Experiment EXPERIMENT IV. Feb. 22. 77. TEN Ounces of Paste being included in a Receiver which was large enough to hold 22 Ounces of Water From Paste I impress'd Air enough into it to sustain 73 Inches of Mercury above the length of a Cylinder which the Weight of the Atmosphere is able to bear up In two hours there was no sensible Alteration Feb. 23. In 18 hours the Mercury was rais'd 7 Inches And in 6 hours more it ascended 8 Inches higher being buoyed up to 83 Inches Feb. 24 It was 90 Inches high Feb. 25 It was 97 Inches high Feb. 26 It was 101 Inches high Feb. 27 It was 105 Inches high Feb. 28 It was 107 ½ Inches high March 1 It was 112 Inches high Water seemed to be expressed out of the Paste March 2 It was rais'd to 120 Inches March 3 It was rais'd to 121 Inches March 4 5 It remained at 121 Inches March 8. Upon a Thaw the Mercury ascended 4 Inches and rested at 125 Digits March 10. It rose 6 Digits higher being suspended at 131 Digits March 21. The Season being so long Cold no Air was generated except that in the three last Days the Mercury was rais'd 7 Inches and rested at 138 Digits April 4. One of the Iron Wires made use of to straiten the Receiver was broke and the sides of the Receiver started out of their Places 4 or 5 Foot From whence it appears that Cold and Compression hinder the Generation of Air. EXPERIMENT V. March 1. 77. TWO Raisins of the Sun being bruis'd were shut up in an exhausted Receiver with Six Ounces of Vinegar It afforded Bubbles plentifully March 2. It still yielded Bubbles but the Mercury was not rais'd half an Inch. March 25. The Vinegar seem'd to contain Bubbles but the Mercury was not rais'd an Inch. So that Vinegar hinders Fermentation and the Production of Air. EXPERIMENT VI. April 7. HAving put 10 Ounces of Paste into a Receiver able to contain 22 Ounces Paste included in a Receiver of Water as much Air was press'd in as sustain'd Mercury above its usual height 128 Inches In Six hours it was rais'd four Inches being sustain'd at 132 Digits April 8. In 16 hours it ascended 9 Inches higher but for nine hours after it rested at 141. April 9. Some Air broke out in the Morning the Mercury subsided to 130 Inches therefore thrusting in as much Air as rais'd it to 141 I clos'd it it up with a Screw Apr. 10 It was at 151 Digits Apr. 11 It was at 158 Digits Apr. 12 It was at 168 Digits Apr. 13 It was at 176 Digits April 14 It was at 183 Digits April 15 It was at 183 Digits April 16 It was at 187 Digits April 17 It was at 191 Digits April 27. Eight Days it's Station was unalter'd but the two last it was rais'd 7 Inches being rais'd to 198 Digits April 30. So much Air being let out that the Mercury was rais'd but 50 Inches above it's usual height to try whether the compress'd State of that Air hindred it from expanding the remaining Air being pinned up presently rais'd the Mercury sensibly and 3 hours after the Mercury was rais'd to 62 Digits from 50. In five hours space after rose 1 ½ May 1. In 15 hours it rais'd only an Inch. May 3. On the Second it was at a stand to Day it was rais'd 1 ½ May 4. The Mercury ascending no higher I let the Air go and the Screw being set again in five Minutes the Mercury was rais'd two Inches May 7. In 3 Days it was rais'd 2 Inches higher May 8. In the two last Days it was rais'd ½ an Inch. And the mass being shut up in Vacuo in 5 hours the Mercury was buoyed up an Inch. May 21. It had not been rais'd 3 Inches yet May 30. It rested at 4 Inches and ½ From whence it appears that all the Air that Paste will afford may be obtain'd from it tho' it be compress'd yet it is hindred in some Measure till that Pressure is taken off And from hence it appears that Air may be generated by repeated Turns and Reciprocations and that it is more slowly generated in compress'd than in free Air it usually yielding all that it will in two or three Days time EXPERIMENT VIII Artificial Air. July 30. 77. HAving included Plums and Apricocks cut asunder in a Receiver Plums and Apricocks I press'd so much Artificial Air of Cherries into them as rais'd 64 Digits of Mercury August 1. They yielded no Air but became Yellow as if too ripe August 3. The Mercury was rais'd a little higher and a whole Apricock appear'd full of Drops of Water August 7. The whole Apricock grew softer and the Mercurial Cylinder 59 Inches taller than it's usual Length August 8 It was 61 Digits high August 9 It was 65 Digits high August 10 It was 71 Digits high August 11 It was 74 Digits high April13 It was 78 Digits high April14 It was 80 Digits high April15 It was 80 Digits high April16 And till the 22 th it rested at the same height The 24th it was 77 Inches high On the 29th I open'd the Receiver and found that the Fruit was well Colour'd and smell'd Sub-acid the Flesh being Spongeous It emitted several Bubbles when first it was freed from the ambient Pressure Common Air. July 30. 77. The same Fruit being conveyed into a Receiver with Common Air some being cut and others whole July 31. The Mercury was rais'd 8 Inches high August 1. At six a Clock in the Evening the Mercury was rais'd 20 Inches August 3. The Fruit was much more firm than those Included with Artificial Air. The Mercury was rais'd to 35 Inches August 4. The Mercurial Cylinder was rais'd to 42 Inches August 6. The Apricock appear'd unalter'd The Mercury stood at 57 Inches Aug. 7 It was 81 Digits high Aug. 8 It was 95 Digits high Aug. 9 It was 113 Digits high Aug. 10 It was 124 Digits high The Apricock began to turn Yellow But did not in the least appear Moist Aug. 11 It was 131 Digits high Aug. 13 It was 157 Digits high Aug. 14 It was 163 Digits high Aug. 15 It was 171 Digits high Aug. 16 It was 171 Digits high Aug. 17 And for some time after it stood at the same height Aug. 27 It was 182 Inches high Aug. 29 The Receiver being open'd the Apricocks were more Acid and less grateful to the Taste than those in factitious Air The Pulp was well Colour'd but Spongy they yielded Bubbles as the others did From this Experiment we may be induced to think that the Artificial Air hindr'd the Apricock enclos'd with them from yielding Air yet it enriches their Colour and Firmness and is good to preserve their Taste EXPERIMENT VIII Grapes without Spirit of Wine AN Ounce and an half of unripe Grapes bruis'd being enclos'd in a Receiver capable of holding 10 Ounces of Water Oct. 11 The Ascent of the Mercury was small Oct. 12 The Ascent
Harts-horn in Vacuo HArts-Horn burnt in Vacuo yielded some Air. June 17. Air produced by burnt Harts-horn was soon destroy'd but if it lasted an hour undiminish'd it usually continu'd a considerable time June 19. Harts-horn taken out of the Receiver yielded a fetid Oyl but no Volatile Spirit EXPERIMENT III. June 21. Amber in Vacuo AMber being burnt in a Receiver ascended in Fumes up to the Top and thence reflected downwards but burnt in Vacuo they rose not above a Digit at the first but afterwards it rose almost to the Top The Mercury in the Gage was not alter'd in it's height June 22. Water in which the Receiver was immers'd got into the Receiver July 8. No more Water got in Nor did the Amber produce the least Air. EXPERIMENT IV. Jan. 18. 77 Camphire included in a Receiver TWO Drachms of Camphire being put in an empty Receiver upon a Digesting Furnace Jan. 19. It was sublimed into Flowers no Air was produced EXPERIMENT V. May 24. 76. Sulphur Viv. melted in a Receiver SULPHUR Viv. being melted in an exhausted Receiver by the help of a Burning-glass yielded no Air. EXPERIMENT VI. July 19. PASTE included in a Receiver and burnt afforded so much Air that the Cover which before could not be mov'd without difficulty easily parted from the Receiver ARTICLE IX Concerning the Production of Air in Vacuo EXPERIMENT I. Sept. 9. 76. Dry'd Grapes in Vacuo AN Exhausted Receiver being half full of dry'd Grapes Sept. 10 It ascended ½ Sept. 12 It ascended ½ Sept. 14 It ascended â…œ Sept. 17 It ascended â…œ Sept. 22 The Ascent was â… Sept. 27 The Ascent was â… The Height was 3 Digits Octob. 11. The Mercury was 6 Digits high Sept. 9. 76. A Receiver being half full of dry'd Figs the Air was drawn out till it stood at 3 Inches Sept. 10. No Air produced Sept. 17. No Air. Whence it appears that there is no Regularity in the Production of Air from dry'd Fruits EXPERIMENT II. August 5. 76. Pears and Apricocks PEARS and Apricocks were shut up in Vacuo Aug. 6. In 18 Hours the Mercury was rais'd 2 Inches In ten Hours more the Height of it was 3 Digits Aug. 7 The height was 5 Aug. 8 The height was 6 ½ Aug. 9 In 14 hours it was 7 ¼ Inc. hig Aug. 10 The height was 8 ¾ Aug. 11 The height was 10 ¾ Aug. 12 The height was 12 ¼ Aug. 13 The height was 14 ¼ Aug. 14 The height was 16 Aug. 15 The height was 18 Aug. 16 The height was 20 Aug. 18 The height was 25 Aug. 19 The height was 29 Aug. 20 The height was 31 ½ Aug. 21 The height was 32 ½ Aug. 22 The height was 34 Aug. 23 The height was 35 Aug. 26 The height was 38 ½ Aug. 29 The height was 41 Sept. 1 The height was 42 ½ Sept. 4 The height was 44 Sept. 7. The three last Days being hot it was rais'd to 46 ¼ Sept. 10 The height was 47 ½ Sept. 13 The height was 44 Sept. 23 The height was 48 Sept. 27 The height was 50 ½ Nov. 5 The height was 52 â…“ Nov. 28. The Apricocks were reduc'd to Water the Skin being sever'd from the Pulp no more Air was produc'd Jan. 10. 77. It was a hard Frost at which time the Mercury came to 57 Inches Upon a Thaw it was depress'd to 23. March 3. The Apricocks were putrifi'd and had lost their Colour Hence it is evident that Apricocks afford Air almost as fast in their wonted Pressure as in Vacuo EXPERIMENT III. June 20. 76. Sowre Cherries SOwre Cherries whole being put into one Receiver and others cut into another The whole ones rais'd the Mercury in two hours 10 Lines the dissected ones 20. June 21. The whole ones rais'd the Mercury to 3 Inehes the other Gage was spoil'd June 26. The whole ones rais'd the Mercury 15 Digits The other Receiver was full of Air. July 9. The Receiver being remov'd from it's Cover I eat a Cherry which was well tasted The rest being included in Vacuo and some of them broke in an hour rais'd the Mercury 2 Digit July 10. The Mercury ascended not because the Gage was spoil'd July 15. The Cover was sever'd from it's Receiver Whence it appears that dissected Fruits produce Air sooner than whole ones EXPERIMENT IV. June 9. 77. Cherries in Vacuo CHerries being put into a Receiver rais'd ¼ of a Digit of Mercury in an hour Jun. 10. The Mercury was rais'd in 18 hours to the height of 11 Digits June 11 It rose to 15 June 12 It rose to 15 †June 13 It rose to 22 June 16 It rose to 30 June 18 the Receiver was open'd Fruits of the same kind in France fill'd their Receiver in 2 Days and probably there may be the like difference in other Fruits in several Countries EXPERIMENT V. June 12. 76. Cabbages in Vacuo CAbbages being included in a Receiver in an hours time rais'd the Mercury a Line June 13. It was rais'd to 10 Digits June 17. It was rais'd almost to the Top of the Gage the Cabbages being very little alter'd June 19. Having been 2 days expos'd to the Air were corrupted and blackish being shut up in Vacuo they rais'd the Mercury ½ an Inch. June 22. It was rais'd to the height of 1 ½ June 23. No more Air being produc'd the Cabbage was taken out It stunk much So that I suspected that Bodies have afforded as much Air as they can before they putrifie EXPERIMENT VI. May 29. 76. Oranges in Vacuo HAving shut up two pieces of Orange which weigh'd 4 Ounces in 2 exhausted Receivers large enough to hold 10 Ounces of Water June 10. They remov'd the Receiver from it's Cover upon which I shut them up in an exhausted Receiver capable of containing 8 Ounces of Water upon which the Mercury ascended ½ of a Digit June 13. It was almost 2 Digits high June 16. It ascended about 3 Lines June 21 It ascended not one Line July 18. The Mercury was no higher but some Mouldiness appear'd EXPERIMENT VII April 27. 76 A Tulip in Vacuo A Tulip being shut up in a Receiver with as much Air as rais'd the Mercury 2 Digits May 2. That which before was strip'd put on a dark Red and became moist It afforded but little Air. EXPERIMENT VIII April 22. 76. A Limon in Vacuo A Limon shut up with a Mercurial Gage 3 Digits long April 24 It was 1 ½ Digits high April 25 It was 2 Digits high April 26 It was 4 lines higher Apr. 27 It rose 1 Line Apr. 28 It rose 1 Line Apr. 29 May 3. In four Days it ascended a little above a Line May 3. 77. The Limon was a little alter'd The Mercury was rais'd to the Top of the Gage Jan. 1. 17. The Limon had contracted a Yellowness and Moisture EXPERIMENT IX March 16. 67. An Apple in Vacuo AN Apple which began
Receiver with the same Ingredients as in the former Experiment In some time the Spirit acquir'd a very pleasant blew Colour and two or three Days after that Colour began to grow fainter and fainter so that at the end of the fourth Day it had wholly lost it's Colour But being expos'd to the Air in four or five Minutes the Top of the Liquor began to turn Blew and at the end of ten Minutes it diffus'd it self throughout the Whole and five Minutes after grew so strong as almost to be Opacous The Liquor shut up again in two or three days time grew clear And this Experiment being try'd several times had the like Success In trying these Experiments I forbore to shake the Glass lest the Alterations should be suppos'd to arise from any Sediment rais'd and mix'd with the Liquor tho' for the most part none was to be perceiv'd EXPERIMENT VII Filings of Copper with Spirit of Sal Armon HAving enclos'd Filings of Copper with Spirit of Sal Armoniack enough to cover them an Inch we shut up with them a Gage In some time the Spirit had got a blew Colour and in the mean time for two or three Days the Mercury in the seal'd Leg descended near 1 â— of an Inch. The like Success we had when the Experiment was try'd several times after EXPERIMENT VIII Coral and Spirit of Vinegar A Mercurial Gage with Coral and Spirit of Vinegar being enclos'd in a Conical Glass whilst the Menstruum work'd on the Coral several Bubbles were produc'd which breaking in the Cavity of the Vessel compress'd the Air into â…” parts of the Space it possess'd before but after the Operation of the Menstruum was ended the Compression declin'd till the compress'd Air regain'd it's Extent within a third of what it was dispossess'd of by the Compression Spirit of Vinegar and Minium Spirit of Vinegar and Minium being after the like manner enclos'd with a Gage in a Conical Glass tho' the Minium was in a great measure dissolv'd yet the Gage discover'd no Alteration in the Air. EXPERIMENT IX Filing of Copper with Sp. of Sal Armon ABOUT the 20th of August we put Filings of Copper into a Viol with as much Spirit of Sal Armon as cover'd them an Inch In three Days it had acquir'd a deep blew Colour and almost lost it again The Viol being open'd in five Minutes it was of a deep Blew but being shut up again nine Days it lost it's Colour EXPERIMENT X. THE same Ingredients being shut up in a Viol hermetically seal'd presently acquir'd a deep Blew and in twelve Days after lost it again during which time the Mercury in the open Leg was impell'd up but when in the Night the Seal was broken open there succeeded a Noise and the Mercury in the shorter Leg was rais'd briskly near 3 â— of an Inch and tho' the Air had access to the Liquor at an Orifice no larger than a Pea yet in a Minute and a half the Surface of the Liquor had acquir'd a lovely fair Colour a quarter of an Inch deep and in five Minutes the whole was Blew CHAP. XIII A Statical Hygroscope propos'd to the Secretary of the Royal Society COnsidering how much Men's Bodies are influenc'd by the Moisture of the Air and it's Dryness I made use of the following Hygroscope to discover the different Degrees of those Qualities viz. A Spunge which is a Body that sucks up the Air 's Moisture much more commodiously than several other Bodies for tho' common Sea-Salt or Salt of Tartar will imbibe the Moisture of the Air yet it is a hard matter to separate it from them again And tho' Lute-Strings discover'd the Degrees of the Air 's Moisture by the increase of their Bulk yet they continu'd not to answer Expectation long I likewise made use of a Cup made of a Light Wood with a