vinous may ascend before the Phlegm.
• II. Whether Spirit of Human Blood be really any thing, but the Volatile Salt and Phlegm well commixed.
• III. Of the Species of Saline Bodies, to which Spirit of Human Blood is to be refer∣red.
• IV. Whether Spirit of Human Blood be differ∣ing from Spirit of Urine, and other Spirits that are called Volatile Alkalies.

• V. Of the quantity of Spirit contained in Human Blood, whether accompanyed with Se∣rum or dryed.
• VI. Of the specifick Gravity of Spirit of Human Blood.
• VII. Of the Odour, Taste, Colour, tran∣sparency and consistency of the Spirit of Hu∣man Blood.
• VIII. Of the dissolutive power of the Spirit of Human Blood.
• IX. Of the Tinctures that may be drawn by Spirit of Human Blood.
• X. Of the coagulative power of the Spirit of Human Blood.
• XI. Of the precipitating power of Spirit of Human Blood.
• XII. Of the Affinity betwixt Spirit of Hu∣man Blood, and some Chymical Oyls and Urinous Spirits.
• XIII. Of the relation betwixt Spirit of Hu∣man Blood and the Air.
• XIV. Of the Hostility of Human Blood with Acids, whether in the form of Liquors or Fumes.
• XV. Of the Medicinal Virtues of Spirit of Human Blood externally applyed.
• XVI. Of the Medicinal Virtues of Spirit of Human Blood internally given in Pleurisies, Head-achs, Coughs, Fevers, Scurvies, Cachex∣ies, Dropsies, Fits of the Mother.
• XVII. Paralipomena, and promiscuous Ex∣periments and Observations concerning the Spirit of Human Blood.

TITLE I. Whether Human Blood may be so ordered by Fermentation or Putrefaction, as that in Distillation a Spirit either Ʋrinous or Vinous may ascend before the Phlegm.

COnsidering that Fevers have been looked upon to proceed from a Fermentation in the Blood; and likewise, that Human Urine which hath a great Cognation with Human Blood, will not whilst fresh afford a Spirit, till the Phlegm be first drawn off; this Subject of this Title may not appear Groundless. But I am not much encouraged to expect a Vinous or ardent Spirit from Human Blood, nor am I sure there is any such thing as Fermentation in Human Blood. And on this occasion I shall add, that having once kept Blood Hermetical∣ly sealed up in a Glass for twelve Months, when it came to be opened, it smelled so offensively, that we could not make any tryal upon it; and another time having digested, in a pretty large Vial Hermetically sealed some Sheeps Blood; when it had been a good while in the digestive Furnace, it suddenly broke with a considerable noise, and blew off the long neck of the Vial. And here, to what hath been laid down, I shall add, That some Ounces of Serum of Blood being added to a fourth Part of Raisins of the Sun stoned, and kept in a Glass, in a warm Room for several days; the event of this tryal was, that with∣in

in a few Days the Raisins began to emerge, and whilst they floated, yielded a conside∣rable quantity of springy and permanent Air; from whence it appeared, that there had been some Degree of Fermentation. But when this Serum came to be distilled, tho' it did not stink as if it had been putrified, yet the Spi∣rit which first ascended, tasted not like a-Viscous Spirit, nor like a meer Phlegm. Whe∣ther the Fermentation observed in this Li∣quor, depended on the whole Serum, or on∣ly on the Aqueous Parts distinct from it, I shall leave to Experience to determine.

To try whether Digestion or Putrefaction would so open the Texture of Blood, as to make it part with its Spirit more easily, and before the Phlegm, I kept a quantity of Se∣rum for that purpose, four times as long as was sufficient to make Urine part with its Spirit before its Phlegm, but the Liquor which came over by a gentle heat, had but little strength either in Smell or Taste; nor would it readily turn Syrup of Violets Green; yet like a Volatile Alkaly, it would soon turn a Solution of Sublimate in fair Water, into a White, Opacous, and almost Milky Liquor.

TITLE II. Whether Spirit of Human Blood be really a∣ny thing but the Volatile Salt and Phlegm well commixed.

FOR several Reasons I am inclined to believe, that the Spirit of Human Blood is totally composed of a Volatile Salt, and a Phlegm which is not so pure and Elementary, but that some Particles of Oyl, and others of Salt, may be mixed with it; and whether by frequent Re∣ctifications this Phlegm may be rendered Homo∣geneous I much question, since I am not sure, but that in frequent Distillations, some Par∣ticles of the Fire mny be from time to time associated with the Liquor; and even in the first Distillation, the Fire uniting with the Li∣quor, may form one different from the In∣gredients or Principles of the Body; and I have found that Woods afford by distillation, a Li∣quor which is not an Oyl, nor an Acid, or an Alkaly, and yet no true Phlegm, but an Adia∣phorous Liquor. And on this occasion to shew, That the Composition of a Body may as well be made known by investigating the way of generating or producing it, as by that of Ana∣lysing or resolving it; I shall add, that having dissolved as much Volatile Salt of Human Blood in distilled Water, as the Liquor would take up, and then having distilled it in a convenient∣ly shaped Vessel, with a regulated degree of Heat, the Distillation afforded us such a Li∣quor

as was desired, since by Smell and Taste it appeared to be a good brisk Spirit of Hu∣man Blood. And this Experiment was a∣gain repeated with the like success.

TITLE III. Of the Species of Saline Bodies, to which the Spirit of Human Blood is to be refer∣red.

THO' it be generally allowed that Saline Spirits are of two sorts, yet it may not be amiss to add, That some of them are Acid in Taste, as Spirit of Nitre, Vitriol, &c. O∣thers are rather like common or lixiviate Salts; and their different Effects and Operations are much less alike than their Taste, for upon their mixture, there ensues a manifest conflict, and usually one will precipitate the Bodies, the other will dissolve. And amongst Salts call∣ed Alkalies, some are fixed in considerable Degrees of Fire, and others, who take Acid and Alkalies for the true Principles of mixed Bodies, call the one Fixed, and the other Vo∣latile Alkalies. And tho' I, who question this Doctrine, often call the Salts made by Com∣bustion, simply Alkalies, or lixiviate Salts, and those that ascend, sometimes Ʋrinous, and sometimes Volatile Salts, yet since the Names of Fixed Alkalies and Volatile ones are in re∣quest now, I shall now make use of them in that Sense.

These Things being premised, I shall pro∣ceed to observe, that notwithstanding that some Physicians and Chymists ascribe Digestion to an Acid Ferment in the Stomach, yet the Spi∣rit of Human Blood is referrable to that Classis, which many call Volatile Alkalies, since it ge∣nerally performs what Volatile Alkalies are said to do; for it will ferment with Acids, turn Syrup of Violets Green, and precipitate a Solution of Sublimate in common Water.

Were I sure that the Ferment of the Sto∣mach were Acid, I should be apt to believe, that the Blood retains something of Acidity in it; but yet that would not be an Argu∣ment why I should not refer the Spirit of Human Blood to the Class of Alkalies, be∣cause so few Acid Particles would either be destroyed by the Alkalizate ones, that are so a∣bundant in the Spirit, or at least they would be so very much predominant as to give us Reason on their account to denominate, the Mixture Alkalious. As if some drops of Spi∣rit of Vinegar were mixed with stale Urine, they would be either depriv'd of their Acidi∣ty by some Particles of a contrary Nature, or be so overpowered by the Fugitive Salts they abound with, that the Mixture might well be referred to the Classis of Volatile U∣rinous Salts.

TITLE IV. Whether the Spirit of Human Blood be dif∣fering from Spirit of Ʋrine, and other Salts called Volatile Alkalies.

UPON this Occasion I shall offer, that not to intimate that a Body may have many similar Qualities, in respect of another Body, and yet distinct Operations on a third Substance: I say, not to intimate that, there may be a considerable difference betwixt Vo∣latile Salts or Spirits, as they are commonly prepared, and when prepared as they may, by reiterated Rectifications, and other ways of Depuration by a dextrous Chymist, to bring them to a greater degree of Purity and Simpli∣city; a greater degree I say, because it may be difficult to bring them to an absolute Purity, since unheeded commixtures may be made, upon the Account of some Corpuscles of Fire with the Body they work upon.

And that there is a manifest difference be∣twixt Spirit of Human Blood and other Alkalies, as Spirit of Urine and Harts-horn, is evident to several People who, tho' they abhor the Odour of Spirit of Blood, yet they will with Pleasure hold their Noses a great while over Spirit of Urine and Sal-Ar∣moniack. And tho' from a due proportion of Spirit of Urine or Sal-Armoniack with Spirit of Salt, I have got a Salt which shoots into the shape of that of Urine or Sal-Armoniack

yet I have seldom, if ever, obtained a Salt of the like shape from a Mixture of the Spirit of Humane Blood with that of Common Salt, for tho upon an Evaporation of the superfluous Moisture, the Salts would coagulate together, yet the Concretion seemed confused, and not of the Regular shapes of those Salts, resulting from a Mixture of the Spirit of Sea-Salt with Urinous Spirits. And Helmont tells us, that the Spirit of Human Blood will cure Epilepsies, which Spirit of Urine will not do.

TITLE V. Of the Quantity of Spirit contained in Hu∣man Blood, whether accompanied with its Serum, or dryed.

THIS is not easie to determine, since some Mens Blood is much more Phleg∣matick than others, or more Serous, which may of it self be more Spirituous, according to the Complexion, Age, Sex, &c. of the Per∣son that Bleeds.

Twelve Ounces of Healthy Human Blood, afforded us seven Ounces and a half of Phlegm, and consequently about Four Ounces and a half of dry stuff. And havi••g distilled in a Retort, in a Sand Furnace, seven Ounces of well dryed Blood, we obtained about an eighth part of Spirit, which, tho' not recti∣fied, left in the Receiver and Viol I kept it in, a good deal of Volatile Salt undissolved,

which a Phlegmatick Liquor would not have done. And if Spirit of Blood be but a Salt and Phlegm united, We may well sup∣pose, that Human Blood yields a far great∣er Proportion of Spirit than this, since from the seven Ounces of dryed Blood, we obtained about five Drachms of Volatile Salt, which had it been united with a due quantity of Phlegm, it would probably have afforded us near two Ounces more of a Liquor deserving the Name of Spirit.