Button on the Bottom of it to which a Hair being ty'd it was by that suspended at a Ballance and also I observ'd several things when I made use of Sheep's Leather which would be a good Hygroscope being plentifully furnish'd with Pores to imbibe Moisture but that it is more subject to Rot than Spunge A statical Hygroscope For in the main I found nothing so convenient as Spunge which is so plentifully stock'd with Pores that a Drachm having imbib'd as much Water as it could contain without dropping weigh'd 2 Ounces and 2 Drachms And All that is requir'd in using this Hygroscope is that the piece of Spunge made use of be first weigh'd in Air of a moderate Temperature with a Nice Ballance for as afterwards it increases or decreases in Weight so accordinly the Air is moister or drier In making use of this statical Hygroscope you may use what Quantity of Spunge you please so that it's Weight be not so great as to injure the Ballance CHAP. XIV A Brief Account of the Utilities of Hygroscopes The Usefulness of Hygroscopes THE Use of a Hygroscope is either General or Particular The general Use is to estimate the Changes of the Air as to Moisture and Dryness by ways of measuring them easie to be known provided and communicated This appears from the Description of our statical Hygroscope by which we can by the help of small Weights discover the least sensible Alterations in the Temperature of the Air nor is it the only Advantage in our Hygroscope that it is able to discover such Alterations in the Air 's Temper but it is an Additional one that it is durable and lasting N. B. It is one great thing wanting in the Preparation of Hygroscopes that we have not yet found a Standard of Moisture and Dryness to adjust and compare other Hygroscopes by But having thus briefly intimated the most general Use of Hygroscopes I shall now proceed to mention their Particular Uses VSE I. To know the differing Variations of Weather in the same Month Day and Hour I Have commonly observ'd that when the Weather was at a stand the Spunge grew heavier in the Night but lost that Moisture the next Day before Noon but in frosty Nights at the latter End of the Winter this Observation did not hold Amongst other Observations it would not be amiss to note whether there be any Correspondence in the Air 's Operation on Hygroscopes and Baroscopes and if at all in what kind of Weather For usually in the Summer when the Hygroscope is lightest the Baroscope is higher tho' strong Winds may make both lighter such as the North-West with us whereas South Winds with Rain usually make the Baroscope lighter and the Spunge heavier And East Winds tho' they make the Baroscope heavier in Winter yet they make the Hygroscope lighter It would likewise be of use to observe on the Sea-Coast whether the Ebbing and Flowing of the Sea causes any sensible Alteration in the Hygroscope as likewise at what time the Air is moistest especially at Full and New Moons by which Observations we may
in the Latter the different Substances concern'd in every New Production are brought together by an Artist for in both the Agent acts as a Natural Agent CHAP. X. An Experiment with some Considerations touching the differing Parts and Redintegration of Salt-Petre SALT-PETRE is a Concrete so universally concern'd in the Composition of most Bodies that it will be of no small Import to Natural Philosophy to enquire throughly into the Nature of it which will in some Measure appear by considering how many Substances may be drawn from it or turn'd into it which will be briefly intimated in the following Experiment An Attempt to redintegrate the Form of Salt-Petre Having according to the usual Method Crystaliz'd Nitre we melted four Ounces of it in a Crucible into a Limpid Liquor throwing in Live-Coals successively till it would kindle and fulminate no longer and continuing it in a strong Fire a considerable time to dissipate the remaining Volatile Parts and then breaking the Crucible we divided the fix'd Nitre immediately into two Portions one of which being dissolv'd in as much Water as was sufficient we drop'd in Spirit of Salt-Petre till the Ebullition rais'd by the Mixture of these Liquors wholly ceas'd and then filtrating the mix'd Liquor we expos'd it to the Air in an open Glass-Viol and on the other Part undissolv'd we likewise dropt the same Spirit till the Firmentation ceas'd exposing it to the Air in an open Glass-Jar In the former Mixture wherein the Water was put in a few Hours certain Crystals of Salt-Petre stuck to the Lower Parts of the Glass amongst which were several other Crystals like Mustard-seed encompass'd with a downy Substance The Crystals the next Day being considerably greater were taken out and both by their Burning and Shape appear'd to be Nitrous Nitrous Salts being furnish'd with flat Sides which when opposite are usualy parallel and as for that downy Matter which adhered to some of them we judg'd it to proceed from the Disproportion of the Volatile and Fix'd Parts of the Nitre which were to be joyn'd together a-new These things being observ'd we pour'd the remaining Liquor into an open Glass-Vessel which in about three Weaks-time being again Saturated with Petre we pour'd it from the Salt and evaporated it in a Digesting Furnace The other Mixture which was only fix'd Nitre and Spirit of Salt-Petre for the most part presently Subsided in the Form of a Salt which when dry'd in the Air was of very irregular Figures and in some Parts not much different in Shape from Salt-Petre which it also much resembled in Burning tho' the Deflagration was in some measure peculiar to it self But this Salt together with the Liquor swimming upon it being preserv'd in the Air for about a Month longer after Evaportion the one half shot into Crystals which burnt much like Petre and had a Similar Figure tho' a different Taste and the other half being speedily exhaled shot into Crystals of a distinct Figure from all others Cautions to be observ'd in the Foregoing Experiment Now to make this Experiment clearer the following Things are to be observ'd 1. That in Fixing the Nitre New-Coals are not to be cast into the Crucible till the former are almost spent or be thrown out by the violent Exhalations of Nitrous and Volatile Parts 2. That the Quantity of Spirit of Nitre dropp ' upon the Fix'd Nitre was almost proportionable to the Salt-Petre spent in the Fixing of it 3. That this Fix'd Nitre was very little different in Taste from Salt of Tartar had the same aptness to Absorb Air and to relaxate in moist Air Yet it differ'd in Colour being betwixt a Blue and a Green One which it lost upon the Affusion of Spirit of Nitre Another Method of Reuniting the Parts of Salt-Petre But this Method being tedious I shall propose a Way more expeditions which is this Having run Fix'd Nitre per deliquium and by Filtration separated it from its Faces we dropp'd upon the Liquor Spirit of Nitre which after a Ferment usual to a Mixture of those Liquors presently shot into Crystals in Shape as well as Nature manifestly Nitrous A Third Method Another way we took was this Having Impregnated a Solution of Fix'd Nitre in Water with Spirit of Nitre and filtrated it through Cap-Paper the Cool Liquor in a short time shot into Crystals like those of Petre and the Liquor being again Evaporated afforded a fresh Quantity of Crystals not unlike the former But lest the Sal-Petre re-produc'd by the Coalition of these two Bodies should be thought to lodge in the Fix'd Nitre and only to be unyok'd by their Solution it is requisite to annex That the greatest Quantity that can be suppos'd to remain in the Fix'd Nitre would not amount to such a Quantity as that Mixture affords And to make the Matter less suspicious we impregnated a Solution of Pot-Ashes after the same manner as we had done the Fix'd Nitre Salt-Petre obtain'd from Pot-Ashes Aqua fortis and Salt of Tartar which after Filtration and Evaparation shot into Crystals which 0103 0207 V 3 were very like Salt-Petre in Taste as well as their Deflagration upon Live-coals We likewise obtain'd a small Quantity of Salt-Petre from Aqua fortis and Salt of Tartar associated But to draw Inferences from the Foregoing Experiment from hence we may learn That the Sensible Qualities of Bodies may be accounted for by the Mechanical Motion together with the Figure and Disposition or Modification of their Parts And first tho' Salt-Petre be a Body inwardly and in it self cooling yet the Parts of it differently Modify'd in our Experiment being put together do immediately put each other into so violent a Heat that I could with much ado hold the Glass in my Hand so that Heat seems to be nothing but a quick Motion of the finest Particles of Bodies since it no longer continu'd in that Mixture than the Parts of it were in Agitation Upon the Mixture of these two viz. the Spirit of Nitre with the Fix'd there was likewise produced an audible Sound proceeding from the Percussion of the Air by the swiftly and impetuously agitated Parts of the Mixture A Sound like to which is produc'd by a hot Coal cast into Water or into melted Nitre in a Crucible tho' the Latter causes a Sound much louder Which Sound probably proceeded from the Percussion of the Air because the Motion of a Bullet or a Stick where the Quickness of the Percussion puts the Air into an Undulating Motion will cause a Sound as soon as that Undulating Motion reaches the Ear and it is further confirm'd because that Sound no longer continues than the Parts are violently agitated And here it is to be observ'd That the Sound produc'd by the Mutual Conflict ceases long before the Heat which is acquir'd by that Ebullition from whence it may be inferr'd that the same Intestine Motion of Parts which are able to produce Heat are incapable of causing
Pump D. D. is joyn'd by a Screw to the Stop-Cock C. E. A Vessel which fluctuates in the Receiver in which an Animal being put and the Pump fill'd with Water and joyn'd to the Stop-Cock by a Screw the Water contain'd in the Pump will by lifting up the Sucker be forc'd into the Receiver and by that means condense the Air without an addition of new and by drawing the Sucker down again the same parcel of Air will be again expanded so that Observations may be made how much the thickness or thinness of Air contributes to the preservation of the life or health of Animals PLATE VII An Instrument to distil in Vacuo See Fig A. A. A Brazen Vessel the lower part of which is shut and the upper open B. B. A piece of Tin exquisitely adapted to the Tube so as to prevent the External Air from entring in being adapted to the Edges of it A. A. D. D. C. C. A Tube fix'd in the middle of the Tin Plate B. B. D. D. A Brazen Vessel whose Orifice is contiguous to B. B. E. E. A Stop-Cock fix'd to the Perforation in the Plate B. B. F. F. A Tube-reaching from the Stop-Cock to the Pneumatick Engin. G. G. A metalline Vessel enclosing the Junctures of the Vessels with the Diaphragma and also the Stop-Cock that by keeping them immers'd in Water they may be free from External Air this is cemented to the Vessel A. with Soder The manner of using this Engin is the following viz. The Tin Plate being remov'd and the Ingredients to be boil'd being put into the Vessel A. A. then re-applying the Tin Plate A. A. and the Vessel D. D. and the Tube F. F. being apply'd to the Pneumatick Engin and the Air pump'd out the Vessel G. G. having been first fill'd with Water we shut the Stop-Cock and remove the Tube F. F. and then the exhausted Vessel being placed on the Fire Vapours will ascend through the Tube C. C. which will be condens'd in the upper Vessel and what Quantity of Air is there generated will appear by the Mercurial Gage H. in the Top of the Vessel But here it is to be noted that round pieces of perforated Paper being laid upon the Orifices of the Vessels A. A. D. D. they will be more exactly joyn'd with the Tin Plate The Junctures of the Tube F. F. both with the Pneumatick Engin and Stop-Cock are to be guarded with Cement and the Stop-Cock must be so contriv'd as to stand so far without the Vessel G. that it may be conveniently turn'd When any thing is to be conveigh'd into the Vessel the Tin Plate E. E. and the Stop-Cock may be laid aside Which may be done without any great Dissiculty for the Key being made up of two parts the one of which M. is turn'd in the Stop-Cock by a Chink into which the End of the other part O. O. which fills the Pipe N. N. fix'd to the Vessel G. G. is receiv'd so that one End being prominent outwardly whilst it is turn'd it may communicate Motion to the other Part M. But whilst the Tin Plate B. B. is is to be taken out of the Vessel G. G. it must be drawn outward Fig. 2. Another Instrument for the same Vse with the former B. B. A small Tube both Ends of which are polish'd that it may be exactly adapted to the Orifices of the Vessels A. and D. A. A. D. D. Two Vessels made of Glass so joyn'd by the Tube B. B. that Vapours may pass from one to the other E. E. F. F. G. G. I. Are of the same Use with the first Figure and the Instrument is to be evacuated by the same Method only the Glass Vessel must be placed in Balneo Mariae or on Sand and the Vapours so rais'd will condense in the Vessel D. D. CHAP. III. ARTICLE I. Several Ways to help the Production of the Air. EXPERIMENT I. Air produced from Bread TO try whether a piece of Bread which was moist and a little kneaded would yield Air I included it in Vacuo with a Mercurial Gage July 12th 76. but it yielded none On the 12th some broke in the Receiver and raised Mercury 3 Inches high and at Night it was rais'd an Inch higher tho' no external Air got in July 13th it ascended higher On the 26th Day it expanded it self so powerfully as to separate the Receiver and it's Cover the Smell of it being acid So that Air may be drawn out of Bread by such a Menstruum as Water EXPERIMENT II. JVly the 11th Bread being burnt by a Burning-Glass in Vacuo yielded Air which came from it with an Explosion whence we may guess that could Air be separated more easily from it it would produce very considerable Effects EXPERIMENT III. Septemb. 22. I Enclos'd in a Receiver From Grapes Eight Ounces of dry'd Grapes bruis'd in 7 Ounces of Water the Receiver being large enough to contain 22 Ounces Septemb. 23. Tho' the Receiver was cover'd with Water all Night the Mercury was rais'd two Inches Septemb. 30. In seven Days it was rais'd thirteen Inches Octob. 5. In five Days more it was 25 Inches high Octob. 18. The Mercury ascended slowly some Air making it's way out of the Receiver Grapes without Water did not yield Air so plentifully See Art IX Exp. I. EXPERIMENT IV. July 12. I Shut up 10 Ounces of Raisins of the Sun bruis'd From Raisins in as much Water as was sufficient to make them ferment July 14. In 48 Hours rais'd the Mercury ten Inches at Night the Mercury was 5 Inches higher the next Day it was almost as high as when buoy'd up by the Atmosphere July 16. In the Morning the Receiver and it's Cover were separated by Air which got through the Water which the Receiver was cover'd with The same Raisins were shut up in Vacuo again July 18. In the Morning the Air broke out July 19. They were enclosed in the empty Receiver July 21. The Receiver was so full of Air that some of it forced it's way out and they were inclosed in the exhausted Receiver again July 22. The Receiver was almost full The 23d in the Morning it forced it self out When the Parts of the Water have work'd upon Grapes 5 or 6 days they yield Air very fast tho' at the first they do not EXPERIMENT V. August 13. 1677. PLums were shut up in one Receiver From Plums and Pears in two others August 16. They were all full of Air and one which contain'd Pears and lay open to the Sun-Beams rais'd the Cover in 24 hours EXPERIMENT VI. Octob. 16. 77. From bsed Grs. I Enclosed two Ounces of bruised Grapes in a Receiver large enough to hold 20 Ounces of Water .. Octob. 17. The Mercury was raised half an Inch. Octob. 18. The Mercurial Cylinder was raised half an Inch more The 20th it encreased 2 Inches The 22d 4 Inches The 27th near 6 Inches Jan. 2. 78. It was not quite 10 Inches
being shut up in a Receiver which was large enough to contain 20 Ounces of Water began to be ill before I had set the Screw but as much Air being press'd in as rais'd the Mercury 30 Digits she seem'd to recover but after a little time she began to be ill again yet so much Air being thrust in as rais'd the Mercury to 45 Digits she recover'd a second time But some time after she began to gasp again nevertheless 28 Minutes after the Receiver was open'd she got out and was very well EXPERIMENT VII Jan. 20. 1678. A Shrew-Mouse in a Wind-Gun A Shrew-Mouse being shut up in my Wind-Gun and the Air so far condens'd that it reduc'd it to a twentieth Part of the Space it possess'd before upon a Discharge of that Air the Elliptick Hole being open'd the Mouse was taken out dead Another Mouse being put in and the Air compress'd to a third Part of it's Space it was taken out well The Experiment was repeated and the Air 7 or 8 times condens'd by which the Mouse seem'd not the least prejudic'd The same Experiment being repeated the Air being 7 times compress'd when the Mouse had been shut up 24 Minutes upon a Discharge of the Air after repeated Groans died From whence it appears that compress'd Air is noxious yea mortiferous EXPERIMENT XVIII Jan. 28. 78. A Shrew-Mouse in compress'd Air. I Put a Shrew-Mouse into a Glass to whose Neck I ty'd a Bladder stopping the Orifice which being shut up in a Receiver when the Mouse began to be sick by pressing new Air into the Receiver the Bladder was straitned and tho' new Air could not penetrate into the Mouse yet the Air it was shut up in being compress'd it was much better and being taken out in a short time recover'd Another Mouse being shut up after the same manner till it could scarce breath when the Air was compress'd its Respiration seem'd abated upon which the Receiver being open'd and the Mouse expos'd to the Air it could not breath much more freely yet when Air was blown upon it with a pair of Bellows it seem'd reliev'd but being again shut up with compress'd Air it breath'd less frequently and died March 25. A Mouse being shut up in an Instrument before describ'd when I perceiv'd the Mouse sick I intruded Water into the Receiver so that the Air was reduc'd into half the Space it possess'd before upon which the Mouse breath'd more rarely but the Air being successively compress'd and left to it's liberty again the sick Mouse seem'd to breath more lively in the common Air than in the compress'd Whence I conjectur'd that the Air is to Animals as Food which ought to bear some proportion to the Strength of the Animal In Confirmation of which Conjecture I shut up a Mouse in my Pneumatick Engin and rarifi'd the Air so much that it possess'd three times the Space it did before upon which the Mouse seem'd better but presently began to be sick yet underwent no sensible Alteration upon an intromission of Air The like success happen'd three times successively tho' at the last the Mouse died ARTICLE V. The Effects of Artificial Air upon Animals EXPERIMENT I. May 5. 77. A Bee A Bee in Artificial Air. together with distill'd Vinegar and Powder of Coral being convey'd into a Receiver I so contriv'd the matter that when the Receiver was exhaustod the Coral fell into the Vinegar But the Air produc'd had no Effect on the Bee yet when it had been a little expos'd to the Air it began to move Whence we may gather that Artificial Air is not fit for Animals to live in EXPERIMENT II. August 12. 76. TWO Flies being contain'd in a Receiver Flies in Artificial Air. with as much Artificial Air of Goosberries as sustain'd 26 Inches of Mercury And two others being shut up in Vacuo adding common Air enough to sustain 23 Digits of Mercury upon which in a quarter of an hour the latter began to fly but those in the Artificial Air lay without motion Aug. 13. Those in the Artificial Air seem'd dead the others were well nor did the former recover tho' expos'd to common Air a whole day Aug. 18. The same Experiment was repeated with the like Success This Experiment is a further Confirmation that Artificial Air is noxious to Respiration EXPERIMENT III. June 22. 77. PASTE being contain'd in 3 exhausted Receivers Paste included in 3 Receivers June 23. Into one I put a perfum'd Cone kindled which was extinguish'd in a Minute as soon as the Receiver was stopp'd yet in common Air it burnt bright for some time after the Receiver was stopp'd Another Experiment being try'd with a Fly I observ'd that tho' when it was shut up in Artificial Air for some time it seem'd dead till reviv'd in the Sun-Beams yet another shut up in common Air receiv'd no damage The like Success follow'd when we try'd the Experiment a second time save that the Fee being taken out of the Artificial Air was something longer before she recover'd From hence it appears that Artificial Air is prejudicial to Fire as well as to the Life of Animals EXPERIMENT IV. Jun. 25. 77. HAving enclos'd Paste in four Receivers two of which were exhausted and the other two but half evacuated June 26. Those which were half full of common Air being fill'd with Artificial I put two Flies into one of them which were depriv'd of Motion as soon as they came to the Bottom A Third and then a fourth successively being put in they continu'd to live longer yet after some Convulsions lay unmov'd and supine But being remov'd into common Air in a little time they came to themselves Those Flies that were put into Receivers which only contain'd common Air were well sooner June 27. One of the Receivers which had been wholly exhausted of common Air being casually thrown down gave way to an Ingress of external Air A Frog being being put in was not much disaffected June 30. The fourth Receiver being forced away from it's Cover I put a Frog into it which after five minutes high Convulsions lay without Motion four minutes and then being taken out of the Receiver continu'd so 46 minutes but in five minutes more grew very well From hence it appears that if Artificial Air be mix'd with common Air it is so much the less prejadicial to Animals EXPERIMENT V. June 28. I Enclos'd Paste in four Receivers A Frog in Artificiab Air. 3 of which were wholly exhausted of common Air but the fourth was left half full June 29. One of the Receivers being full of Artificial Air and a Frog put into it after it had been violently Convulsive for 4 or 5 Minutes and lay void of Motion for about a Minute being taken out of the Receiver in about 5 Minutes began to move and was well again in a little time A Frog being put into another Receiver with Artificial Air was Convulsive for about 7 Minutes and
then lay void of Motion for about a Minute yet when it was taken out of the Receiver it began to struggle and move after which Motions which seem'd to be the Relicks of its Convulsions it lay for about half an hour void of Motion again yet at the last it recover'd a second time A Frog being cast into that Receiver which was but half exhausted for ten Minutes seem'd Convulsive and then lying still for about a Minute the Receiver being open'd within half an hour recover'd power to move again But in the Experiment it was to be noted that the Quantity of Artificial Air was so much encreas'd before the Frog was cast in that part of it and consequently some of the common Air made it's way out A Frog being shut up in a Receiver with common Air. July 1. In the Morning it was alive in the Afternoon dead It liv'd near 48 hours June 30. A Frog being shut up with Artificial Air wholly after 7 Minutes Convulsions died nor did it recover tho' taken out 2 Minutes after July 1. It did not recover Hence it appears further that Artificial Air is most detrimental when least common Air is mix'd with it EXPERIMENT VI. June 30. Paste included in a Receiver PASTE being shut up in two exhausted Receivers July 4. Some little Air having got into one Receiver I put a Shrew-Mouse into it who after vehement Convulsions died in a Minute A Snail being put into the other Receiver continu'd to move vehemently for a quarter of an hour after which time its Motion gradually declining in a quarter of an hour it seem'd dead but in a short time grew well again Flies being shut up in another Receiver were not at all prejudic'd too much External Air having got in From hence it appears That Artificial Air is prejudicial upon the Account of some venomous Quality and not only by defect of Common Air since Snails liv'd a longer time in Vacuo See Art VI. Exp. III. EXPERIMENT VII July 5. 77. A Frog in Artificial and Common Air. HAving transmitted Artificial Air of Cherries out of One Receiver into another full of Common Air in which a Frog was contain'd so much Water flow'd out as was sufficient to give way to the Ingress of the Artificial Air. Upon which the Frog being Convulsive for about a Quarter of an hour lay still yet soon recover'd again when expos'd to the Air. This Experiment seems to prove that Artificial Air of Cherries is less pernicious than that of Paste See Exp. V. EXPERIMENT VIII July 9. 77. Goosberries enclos'd in Vacuo GOosberries were shut up in three empty Receivers July 20. So much Air was produc'd as separated the Cover from the Receiver Two Flies being cast successively in presently Died a third seem'd Convulsive a fourth in less than a quarter of a Minute lay without Motion The Receiver being clear'd of the Artificial Air it grew well July 24. A Shrew-Mouse being shut with Air from Goosberries Died in half a Minute Hence it may be inferr'd that Air produc'd from Fruit is less prejudicial than Air obtain'd from Minerals for July 20 a Mouse being shut up with Air produc'd from Gunpowder Died in a Quarter of a Minute EXPERIMENT IX July 5. 77. Paste in Vacuo PAste being contain'd in four exhausted Receivers July 6. One was forc'd from it's Cover Some Common Air got in before it could be stopped A Shrew-Mouse being put in was Convulsive a Minute and ½ and then remain'd moveless Being taken out after some Convulsive Motions Died. July 7. A Bird shut up as the Mouse was in a quarter of a Minute Died A Bird of the same kind being shut 4 Minutes with common Air was very well July 9. The same Bird which continu'd well in the Common Air Died when enclos'd with Artificial Air in a quarter of a Minute An Adder being shut up with Artificial Air in 2 Minutes began to be ill and in 24 Minutes was depriv'd of Motion and tho' 6 Minutes after it was expos'd to the Air yet it recover'd not July 10. There was no hopes of Recovery EXPERIMENT X. July 12. 78. A Bird in Artificial Air. A Bird shut up with Air from Raisins Died in ¼ of a Minute July 18. A Shrew-Mouse being shut up with the same sort of Air after 2 Minutes seem'd ill and void of Motion yet in 2 or 3 Minutes was well again EXPERIMENT XI Octob. 1. 78 A Shrew-Mouse in a Receiver A Shrew-Mouse being shut up an hour in Common Air could scarce Breath Another being cast into the same Receiver before the Stopple was clapt on again some fresh Air broke in by which the first Mouse was refresh'd yet about an hour after both died About 4 after Noon another Mouse being clap'd in very cautiously died in 3 Minutes Whence it appears that the same Air is not long fit for Respiration EXPERIMENT XII April 28. A Snail in Artificial Air. A Snail being enclos'd with Air from Paste froath'd and contracted and expanded successively till in 4 Minutes it became void of Motion At a quarter of an hours end being taken out it was void of Motion Yet being prick'd with a Pin a quarter of an hour after mov'd a little A Snail being shut up when that Air was blown out was not ill at all whence it appears that Artificial Air is more prejudicial to Animals than a Vacuum EXPERIMENT XIII Jun. 22. 78. Green Pease in a Receiver IN a Dayes time green Pease yielded Air enough to sustain 10 Digits of Mercury Jun. 23. The Mercury was 30 Digits high Jun. 24. It rose no higher The Cover and the Receiver stuck not together yet no Air got out Jun. 26. The same Pease being shut up in the same Empty Receiver Jun. 29. A Snail being thrown in and the Receiver being full of Factitious Air it froth'd and frequently contracted and expanded but after six Minutes lay still 2 or 3. Being taken out it mov'd a little Whence we gather that Factitious Air of Pease is not so prejudicial to Snails as that of Paste See Experiment XII XI The Factitious Air being blown out a Snail did very well in the Receiver In this Experiment it is observable that Pease sooner yeild Air in Vacuo than in Compress'd Air. ARTICLE VI. Animals in Vacuo EXPERIMENT I. Jun. 22. 76. A Butter-Fly in Vacuo A Butterflie mov'd 3 hours in Vacuo and recoverâ—d it's Motion when lost upon an ingress of Air. Being hung by a thred tied to one of her horns it was mov'd from one side of the Receiver to the other by the Motion of it's Wing but when the Air was drawn out we could not move the Thred from a perpendicular Posture EXPERIMENT II. July 12. 76. Two Flies in Vacuo TWo Flies being shut up with as much Air as sustain'd 10 Inches of Mercury the biggest seem'd presently Dead tho' the other liv'd 24 hours When both Flies lay as Dead
to putrifie was put into one Receiver and a bruis'd one into another May 15. The bruis'd Apple appear'd wholly rotten and the Receiver was forced from it's Cover The other Apple was unalter'd Aug. 20. That which before began to putrifie was yet unalter'd It tasted grateful but subacid The Pulp was of a mealy Consistence This Confirms the Inference from the 5th Exp. of this Article EXPERIMENT VII May 17. 76. Milk in Vacuo AN equal Quantity of Milk being shut up in common Air and in Vacuo May 18. That in the common Air was cover'd with Cream the other with Bubbles May 19. The Bubbles swell'd more and more the Mercury was rais'd a little May 20 The Bubbles swell'd more and more and the Milk seem'd curdled The Mercury in the Gage being rais'd to the Top. The Milk in the free Air was evidently curdled May 22. The Milk in Vacuo being curdled yielded more Air yet almost all the Bubbles being broke From this Experiment it appears that Milk is sooner coagulated in open Air than in Vacuo June 20. The Milk in the free Air stunk and was full of Worms and emitted several large Bubbles when the Air was drawn out the Worms mov'd vehemently and all liv'd four hours All the Bubbles on the Milk in Vacuo were broke and it continu'd coagulated May 19. 77. Some Whey in Vacuo was pour'd out of a Vessel into a Receiver about 4 days ago it seemed limpid like Water The Whey remaining in the Vessel was sufficient to separate the Butyrous from the Caseous Part. To day the Milk stagnant in the Receiver seem'd to be got out the Cover being forced from the Receiver Towards night the Milk being taken out of the Receiver was found acid both in Smell and Taste After a little time the limpid Whey disappear'd being mixt with the Caseous and Butyrous Part. May 24. The Butyrous Part vanish'd and the Milk began to smell amiss June 1. The Milk had no very bad Smell nor had it produc'd Worms but grew dry and then the Mice eat it up In this Experiment the following Particulars were remarkable First That the Coagulation was slower when the Air was drawn out Secondly The Weight of Butter Whey or Cheese is not the same in the Air as in Vacuo because one swims on the Top of the other Thirdly The Putrifaction of Milk is retarded by drawing out the Air. Fourthly Milk by being kept in Vacuo is not unfit to generate Worms when expos'd to common Air. EXPERIMENT XI Sept. 5. 77. Urine in Vacuo HAving enclos'd 3 Ounces and 3 Drachms of Urine in a Receiver capable of holding 10 Ounces Sept. 7. The Mercury was rais'd 2 Digits Sept 8. It was somewhat higher Decemb. 5. The Mercury ascended to the height of 3 Inches The Urine was unalter'd Decemb. 6. Urine was set under a Receiver being left open to the common Air. Decemb. 16. The Urine in Vacuo was not chang'd The other in 10 days time seem'd Turbid and it's Superficies mouldy From this and the foregoing Experiment we may infer that Urine contains less Air than Milk Besides the Efficacy of Air corrupting Urine is worth Notice EXPERIMENT XII May. 19. Diluted Paste A Vessel half full of diluted Paste which was without Leaven being convey'd into a Receiver before the Receiver was quite exhausted the Paste was swollen quite to the Top of the Vessel May 20. It swell'd more several Cavities being interspers'd through it May 22. It yielded more Air and was much more tumid May 23. The Receiver was separated from the Cover by the Air produc'd in the Receiver The swelling of the Paste was something abated and it was much more so in the Afternoon It did not Taste Acid. EXPERIMENT XIII July 20. 