TITLE VI. Of the Consistence and Specifick Gravity of Human Blood.

A Compact Body, which in the Air weigh∣ed fifty eight Grains, and in Water weighed six Grains and ¾, in rectifi'd Spirit of Human Blood weighed but five Grains and ¼; and what was considerable, was, That a piece of Amber would not subside to the Bottom, but kept floating upon the Top, and if plung∣ed into it, would emerge again.

As for the Degree of the Fluidity of the Blood, or its immunity from Tenaciousness, tho' divers other Alkalizated Liquors, as Oyl of Tartar per deliquium, fixed Nitre resolved per deliquium, a Solution of Pot-Ashes, are sensibly unctuous, and but languidly fluid, yet I ob∣served that Spirit of Human Blood did not appear more Unctuous than common Water.

And whereas it is commonly found, That as Liquors are more spirituous, so the Bubles raised by Agitation, soonest disappear; I have observed that the Spirit of Blood was almost as soon clear of them as Spirit of Wine; and when some Drops of it were let fall, they manifestly appeared less than Drops of Wa∣ter.

To discover the subtlety of the Parts of Human Blood, we so prepared common Wa∣ter, by Infusions made in it without Heat, that by putting one single Drop of our Re∣ctified Spirit of Human Blood into ten Oun∣ces and four Scruples of the prepared Water, and lightly shaking the Viol, there appeared throughout the Liquor a manifest Colour, whereof no Degree was discernible before; so that it dispersed it self through a thousand times as much Water, and produced a mani∣fest Change in the Colour of it: And tho' this Computation is made upon the common suppo∣sition that a Drop of Water weighs a Grain, yet tho' it weighs more a little, the Difference is recompensed, since having dropped ten Drops of common Water into a common Bal∣lance well adjusted, and having likewise drop∣ped ten Drops of this Spirit, we found that the last were not only less in bulk, but lighter, since they weighed not above four Grains, so that the Proportion to which it extended it self, may be said to be as one, to betwixt 4000 and 5000; and this subtlety of the Parts of the Spi∣rit of Human Blood will appear to be yet much greater, if we consider, that some Part even of this Drop must needs be Phlegm.

TITLE VII. Of the Odour, Taste, Colour, and Transpa∣rency of the Spirit of Human Blood.

THat the Spirit of Human Blood is in re∣spect of some Liquors potentially Cold, since it refrigerates them, and with reference to others potentially Hot, since being mixed with them it renders them Hot, may appear from the following instance; for having put the lower end of an Hermetically sealed Weather-Glass into a slender Cylindrical Glass, we poured as much moderatly strong Spirit of Blood into it as covered the Ball, and then dropped on that Liquor some good Spirit of Salt, upon which ensued a conflict accompa∣nyed with a Noise, Bubbles, and Heat, which made the Spirit of Wine presently ascend a∣bove two Inches and a half; which Experi∣ment seems to be the more remarkable, be∣cause several other Volatile Alkalies being mix∣ed with Acids, produce a notable degree of coldness; and whereas I had several times found by Tryal, that the Spirt of Verdigrease would, with Volatile Salt of Sal-Armoniack or Urine, produce a real coldness. This Spi∣rit of Verdigrease being mixed in the small Cylindrical Glass, with Spirit of Blood mode∣rately strong, not only produced a hissing Noise and store of Bubbles, but an actual Heat, upon which the Liquor in the Thermoscope

ascended above an Inch and a half, tho' both the Liquors employed amounted not to above two spoonfuls.

TITLE VIII. Of the dissolutive power of Spirit of Hu∣man Blood.

THAT this Spirit is not only a good Me∣dicine for several Diseases, but is also a good Menstruum, will appear from the fol∣lowing instances. And first, having poured Spirit of Human Blood upon Crude Copper, in about a quarter of an hour the Liquor was tinged blueish, which colour grew higher and higher, till in some hours it was deeply Cerule∣ous. And to this I shall add, that having drop∣ped a drop or two of Spirit of Blood upon a piece of bright Copper, within about half a minute of an hour, the Verge of the moisten∣ed part of the Surface appeared blueish, and in a little time after, the rest of the wetted Part acquired a fine Azure.

Having poured Spirit of Blood upon filings of Zinke or Spiltre, it presently began to work manifestly in the cold; and when assisted by a little Heat, it dissolved the Zinke briskly, and not without producing store of bubbles, being also a little discoloured by the operation of this Experiment.

Having put a piece of clotted Blood, which had been exposed to the Air, into a slender

Vial of clear Glass, and then poured on a lit∣tle rectified Spirit of Human Blood, and shook the Glass a little, the blackness of the superfi∣cial part of the Blood presently disappeared, and became a florid Scarlet, and the Liquor was tinged with a fairer red, and from a suc∣cession of bubbles passing from time to time out of the cold into it, seemed to work some∣what like a Menstruum, but in a little time af∣ter the Blood was degenerated from its for∣mer colour to a little more dark one. But another clot of Blood, one side of which was red and the other black, being put into the Vial, and Spirit of Blood poured upon it, the red side had its colour improved, but the o∣ther continued black and dirty. And I once pre∣served twelve drachms of Blood in two of the Spirit of Blood, and found that twelve months after it remained fair and florid, and little less than totally fluid; and when the Vessel was opened there appeared little sign of Putrefacti∣on, but only a small clot was fastened to the bottom, the rest passing readily through a strain∣er; so that the Spirit seemed to have a great embalming Virtue, since it was able to preserve six times its weight of a Body so apt to putre∣fie: But to what hath been observed, I shall add, that having comitted the Mixture to Di∣stillation, the first Liquor was a kind of Phlegm, which was succeeded by a Spirituous Liquor and Volatile Salt in a dry form.

Having poured some of our Spirit upon filings of Iron, where they were not in the least Rusty, and kept them together a while in digestion, we found, as we expected, that that Li∣quor

by working upon them had produ∣ced a light substance, something paler than a Crocus, and there appeared likewise in the Li∣quor good store of thin Plates, which after a gentle Agitation, being held against the Sun-Beams, exhibited the colours of the Rain-Bow very vividly; but the taste of the Liquor ap∣peared not at all Martial.

TITLE IX. Of the Tincture that may be drawn with Spirit of Human Blood.

SPirit of Blood being put upon Saffron pre∣sently acquired a yellow colour; and from Tu merick, a Tincture like a solution of Gold, which may doubtless prove a good Medicine in the Jaundice; and some of this Spirit being put upon powder of Blood, it presently ex∣tracted from it a colour as red as that of French Claret, but when I made use of another parcel of Spirit well rectified, I found that it extracted not a Tincture so soon; and after several hours the colour it obtained was brown, which in some hours after was heightned into redness, and in a longer time it became al∣most as red as the former Tincture.

To shew that Spirit of Human Blood may extract Tinctures out of the hardest Bodies, we put filings with it into a small Egg, and kept them all night in digestion in a moderate Heat; and the next day we found the Liquor

tinged with a deep brownish red; and those filings which stuck to the sides of the Vessel and were above the Liquor, were turned by the Exhalations of this Spirit into a yellow Crocus: But the Mixture being kept some days longer in the same Vessel, the colour of it was grown Opacous, and appeared to be black when it was looked upon in a con∣siderable bulk; but it seemed of another colour when looked upon as it was spread thin upon white Paper. Some of this Ticture being pour∣ed upon an infusion of Galls, it would not make it of an Inky colour, nor was the preci∣pitate, which presently fell to the bottom, of an Inky colour. From which Experiments it appears, that it is unsafe either to suppose, that if Chalybeates be dissolved in the Body, it must be by some Acid Juice, or to conclude, that if Steel be dissolved by the Liquors of our Bodies, they must be ex predominio Alkali∣zate, since a Liquor that is very different from Acids dissolves it; but without touching fur∣ther upon this account, I shall rather com∣mend it to the consideration of Physicians, to pitch upon some other method of explicating the effects of Chalybeates upon Human Bodies, and whether martial Medicines may not be made use of, which are prepared by Volatite Alkalies, instead of Acids.

Spirit of Human Blood being kept in di∣gestion with powder of Amber, it extracted no considerable Tincture, but whether the fault was in the fineness of the Amber, or the weakness of the Spirit, I shall leave undeter∣mined.

Some Spirit of Human Blood being put upon some of that Gum called Seed-Lac soon became tinged, which I supposed to proceed from a superficial colour of some Parts of the Gum, proceeding from some adhering Blood of the little winged insects, who by their bitings occasioned this Gum, upon the twigs of the Trees where it is found; so that the colour seems not to be given by the Gum, but the Blood of those Animals, and may probably be a good solvent Medi∣cine, since most of the insects used in Phy∣sick consists of Parts very subtle and penetrat∣ing, and of considerable Efficacy.

TITLE X. Of the Coagulating power of the Spirit of Human Blood.

HIghly rectified Spirit of Human Blood, being well mingled by shakeing it with a convenient quantity of Urinous Spirits, there will presently ensue a Coagulation or a concre∣tion of Parts, either of the whole Mixture or a Portion of it, into corpuscles of a Saline form, which cohering loosely together make up a mass of a fluid and consistent soft tem∣per; in which form it will continue in a cool place several months.

TITLE XI. Of the Precipitating power of Spirit of Human Blood.

IT hath a power of Precipitating, as other Volatile Spirits, most Bodies dissolved in Acid Menstruums; I say most, because there is no need this rule should be general, or hold when the Body is of such a Nature, that it may be as well dissolved by an Acid as an Alkaly; and that there are such Bodies appears, since Spirit of Human Blood will dissolve both Cop∣per and Zink, which may be likewise dissolved by Aqua Fortis and other Acid Menstruums.

But that this Spirit will precipitate other Bodies dissolved in Acid Menstruums, I am con∣vinced by several tryals made on red Lead dissolved in Vinegar, Silver in Aqua Fortis, Gold in Aqua Regia, and Tin dissolved in an appropriated Menstruum, and several other Bodies. And out of a Solution of common Salt made in Water, we could readily precipitate with the Spirit of Blood, a Substance which looked like a white Earth, and such a Sub∣stance I obtained in a far greater quantity, from that which the Salt-makers call Bittern, which usually remains in their Salt Pans, when they have taken out about as much Salt, as would coagulate in figured grains. This Spirit of Human Blood does likewise precipitate a Solu∣tion of Dantzik Vitriol in Water, but that Solution is not a total one.

TITLE XII. Of the Affinity between Spirit of Human Blood, and some Chymical Oyls and Vi∣nous Spirits.

THAT there is an Affinity betwixt Spi∣rit of Human Blood, and Spirit of Wine, appears, since we have formerly observed that being put together, they will concoagulate, and continue united a long time; and tho' a rectified Spirit of Wine will not draw a Tin∣cture from Blood, yet Spirit of Blood will. But as for Lixiviate Liquors such as are made of Salt of Tartar, fixed Nitre, &c. we find not that they will strictly associate with it. Spirit of Blood readily mixes with that Adia∣phorous Spirit formerly mentioned; but de∣phlegmed Spirit of Blood mixed by agitation with its Oyl, will presently separate again, tho' with Spirit of Wine it will permanently unite, tho these two Liquors belong to a diffe∣rent, viz. the one to the Animal, and the o∣ther to the Vegetable Kingdom.

With the essential Oyls of Aromatick Vege∣tables, the Spirit seems to have a greater Affi∣nity; for an equal proportion of this Liquor, and of Oyl of Aniseeds, drawn in an Alembick per Vesicam, being shaken together, they made a soft or Semifluid coagulation, which con∣tinued in that form for a day or two; and would probably have longer done so, if I

had not had occasion to proceed further with it.

To shew that Spirit of Human Blood may either communicate some of its saline Parts to essential Oyls, or work a change in them; I digested a while in a Glass with a long neck some recstified Spirit of Human Blood, with a convenient quantity of Oyl of Aniseeds drawn in an Alembick, and found that the Oyl grew coloured of a high yellow, and afterwards attained a high redness; which may afford us a hint of the cause of some changes of colour, that are produced in the Liquors of the Body.

To take off the stinking quality of Human Blood, and to render it more grateful, we mixed with it in a Glass about an equal quan∣tity or half as much Oyl of Aniseeds, and hav∣ing shaken them together in the Glass, we placed it in a Furnace with a gentle Heat, by which means the slight Texture of the Coagulum be∣ing dissolved, part of the Oyl appeared float∣ing upon the top, whence being separated by a Tunnel, the Liquor was whitish and with∣out a stinking smell; it smelling and tasteing strong of Aniseeds, tho' the saline Particles retained a considerable degree of their brisk and penetrating taste.

Another way I took to deprive Spirit of Human Blood of its offensive smell was, by employing a Medium to unite it with essential Oyls; for having dissolved an eighth part of Oyl of Aniseeds in highly rectified Spirit of Wine, and added an equal quantity of Spirit of Human Blood, and upon a convenient agitation we suffered the Mixture to settle a considera∣ble

time, after that it appeared, that some of the Oyl swam in drops distinct from the other Liquors, which consisted of a Mixture of the two Spirits impregnated with a few particles of Oyl which they had detained. This Liquor abounded with little Concretions made by the Coagulation of the Sanguineous and Vinous Spi∣rits; which by a gentle Heat were sublimed in the form of a Volatile Salt, to the upper Part of the Glass; and this Salt had not only a much less penetrating Odour, than the meer Vola∣tile Salt of Human Blood, but had quite lost its stink, and yet retained a considerable quickness, and something of the scent of Ani∣seeds; and the remaining Liquor was likewise deprived of its ill smell, and moderately im∣bued with that of the Oyl.

To try whether there would be any Affinity between our Spirit, and the highly rectified Oyl of Petroleum, I shaked a convenient quanti∣ty of them together in a new Vial, upon which they presently turned into a white Mixture; and tho' after a few hours the greater part of the Oyl swam above the Spirit, yet there appeared be∣twixt the two Liquors a good quantity of whiteish Matter, which seemed to be produced by the Union of many Particles of the Spirit and Oyl, which were most disposed to combine.

TITLE XIII. Of the Relation betwixt Spirit of Human Blood and the Air.

TO try whether the Air will have any con∣siderable effect on the Spirit of Human Blood after Distillation, as it evidently hath on the Blood before, I spread thinly upon a piece of white Paper some small filings of Cop∣per, and wetting them well without covering them quite over, with a few drops of Blood; by that means they being well exposed to the free Air; the Action of the Liquor was so much promoted, that within a minute or two it did even in the cold acquire a blueish co∣lour; and in fewer minutes than one would have expected, that colour was so heightned as to become Ceruleous; but another parcel of the same filings being put into a Vial, the in∣tercourse of the Air being excluded, the Li∣quor would not in some hours acquire so deep a colour.

Having in a clear Cylindrical Vial of about an Inch Diameter, put more filings of Cop∣per than was requisite to cover the bottom, and poured so much Spirit of Blood upon them as rought about a fingers breadth above them, it in a few hours acquired a rich colour, which after a day or two began to grow more faint, and afterwards gradually declined, till it was almost lost; yet the Liquor was not al∣together limpid or colourless, as I have often

had it with Spirit of Urine or Sal-Armoniack, and these remains of blueishness I attributed to the effects of the Air included in the Bottle, with so small a quantity of Liquor. And tho' I thought it not impossible, but that length of time might destroy it's blueishness, yet un∣stopping the Vessel, I observed, that in two minutes of an hour, the Surface of the Li∣quor where it touched the fresh Air became Ceruleous; and in a quarter of an hour the whole Body of the Liquor had attained a deep∣er colour than that of the sky, which colour grew sensibly paler again when the Vial was stopped: But one thing I must add is, that I have found the Experiment to succeed with some Analogy, when another Volatile Spirit hath been made use of, in which there was no Volatile Salt of Human Blood; but the Ex∣periment being repeated the Air produced a green and not a Ceruleous colour, which makes me suspend my Judgment till satisfied by further experience, whether the event of the former tryal depended on any Affinity of the Spirit with Blood or not. And here I shall add, that a parcel of Spirit of Human Blood being kept in Vacuo Byliano, when the Air was pumpt out, it afforded fewer and less bubbles than an equal quantity of common Water.

TITLE XIV. Of the Hostility of the Spirit of Human Blood with Acids, whether they be in the form of Liquors or Fumes.

IT exercises its Hostility against more than one sort of Acid Spirits, as Spirit of Salt, of Nitre, Spirit and Oyl of Vitriol, Aqua For∣tis, Aqua Regis, &c. And not only against Faciti∣ous but natural ones, as the Juice of Lemons, up∣on its Mixture with which there presently ensued a great commotion with noise. But there is not on∣ly an Hostility evident betwixt the Parts of these Liquors, but also their Effluvia; for if Spirit of Salt of Nitre be put into a Vial somewhat wide mouthed, and Spirit of Blood rectified into another, when these Liquors are held near one another, their invisible Emanati∣ons joyning together will form a manifest Smoak.

Some pure Volatile Salt of Human Blood be∣ing just satiated with Spirit of Nitre, we slowly evaporated the superfluous moisture, which being done, we took the compound Cry∣stals which the Mixture afforded, and put it into a Bolt-Head with a slender and a long neck, and then adding to it a convenient quan∣tity of Salt of Tartar, and as much distilled Water as made the Mixture Liquid enough, the Salt of Tartar detained the Spirit of Nitre, and a good proportion of the Volatile Salt

ascended in a dry form to the neck of the Vessel.

Spirit of Blood and Nitre being mixed to∣gether, there ensued a conflict, in which thick white fumes rose plentifully, and circulating in the Vessel, ran down the sides of it in a white stream; untill the fumes ceased to rise a∣gain, the Mixture in the mean time appearing reddish. Being setled and seeming to have been so discoloured by a fattish Substance, we put to it a little rain Water, and having by filtra∣tion separated the Faeces, and slowly evapo∣rated the thus clarified Liquor, the saline Parts shot into Crystals like those of Salt-Petre; but after a while seemed yellow, as if tinged with the Oyl. N. Tho' on several occasions the Spirit of Blood appears Oyly, yet I not long since dissolved another parcel of Blood, whose Liquor was clear and limpid a year after.

Some of the before mentioned Crystals being put upon well kindled Charcoal, presently melted and burnt away like Salt-Petre, but the flame seemed not so halituous, and differed in colour, being not at all blue but yellow; and after the Deflagration ceased, there remained upon the Coal a lump of dirty coloured matter, which had scarce any taste, nor was that little it had Alkalious. This brittle Substance being held in the flame, became red hot without any sensible imminution, and so it did upon a live Coal.

TITLE XV. Of the Medicinal Virtues of Spirit of Hu∣man Blood outwardly applyed.

SINCE we meet not with any Acid Sub∣stance, except in the Pancreatick Juice of a sound Person: And since the fixed Salt of Blood does much resemble Sea-salt, whether its Spirit be Acid or no; and since several Parts of the Body whether Solid or Liquid, afford a Liquor impregnated with store of Volatile Salt; it is not amiss to think that the Spirit of Human Blood, may have considerable effects in several Diseases, even when exter∣nally applyed. And that Spirit of Sal-Armo∣niack hath been found successful in assisting se∣veral People in Apoplexies, Epilepsies, &c. when applyed to or put up the Nostrils, it's confirmed by the experience of several learned and able Physicians; and upon the like reason I prepared a Volatile Salt sublimed from a compound Salt, obtained from Spirit of Blood satiated with Nitre. And for a like purpose, to bring over the Saline Part of Blood in a liquid form, we mixed two Parts of dryed Blood with three of Spirit of Blood, and distilling them with a pretty strong fire, we obtained a pret∣ty deal of Spirit, unaccompanyed with any Volatile Salt, in a dry form; and this Spirit seemed to have a stronger taste and smell be∣fore rectification, than Spirit of Human Blood prepared another way had after rectification;

and had we made use of more Lime, I question not but that we should have obtained a more piercing Spirit, since it would have retained more of the Oyl and the superfluous moi∣sture.

And on this occasion I shall add, that I have often found Head-aches cured by the se∣parated application of Spirit of Human Blood; which is likewise good in Hysterick and Hypo∣chondriacal Cases, and in fainting Fits; and if the smell of it makes it too nauseous, that may be corrected according to the method already laid down in this Chapter, to which I shall add, that a few drops of Oyl of Rhodi∣um, being dissolved in Alcohol of Wine, if that be mixed with Spirit of Human Blood, it will give it a very grateful and odoriferous smell.