76. Beef in Vacuo A Quantity of Beef being put into one exhausted Receiver and a like Quantity into another which was in some Measure expos'd to the Air. July 21. The exhausted Receiver was fill'd with Air But suspecting that some Air had got in I shut the Beef up in another Receiver July 22. The Mercury in 14 hours was rais'd 15 Inches July 25. The Receiver was not half full of Air. July 26. The Receiver was sever'd from it's Cover and the Beef being again ncluded in Vacuo sustain'd 10 Digits of Mercury in an hours time July 28. The Receiver was full and when re-exhausted the Beef yielded a great deal of Air again in a short time July 30. The Receiver was again fill'd and being exhaust'd the Beef yielded so much Air in an hour as was able to sustain 10 Digits of Mercury August 1. The Receiver being again full and the Beef Stinking we threw it away Hence it appears that Flesh yields more Air whilst it Putrifies than before but it is otherwise with Fruits See Exp. IX of this Article EXPERIMENT XIV July 18. 78. Goosberries in Vacuo GOosberries being shut up in Vacuo In half an hour the Mercury was rais'd a Digit In an hour and half it was rais'd another July 19. The Receiver was almost fill'd July 20. The Receiver and it's Cover being parted a good deal of Juice ran out July 29. The Goosberries were again included in Vacuo July 30. In 16 hours the Mercury rais'd an Inch and ½ July 30. 77. They did not wholly fill the Receiver Some time since they lost their red Colour and inclin'd to a White one It seems from hence to follow that since after they had yielded all their Air they underwent no change that Air was the Cause of Corruption EXPERIMENT XV. Aug. 23. Pears in Vacuo PEars being included in a Receiver with as much Air as rais'd the Mercury an Inch and ½ In two hours it was almost 6 Inches high Aug. 24 It was 12 Aug. 25 It was 16 Aug. 26 It was 18 Aug. 27 It was 21 Aug. 28 It was 23 Aug. 31 It was 30 Sept. 1 It was 32 Inches high Sept. 2 It was 35 Inches high Sept. 3 It was 38 ⅓ Inches high Sept. 4 It was 44 Inches high Sept. 5 It was 45 Inches high Sept. 6 It was 50 Inches high Sept. 7 The height was the same some Air getting out Sept. 9 It was 53 ½ Inches high Sept. 8 It was 54 ½ Inches high Sept. 10 It was 58 Inches high Sept. 12. Yesterday there was no Alteration To day as I suspected some Air getting out it was 53 ½ Sept. 13. Being transmited into another Receiver it was 32 ½ Sept. 16. The Receiver being open'd the Pears were Rotten EXPERIMENT XVI From Sept. 17 to 22. Plums in Vacuo PLums dried being enclos'd in a Receiver yielded very little Air. Nov. 8. The Receiver was open'd no more Air being produced EXPERIMENT XVII Sept. 28. Nut-Kernels NUt-kernels being enclos'd in a Receiver Sept. 26 It rose A little Sept. 30 It rose 2 Inches Oct. 6 It rose By degrees to 6 Inches Oct. 15 It was 10 Digits high Oct. 22 It was 15 Digits
wholly freed from Air there was neither any Ebullition nor an appearance of Bubbles yet the Drops of Oyl mov'd in Vacuo after the same Manner as in open Air. Hence it appears that the Motion of the Parts of Oyl depend not in a Dissolution in Vacuo since all Dissolutions are company'd with a production of Bubbles EXPERIMENT VIII May 19. 76. Radishes in a Receiver with Claret HAving cut two Radishes transversly and suspended them all Night in Vacuo over a Vessel of Claret the small End of one being downwards and the other in a contrary Posture all being freed of their Air the next Day I freed two other Radishes from their thick Skin and cutting them transversly suspended them over the Wine as the others in Vacuo upon which immersing them all in the Wine they emitted Bubbles considerably especially those that had been longest in the Receiver From this Experiment we may urge that Bubbles are form'd of Particles of Air contain'd in Water and the Reason why those Radishes yielded most Air whose Skins were not pull'd off is because those Skins are full of Canals and Pores to contain Air in for the forming of Bubbles The Liquor ascended equally in all the Radishes notwithstanding their Postures EXPERIMENT IX May. 4. A small Tube immers'd in Water A Small Glass Tube open at both Ends being immers'd in Water the Water in Vacuo ascended as high as it usually does in common Air but in a little time it was rais'd higher by Bubbles of Water which divided and intercepted the Cylinder of Water in 3 several places besides several Bubbles of Water pass'd out at that End of the Tube which was immers'd One End of this Tube being Hermetically seal'd up the Experiment succeeded after the same manner as when it was open but in the open Air the Water ascended not One thing in this Experiment was very Remarkable viz. That the Water suspended in the Tube yielded no Bubbles but only at the Bottom of the Tube nor did the Cylinder of Water even at the Bottom yield Bubbles when it was rais'd above the Surface of the Water which it was before immers'd in May. 5. The Experiment was repeated but before the End of the Tube was immers'd in Water a Drop which ran over the Superior Aperture of the Receiver fell down to the open End of the Tube and was rais'd two Lines in the Cavity of the Pipe No Bubbles were form'd in half an hour till the Tube was immers'd in Water and then successively they rose one after another In trying this Experiment several times I observ'd that tho' whilst the Tube was immers'd several Bubbles appear'd about the End of it yet when it was rais'd above the Surface of the Water none were to be seen May 6. The Experiment was try'd with an Infusion of Nephritick Wood in which the Success was alike except that in the Infusion when the Bubbles were small they ascended to the Top of the Liquor which is an Argument of it's Thinness and that it hath no Viscocity May 10. I repeated the same Experiment with a Mixture of Spirit of Wine and an Oyl made per Deliquium In which nothing was to be observ'd different from the former but that the Liquor ascended not so high From these Experiments it may probably be inferr'd That the Formation of Bubbles in the Extremity of the Tube depends on aerial Particles which swim in the Water and meeting with some Impediment at their End are kept there till new ones joyning with them form Bubbles EXPERIMENT X. July 18. 76. Beans with Water in an Iron Tube BEANS such as Horses eat being shut up with Water in an Iron Tube 2 days ago to day seem'd unalter'd but the Stopple of the Tube being pull'd back Air and Water broke out which Eruption was succeeded by a bubling Noise which continu'd above an hour July 25. The Iron Tube was open'd a second time and a bubling Noise succeeded as before Whence it appears that Beans contain Air which cannot discharge it self in a Compression till that Compression is remov'd EXPERIMENT XI March 4. 77. Spirit of Sal Armoniack and Copper A Glass half full of Spirit of Sal Armoniack being included in Vacuo with Filings of Copper in it in 15 Minutes it was tinged with a diluted Blew which upon an Ingress of Air in 3 Minutes became vivid and thick April 4. The Liquor having been enclos'd in Vacuo had almost lost it's Colour which it regain'd when the Air was let in again EXPERIMENT XII May 8. Oyl per Deliquium with Spirit of Wine OYL made per Deliquium being shut up in a Receiver with Spirit of Wine swimming upon it when the Air began to be exhausted great Bubbles rose from the Spirit and small ones from the Oyl but in an hour the Oyl afforded Bubbles large enough to fill the whole Diameter of the Pipe in their Ascent and an hour after that they broke out so violently as to strike against the Top of the Receiver May 9. The Experiment being repeated in a Vessel which was longer and narrower I observ'd that the Bubbles which rose from the Oyl were not very large till ¼ of an Inch above the Surface of it and then they were suddenly expanded EXPERIMENT XIII May 3. 76. Aq. Fort. and Spirit of Wine A Mixture of Aqua Fortis and Spirit of Wine being divided into three Parts and each of those included in a distinct Vessel with a piece of Iron one of them was included in Vacuo upon which several considerable Ebullitions succeeded The Liquor when taken out was black and Turbid tho' in the other two it was not alter'd in Colour but only a black Powder was settled in the Bottom Wherefore one of those being included in Vacuo after Ebullitions less violent than those in the Vessel first included the Liquor in a quarter of an hours time being taken out was almost as black and turbid as that first put into the Receiver That in the open Air was not much alter'd May 4. The Liquors shut up in the Receivers appear'd clear and green But that in the open Air bubbled more than the day before and was of a red Colour And all three being shut up in Vacuo the red Liquor afforded larger Bubbles Hence it appears that Spirit of Wine promotes Ebullition in Vacuo EXPERIMENT XIV Jan. 21. 78. Spirit of Sal Armoniack with Filings of Copper A Glass half full of Spir. Sal Armon with Filings of Copper stopp'd with a Leather Stopple was put into a Receiver with unfermented Paste Jan. 22. The Air yielded by the Paste penetrated the Leather which is impervious to common Air which appear'd by the Tincture it gave the Liquor Jan. 25. The Liquor had almost lost it's Colour so that the Particles of Artificial Air are so minute as to penetrate Pores which common Air cannot Feb. 2. The Glass being shut up in a Receiver which admitted Air so
two Months unalter'd EXPERIMENT II. WHite Bread being enclos'd in Vacuo from the 11th of March to the 1st of April was unalter'd save that the outside of some Crumbs were a little dry nor was it any further alter'd in 17 days time more The inside of the Receiver was not Moist EXPERIMENT III. MIlk having been shut up in Vacuo three Months smell'd and Tasted sowrish being turn'd partly into a Whey and in Part into a soft Curd EXPERIMENT IV. VIolet Leaves being shut up a Month and 2 days in Vacuo had undergone no Alteration but that they had lost their smell by being crush'd down into the Vessel it being usual for them by crushing to exchange their Fragrancy for an earthy Smell EXPERIMENT V. SOme Violets being kept 7 Months in Vacuo some retain'd their proper Colour others look'd like white Violets EXPERIMENT VI. SHeeps Blood being shut up in Vacuo whilst the Receiver was exhausting emitted Bubbles and swell'd Being kept in a heat equal to the heat of a digesting Furnace for two days was Florid and Fluid afterward it inclin'd to a Blackness Eighteen days after external Air rushing in and the Glass which held the Blood being in a light Place we perceiv'd the lower side of it to be cover'd with a Coagulated substance of a deeper Colour than that which swam upon it but when by shaking it was rais'd it seem'd of a fair Colour The Blood being pour'd out had no more an offensive Smell than the Blood of a newly kill'd Dog EXPERIMENT VII CReam being shut up in Vacuo near a Year was like Butter on the top which by agitation was separated from the Butter-Milk it swam in The Butter-Milk was of a grateful Sowerness like other Butter-Milk but the Butter was Sowrer EXPERIMENT VIII SOme slices of roasted Beef being put into one Vial White Bread into another and pieces of Cheese into a third on the 15 of September February the 18 we perceived little Alteration they being free from Putrefaction EXPERIMENT IX JVly-Flowers and a Rose being inclos'd in a Vial on the 12th of August February 18 they were a little moist but retain'd their Shape and Colour In these two Experiments no Dew was perceiv'd in the upper Parts of the Receiver EXPERIMENT X. STrawberries being included in Vacuo June the 4th In the beginning of November we found them alter'd in Colour but not in Shape No sign of Corruption appear'd EXPERIMENT XI ROasted Beef Cheese and a French Rose being included in three distinct Receivers in Vacuo May the 2d were unalter'd September the 5th Flowers were preserv'd unalter'd 8 Months and a half EXPERIMENT XII A Pint of Beer which was a Year Old being shut up in Vacuo June 17 tho' in August Thunder turn'd the Drink in our Cellar Sower yet that in Vacuo appear'd unalter'd September 1. EXPERIMENT XIII ALe being inclos'd six Weeks in Vacuo tho' Thunder happen'd which turn'd the Ale in the Cellar Sower yet this was good as before EXPERIMENT XIV BLackberries included in Vacuo September 1st 70 June 20th 73 were free from an ill Scent and not in the least Mouldy some sower Liquor being taken out from under them they were shut up again Octob. 11. 74. They were much blacker than before No other perceivable Alteration It is not a little strange that so tender a Fruit should thus be preserv'd so long POSSCRIPT TO shew that Liquors by being Hermetically seal'd in Bolt-heads may be kept from sowering a long time June 14 we shut up good Ale in one the 5th of July next Year after it was not sower In 13 Months time after it was turn'd a little Sower This Ale was preserv'd much longer from sowering than otherwise it would June 14. 70. A Pint of French Claret being shut up July 5 71 was clear and high Colour'd and had deposited a Sediment When the Glass was broken white Streams rose plentifully from the Wine which presently disappear'd again The Wine was rough but well Tasted July 6. It was shut up again August 5 next Year the Wine Tasted well June 20 73 it was still good and therefore Seal'd up again Octob. 11. 74. It was open'd again and appear'd to be well Colour'd but less Spirituous yet it was not Sower CHAP. V. New Pneumatical Experiments about Respiration upon Ducks Vipers Frogs c. communicated in the Philosophical Transactions of August the 8th and September the 12th 1670. contain'd under the following Titles TITLE I. Observations made about the lasting of Ducks included in the exhaust'd Receiver EXPERIMENT I. Animals shut up in Vacuo TO try whether Ducks which continue a good while under Water without Respiration would bear the absence of Air much longer than other Animals in Vacuo we inclos'd a Duck in a Receiver which was third Part fill'd by her The Air being exhausted she continu'd well longer than a Hen would have done yet in a Minute she was discompos'd and in two she after violent Conuvlsions hung down her Head as if dead but presently reviv'd when Air was let in Being shut up much longer in Common Air she was not Discompos'd EXPERIMENT II. A Duck. A Callow Duckling being shut up in a Receiver in a Minute seem'd disorder'd In less than two Minutes being ready to dye and violently Convulsive we let in Air upon which she recover'd Being shut up 6 Minutes with Common Air she seem'd well N. B. The Duckling seem'd much bigger when the Air was exhausted than before TITLE II. Of the Phenomena afforded by Vipers included in an exhausted Receiver EXPERIMENT I. A Viper TO try what effects Air would have upon Vipers Animals constituted differently from other Creatures January 2 6 ⅖ A Viper was shut up in a Receiver as the Air was drawn out she began to swell and soon after we ceas'd Pumping she began to Gape In 2 ½ hours she did not appear to be quite Dead Soon after she gap'd the swelling subsided but presently rose again EXPERIMENT II. ANother Viper being shut up in Vacuo after she had mov'd a little up and down began to froth at the Mouth soon after we left pumping her Body and Neck swell'd prodigiously and a Blister rose on her Back 1 ½ hour she appear'd to be alive but no longer Her Neck and a great part of her Throat seem'd transparent Her Mouth was open and distorted The Epiglottis with the Rimula Laryngis was almost thrust to the end of the Neather Chap. The black Tongue arising from beneath the Epiglottis raught beyond it but seem'd dead The Mouth was black within Upon a Re-admission of Air in 23 hours the Mouth was shut tho' it open'd again Scorching or pinching the Tail caus'd Motion in the Body of it EXPERIMENT III. A Snake A Snake being inclos'd 22 hours with a Gage in a Receiver seem'd dead but when held something near the Fire put out her forked Tongue The next day she was dead her Jaws gaping as if stretch'd with Violence TITLE III.