And here I shall add, that Medicines made of Amber have been found successful not only in Convulsions, and other Distempers of the Genus Nervosum, but the Tincture of it in Spirit of Wine, hath proved successful enough in Diseases both of Men and Women. And this Tincture may not inconveniently or unsuc∣cessfully be added, to correct the Odour and increase the Virtues of Spirit of Human Blood; and tho Oyl of Amber will not mix readily with Spirit of Wine, yet if they be shaken to∣gether and left to settle at leisure, tho' they settle in distinct masses, yet the Spirit would even in the cold extract a high and a yellow Tincture, little different from the Oyl it self, which may be mixed with the Spirit of Blood, till the smell of the Amber be predominant.

To what hath been said of the external use of Spirit of Human Blood I shall add, that if the Oyl in these Mixtures should be too much predominant, it may be easily separated by runing it through a Tunnel, whose Orifice at the bottom is formed so small and sharp, as to give way for the Spirit to run off first, which may when thus separated be kept in a distinct Vessel. And since if the Vinous Spirit be suf∣ficiently rectified, there will by the Coagula∣tion of the Saline and Urinous Parts, be pro∣duced a kind of Salt, you may either pour the Liquid part into another Vessel, and then use them separate, or else separate the Salt by sublimation in a dry form; and Spirit of Hu∣man Blood thus separated will have a fragrant brisk and piercing Odour. But,

To conclude, this Spirit is not only good in respect of the Virtues ascribed to its scent, but it may be good likwise when used as a fo∣mentation, as Spirit of Sal-Armoniack hath been effectual in removing the Pains of the Gout, and in the Erisipelas. And since upon the account of its Alkalizate Nature it may be good to correct Acidities, it may be for that purpose made use of both by Physicians and Chirurgeons.

TITLE XVI. Of the Medicinal Virtues of Spirit of Hu∣man Blood inwardly used.

I Have been long apt to think, that the same peccant matter may produce several Distempers as its effects are diversified, part∣ly by its greater or lesser quantities, as well as more or less active qualities, and partly by the particular Natures, or Structures, and Sci∣tuations of the Parts that it invades; which seems to be favoured by the frequent Metasta∣ses of Morbifick matter in several Distempers, since the same Acid or sharp Humours some∣times occasion a Colick, sometimes after that a Palsey, at other times a Cough, a flux of the Belly, an Opthalmia, a Violent Head-ach, Convulsions, &c. As the peccant Humour falls upon this or that part, upon which ac∣count one or two Medicines may be able to cure several Distempers, especially if endew∣ed with any variety of active Virtues; and upon these grounds I am inclined to believe, that the Spirit of Human Blood may be a good Remedy in several internal affections of the Body; and indeed Volatile Alkalies in general have been so prosperously made use of in Physick, since the year 1656 as to in∣vite several Physicians to employ them instead of other Medicines, which clog and weaken the Patient, and want several advan∣tageous

qualities, which may be found in Vo∣latile Alkalies.

And indeed Spirit of Human Blood mor∣tifies Acid Salts, which occasion several Dis∣eases: It is likewise a great Resolvent, and fit to open Obstructions which produce not a few Diseases; it is also Diaphoretick and Di∣uretick, and able to discharge several noxious Salts, and to expel several Malignant and Con∣tagious Particles of matter. It resists Putre∣faction and Coagulation; and gives a brisk∣ness and Spirituousness to the Blood, which promotes free Circulation, upon which account it is a good Cordial and an Antidote against some Poysons: It is ve∣ry friendly to the Genus Nervosum, and to cure its Distempers, and Balsamick in some sort of Asthams, it neither causes great eva∣cuations, nor does it clog the Stomach; or is disadvantageous in any manifest qualities. And it may likwise be very good in such cases as Spirit of Sal-Armoniack hath been found successful in. Helmont commends it in Epi∣lepsies, which he says, it will cure in Adult Persons: And I have known it cure an inve∣terate Consumptive Cough, and a very bad Head-ach, which had a long time baffled ve∣ry eminent Physicians. But besides the Virtues it hath when simply used, its Virtues may be enobled and diversified by a long digestion, or frequent Cohobations of the Spirit with the Oyls, Salt or Phlegm of the same Concrete; or, by uniting it with Acids, as Spirit of Nitre, or Vinegar; Verdigrease, Oyl of Vi∣triol,

&c. either used in a Liquid form, or when reduced by evaporation into Crystals.

Or the Virtues of it may be enobled, by u∣niting our Spirit with Metalline Solutions, as of Gold, Silver, or Mercury; and with Solutions of Minium made with Spirit of Vinegar; by a Mixture of which Liquor and a slow evapora∣tion of them, I have obtained finely shaped Crystals.

Or, again either by uniting with it Sulphur opened with Salt of Tartar; or by dissolving in it Metalline Bodies, as Copper, Zinke, and Iron. Or by adding about a double weight of Alcohol of Wine; for these Liquors being shaken together, will in a very great measure coagulate into a Salt, which will retain a con∣siderable degree of quickness and penetrancy. And why such Salts as these should not be ef∣ficacious I see no reason, since such a kind of a Mixture, tho' made with another Urinous Spirit hath had extraordinary effects in Fevers. nor is the Liquor this Salt leaves behind useless in Medicine when well dephlegmed.

But this Spirit may be rendered still more commodious, if impregnated with essential Oyls; and by that means several Oyly Volatile Salts may be produced, which may be useful in peculiar Distempers, as those Oyls respect this or that part in their Medicinal Virtues.

CHAP. X. An Appendix to the Memoirs for the Na∣tural History of Human Blood: Con∣taining, first, particulars referable to the second Part of the foregoing History.

EXPERIMENT I.

HAving caused twelve Ounces of dryed Blood to be carefully distilled, the Sub∣stances obtained from it, were of Volatile Salt and Spirit together five Ounces; the Liquor poured off from the wet Salt being thirteen Drachms, fifty four Grains, so that the Salt was three Ounces, two Drachms, and six Grains; of fetid Oyl there were two Ounces; of Caput Mortuum four Ounces, and two Drachms; so that about six Drachms of the whole was consumed in the Operation. The Caput Mortuum being calcined yielded but six Drachms and a half of ashes, the fixed Olea∣ginous Parts being consumed by the accensi∣on; the colour of the ashes was reddish when cool, tho' in the fire they appeared white as soon as the Oyl was consumed, these ashes be∣ing turned into a Lixivium, afforded five scru∣ples of white fixed Salt, besides a little which got into the contiguous Sand, which being recovered by Water, and reduced to a Salt made a scruple more. So that there remain∣ed for the Terra Damnata fourteen Scruples and a half, which is a good deal above twice

the weight of the Salt; whence it appears, that the pure fixed Salt is but between the fifty seventh and fifty eighth part of dryed Blood, and therefore probably amounts to no more than about the 170th part of the mass of Blood; and the fixed Earth is to dryed Blood as about nineteen and about a half to one.

EXPERIMENT II.

A parcel of Blood weighing ten Ounces and seventy three Grains, being slowly distilled to dryness in a Head and Body on a digestive Furnace, afforded of Phlegmatick Liquor seven Ounces, two Drachms, and forty seven Grains; and of Caput Mortuum or dry Substance two Ounces, two Drachms. This pulverable mat∣ter being distilled in a Retort by degrees of fire yielded two Drachms, forty eight Grains of Oyl. The Spirit being poured off, the Salt weighed but forty eight Grains, and the Salt being washed out with the distilled Water, we obtained thence by Sublimation into the neck of a Glass-Egg one Drachm, five Grains of dry Salt. The Caput Mortuum weighed six Drachms, twelve Grains, which being carefully calcined yielded two Scruples and four Grains of ashes; which were red, and these being elixivated afforded eighteen Grains of Salt, besides the remaining Earth, which is of a red colour with an Eye of Pur∣ple,

Particulars referrable to the Primary Title of the Natural History of Human Blood.

EXPERIMENT I.

Spirit of Vinegar put upon Blood, turned its red colour of a dark or dirty colour.

EXPERIMENT II.

Juice of Limons poured upon the superfi∣cies of Blood, impaired its florid colour.

EXPERIMENT III.

Juice of Oranges changed Blood less than Limons.

EXPERIMENT IV.

The black part of clotted Blood exposed to the Air, presently became of a pleasant and florid colour.

EXPERIMENT V.

Spirit of Sal-Armoniack dropped upon black clotted Blood, presently rendered it florid, but not so much as the open Air.

EXPERIMENT VI.

Fixed Alkalies or lixiviate Salts resolved per Deliquium, turned it red, but not so florid as the Urinous Spirit.

EXPERIMENT VII.

The Juice of Scurvey Grass fresh drawn, inclined the black Surface of clotted Blood to redishness.

EXPERIMENT VIII.

Blood being closed up with an eighth or fourth part of Spirit of Wine about three years, was coagulated, but neither stank nor was it in the least putrified.

EXPERIMENT IX.

A small piece of concreted Blood being left three days in Spirit of Wine, was rendered moderately hard and friable throughout.

EXPERIMENT X.

Upon tryal we found, that an Ounce of distilled Water would dissolve at least two Drachms of Volatile Salt of Human Blood; and by the help of Heat it was able to dissolve twenty five Grains more, nor did any of this Salt shoot into Crystals upon its Refrigera∣tion.

EXPERIMENT XI.

The aforementioned Solution being put in∣to a Retort, to be drawn off with a pretty quick heat, we obtained a distilled Liquor, that

contained almost all the Volatile Salt, except a little which escaped in a dry form; and this Liquor being as strong as moderate Spi∣rit of Human Blood, it may give us a hint, what proportion of a Liquor to Salt may be sufficient for such a Spirit. And one thing here may be worthy our notice, viz. That the Liquor which was too much impregnated with Salt, having been exposed to the Air in a frosty Night, we perceived at the bottom of the Glass a good deal of Volatile Salt shot into Crystals, tho' the Crystals that were this way obtained were fine and clear, and some of them larger than Spangles; yet being very numerous and sticking together, we could not discover the shape of particular Grains, nor whether they were all of the same shape, but divers of them appeared to be flat thin Plates, with fine rectilinear Angles, so that we con∣jectured if the whole Plates could have been seen, their broadest Surface would have been found Hexagonal, or of some Polygone figures very near of kin to that.