and seem'd again to recover some Air getting in though it was pump'd out again for the last Eight Minutes she seem'd better than we expected At the end of a quarter of an hour the Bird being not like to die we took her out EXPERIMENT V. A Viper together with a Gage being included in a Receiver which held 3 1 ◠Pints of Water for 36 hours after it was exhausted mov'd up and down nimbly and put out her Tongue often At the end of 60 hours she seem'd almost dead and the next day at Noon was quite dead The Receiver taking in as much Water as the included Air would admit by measuring it we found that 5 parts of six of the Air had been drawn out A Digressive Experiment concerning Respiration on the Tops of High Mountains Of Respiration on the Tops of Mountains Upon Enquiry I was told that the Mountains in Armenia are so high that they cannot get to the Tops of them for Snow and that those that go up high are troubled with a shortness of Breath And the like difficulty of Breathing hath been observ'd on a Mountain in the Country of Sevenes in or near the Province of Languedoc And one that had been on the Top of Pic de Midi one of the highest Pyrenean Mountains observ'd the like shortness of Breath And the Air on the Mount Teneriff hath so violently affected some that they were not able to climb to the Top of it TITLE XII Of the Observations produc'd in an Animal in Changes as to Rarity and Density made in the same Air. TO try whether an Animal that was almost dead by being contain'd in rarifi'd Air would recover upon a Condensation of that without admitting any fresh Air to come to it we took a Lamb's Bladder whose outside being oyl'd to render it more transparent we cut so much of it's Neck off that way might be made for a Mouse to be put in which being done that the Neck of the Bladder might be ty'd up so that no Air could get in at the Wrinkles we cover'd a Wooden Stopple with Cement which squeezing into the Crannies we could utterly exclude the Air. A Bladder thus prepar'd being conveigh'd with a Mouse in it into a Glass Receiver we ply'd the Pump till the Glass Vessel was so much exhausted and the Air in the Bladder so far expanded that the Mouse was like to die Upon which the rarifi'd Air in the Bladder being again condens'd by admitting External Air into the Receiver the Mouse was reviv'd The Experiment was a second time try'd with the like Success TITLE XIII Of an unsuccessful Attempt to prevent the Necessity of Respiration by the Production or Growth of Animals in our Receiver EXPERIMENT I. Respiration necessary absolutely continue Life A Good Company of Tadpoles being shut up in a Receiver upon the first Exsuction they rose to the Top of the Water and tho they subsided again yet upon the second they rose again and seem'd to be discompos'd when the Receiver was exhausted they swam upon the Top being not able to dive down and in an hours time they became destitute of Motion when the Air was let in they sunk to the Bottom but recovered not EXPERIMENT II. THE like Experiment being try'd with a less number in a less Receiver tho' they were supply'd with Air sooner than the others yet very few recover'd EXPERIMENT III. THE same Experiment with the first being try'd some Years after in another Receiver we had the same Success EXPERIMENT IV. WE included some of those Insects in a Receiver with Water which first live in Water and then turn winged Insects which swimming up and down a few days put off their exuviae and were perfect Gnats which stood upon the Water and liv'd a considerable time A digressive Experiment concerning the Expansion of Blood and other Animal Juices The Blood and other Humors expanded Lamb's Blood preserv'd from Coagulation was conveigh'd into a Receiver in a wide mouth'd Glass When the Receiver was pretty well exhausted the more spirituous Parts of the Blood making their way out rais'd the more clammy Parts into large Bubbles and the Expansion of the volatile Parts were so vehement that it boil'd over a Glass of which it fill'd but ¼ part Having included warm Milk in a Cylinder 5 Inches high the Quantity of it being only 3 Ounces it boil'd so impetuously when the Air was totally exhausted that several parcels of it flew out of the Vessel Gall discover'd a greater degree of Intumescence N. The design of these Experiments was to know whether when the Air is drawn out of a Receiver Animals may not be prejudic'd by an Expansion of the Humors in the Capillary Vessels as well as by an Absense of Air since the Parts of them distending the Vessels may stop Circulation and cause Pains and Convulsions I once observ'd a Bubble to move to and fro in the Humors of one of the Eyes of a Viper in our exhausted Receiver Another Digressive Experiment The Liver and Heart of an Eel together with the Head and Body of another being conveigh'd into a Receiver when the Air was exhausted the Liver manifestly swell'd and several Bubbles seem'd to arise from the Medulla Spinalis or the Parts adjoyning The Air being let in the swollen Parts subsided and the Skin seem'd more flaccid than before TITLE XIV Of the Power of Custom to enable Animals to hold out in Air too much Rarified for Respiration EXPERIMENT I. The Prevalency of Custom to enable Animals to continue in Vacuo A Small Mouse being conveigh'd into a Viol with a Wide Neck a Bladder was ty'd upon it which had all the Air express'd out of it This being conveigh'd into a Receiver with a Gage a fourth part of the Air was only remaining in it upon which the Bladder was half distended with rarifi'd Air and the Mouse was very uneasie and ill but that rarifi'd Air by an Ingress of External Air being condens'd it presently recover'd EXPERIMENT II. THE Experiment being repeated and the Mouse kept in the rarifi'd Air four Minutes was very ill and with much difficulty recover'd in the outward Air trembling for a long time EXPERIMENT III. THE same Mouse being again shut up was a quarter of an hour in rarifi'd Air and when taken out sooner recover'd than before and with less trembling EXPERIMENT IV. THE same Mouse being again conveigh'd into a Receiver after it had recover'd its Strengh the Air was a little further rarifi'd than before At the first the Mouse seem'd discompos'd but after continu'd quiet a quarter of an hour The Air being expanded by three Exsuctions more it seem'd ready to die but Air being let in again it presently recover'd TITLE XV. Some Experiments shewing that Air become unfit for Respiration may retain it's wonted Pressure EXPERIMENT I. Air unfit for Respiration retains it's usual Pressure A Mouse being shut up in an Oval Glass hermetically seal'd and a Gage
suspended by a Wire in the Neck in 2 ½ hours we found it dead and with much ado recover'd when Air was blown in with a pair of Bellows the seal'd end of the Glass being broken off The Station of the Mercury in the Receiver was not alter'd EXPERIMENT II. THE same Experiment being try'd with a small Bird in half an hour it was sick and drooping and in 2 ½ hours a difficulty of breathing gradually increasing it dy'd The Gage was not sensibly alter'd EXPERIMENT III. TO shew that it is not a defect of Cold in an exhausted Receiver that kills Animals included in it We hermetically seal'd a small Bird in a Receiver large enough to hold 3 Quarts of Water In a few Minutes it began to be sick and pant and continu'd so half an hour The Viol was immers'd 6 Minutes in Water refrigerated with a Solution of Sal Armon but the Bird was not refresh'd it vomited and purg'd when taken out of the Water and continuing to pant as before in an hour from her first Imprisonment dy'd TITLE VI. Of the Use of the Air to elevate Steams of Bodies The usefulness of Air to raise Steams from Bodies contiguous to it TO prove that the Air carries off the fuliginous Steams from the Lungs in Respiration We prepar'd a Red Liquor consisting of such Saline and Spirituous Parts as the Mass of Blood yields This Liquor well stopp'd up in a Bottle tho' it be but half full emits no Steams but when the External Air comes to it it emits white Exhalations which rise up into the Air. Whence it appears that the Contact of the Air may enable Bodies to emit Vapors In this Liquor there are two things worth our Notice the First is that when the Viol hath lain quiet and stopp'd a competent time the upper Part will appear void of Fumes so that the Air will retain but a certain Quantity which may help to give a Reason why the same Air which will be clogg'd with Steams in a short time becomes unfit for Respiration The Second is that in Vacuo for want of Air tho' the Bottle was unstopp'd these Exhalations would not rise but as soon as it was let into the Receiver they rising up plentifully were drawn out along with the Air a second time exhausted This Experiment hath some Affinity with that Mentioned in the 29 of the Experiments of the Spring and the weight of the Air in the first Volume that being made with Corrosive Ingredients and this of Medicines good for the Lungs TITLE XVII Of the long Continuance of a Slow-worm and a Leech alive in the Vacuum made by our Engin. EXPERIMENT I. A Slow-worm and a Leech alive in Vacuo WHite Snails without their Shells being shut up in Vacuo had store of Bubbles sticking to them but they put out and drew in their Horns at pleasure in some Hours they became void of Motion and Tumid And in the space of Twelve hours seem'd like blown Bladders the substance of their Bodies being consumed The External Air being let in they sunk together like two Skins no signs of Life appearing EXPERIMENT II. ANEft being included in an Exhausted Receiver 48 hours it seem'd swelled in it's Belly it 's under Jaw moved the first Night but not after The Receiver being opened under Water and half filled the Animal was very much revived EXPERIMENT III. A Leech being included with a little Water in a Receiver large enough to hold 12 Ounces when the Air was Pumped out the Leech keeping under Water several Bubbles rose from distinct parts of it's Body yet it was not much indisposed It continuing well five days by opening the Receiver under Water I found that it had been all the time well exhausted TITLE XVIII Of what happen'd to some Creeping Insects in our Vacum EXPERIMENT I. SIX Caterpillers being shut up in Vacuo two hours after Creeping Insects in Vacuo moved up and down 8 hours after they seemed quite dead but being exposed to the Air in the Morning were alive EXPERIMENT II. CAterpillers being Shut up in two Receivers to one we added the Air which was drawn out of the other Receiver Those which had Air with them were alive two days the others in Vacuo seem'd dead in a little time TITLE XIX Of the Phaenomena suggested by Winged Insects in our Vacum EXPERIMENT I. Winged Insects in Vacuo FLesh-Flies whose head were cut off being included in a Portable Receiver furnished with a large Pipe and a Bubble at the end of it When the Air was drawn out they lost their Motion two hours after Fire not being able to excite Motion in them I let in the Air and then they began to move and were observed to move the next Morning EXPERIMENT II. SEveral Ordinary Flies and a Bee or Wasp lay as if dead in the exhausted Receiver except some which for a few Minutes were Convulsive after 48 hours they neither Recovered when exposed to the open Air nor the Meridian Sun EXPERIMENT III. A great Flesh Flye being put into a Portable Receiver was very brisk and lively till the Air was drawn off but then was taken with Convulsions the Air being let in again she Recovered but it being a second time exhausted she lay as dead till the Glass was stirred and then she moved a little the next Night after neither heat nor any thing else would recover her of a long time but at the last when she was well being shut up again 48 hours and placed in a Warm place she grew so ill as to be past Recovery EXPERIMENT IV. A Grass-hopper whose Body was an Inch long being shut up in an oval receiver large enough to hold a Pint when the Pump was first Plyed he was very uneasie and several Liquid drops came from his Abdomen to the quantity of a quarter of a Spoonful when the Receiver was pretty well exhausted he fell on his back and lay as dead But the Receiver being plac'd in the Sun-shine he moved a little and soon after lay as dead 3 hours But the Receiver being open'd and placed after he seem'd dead half an hour some time in the Sun beams in a short time he recovered EXPERIMENT V. A Rose-Flie being shut up in a receiver strugled much whilst the Receiver was exhausting but in 6 hours time seem'd dead the Receiver being opened Four hours after the Beetle was lively enough The Receiver being a Second time exhausted the Animal in the mean time seemed much disquieted EXPERIMENT VI. SEveral Butterflies being Shut up in Vacuo were not able to flye in so thin a Medium but when the Receiver was inverted would fall from one end to another rudely enough TITLE XX. Of the Necessity of Air to the Motion of such small Creatures as Ants and even Mites themselves Air requisite to the Life of very Minute Animals ANts being shut up in Vacuo in Seven hours time seem'd dead but the Receiver being opened about 14
hours after they were most of them Recovered Cheese which had a great many Mites in it was convey'd into Four several Receivers Three of which were exhausted The Mites in the unexhausted Receiver were alive a Week In two of the exhausted Receivers they seem'd dead and continued so Four hours but Air being permitted to rush in 3 days after several of them were revived and continued alive 2 or 3 days longer In the other Receiver Mites which lay dead 3 days Recovered presently upon a Re-admission of the Air. CHAP. VI. The most Considerable Animadversions on Mr. Hobbs's Problemata de Vacuo THe first Passage in Mr. Hobbs's Problemata de Vacuo taken Notice of is this Viz. He says Why contiguous Marbles are not easily separated if a Vacum interspersum were allow'd in the Air when two Flat Marbles are exactly adapted to each other's Superficies they might as easily be separated as moved when separate in the open Air. To which it is Answered that tho' there be several Vacuities interspersed betwixt the Particles of an Atmospherical Pillar of Air yet notwithstanding since each of those Particles are endued with a Specifick gravity and are incumbent on the surface of the uppermost Marble whatever separates those two Bodies must have a force able to sustain the weight of the Pillar of Air which leans on it But when the Air is contiguous to each side of the Marble having an equal Pressure on each side from the Ambient Atmosphere there is required no more force to move it up and down than is sufficient to surmount the Weight of it c. And tho' Mr. Hobbs says that the Reason why two Marbles cannot be Separated suddenly is because the Air cannot instantly fill the space deserted by them yet from Experiments already laid down it appears that they may be pulled asunder and much more easily in an exhausted Receiver where there is no Air to succeed the space left betwixt them upon their Avulsion Where it is evident that a force able to overcome the hardness of the Stone is not requisite to draw them asunder but only so much as is able to raise the Weight of the upper Marble and in the open Air as much as is sufficient to over-power the incumbent Atmosphere Another Argument against what Mr. Hobbs lays down in favour of a Plenitude may be taken from the following Experiment We took a Glass Bubble about as big as a Nutgmeg and having Sealed up it's Stem we held it in a Flame and as soon as it was ready to Melt removed it into the open Air where the Bubble which was dilated in the Flame by the help of the included Air 's spring was pressed in on one side by the Weight of the Ambient Atmosphere the Rarified Air being condensed and not able to resist the Pressure of the External Air yet when the Bubble was again convey'd into the Flames the Internal Air expanding plumped up the sides of the Glass which were again compress'd and bruised by the Weight of the open Atmosphere and this Experiment being tried a Third time Answered as when First repeated till at last the one side of the Bubble had a hole made in it by the violent Pressure of the Atmosphere from whence it appears that the same quantity of Air may by being Rarified and leaving Vacuities betwixt it's Rarified Parts be able to take up and possess a larger space and that there must be Vacuities interspersed betwixt the Parts of that Air is evident since the Pores of the Glass are too sine to admit External Air or when the Bubble was compress'd to give way for an egress of the Air contained in it A Second Argument Answered Mr. Hobbs asserting that the Cavity of a Receiver exhausted is full of Air the first Experiment here alledg'd against him and which shews that the Weight and pressure of the Atmosphere is very considerable is this A Pewter Porringer being cemented down upon an Iron Plate which was fixed to the Pump we drew out the Air upon which the Incumbent Atsmosphere depress'd the Convex surface of the Porringer and rendred it Concave and in another Tryal I took Notice that the Atmosphere did not exert its Gravity in a perpendicular Line but collaterally The Reason of Bubbles in an exhausted Receiver Mr. Hobbs ascribing the Reason of those Bubbles which in an exhausted Receiver appear for some time upon the Surface of Water to the violent Motion of the Air contained in the Receiver Mr. Boyle to disprove him takes Notice that when Water is once freed from it's Air let the Pump be Plyed never so violently the violent Motion of Mr. Hobbs's Air will not be able to cause Bubbles so that the Phaenomenon rather depends on a want of Air to press on the Surface of the Water and to over-power the Expansive force of that Air contained in the Pores of it which for want of such a Pressure makes it's way through the Water it 's contain'd in Mr. Hobbs Explanation of the Torrecellian Experiment Examined Mr. Hobbs's Explanation of the Torrecellian Experiment having been elsewhere Answered to what hath been their delivered I shall add the following Experiment The Torrecillian Experiment being Tried with a straight Tube we raised the Pipe a little in the stagnant Mercury and then conveying a piece of a Bladder under the End of it and tying it firmly when the end of the Tube was raised above the stagnant Mercury I observ'd that the Weight of the Mercury upon the Bladder was very slight and the Equilibrum betwixt the Mercurial and Atmospherical Cylinder was so equal that if the Tube was but inclined so that the Weight of the Mercury was not Perpendicular the Atmosphere would buoy up the Bladder and form a Concave in the lower end of the Mercury but when the Tube was Erected again the Bladder would be depress'd and become Protuberant And if the Bladder was nimbly apply'd when the Mercury was a little below it's wonted Station the Mercury being then lighter than the Atmospherical Cylinder the Bladder would be raised up into the Cavity of the Tube In which Experiment we may Observe that tho' upon the Ascent and Descent of the Mercury the Cavity above it is accordingly varied in it's Dimensions yet no Air can Ascend to fill it as Mr. Hobbs would suggest since the Bottom of the Tube is shut up with a Bladder which as I have elsewhere made it appear cannot be penetrated by Air. Another Argument against Mr. Hobbs's Explanation of the Torrecellian Experiment is deduc'd deduced from an Observation made on the Travelling Baroscope for it is Observed that when the shorter Leg is Sealed up with Air included in it Heat will so Rarisie that Air that it will elevate the Mercury in the longer Leg without making it's way through the Mercury below as Mr. Hobbs supposes it does in the Torrecellian Experiment where one would expect that if Air condensed could Penetrate
seal'd Glasses Sect. I. To separate Air from Liquors by boyling or by the Engin. Sect. I. To obtain Air by Corrosion especially with Spirit of Vinegar Sect. I. To separate Air by Sulphureous and Animal Menstruums Sect. I. To produce Air in Vacuo by Burning-Glasses and hot Irons Sect. I. To obtain Air from Gun-powder and other nitrous Substances Sect. II. The Air produc'd may be examin'd by trying whether it will Preserve or Revive 1. Animals 2. Flame 3. Fire 4. The Light of Rotten Wood Fish Sect. II. To examine it's Spring and the Duration of it as also it 's Weight and whether it will help to raise the smoak of Liquors TITLE VII Of the Accidental or less constant Ingredients of the Air. TITLE VIII Of Aqueous Particles in the Air and of it's Moisture and Dryness Of the Air 's Moisture and Dryness THO' Dryness be a Quality which only depends on this viz. That the Pores intercepted betwixt the stable Parts of a Body are not fill'd with any visible Liquor yet it hath a considerable Interest in the Changes of Bodies upon different Scores First In as much as the Body dry'd is depriv'd of Liquid Parts upon the Effects of which several of it's Operations depend Secondly Upon the Recess of those Parts evaporated the Texture of the Body may be so far chang'd as to acquire a disposition to act otherwise and to be acted on in a different manner to what it was before EXPERIMENT I. TO evince the Efficacy of the Air 's Moisture we suspended a Quarter of a hundred Weight by an Iron Ring at the End of a Rope which was about 3 Foot and a half long and 3 10 of an Inch in Diameter and when the Weight had stretch'd the Rope for 2 or 3 Days we plac'd a Board under it so that it might just rest upon it and then causing the Rope to be wet in about half an hour it shorten'd so much that the Weight would swing this way and that like a Pendulum without touching the Board yet the same Day the Rope was stretch'd again so that it touch'd the Board About Morocco which is an Inland Town tho' the Soil be dry and the Heat violent in the Day yet I am told by one who was there that the Nocturnal Air was so damp as to be able to make his Cloaths unfit to be worn till Air'd yet tho' the Air was very piercing neither the Knife in his Pocket nor the Sword in his Scabbard were subject to rust tho' the same Metal expos'd to the open Air was Air too moist cannot be wholsom The Air about Oakly and Brill in Buckinghamshire tho' a high Country is so moist in October that the Stair-Cases and Pictures will stand all over Dew which gathering in drops runs down in Streams and it is obser'd that the North and North-East side of the Houses are so moist that except the Rooms be air'd often the Furniture will rot Having made use of a Hydroscope which was made of a Box to whose Bottom a piece of Gut-string was fastend and the other End of it to an Index which lay upon the Top of the Box the Circumference of the Box was divided into Degrees or Partitions By which we could perceive that when Moist Vapours insinuated themselves into the Pores of the Lute-string it would be wreath'd and twisted up and the Index would be mov'd that way which the twisting of the Rope inclin'd it and when the Weather was dryer it would return back the other way EXPERIMENT II. ONE of these Hygroscopes being conveigh'd into a small Receiver when the Air was exhausted the Index did not sensibly alter it's Place in a long time till the External Air was let in again From which Experiment and some others try'd with a Thermoscope it appears that the Aether or that subtle Matter which succeeds in the Place of the exhausted Air is neither hot cold moist nor dry TITLE IX Of Clouds Mists and Fogs Of Clouds Mists and Fogs AN excellent Astronomer told me that of all the white Clouds whose Height he had measur'd in fair Weather he found none to exceed ¾ Quart of a Mile and very few above ½ a Mile A Mist at Sea driving towards the Shoar without any sensible Wind causes the Sea to swell more than a brisk Wind. It hath likewise been observ'd that Mists in some places rising about 30 Foot high have fallen down in a Dew again TITLE X Of Terrestrial Steams in the Air. Of Terrestrial Effluvia PIllars of Fumes have been divers times observ'd to rise from Ground which had several Veins of different Metal in it some ill scented some well scented and others inodorous and I have observ'd that the Charcoal made in Cornwall affords a manifest Arsenical and Sulphureous Smell beyond other Charcoal Jcournal des S avary III. 1685. Tel est par exemple ce nuage horrible d'une fumée epaisse qui s'eleva de la mer de Cretee au Commencement de l'Eestede l'an 721. et qui s'etant repandu dans l'air le fit parôistre tout en feu La mer n'en fut pas mesme exempte car les grosses Masses de pierres enflammées qu'on en vit sortier et qui se joignirent al ' Isle qu'on Nomme Hiera échauferent si fort les eaux qu'elles en bruloient les maines TITLE XI Of Salts in the Air. Of the Salts in the Air. THO' the Peripateticks teach that the Air is an Element and consequently a pure simple Body whose Qualities are moist and dry yet from what we have already deliver'd it appears that it is an Aggregate of various kind of Effluvia jumbled and mix'd together I mean the Air distinct from that Purer Substance Aether which I suppose diffus'd through the Interstellar Part of the Universe Amongst the Effluvia which rove up and down the Air I account Saline ones the Chief which is not unlikely since the Terraqueous Globe which continually emits Effluvia abounds with great Quantities of Marine Aluminous and Vitriolate Salts which impregnate the Air besides several Exhalations rais'd by the Sun-Beams from the Surface of the Earth and Water not to mention several other Saline Vapours which are dispersed in the Atmosphere and arise from Vulcanos as well as common Fires And as it is not improbable but that the Air plentifully abounds with Saline Effluvia so very likely besides Nitrous there are other kinds raised up and roving about in it as Common Salt and Vitriolate Salts and that which seems to prove that the Air in some places abounds with vitriolate Salts is that it hath been observ'd that Hinges have been corroded and rotted and other things prejudic'd upon a Vitriolate Soil whereas in Houses which stood on a Chalky Soil no such Effects were observ'd Besides on the Vitriolate Ground we took Notice of Saline and White Efflorescences upon the Surface of the Soil when beaten upon by the Sun-beams Besides which kinds
grand cercle on trouvera qu' elle á en toute sa superficie Spherique 1649200 lieues quarrées C ' est à dire 103 095 000 000 000 toises quarr C est à dire 3711 420 000 000 000 pieds quarr Il's ensuit qu' un pied cube d'eau pese 72 livres Et parce qu' un prisme d'eau d'un pied quarre de base et de 31 pieds de haut pese 2232 livres Donc si la terre estoit couverte d'eau jusques à la hauteur de 31 pieds il y auroit autant de prismes d'eau de 31 Pieds de haut qu' elle a de Pieds quarrez en toute sa surface Ie scay bien que ce ne seroient pas des prismes mais des secteurs de Sphere et je neglige exprés cette Precision Et partant elle porteroit autant de 2232 livres d'eau qu' elle a de pieds quarrez en toute sa surface Done cette masse d'eau entiere peseroit 8283 889 440 000 000 000 livres Donc toute la masse entire de la Sphere de l'Air qui est au monde pese ce mesme poids de 8283. 889 440 000 000 livres C ' est à dire Huit Millions de Millions de Millions deux cent quarte vingt trois Mille huit cent quatre vingt neuf Millions de Millions quatre cent quarente Mille Millions de livres Mr. Pascal in his small Tract either Dela Pesanteur de l'Air or in that Del'Equilibre des liqueurs See Plate 7 Fig. 4. De caetero feci haud ita pridem experimentum ponderandi aeris quod pulchré successit nam sumptâ vitreâ lagenâ valde levi et ad lampadem sufflatâ ejus figurae qualem alibi excusam vides magnitudine parvae pilae quales habentur in sphaeristeriis non habente nisi minimam quandam aperturam per quam immittatur pilus in extremitate orificii sui B. ponderavi eam in lance valde exacta frigida pondus habuit 78 granorum cum dimidio Postea calefeci eam carbonibus impositam reposui in bilancem eo situ quo hic descriptum vides nimirum orificio in imum verso deprehendi eam vix habere pondus 78 granorum tum immergendo orificium in aquam refrigescere feci dum aer se condensat pro modo quo refrigescit lagena intravit tantundem aquae quantum aeris calor antea expulerat denique ponderans eam cum omni illa aqua deprehendi eam habere pondus 72 granorum dimidii plus quam antea unde concludo aerem qui per ignem expulsus erat se habere ad aquam quae in locum suum regressa erat uti ½ se habet ad 72 ½ aut uti se habet 1. ad 145. sed potui in eo errasse difficile quippè est in ea re omnino exactum essée Id saltem certò scio quòd pondus aeris hoc modo sit sensiblile prolixe hic deduxi processum meum ut si te eadem curiositas incessat possis id eodem modo perficere experimentum Vale. TITLE XVIII Of the Consistency of the Air it 's Rarity Density Fludity Subtily Of the Consistency of the Air c. A Thin but large Bladder having a third Part of the Air it was capable of containing remaining in it had it's Neck strongly tyed and at the other end a Weight was suspended of 14 Pound by a String which could not shrink ¼ of an Inch without raising the Weight from the ground But the Air in the Bladder was so far expanded by heat that the Weight was raised and would swing in the Air like a Pendulum The same Experiment being tryed with a 50 pound Weight before the expanded Air was able to raise the Weight the Bladder would burst To try whether the Corpuscles of the Air would penetrate into a Liquor exposed to the Ordinary pressure of the Atmosphere we poured a Urinous Spirit upon as much Filings of Copper as covered the bottom of a Cylindrical Vial so that the Spirit was the Breadth of 3 Fingers above the Filings which being done on that we poured so much Oyl of Almonds as covered the Spirit the Thickness of a Crown piece upon which the Vial being kept some days in a quiet place the Urinous Liquor did first acquire and then lose a blew Tincture When the blew was in a great Measure vanished the Bottle was kept unstopped a Minute and then stopped again in a short time the Urinous Spirit was tinged with blew which Colour in an hour extended it self all over the Liquor the Oyl upon the Top of it still remaining clear TITLE XIX Of the Heat and Coldness of the Air. TO shew that it is not without Reason that I Question what the Peripateticks teach about the Limits and Temperaments of the Air which they divide into three Regions I shall propose the following Particulars The Air at Morocco tho' excessive hot in the Day is Cold at Night as well as the Mountanous Parts thereabouts One who stayed a Year in Guinea tho' it is excessive hot told me that about 4 a Clock in the Morning he was ready to tremble with Cold. One told me that in Jamacia when he lay in his Hammock about 3 or 4 Foot from the Ground tho' he had much Cloths under him yet he perceived it Cold beneath and Hot above So that to shew that not only Liquors and Animal Bodies may be affected with the Summers heat but even Glass it self I shall intimate that Glass-stopples of Factitious Crystal being so fitted to Viols of the same tho' in Winter they would move about easily yet in the Summer they would not be pull'd out by the Assistance of a String till the Expansion of the Glass was taken off by being cool'd in Water I am apt to believe that several Effects which we are apt to attribute to the Heat of the Air putting the Parts of the Juices of our Bodies in Motion depend on some Effluvia rais'd by Heat from other Bodies and which swim in the Air. A large Piece of Amber being plac'd in the Summer in the Sun-Beams had its Parts put into such an Agitation as enabled it to emit Electrical Effluvia and to attract light Bodies which Power it would lose when remov'd out of the Sun-Beams again Mr. Nickson told me that near Hudson's Bay when they were a Leeward of certain floating Islands of Ice they were sensible of it by a new Access of Cold before they approach'd so near as to see them which was at 20 Miles distance He likewise told me that that Wind brought along with it a Foggy Air And that in that of Hudson's Bay where he winter'd the Rivers were not free from Ice from the latter End of October to the middle or end of May tho' the Latitude of Charlton Island most frequented by the English was of the same Latitude