EXPERIMENT XII.

An Ounce of distilled Water was shut up in a Glass-Egg, with as much Salt as could be dissolved in it, and exposed to congeal in a frosty Night; but the Salt was neither con∣gealed nor the Water, tho' afterwards it was removed into a frigorifick Mixture, which would perhaps have froze Beer, or Ale, or the weaker sort of French Wine; yet we did not perceive the least Glaciation.

EXPERIMENT XIII.

Tho' Sea-Salt dissolved in Water renders it less subject to be froze, yet being joyned with Ice or Snow, and externally applyed, it conduces to the freezing of it. Wherefore we mixed about a Scruple of Salt of Human Blood with Ice, to try whether it would have the like effect, and accordinly we found, that a slender Pipe of Water being immersed in it, the Water in the bottom of the Pipe was froze.

EXPERIMENT XIV.

Some of the fibrous part of Human Blood, being exposed to the Air in an open and shal∣low Glass in a frosty Night, the next Morn∣ing it was lightly frozen, and the Surface of the Ice prettily figured with resemblances of Combs with Teeth on both sides, not much unlike Sal-Armoniack coagulated in common Water.

And not here to mention what hath been said, by some, of the Virtues of Human Blood, I shall propose a couple of Medicines to be prepared from it, one of which may perhaps have no inconsiderable effects: The first Medi∣cine I attempted to make, was by putting to Salt of Tartar Oyl of Human Blood instead of Oyl of Turpentine, and by stirring them long toge∣ther in the open Air, to make such a saponary concretion as Matthew's Corector, which is esteemed and employed with good success by

some London Physicians. The other Medi∣cine I endeavoured to make, was by uniting by long digestion the Salt, Spirit, and Oyl of Human Blood into a Mixture, which some Chymists call a Clyssus.

Particulars referrable to the third Part of the History.

EXPERIMENT I.

THE Blood of a young Man, when cool, having its Serum and fibrous Parts sepa∣rately weighed, the latter weighed about six Ounces, and the serous part not many Drachms from that weight.

EXPERIMENT II.

The very ingenious Mr. Hook and my self, having often observed on the Surface of frozen Urine, figures which much resemble Combs or Feathers; considering the Affi∣nity usually agreed on betwixt the Serum of Human Blood and Urine, we exposed some of it, strained through a linnen rag to separate the Grumous part, to the Air, in a shallow Vessel several Nights consecutively, and ob∣served, that being froze, there appeared upon the Ice contiguous to the Air, certain figures which did not ill resemble those of congla∣ciated Urine.

EXPERIMENT III

To try whether Serum as well as Urine, might not as well be made use of for invisible Ink, we traced some Characters with it upon white Paper; and when they were dryed, we held the unwritten side over the flame of a Candle, keeping it always stirring, that it might not take fire, upon which the Letters on the upper side appeared of a dark colour, tho' not of an Inky blackness.

Particulars referrable to the fourth Part of the History.

SINCE according to the several ways of distilling Human Blood, the Spirit of Salt, &c. produced, may be considerably di∣versified; I distilled three Portions of Human Blood, each with a different additament.

The first which was distilled with Quick-Lime, we shall subjoyn the following account of, viz. Four Ounces of coagulated Blood, being mixed with an equal proportion of Quick-Lime, we distilled them by degrees of fire in a Retort placed in Sand, by which means we obtained a proportion of reddish Spirituous Liquor, which seemed not very Phlegmatick, together with some Oyl, the quantity of which was but small, the rest be∣ing probably detained by the Lime, and a small Portion of that little Oyl that came

over sunk in the Spirit, the rest swiming up∣on it. The Spirit being set in a digestive Fur∣nace in a small Head and Body, to rectifie with a gentle Heat, the Receiver was three or four times removed; and we observed, that the first Spirit that came over was not near so fetid, as that which ascends when it is distilled per se; and the like was observed in the suc∣ceeding Portions, the Oyl being detained be∣hind by the Quick-Lime; the rectified Spirit was clear and colourless, and had a taste much stronger than its smell, and so strong that it made me think some Volatile Alkalious Parts of the Quick-Lime were carried up with it, to be satisfied of which we dropped some of it up∣on a Solution of Sublimate with fair Water; and on the first contact we perceived a precipi∣tate a little inclining to yellow, as Quick-Lime in a greater quantity usually turned it: But afterwards the Precipitate appeared white, like that made with ordinary Volatile Liquors of an Urinous Nature.

Some of this Spirit put into a Glass-Egg, afforded not any Volatile Salt in a dry form, and the tryal being continued, we found, that the Spirit by the action of the fire lost its limpidness, and became muddy or troubled.

Another Portion of it being mixed with a highly rectified ardent Spirit, upon their be∣ing kept all Night in the cold, no coagulati∣on ensued, nor could we perceive any, when it had been kept several hours in a moderate Heat. But the Mixture acquired a yellow colour, and let fall a pretty deal of darkish powder.

Some of this Spirit being mixed with good Spirit of Salt, they smoaked at their first meeting, but produced neither bubbles or noise.

Another Portion being mixed with Oyl of Vitriol, there was produced a great smoak, and an intense degree of Heat without any vi∣sible Ebullition, or any bubbles or noise, but the colour of the Oyl was heightned and grew almost red.

From whence it appears, that this Alkali∣zated Spirit of Blood is very different from simple Spirit of Blood; but whether upon this account it becomes a more violent, or a less safe Medicine, further Experience must dis∣cover.

EXPERIMENT II.

Two Ounces of Tartar calcined to white∣ness by an equal weight of Nitre, being distil∣led in a Retort in a Sand Furnace, with an e∣qual weight of dryed and powdered Blood, it appeared that Quick-Lime acts on this oc∣casion otherwise on Blood than other Alkalies do; for whereas the Blood distilled with that yielded a strong Spirit before rectification, and unaccompanyed with dry Salt; this Mix∣ture afforded us at the first Distillation a weak∣er Spirit, but so much Volatile Salt with it as covered the whole internal Surface of the Receiver. Besides there was a manifest diffe∣rence in their Caput Mortuums: And tho' the Spirit drawn from Quick-Lime did not fer∣ment

with Acids, yet this Salt upon an affusion of Spirit of Salt would.

EXPERIMENT III.

An equal quantity of the powder of Human Blood and Oyl of Vitriol being mixed together, in a little time they grew warm; and then placing the Retort in a Sand Furnace, by de∣grees of fire we obtained a Spirit, which was preceded by a good deal of Phlegmatick Li∣quor of an odd Sulphureous smell, and very strong and lasting. The Caput Mortuum seem∣ed to be of a very compounded Nature. But one thing observable in our Experiment was, that tho' Oyl of Vitriol usually exercises a fix∣ative Power, on many Bodies wherewith it is mixed in Distillation, yet this Experiment afforded us a pretty quantity of Volatile mat∣ter in the form of a white Salt, but of an un∣common smell and taste.

EXPERIMENT IV.

We prepared an Aurum Fulminans, by precipitating a Solution of Gold made in A∣qua Regia with Spirit of Human Blood, and by dulcifying the precipitate with common Water, and then drying it leisurely.

EXPERIMENT V.

Having immersed the Ball of a Weather-Glass in Spirit of Blood contained in a wide mouthed Glass, we poured on some Spirit of

Verdigrease, which made a conflict with it and excited bubbles; there was likewise pro∣duced a degree of warmth not insensible on the outside of the Glass; and the Liquor was raised in the Thermoscope a considerable height, tho' when the conflict was over it be∣gan moderately to subside again.

EXPERIMENT VI.

Having gradually mixed Spirit of Blood, with as much Spirit of Nitre as it would work on it, they produced bubbles with a con∣siderable noise, and when the Liquors had setled in a cool place, it appeared, that an Oyl had been separated from it in this ope∣ration; since a red colour was not only pro∣duced by it, but the Surface of the Liquor was covered with such a film, as Liquors co∣piously impregnated with Antimony or other sulphureous Bodies usually are. And when it was looked upon with Eyes conveniently pla∣ced in reference to it and the Light, it appear∣ed to be adorned with vivid colours of a Rain-Bow, as Red, Yellow, Blue, and Green; and that too in their natural order.

EXPERIMENT VII.

Spirit of Human Blood which had been kept twelve years, being when it was looked upon not well stopped, it appeared to be a Spirit∣less Phlegm, but not of a red florid colour, and but little wasted.

EXPERIMENE VIII.

Spirit of Human Blood being exposed to the Air in a frosty Night, in which Oyl of Vitriol was froze, it was not in the least al∣tered or coagulated by it, but being put in∣to a frigorifick Mixture, it was presently frozen.

EXPERIMENT IX.

A piece of black clotted Blood, being put into Spirit of Human Blood, it became of a florid colour, and retained that all Night.

EXPERIMENT X.

Spirit of Blood being poured upon powde∣red Blood, presently dissolved part of it, and acquired a deep pleasant colour. But Spirit of Wine being poured upon another parcel, acquired not a Tincture, till urged with Heat; and then only a yellow one; but common Wa∣ter presently dissolved a pretty deal of another parcel.

EXPERIMENT XI.

Spirit of Human Blood poured on lumps of Vitriol, dissolved them slowly without a froth; but upon the powder the solution was quicker and with a froth. And both the So∣lutions were of a more lovely blue than the Mineral it self; nor was there a dark Preci∣pitate

as in a Mixture of ordinary Vitriol and Spirit of Urine.

EXPERIMENT XII.

Spirit of Human Blood employed for an invisible Ink, is much better than Serum of Blood.

EXPERIMENT XIII.

Having immersed the Ball of a Weather-Glass in distilled Water contained in a wide mouthed Glass, upon an affusion of two or three spoonfuls of Spirit of Human Blood, the tinged Spirit of Wine did presently subside in the Stem, within a little, as I have observed it with Spirit of Urine. And here it may not be amiss to take notice, that the reason why I employ distilled Water instead of common Water or Pump Water, is, because it is not impregnated with Salts, which may vary the success of the Experiment.

EXPERIMENT XIV.

Spirit of Blood being poured upon filings of Copper, and stopped up in a Glass extracted a Ceruleous Tincture, which in a few days gra∣dually growing fainter, I opened the Glass up∣on which its Ceruleous colour was renewed, and extended it self downwards towards the bot∣tom of the Vial, and so strong as to render the Liquor almost Opacous. And tho' the Liquor

was stopped up several days after, yet it lost not its colour.

EXPERIMENT XV.

Some of the same Spirit being poured upon Lapis Armenus, extracted from it a lovely and a deep blue, almost like a Solution of filings of crude Copper in the same Menstruum.

Postscript

To conclude this Chapter I shall add, that tho' I have laid down these notes with what ex∣actness was possible, yet I question not, but that the Blood of several, and even of the same Animals is so different at different times, that were they to be tryed over again they would scarce have the same effects; yet it will not be a just reason to discourage others in further Tryals, since the advantage natu∣ral knowledge may attain by it, will be a suf∣ficient reward.

CHAP. XI. Of the Reconcileableness of Specifick Medi∣cines, to the Corpuscular Phylosophy.

BEfore I descend to shew that the notion of Specifick Medicines is agreeable to spe∣cifick Medicines, I shall first represent, that I am induced to believe that there are such, by

the common Observations of a great many learned Men and able Physicians; and to favour this common Observation, viz. That there are such Substances which have peculiar effects, which can be ascribed to no manifest Qualities, I shall urge the effects of Poysons taken in a very inconsiderable quantity. And I am told, that something that fell from a Spider into a Man's Eye caused him to lose his sight, to which I shall add, that Spiders are observed to kill flies, much sooner than cutting off their Heads, or running them through with Pins will do it. To which instances we may add, that most Poysons are cured by appropriated Antidotes; and as perfumes cause ill symtoms in many Histerick Women, so the fumes of Feathers burnt relieve them. And I have found that the smell of Spirit of Harts-horn or Sal-Armoniack, hath recovered People made sick by fragrant Odours. But beyond all o∣ther Arguments is experience; for Galen tells us, That the ashes of a burnt Craw-Fish will cure the biting of a mad Dog, and that their effects are much more considerable, if to ten Parts of burnt Craw-Fish we add five of Gen∣tian and one of Frankincense. And Diascorides commends them against the same Disease that the Pergamenian does. And tho' the stings of Scorpions usually produce very acute Pains and formidable Symtoms, yet the mischief is easily remedied, either by crushing the Body of the Scorpion upon the Hurt, or by anointing the Part with Oyl of Scorpions, tho' the Liquor appears not to have any sensible Qualities, to which their Efficacy may be ascribed.

And to these Instances I might add, that Verginian Snake-weed cures the sting of a rat∣tle Snake, and the Jesuit's Powder is a speci∣fick in Agues. And tho' it be argued against the Virtues of specifick Medicines, that they are altered by the ferment of the Stomach, and other strainers of different Textures, and that a great deal is carried off by Excrements, or is assimilated and converted into the Substance of our Bodies; yet to these things it may be answered, that not only Oyntments, Plaisters, Periapta, &c. work upon the mass of Humours; but even those Medicines which are allowed to work by manifest Qualities, perform what they do upon the account of their Particles al∣terering, and differently disposing the Hu∣mours of our Bodies, and in doing of that they are liable to the same objections offer∣ed against specifick Medicines. Besides, it is observable that Rhubarb, will tinge the Urine of those that take a considerable Dose. And there is a Fruit called prickled Pears in the English American Colonies, which passes by Urine, so much unaltered, that the People think, when strangers to it, that they piss Blood. And Elaterium so much impregnates the Milk of a Nurse, that it will Purge the Child that takes it. And I remember that in the confines of Savoy and Swizerland, when the Cattle fed on a Herb called wild Garlick, the butter would sensibly taste of it. And in Ireland they have a kind of Sea-Fowl which feed upon Fishes, which is so little altered, as to make some question whether it be Flesh or Fish.

And tho' it be further urged against Speci∣fick Medicines, that so little is dispersed through the habit of the Body, that it can have no considerable effects; yet their Efficacy may answer for their smallness in quantity. For I am told that the Negroes have a Poyson, which tho' it work slow, is nevertheless Mortal, and this they conceal under the Nails of their Fin∣gers, and drop into the Aliment of those they have spite to. And I know a Vegetable Sub∣stance, half a Grain of which will be too vio∣lent a Purgative; and sometimes Mortal: And tho' English Vipers are looked upon as no Poyson, yet by the Wound of a single Tooth I knew one who was taken with violent Vomitings. To which may be added the ter∣rible effects of Scorpions in the Island of Java. And we see that several Women, otherwise strong and lusty, will fall into Swoons upon the smell of Musk or Civet, tho' all the Effluvia that affect them, would not amount to the hundredth part of a Grain; and by Effluvia, perhaps not more plentiful these Symptoms may be again removed. And the Portions of Crocus Metallorum in Wine, or of Quick-Silver in Water, tho' small have very considerable effects, so that when a Child who obstinately refused all Medicines, drank small Beer im∣pregnated with Mercury, he was much reliev∣ed in a violent worm Fever.

Having said thus much of specifick Medi∣cines, I shall now proceed to lay down some things in the following Propositions, to shew that they be mechanically explicated: But first I shall premise, that I would not have the

Body to be considered as a dull lump of matter, but as an admirably contrived Mechanical En∣gin, consisting of Parts exquisitely contri∣ved and adapted to their particular Uses; and that the effects of Bodies upon it may be considered in reference to that Disposition of their Parts.

This being premised there is no need to think, that all specificks act after the same manner, or the same way, and sometimes the specifick may operate by a joynt and in a compound way. But to proceed to the fol∣lowing Propositions.

PROP. I. Sometimes the specifick Medicine may cure by discussing or resolving the Morbifick matter, and thereby making it fit for Expulsion by the greater common shores of the Body, and the Pores of the Skin.

Thus the Blood impregnated with Medici∣nal Particles, may act upon gross Humours which obstruct the Parts, and are not to be resolved without specifick Solvents, which by their figure and agitation may get in betwixt and separate those Viscous Parts; so Blood impregnated with Sal-Armoniack dissolves Copper, not by manifest Qualities; but by Virtue of the Shape, Bulk, Solidity, and other Mechanical affections of its Parts, which con∣cur to enable it to disjoyn the Parts of a Body, of such a determinate Texture. And indeed there are not only a great number of

Menstruums very different from one another, but their effects evidently appear not to depend upon manifest Qualities, since it several times happens that a Menstruum less Acid, may dissolve this or that Body, which a much stronger Menstruum will not work upon; so Wa∣ter will dissolve the white of an Egg, which Spirit of Wine will coagulate, and so will Spirit of Salt and Oyl of Tartar it self; and thus dephlegmed Spirit of Urine will more readily dissolve filings of Copper than Spirit of Vitriol, and yet the latter will speedily dissolve Crabs Eyes, tho' the other leaves them untouched; so Quick-Silver will dissolve Gold in the cold, tho' Aqua Fortis assisted by Heat leaves it untouched; yet Aqua Fortis will dissolve Iron, and Quick-silver will not. And Brimstone will be dissolved by com∣mon Oyl, tho' not by Aqua Fortis. And I know a Liquor of which one may safely drink a Wine Glass full, tho' it will have such an effect upon Stones and Metals as can scarce be matched.

And if specifick Medicines may act upon Humours in the Body, after the manner of Menstruums, we may easily guess why they have peculiar Virtues, viz. By reason of their aptness to work upon peculiarly disposed Bo∣dies, so, as I have elsewhere noted, Aqua Fortis will not work upon Silver if too strong, till diluted with Water.

And as the dissolution of a Body may part∣ly depend in its disposition, to be acted on by such a Menstruum, from thence may be

deduced a reason, why a Medicine which hath good effects in one Disease may have but in∣different ones in others; for tho pure Spirit of Wine will easily dissolve Gumm, Guajacum, and that Rosinous matter lodged in the Pores of the Wood, yet the same Menstruum will not work upon the Wood it self. And if so, no wonder that those Medicines which cure one Distemper in one Person, will not cure it in another, since a Variation in the Texture of the Morbifick matter, is enough to vary the effects of the Medicines. And that a slight alteration of Texture varies the effects of a Menstruum appears, since, tho' Spirit of Nitre or Salt separate will each dissolve Copper; and tho' the Spirit of Nitre will dissolve Silver, yet if Spirit of Salt be added to it, it soon loses that Quality.

And here, tho' some object against speci∣fick Medicines, that since they rove up and down in the Blood, they cannot act well on particular Humours, yet if we suppose the Medicines act by impregnating the Blood, and that they turn it into a kind of Menstru∣um, it is possible that both the Menstruums may be appropriated to the peccant Humour, so as to resolve it more easily than any other Humour of the Body. As if you take some Bone ashes, Crocus Martis, Saw-dust, Pow∣dered Sea-Salt, and filings of Gold, and mix them together, common Water will dissolve the Salt and leave the others untouched, and Quick-Silver will alone dissolve the Gold: And those that work in Spanish Gold Mines

tell us, that Quick-Silver poured upon pow∣dered Ore of Gold and Copper mixed, it will scarce meddle with the latter, till the former is licked up.

And from what hath been said, we may be furnished with a reason of the effects of Periapta Amulets and Appensa, especially if we consider what hath already been delivered of the Effluviums of Bodies, and the Porosity of Animal Bodies; and tho' these Effluvia be very small in quantity, yet their effects may be more considerable, in as much as they are neither altered nor consumed, by previ∣ous digestions, and circulating through Parts, in which they might be in a great measure dispersed, and carried off a-long with the Ex∣crements.

PROP. II. Sometimes a specifick Medicine may mortifie the over Acid, or other immoderate Par∣ticles, that infect the mass of Blood, and destroy their Coagulatory or other Effects.