changing them from a Perpendicular to an inclin'd Position so that they are caus'd to fall upon the Pupil The Duke of York told me that he was not a little surpriz'd in Scotland that contrary to the common Observation by Country men in other Places a Morning in which the Sky was red was succeeded with a fair Day it being usual in those Parts It is observ'd that when the Redness is pretty near the Ground and appears with narrow streaks intensly red it signifies bad Weather but if it be elevated and the Wind Easterly it foretels a fair Day Capt. James in his Northern Voyage observ'd that by Reason of these Refractions the Sun seem'd to rise 20 Minutes too soon and to set 20 Minutes too late and this he learn'd by calculating of it's rising and setting with good running Glasses and comparing that Calculation with the Stars when come to their Meridian March This Evening the Moon rose in the Form of an oblong Oval along the Horizon April Tho' on a clear Sunshiny Day I could not see an Island which lies but 4. Leagues off South-South-East yet when the Weather was misty it might be seen from the lowest Place The Height of it being taken Instrumentally standing near the Sea-side it was 34 Minutes the Sun bing 28 Degrees high which shews how great the Refraction was yet it will not be amiss to note here that I have seen the Land elevated by Refractitious Air when the Sun hath rose presently round Jan. 6. The Latitude was 51 52 which Difference was occasion'd by a greater Refraction Jan. 21. The Sun rofe like an Oval seeming as long again as it was broad but as it rose higher it gradually recover'd it's roundness In Poland near Warsaw June 1669 70 we had clear Weather and extreme cold and for two Days we observ'd the Sun and two Parhelions from near 10 to almost 12 a Clock yet the Air was free from Clouds and so clear that we could perceive Icy Spangles flying in it And whereas usually in Frosty Weather any smooth Iron or rather Metal being brought into a warm Room out of the open Air first a Dulness and then drops of Water will appear in the Glass at this time there appear'd something like a hoar Frost Whether subtle Particles of Cold will penetrate polish'd Metal or not I will not determine tho' the sudden Adhesion of ones wet Finger to Iron seems to favour the Affirmative The same Month returning back from Warsaw I saw the Sun rife with a large Pillar colour'd like a Rainbow perpendicular over it out of a clear Horizon In Cornwall it was observ'd that in driving home Levels or Links the Waters partaking of the Minerals are sometimes sanative and at other times cause Wounds One who travell'd over the Alps observ'd that in the Clouds below which seem'd big with Thunder something mov'd up and down like a shining Fish in muddy Water the Lightning appearing through the Cloud It hath been observ'd on the Coast at Naples that in the Morning at Sun rising a Town which was at some distance off seem'd to have two Steeples tho' it really had but one in it and another Morning the Refraction was so strong that there seem'd to be a very fair Town beyond it wall'd about and adorn'd with Towers and Steeples very delightful which very Town disappear'd when the Sun was rose higher above the Horizon A dry blighting East Wind which Country People call a red Wind causes an Opacity or Thickness of the Air like Vapours which continuing for two Years together not only blasted the Fruit but the Leaves of the Trees just in the Tender Mr. J. T. That the Air is sometimes Clear and Transparent and sometimes darker and more clogg'd with terrestrial Steams is a common Observation But it hath been sometimes observ'd in Russia that in a clear frosty Air the Stars have appear'd to be much more Numerous than at other times Captain James hath observ'd in Charlton Islands which tho' of the same Latitude with Cambridge almost is but little warmer than Nova Zembla that in January the Firmament appear'd fuller of Stars by two Thirds than before The Cloud in Cancer appearing full of Stars and a great many small ones amongst the Pleiades But the Moon rising about Ten a Clock a quarter of them was not to be seen the Wind for most part of the Month being Northerly and very cold And the like hath been observ'd by the Russian Emperor's Physician The Duke of York when he was High Commissioner in Scotland sent me word that he had observ'd the Sky so clear that the Stars afforded Light enough to read by and that several Fleaks of Light extended themselves from the Horizon like so many Tails of Blazing Stars and passing betwixt Charles's Wain and the North Star seem'd to terminate over our Heads This was observ'd in December TITLE XXI Of the Operation of the Air on the Consistency of Animal Substances The Effects of Air on Animal Substances IT is generally believ'd by those that judge of things by their Senses that since the Air is an invisible Body it acts only upon others by it's manifest Qualites viz. Heat and Moisture But I am apt to believe that it hath other Faculties amongst which some may be call'd Generative and Restorative and others Corruptive and that not only in respect of Animals and other Bodies of a slighter Texture but also of Salts and Minerals It hath been observ'd that when Cheshire Cheeses have been carry'd from hence to the East-Indies without being kept in leaden Boxes fitted to them those that have been cut under the Line were dry on the outside but unctuous and soft in the Middle as if all the oyly Parts wanting in the outside were shrunk back thither But those that were cut when they had pass'd the Torrid Zone and came into the Temperate Zone were uniform and good enough It is observ'd that in Peru as well as Aegypt where it seldom rains that Bodies are not subject to corrupt In the Country last mention'd it is likewise observ'd that the Air abounds with Nitre It hath been observ'd that under the Line not only Biskets have been alter'd but that most of the Meat and even Salt Meat hath been much impair'd but that their Water which was fresh would be as clear and sweet as when first put into the Casks Silk Stuffs that have been brought to Jamaica I am told have rotted without losing their Colour by being expos'd to the Air. TITLE XXII Of the Operation of the Air on the Consistency of vegetable Substances The Effects of the Air on consistent Bodies A Piece of Limon having been kept a Year and some Months in a Receiver with a mercurial Gage it kept it's Colour pretty well as well as it's shapes except that the upper side was a little depress'd the Liquor which fill'd it up before stagnating upon a Glass Plate which was adapted to the Receiver When the Receiver
was open'd the external Air rush'd in with a considerable Noise whence it was evident that all the Air the Limon had yielded in that time was not sufficient to fill the Cavity of the Receiver Neither the Limon nor the Juice were mouldy or ill tasted so that it made me think that Mouldiness cannot be well produc'd without a Concurrence of the Air. The Liquor was acid but clear and without Faeces being of a Colour betwixt brown and red It turned Syrup of Violets into a Purple Colour and corroded Fragments of red Coral in the Cold. It hath been observ'd that Lozenges which a Scholar frequently carry'd in his Pockets were dissolv'd when he came near the Line but recover'd their old Consistence when much past it TITLE XXIII Of the Operation of the Air on consistent mineral Substances The Effects of the Air on mineral Substances IN drawing Copper out of deep Mines in Sweedland I am inform'd they use Ropes made of Leather Links of Iron being subject to break with the Coldness of the Air and the Weight of the Ore It hath been observ'd that Glasses kept half a Year tho' well neal'd have broke in pieces and froze of themselves the Cracks partly depending on some Particles of Salt which had not undergone a sufficient Comminution I am told there is a House in Suffolk near the Sea in which tho' it is but 8 Years old the Iron Bars are swell'd and so rotten that they 'll crimble away The Winds which blew upon those Windows in which they were being Southward and I am likewise told that Iron Bars drench'd in Sea Water and after expos'd to the Air were so far impair'd that when hammer'd great Flakes would fly off them Purbeck and Blechington-stone will moulder away in the Air But those dug up at Painswick near Gloucester will by being expos'd to the Air change their Primary Softness for a Crust-hard and Glassy Marble which penetrates but a little way into it's Substance but is generated sooner the oftner it is wash'd TITLE XXIV Of the Air in reference to Fire and Flame CAndles which burn in Grooves furnish'd with Air Shafts will sometimes continue burning 8 Fathom deep or more When they come into close Ground tho' Candles will burn for a while yet when the Dust rises they go out Experiments touching the Relation betwixt Flame and Air. THE burning of Candles c. under a Glass Bell as also Spirit of Wine Matches Touch-Wood Sponck c. The keeping of Animals under a Glass Bell whilst the Flame is burning The burning of Bodies to Ashes in sealed Glasses as also in exactly clos'd Receivers Cotton burnt in a seal'd Glass The burning of a Mixture of Flames under Water in an E. R. as also of a saline Substance and likewise of Salt Petre. A Pistol not firing in an E. R. An Experiment of burning Gunpowder The burning of Spirit of Wine and Oyl of Turpentine in Glass Vessels with slender Necks TITLE XXV Of the Air in reference to Fermentation Of the Air in reference to Fermentation RAisins being enclos'd in an exhausted Bolt-head half full of Water and set on a digestive Furnace presently began to ferment and swimming upon the Liquor afforded Bubbles which were gradually fewer and at last a Sediment appeard in the Bottom The Top of the Bottle being accidentally broke the External Air rush'd in with some Noise and the Surface of the Liquor was cover'd with Froth like Bottle Drink and I thought I perceiv'd a visible Fume come out of the Glass which had a Languid Smell The Liquor had a high Tincture of the Raisins and was of a better Consistence than that of Water TITLE XXVI Of the Air as the Receptacle of Odours TITLE XXVII Of the Operation of the Air on the Odours of Animal Substances Of the Effects of Air on Odours SOur Grapes having lain 3 Years in Vacuo were not mouldy but the Surface of the uppermost was discolour'd with a Tartarous Efflorescence The Grains had a musty Smell but the Liquor tasted Acid and would corrode Coral in the Cold. The Gage scarce discover'd any Air produc'd In Madrid I am told tho' they throw their Excrements into the Streets in the Night yet the stink is not very much the next Day nor will dead Animals stink long there TITLE XXVIII Of the Operation of the Air on the Odours of vegetable Substances LArge Pieces of Oranges having been three Years included in Vacuo their Rinds were on their Surface almost black they yielded very little Liquor being neither mouldy nor putrid TITLE XXIX Of the Operations of Air on the Odours of Mineral Substances TITLE XXX Of the Operation of Air on the Tastes of Animal Substances MR. Nickson told me that Meat might be preserv'd in frosty Weather all Winter without Salt but if drest when froze would not relish well TITLE XXXI Of the Operation of Air on the Tastes of Vegetable Substances TITLE XXXII Of the Operation of the Air on the Tastes of Mineral Substances TITLE XXXIII Of the Operation of the Air on the Colours of Animal Substances Of the Effects of Air on Colours THE Air influences Colours so much on black Taffety that in Brasil after it hath been worn a few days it becomes of an Ironish Colour but if it be kept from the Air the Colour fades not In a Particular Region in Brazil 50 Leagues beyond Parigna White People turn Tawny but a little beyond that they recover their Colour again Upon Charlton Island there is a sort of Birds call'd Partridges which are white in the Winter and gray in the Summer TITLE XXXIV Of the Operation of the Air on the Colours of Vegetable Substances I Am told that most Trees in Jamaica acquire a Greenness when newly cut down on that Part which is most expos'd to the Air and that Lignum Vitae when green is as soft as Oak Several Trees which are soft when cut down afterwards grow hard especially the Cabbage-Tree which presently hardens and the Pith rotting out it serves for a Pipe about 100 Foot long which will not corrupt under Ground but grows as hard as Iron The Juice of Aloes Plants which in the Island of St. Jago was clammy bitter and of a dark Colour under the Line lost it's Bitterness and acquir'd a green Colour Stains are most easily got out of Linnen at those times of the Year when the Fruit with which they were stain'd flourish TITLE XXXV Of the Operation of the Air on Mineral Substances ONE Part of Lapis Calaminaris being mix'd with four of Salt-Petre was kept some hours in a vehement Heat in a Crucible by which means the Matter being alkaliz'd Water was pour'd upon it which made a muddy red Tincture which being set in a Wide-mouth'd Glass in a Window it became green and more diaphanous than before but in a few Days it became a transparent Liquor a Powder subsiding which was red like Brick-dust Spirit of Vinegar receiv'd no Tincture