Tho' I believe not that all Distempers are, yet I question not but that a great ma∣ny are caused either by Acids, or their ill effects or Productions; and which may be cured by specifick Medicines two ways, viz. either by mortifying them by a positive Hostility, such as Alkalizate Salts, whether fixt as the lixiviate Salts of Plants, or Volatile, as those of Urine, &c. Or, by taking off or blunt∣ing

their edges; as a Knife may lose its power of cutting, by putting it in a sheath, or sticking something upon the edge; for the edges of an Acid may be taken off, as well by being lodged in a Porous Alkaly, as by having their edges broken off; and thus it is that Minium takes off the Acidity of Vinegar; Chalk takes off the edge of Aqua Fortis, and Lapis Calaminaris lessens the Aci∣dity of Spirit of Salt and Spirit of Nitre; and that Acids are rather sheathed than alte∣red by these Bodies, I am apt to believe, be∣cause as Glauber tells us, they may by a strong fire be drawn out of Lapis Calaminaris much stronger and more dephlegmed than be∣fore.

And tho' it may be urged by those that plead against specifick Medicines, that they act by a manifest Quality, viz. their Alka∣lious Nature, or their Acid; yet there is so great a variety betwixt Acid and Alkalious Medicines themselves, that I am perswaded they perform a great deal upon the account of something else, besides their Acid or Al∣kalious Nature, since Aqua Fortis will not dissolve God tho' it will Silver, but if it be altered by an addition of Spirit of Salt, it will dissolve Gold and not Silver. And a different Modification may not only make a difference betwixt Acids, but a contrariety; since Spirit of Salt will precipitate Silver, which Aqua Fortis hath dissolved: And Spirit of Nitre will precipitate out of Butter of An∣timony, an Antimonial powder with a consi∣derable

Conflict and Effervescence; yet this Butter of Antimony is so highly Acid, that a little quantity of it put into a little Water makes it so sower, that many Chymists call it Acetum Philosophorum. And as there are seve∣ral kinds of Acids and of Alkalies too, so every Alkaly will not mortifie the same Acid; for tho' Chalk will precipitate a Solution of Cop∣per in Aqua Fortis, yet a Volatile Alkaly will not. And indeed when I consider what diffe∣rence there naturally is betwixt Acids, it is not unreasonable to expect, that there may be Acid Humours produced in the Body utterly un∣known to us, and which may require a speci∣fick Alkaly to correct them, as it is observed, that tho' neither Spirit of Vinegar, nor Spirit of Salt, nor Oyl of Vitriol, will dissolve a Calculus Humanus, yet Spirit of Nitre will, and by that means loses its Corrosive∣ness.

And to what hath been said, I shall add, that I am of opinion that particular Acids may be the occasion of Distempers, which they are by some rather taken to be Remedies; for tho' Acids are looked upon to be of an incisive Na∣ture, and tho' in some cases I am willing to allow them those Virtues; yet I believe that Ob∣structions and the Diseases depending therein, are caused by Acids coagulating, some fluids disposed to be thickned by them; which might be exemplified by the Coagulation I have made of some Acid Salts, as Spirit of Salt, of the white of an Egg, which by be∣ing beaten is reduced to an Aqueous consi∣stence:

And Milk will be coagulated not only by Spirit of Salt, but Rennet and Juice of Li∣mons, and it hath been found by experience, that some Acids transmitted into the mass of Blood, have coagulated it in living Ani∣mals.

But tho' I believe a great many Distempers are occasioned by Acids, yet I conceive some are occasioned by Acid Salts uniting with o∣ther Saline Bodies; as Spirit of Salt, and Spirit of Urine produce a Sal-Armoniack. And Spirit of Nitre with Salt of Tartar dissol∣ved in common Water will coagulate with it into Salt-Petre; and the same Spirit of Nitre with Spirit of Urine will produce a very fusi∣ble Salt, different from either of the Ingre∣dients; and Oyl of Vitriol or Oyl of Tartar per Deliquium will produce Tartarum Vitri∣olatum; in which both the Acidity and Al∣kaliousness of the Ingredients are much in∣fringed, the Body resulting from the compo∣sition being different from both the Ingredi∣dients: And if besides these instances we con∣sider how many different Substances may be produced by Nature, I am apt to believe, that specifick Qualities are requisite to alter or destroy them, in the Medicines made use of for that purpose.

And to what hath been said, I shall further add, that I have mixed two Liquors together neither of which were Acid or Alkalious, and yet the resulting Body was a consistent Coa∣gulum. And I have prepared a certain Li∣quor, which upon the affusion of Spirit of U∣rine

will be turned into a Gelly. And the like I have produced without the help of either an Acid or an Alkaly. And I have had a Substance prepared without the help of a Vo∣latile Alkaly, which would in a trice coagu∣late highly rectified Spirit of Wine; and as Spirit of Salt will coagulate the white of an Egg, so will dephlegmed Spirit of Wine; so that an Animal Substance may be coagulated without an Acid.

PROP. III. Sometimes a Specifick Medicine may help the Patient, by Precipitating the peccant matter out of his Blood, or the other Liquors of the Body in which it harbours.

Tho' Precipitation be generally a Consequent of the Mortification of Acids or Alkalies, by Corpuscles of a contrary Quality, yet some A∣cids and Alkalies may be mixed without a pre∣cipitation of any thing; and several Precipita∣tions may be caused without any such manifest Hostility. As in certain mixtures of Spirit of Sal-Armoniac made with Salt of Tartar or Pot∣ashes, and Spirit of Nitre, or Aqua Fortis; and also when Spirit of Urine and Salt, are mixed in a certain proportion, make Sal Armoniac, which the Phlegm of those Liquors will keep swimming; and that there may be Precipitati∣ons without any appearance of contrariety, is evident, when Silver being dissolved in Aqua-Fortis, the Menstruum is diluted with Thirty

or Forty Parts of Distill'd Water; for if clean Plates of Copper be immersed in the Solution, the Metal will be slowly precipitated out of it, in the form, not of a Calx, but pure shining Scales of Silver; and if you rub Dantzick Vitriol upon the Blade of a Knife well wetted with Water, the Steel in a trice will be overlaid with a reddish substance, which by its Colour and Signs appears manifestly cupreous. And here I shall add, that there are in Nature, Pre∣cipitants which silently precipitate some Bodies dissolved in Urinous Menstruums.

And tho' against the Use of Precipitating Medicines, it may be urged, that the Hetero∣genous Particles precipitated, may be of dan∣gerous consequence, yet they may be less per∣nicious than those hostile Particles that pro∣duce the Disease. And further, they may not be so big, but that it is possible for them to be carried out of the mass of Blood, since those Mineral Substances dissolved in Tunbridge Waters, and the Sulphureous ones in the Bath, chiefly perform their effects by being disper∣sed through, and acting on the several Parts of the Body.

But moreover it is possible Precipitations may be made in the mass of Blood, without the Medicine getting into it, which is obser∣ved in the use of Chalybeat Medicines; where were it urged, that they pass through the Pores of the Guts, then there is no reason why there are not Pores in the Body large enough to carry off the Precipitated Parts of the mass of Blood.

And not only Sennertus makes use of Medi∣cines in Fevers, to Precipitate the febrile matter, but Kergerus very solemnly declares that he cured thousands only by a Precipita∣ting Medicine.

And that Precipitating may be of use in Physick, I am the more inclined to believe, if a Putrefaction of Humours be rightly assign∣ed as the cause of some Distempers; because I know a Liquor which being dropped into stinking Water, Precipitated a light Feculen∣cy out of it, upon which the Liquor was wholly freed from its stink, nor could I per∣ceive that the Feculency it self had any; and what was more remarkable was, that the taste of this Precipitant was neither Bitter, Acid, Urinous or Lixiviate.

PROP. IV. Sometimes the Specifick Remedy may work by peculiarly strengthening and cherishing the Heart; the part affected, or both.

That a Medicine may have peculiar effects on this or that Part, I am inclined to believe for the following reasons. First, because the se∣veral Parts of the Body are of different∣ly framed, and have different Humours lodged in them; and consequently the Parts of a Medicine dispersed through the Body, may be more aptly appropriated to be receiv∣ed or detained in those Parts; and the Parts being thus strengthened may be more able

to resist the influence of Morbifick Humours, by which means they are thrown upon more ignoble Parts, for which reason, some Per∣sons are seised with the Gout; and I know a Gentleman, who tho' he could drink Wine without much hurt, yet Brandy would cause him to have a severe Tooth-ach.

But to illustrate what I was saying, of the disposition of some Parts of Medicines to associate themselves with those Parts they seem friendly to; I shall add, that in nou∣rishing Children, Milk does not only afford grosser Faeces, and various other Excrements as Urine, Mucous, and a Humour by insensi∣ble Transpiration, but Particles which upon their being assimilated increase the bulk of the Body; and whereas it is observed, that some Cartilages in Children acquire a Bony hard∣ness in older Persons, this change cannot be supposed to be the bare effect of Exsicca∣tion.

And as Specifick Medicines may confirm the strength of a Part, so they may conduce to the restoreing of strength to the weak Part, by removing Distempered Humours; and this they may do, not only by altering the whole mass of Blood, but their peculiar dispo∣sition to act on the Distempered Humour And as the Morbifick matter is diversify'd, ac∣cording the disposition of the part it is lodged in, so must the Medicine be Speci∣fically appropriated. And as they contribute to the removal of a Distempered Humour, so consequently they will to the strengthening

of the fibres of those Parts; either by giving them a firmness; or by correcting their im∣moderate Heat or Cold; or correcting the Humours lodged in the Pores of the Part, or by takeing away the Convulsive or inordinate motions of the Parts; or by relaxing, or o∣therwise altering their Pores, or causing the matter lodged there to be expelled by a gentle or violent agitation; as when Cantharides cause an Excretion of Urine, or Gravel, by irri∣tating the fibres of the Bladder: And the effects of this Medicine alone are sufficient to prove, that there may be Specifick Medicines which chiefly respect particular Parts; since Cantharides pass through the Body, without affecting any other part but the Bladder.

And tho' at the first a Medicine may chiefly respect a particuler part, without altering the Blood, yet when once it hath caused a change in it, the Blood it self, as it successively circu∣lates through that Part, may in some measure act Specifically upon it. And tho' a Medicine may communicate to the Blood Particles of matter so modified, that they may not imme∣diately relieve the Part, by either strengthen∣ing it, or causing the Distempered matter to be carried off by a gentle irritation, yet it may do it by both these ways, as when Rhubarb is taken, it not only purges the Liver of Choler, but strengthens the Tone of the Parts by its astringency. And Osteocalla is observed to be a Specifick, by promoteing the Generation of a Callus, to cement broken Bones.

PROP. V. Sometimes a Specifick Medicine may act, by producing in the mass of Blood such a di∣sposition, as may enable Nature, by correct∣ing, expelling, or other fit ways, to sur∣mount the Morbifick matter, or other cause of the Disease.

And this is agreeable enough with what most Moderns hold, viz. That Distempers chiefly depend upon the Temper and ill Con∣stitution of the Humours. And a change in the Humours may be effected.

By furnishing the Blood with some sort of active Corpuscles, which may agitate and fer∣ment it, and to quicken the Circulation of the Blood. Upon which occasion it may be ne∣cessary to advertise, That the Medicines usu∣ally made use of for that purpose being very hot; there are several Constitutions of Patients, and several other Circucumstances, upon which account they do more harm by their Heat, than good by their Spirituousness; besides the sluggishness and want of fermentation in the Blood, may proceed from causes which this sort of Medicine will not correct; for I have tryed, that a Vinous Spirit would not dissolve Blood which was a little dryed, nor draw a Tincture from it, tho' an Urinous Spi∣rit presently did; so that a Specifick Medi∣cine in such a case may perform what is in∣tended, without the inconveniences which other

Medicines are liable to: For we know that experienced Physicians, call some Medicines cold Cordials, as Sorrel, which hath an Acid taste; and it is possible sometimes those Hu∣mours whch make the Blood sluggish may not be of a cold, but a hot Nature, in which cases hot Remedies may rather increase than diminish their ill effects; as if the white of an Egg be reduced to Water by beating, Spi∣rit of Wine will instead of diminishing in∣crease its Viscidity. And I once prepared a Vegetable Substance, which upon an additi∣on of Wine became much more Viscous than before.

But to proceed, a Specifick Medicine may alter the mass of Blood, by contributing to its Tenacity, without respect to its Fermen∣tation; for if the Blood be too thick, it can∣not readily pass through the small Capillary Vessels, by which Circulation is in a great means retarded; as on the other Hand, if it be too thin, it gets out of the Capillary Vessels, and first Stagnates, and then Putrifies; but these ill consequences may be prevented, by such Medicines as either on the one Hand divide the Parts of the Blood, and make them more minute, or on the other such as associate them, and stick them together.

Another way by which a Specifick Medi∣cine may rectifie the state of the Blood, is, by working so upon the Heart, as to make it transmit Blood more advantageously; and that either by corroborating its fibres, or dissolving some ill distempered matter, that

obstructs the Contraction of it; and that a small alteration in the Constitution of the Heart, may do much in respect of the Cir∣culation of the Blood, will be easily granted by any one, that does but consider what in∣sensible Agents actuate it. And that the al∣most insensible Obstruction of Circulation pro∣duces considerable effects in the Body is evi∣dent, from the effects of Sorrow, which presently puts the whole Body out of order; and also from the effects of Joy or shame, both of which promote the Circulation of the Blood; and it hath been observed, that Joy hath had so sudden and considerable an effect, as to take off the sharpness of Hunger; and that Medicines may affect the Heart after the same manner, I am inclined to believe; especially since I knew a Lady, who was so affected upon the smell of perfumed Gloves, that the Blood flew into her Face, and put such a colour into it as if she had blushed. And if the state of the Blood may be thus altered, it may much contribute to the removal of some very troublesome Distemper, induced for want of a due Circulation of the Blood.

PROP. VI. Sometimes a Specifick Remedy may unite with the peccant matter, and compose a Quid Nutrum, which may be less offensive to Na∣ture, tho' not so easily expelled.

And this seems to me to be the most genuine effects of a Specifick Medicine; and when peccant Acids are lodged in the Spleen, or any other part less sapid, Alka∣lies may unite with them, without creating any manifest disturbance; and form a harm∣less Liquor; as Aqua Fortis, by being digest∣ed and distilled with a very ardent Spirit, loses its corrosive Acidity and ill scent, and becomes a harmless, sweet, and fragrant Li∣quor; and I knew one who relieved a Ne∣phritick Patient, with the use of inflamable Spirits. And I have elsewhere shewn, that Spirit of Wine acts not upon all Acids uni∣formly, but variously, according to the Na∣ture and proportion of the Acid. And Spi∣rit of Wine mixed with rectified Spirit of Urine, will in a great measure take off the corroding Qualities of it, and composes a Salt which is weaker than the Spirit, and be∣ing sublimed or reduced to a Liquor, becomes a good Medicine; and with a little skill will make a very good Menstruum in several Chy∣mical Experiments.

A few Grains of Glass of Antimony taken inwardly, will both Vomit and Purge, but if instead of Spirit of Wine we make use of that of Vinegar, and when by digestion the Liquor is sufficiently impregnated, it be ab∣stracted, Antimonial and Acetous Corpuscles will emerge, several Grains of which may be taken without either Vomiting or Purging; from whence it appears, that all Correctors are not to be esteemed Alkalies, since Acids themselves prove to be Correctors too. And after a like manner not improbably, the Poysons of Animals and others may be sub∣dued.

And it is not improbable, that by a Com∣bination of a Distempered Humour with a Medicine a Salutiferous Liquor may be formed, and tho' sometimes a Medicine is altered before it comes to the part affected, yet that alteration may render it Medicinal: An in∣stance of the former we have in the Preparati∣on of Mercurius Dulcis, where by uniting Poy∣son with Quick-Silver, an Efficacious Medi∣cines is made; and an Illustration of the lat∣ter may be brought from that Odour which it gives to the Urine of the Person who takes it, different from any smell it had of it self be∣fore.

And tho' against what hath been been said, for Specifick Medicines some may offer that there are some which are only externally ap∣plyed; yet from what hath been said, of the Porosity of Bodies and the effects of Effluvia, it will easily appear how they may influence

the Body, and alter the Humours which cir∣culate in it; and to what is there offered we may reasonably add, the ill effects of Amu∣lets of Arsenick mentioned by Diemerbreck, and the effects of Cantharides upon some Per∣sons who only wore them in their Pock∣ets.

And indeed there are a great many Medi∣cines externally Specificks, which one would not take to be so, as Camphire, which inter∣nally is very hot and good in some Malig∣nant Fevers, yet outwardly it is used to take off Heat Pimples in the Face, and in cooling Oyntments, and against Burns; and Spirit of Wine, tho very hot when internally used, yet it, if presently applyed, takes out the fire of Burns. And so mild a Body as Bread, if chewed and outwardly applyed, hath conside∣rable Virtues in external affections. And I have several times eaten a thing without any such effect, which a Physician told me exter∣nally applyed would Purge Children, being neither offensive in colour, smell or Gripe∣ing.

And to these instances I shall add, That Ga∣len tells us, that an Epileptick Boy was free from such Fits, as long as he wore only Piony Root as an Appensum. And I knew one who was Paralitick, that was suddenly relieved in violent Cramps, only by handling the Tooth of a River-Horse; and I as well as others have been relieved in the Cramp, by putting a Ring made of an Elks Hoof upon my fin∣ger. And I knew another cured of an In∣continentia

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Ʋrinae, by the sole use of an Appensum. And a Lady had a Scrophulous Tumor di∣spelled, only by successively applying the Body of a dead Man to the part affected, till the cold sensibly penetrated into it. And I my self had not only a violent Haemorrhage speedily stopped, by holding moss of a dead Man's Skull in my hand; but a Gentleman told me, that if when he was let Blood he held it in his hand, no Blood would flow out till he laid it aside. And another told me, that he had been freed from a Palpitation of his Heart, which usually fell upon him after a few hours sleep with great terror, only by wearing smooth and flat Cornelians in a bag over the pit of his Stomach.

Galen tells us, That Jaspers worn after the same manner are good for the Stomach; and Monardes tells us, that the Bleeding of the Hemorrhoids have been stopped, by wearing a Ring made of a Blood-Stone upon the fin∣gers. And not only Boetius and Johannes de Laet commends Lapis Nephriticus, but the ex∣perienced Monardes and others. And Untzerus tells us, that by wearing this Stone some Parts of the Stone were made so minute as to be expelled out at the Eyes: And that one that had a Catarrh was Purged fourteen times in one day by wearing of it; and it had the like effect, tho' not so strongly upon another. But,

To conclude this Discourse, I shall here ad∣vertise the Reader, that tho' I have laid down

several ways by which Specifick Medicines might operate, yet I think not those always singly effectual, but that sometimes they joyntly contribute to the producing of the effect; without enlarging upon this account I shall only subjoyn, that I hope from what hath been already delivered it may appear, that the Doctrine of Specifick Medicines is not irreconcileable to the Principles of the Corpuscular Philosophy.

CHAP. XII. A short account of Ambergrease communi∣cated in the Transactions of October 6. 1673.

I Received the following account from one of the Committee of the East-India Com∣pany.

Ambergrease is not the Scum or Excrement of the Whale, &c. but issues out of the Root of a Tree, which always shoots out its Roots towards the Sea, seeking the warmth of it, thereby to de∣liver the fattest Gum that comes out of it. Which Tree otherwise by its copi∣ous fatness might be burnt and destroy∣ed. Wherever it is shot into the Sea, it is very tough, and can scarce be loosen∣ed

from the Root, except by its own Weight or the Motion of the Sea.

If you Plant the Trees, where the stream sets to the shore, it will cast it up to great advantage. March 1. 1672. in Batavia Journal, Advice From, &c.

FINIS.

Notes

• Of the Ori∣ginal▪ of Gems.
• Of the At∣mospheres of consistent Bo∣dies.
• Of the sub∣tlety of Ef∣fluviums.
• O the great Efficacy of Effluviums
• Of the de∣terminate Nature of Effluviums.
• Of the Po∣rousness of Solids.
• Of the Po∣rosity of Animal Bodies.
• Of the Na∣tural Histo∣ry of Hu∣man Blood.
• Titles for the Natural History of Blood.
• Titles for the Natural History of Human Urine.
• Of the Hi∣story of Hu∣man Blood
• Of specifick Medicines.
• That their Operations may be Me∣chanically solved, is proved in the follow∣ing Proposi∣tions.
• Prop. I.
• Prop. III.
• Prop. V.