from Copper boil'd in it but being expos'd to the Air in a broad Glass in which part of the Filings were not cover'd with the Menstruum some acquir'd a greenish blew Colour but those Filings which were quite cover'd with the Menstruum acquir'd no such Colour till by evaporating it they were expos'd to the Air. A Solution of Sal Armoniack in Water being pour'd on Filings of Copper contain'd in a slender Viol and on another parcel contain'd in a Wide-mouth'd Glass that in the latter was much more tinged than the other And what was remarkable was that tho' the lower Part of the Solution was of a deep Blew yet it was cover'd with a Film of a differing Blew like that of the finer sort of Turcoices Three Drops of Spr. Sal Armon being put upon two distinct parcels of Filings of Copper which were on two pieces of brown Paper one was expos'd to the Air and the other shut up in Vacuo that in the open Air tinged the Paper with a Blew the other remain'd ¼ of an hour without any Effect but when it had been expos'd to the Air as the other it tinged it Blew A yellow Urinous Spirit of the Lees of Wine having Filings of Copper thrown into it drew from them a pleasant green Tincture which in a few days became yellow but by being expos'd to the Air it turn'd green again yet regain'd it's Yellowness when it had been shut up for some time I have sometimes observ'd that tho' by being kept from the Air this Tincture would lose it's Greenness yet it would sometimes renew it again without being expos'd to the outward Air. Spirit of Amber extracted a green Colour from Filings of Copper And tho' Spirit of Hony uses to turn Blew when expos'd to the Air yet this Evening it continu'd yellow an hour And I have observ'd that tho' a Tincture often vary'd it's Colour being sometimes Colourless and at other times of a deep Blew yet another Bottle which contain'd the same Mixture did not so It hath been observ'd about a Mountain in Wales that there are several Stones which tho' of a Rusty dark Colour yet when expos'd to the Air in a few years they become white Mercurius Sublimatus Dulcis and Vitriolum Romanum being kept in Papers apart near two Years the Sublimate look'd like Antimony and the Superficies of the Vitriol had acquir'd the same Colour TITLE XXXVI Of the Air destroying or introducing other less obvious Qualities into Animal Substances TITLE XXXVII Of the Air destroying or introducing other less obvious Qualities into Vegetable Substances The Effects of the Air in producing Putrefaction THE Heat and Moisture of the Air in Guinea hath been observ'd so much to promote Putrefaction that Maggots were found in white Sugar several Drugs have lost their Virtues and Ointments became verminous And in the Island St. Jago the sweet Meats contracted such a Moisture in one Night that they were forc'd to dry them in the Sun The Oxford Air being generally moist agrees not with splenetick Bodies Mr. J. T. Air too dry tho' hot produces not divers Insects such as white Snails and Fleas which are bred in wet Summers TITLE XXXVIII Of the Air destroying or introducing other less obvious Qualities into Mineral Substances Less obvious Qualities introduc'd into Minerals OBservandum etiam quod Antimonium Diaphoreticum quocunque modo sive cum solo Nitro aut addito etiam Tartaro paratum sit tractu Temporis Aeri expositum pravam ac quasi malignam induat Naturam sumptumque intra Cordis angustias Cardialgias Lipothymias vomitusque similia prava symptomata procreet quae facile tamen evitabimus si vel singulis diebus vel tribus Mensibus recenter illud conficiamus vel jam paratum Antimonium Diaphoreticum vetustum addita portiuncula Nitri aut etiam absque Nitro per unam vel alteram horam Vulcano tradamus penitusque igniamus iterumque si Nitrum additum fuerit edulcoremus parumper reverberemus Zwelf p. 800. The Earth of Aegypt preserv'd dry at the 17th of June begins to increase it's Weight which still increases more as the River augments Ceruss of Antimony I am told as well as Ant. Diaphoret acquir'd a vomitive Quality tho kept in a stopp'd Glass long Those Pots which are made of Earth which hath lain 4 or 5 Years dry bear Fire best and it is observ'd that those Bricks which lie at the Tops of Brick-kills bear Weather worst being not so well burnt as the others TITLE XXIX Of the Air in reference to the Propagation and Vegetation of Plants The Effects of the Air in respect of generation IT hath been observ'd that that side of the Pyrenean Mountains which respects France is flourishing and verdant tho' at the same time the other side which respects Spain is barren and looks dismally being blasted and parch'd with noxious Winds TITLE XL. Of the Effects of the Air in Reference to the Generation Life and Health of Animals The Effects of the Air in respect of Generation DE vita igitur ac morte iis pene omnibus quae huic considerationi affinia sunt dictum est De sanitate verò morboque non solum Medici sed Physici est causas quadantenus referre Quatenus verò hi differant quatenus diversa contemplantur ignorare non convenit Equidem quòd confinis sit quadantenus haec Medici Physicique Tractatio res ipsa testatur Nam Medici quicunque paulò elegantiores diligentiores sunt de natura dicunt artis sua principia inde sumere dignantur Physici omnes fere qui concinnitatis aliquid habent tractationem naturae usque ad medicinam persequuntur Aristot de Respirat cap. 21. parag 87. The Temperature of the Air depends on subterraneal and terrestrial Steams mix'd with the Air and shuffled amongst one another The last great Plague was foretold by one who had a great Swelling in his Groin the Year before the like having happen'd to the same Man once before That there are Changes in the Air which depend on the Motion of it barely I am perswaded not only because it ventilates those places it passes through when in Motion and drives away stagnant Air but I am told that in Languedoc that if when the Silk-Worms had eaten their fill it happen'd to Thunder the Air being put into a disturb'd Motion the weakest of them would die Several Horses being let down a third part of the way into Mines 1000 Foot deep some of them dy'd but others surviv'd and were there employ'd without any inconveniency to Respiration tho' the Receptacles they wrought in were furnish'd with Air only from the Groove by a moderately big Shaft I am told the deepest Mine in Bohemia is 2000 Foot deep I am inform'd by one who liv'd at Tripoli and Guinea that the Air is not constantly unhealthful there but that the Men are sometimes suddenly taken with Fluxes and Fevers
the Grounds and Excellency of CORPUSCULAR PHILOSOPHI HAVING in the Preface given the Reader an Account of the following Sheets I shall by way of Introduction represent the Grounds and Excellency of the Corpuscular Philosophy as deliver'd by our Author And first It hath this to recommend it above all other Systems of Philosophy That it teaches us not as the Doctrin of the Epicureans does that the World was made in an Infinite Vacuum by a Casual Concourse of Atoms nor as the Cartesians That Matter first put into Motion by GOD convened into a World as now constituted by Laws Mechanical only but it allows the Omnipotent Creator a greater share in the Works of his Hands teaching that the Motions of the small Parts of Matter which compose the Universe were guided by that Wise Architect who when he had constituted the World establish'd the Laws of Nature So that we only endeavour to explain those as now constituted and how they are Mechanically carry'd on In doing of which it accounts for the several Phanomena of Nature by Principles more intelligible and clear than the Doctrin of the Peripateticks since it is much more easily understood what I mean by Motion or Rest Size Shape Order Situation and a Contexture of the Parts of Matter than by fanciful Ideas represented by the Doctrin of Privation Substantial Forms and their Eduction c. Nor hath our Hypothesis a less Advantage over the Hypostatical Principles of the Chymists since it accounts for several Phaenomena which they are at a loss in as Eclipses of the Sun which are brought on and remov'd by a Local Motion of the Interfering Body and those others concern'd in the Phaenomenon Or to use another Instance it is easily understood that the Image of a Man cast into the Air by a Concave Spherical Looking-glass are more Naturally accounted for by a Refraction of the Rays of Light than any Hypostatical Principles But besides the Intelligibleness of our Principles it is a farther Recommendation that none are more Primary than Matter and Motion which is the first General Affection of it nor can any be more simple None more Primary because had the same Parts of Matter been always in the same Place they could not be diversify'd therefore Motion was primarily necessary Nor could any be more simple because neither could be divided into Parts of a different Denomination since all Matter is equally Matter and all Motion must bear the same Title consider'd barely as Motion And as none can be more Simple and Primary so none can be more Comprehensive since Motion Size Figure Order and Texture may be diversify'd thousands of ways and as whole Libraries are made of Twenty-four Letters so the several Phaenomena of Nature may be explain'd by the several Varieties of Textures and other Differences arising from the various Changes our Principles are subject to Nor are the most Obvious Phaenomena of Nature alone explain'd by our Hypothesis but those Qualities esteem'd Occult ones since the Particles which are concern'd in such Compositions as abound with occult Qualities are subject to the same Laws and capable of the like manner of Action tho' their Parts are so Minute as to make their Modus Operandi indiscernible But what is still more an Advantage in our Hypothesis is that it flies not to an unknown Power as a Plastick one or an Anima Mundi whose Operation is not known but gives us a Mechanical Account of Things for the former gives no more Satisfaction than if one were told that a Watch tells the Hours of the Day because made by such a Man whereas the true Reason is because the Parts so plac'd together are in Motion And the same Instances may serve to shew us the Deficiency of the Hypostatical Principles Besides Ingredients by a bare mixture being able to effect nothing nor able to work upon each other without Motion those Principles themselves appear to be only different Modes of Matter vary'd by our Hypothesis To conclude There is not any one Phaenomenon which any Hypothesis is able to explain but a more Intelligible Account may be given by the following Plate .1 Vol. III. Fig 1. p 39. 4. p. 17 Fig 5 p 317. Fig 6. p 37. Fig 2 p 37. Fig 7. p 3◠Fig 3 p 36. p 314. p 314. p 314. p 314. Plate .2 Vol. III. p 281. Fig 1. Fig 2. p 285 Fig 3. p 285. Fig 4. p 288. Fig 5. p 290. Fig 6. p 293. Fig 8. p 295. Fig 7. p 294. Plate .3 Vol. III Fig 1. p 296 Fig 2. p 296. Fig 3. p 297. Fig 4. p 297. Fig 5 p 299. Fig 6. Fig 7. p 301. Fig 8. Plate .4 Vol. III. Fig 1. p 303 p 303. Fig 2. p 305 Fig 3. Fig 4. p 305. Fig 5. p 307. p 309 Fig 6. Fig 7. p 309. Fig 8. p 310. Plate .5 Vol III. Fig 1. p 329. THE WORKS Of the HONOURABLE ROBERT BOYLE Esq EPITOMIZED An Appendix to BOOK IV. CHAP. I. Of the Mechanical Production of Cold. TO make it appear That Heat and Cold Experiments concerning the Mechanical Origin of Cold. which are generally esteemed two of the most active Qualities may be mechanically produced or destroyed by a bare change of Texture or by Alterations otherwise mechanically brought on without the assistance of the Peripatetick Doctrine of Substantial Forms or the Hypostatical Principles of the Chymists I shall subjoin the following Experiments EXPERIMENT I. A solution of Sal-Armoniac Having dissolv'd Sal-Armoniack in four times its quantity of Water whilst the Mixture was a stirring and the Salt dissolving the Water acquir'd such a degree of Coldness as to congeal Water with which the Bottle was wet on the outside into Ice but after a Dissolution of that Salt the Coldness gradually declin'd EXPERIMENT II. To try whether the Coldness which the former Mixture acquir'd did not rather proceed from the Effect which the Water had on the saline Parts than on the Dispersion of those Saline Parts through the Water I immerg'd a Thermoscope in Water which was so warm as to make the Spirit of Wine ascend but the same Thermoscope being removed into Powder of Sal-Armoniac warm it ascended much faster yet the Weather-glass being conveyed into the Liquor again and the Salt poured into it it speedily began to subside and sunk a Division and ¼ below the Mark it stood at in cold Water remaining at that Station a considerable time And the same Experiment succeeded when tryed a second time EXPERIMENT III. Having immersed a Thermoscope in Spirit of Salt I pour'd Spirit of fermented Urine leisurely upon it and observ'd that the Mixture by a mutual Conflict growing hot A Thermoscope immers'd in a Mixture of Spirit of Salt and fermented Urine sensibly raised the Spirit of Wine which being done and a Salt obtained from the evaporated Mixture not much unlike Sal-Armoniack it was carefully dried and being put into Water in which a Thermoscope was placed upon its dissolution
Nitre Besides since common Salt co-operates with Snow in the Production of Ice as well as Salt-Petre and according to Democritus hath Parts of a Cubical figure which he assigns to Cold Atoms And since Gassendus observes That Salt-Petre consists of Parts not altogether so apt for the production of Cold these Figures being not Pyramidal but Prismatical I say since these Circumstances all concur I see no reason why common Salt may not be numbred amongst those Bodies that are apt to produce Cold. 14. Nay sometimes it may happen That more violent degrees of Cold may be caused by a like Coalition of several sorts of Salts So the Coldness of Snow is advanced by a Mixture of Nitre or common Salt or other appropriated Additaments But I must confess That it is a doubt with me whether Cold depends on any such saline Exhalations or the Effects of frigorifick Atoms but to pass by this Scruple at present without any further Notice I shall add that what I have said upon this Title is not so much to confute what Opinions I have mention'd as to shew that they are Doubtful One Particular referrable to the XVII Title I am told by the Russian Emperor's Physitian That in the Northern Province of Russia the Earth is thaw'd but the depth of two foot and yet good Corn grows upon it TITLE XVIII Experiments and Observations touching the Coldness and Temperature of the Air. Of the temper of the Air. 1. THO' Gassendus and several others assert That the Air is Indifferent as to Cold and Heat yet since Cold is only a Relative Quality and since the Parts of the Air are of themselves in a less degree of Agitation than the Humors about our Sensory I see no reason why it should not be esteemed Cold For notwithstanding it may acquire a considerable degree of Heat by the adventitious Effects of the Sun-Beams or fire yet we see that it naturally tends to coolness it self again And as for the Coldness of the Air tho' I deny not but that frigorifick Atoms may be mixed with it yet I judge them not absolutely or altogether requisite to the Production of Cold since a bare Diminution of the motion of it's Parts is sufficient to produce such a Quality in higher or more remiss degrees 2. But the Principal intent of this Section being to produce Experiments and Observations I shall begin with the former A sealed Weather-Glass with Spirit of Wine in it being enclosed in a Cylindrical Receiver when the Air in the Receiver was exhausted it subsided the length of a Barly-corn but rose again when the Air was let in again which Effects I attributed to the Expansion of the Included Air when the External was drawn out When the Air was drawn out of the Receiver hot Bodies Externally applyed affected not the Weather-Glass but when the Air was let in again they caused the Spirit to rise sensibly 3. To measure the Condensation of the Air by Cold we made the following Experiments And First we enclosed Air in Weather-glasses hermetically sealed which when it was artificially or naturally refrigerated and the Apex of the Weather-glass broke open we could not discern by the Water it received that it was condensed above a 30th Part of it's former dimensions A Glass-egg being inverted into Salt Water in a Cold Night the Air was so far condensed in it That the Water rose five Inches in the Stem And Jan. 29 the Air extended into 2057 Spaces was in a frosty Night contracted to 1965 Spaces So that the greatest degree of Condensation we could observe was a 22 Part and a little above a third But a Mixture of Snow and Salt being applied to the Elliptical Part of the Glass the Water rose 4 Inches higher than in the former Experiment and the Air was contracted from 1965 Spaces to 1860 so that the Artificial Cold contracted is more in respect of the Contraction which the natural Cold produced than That Condensation was in Proportion to it's natural temper or rather a moderate degree of Coldness 4. But to proceed to Observations Cold may hinder the Operation of the Sun upon the Air in the middle of Summer and I am told That it hath been observed to Snow in Greenland all Mid-summer Night and in the Northern Parts of Muscovy it hath been observed That severe Frosts happened in the close of August And further Capt. Weymouth says That in the midst of Summer when they sailed not near the Latitude of Nova Zembla their very sails and Tackling were froze To which we shall add that the English when they were sailing to Cherry-Island which lyes betwixt 74 and 75 degrees Latitude in July it froze so hard that the Ice hung upon their Cloaths 5. As for the degrees of Cold in the Air Dr. Fletcher tells us that in Russia if they go out of a warm Room into the Cold it makes them Breath with difficulty It is observ'd at Moscow That Water thrown up into the Air falls down congealed the Air is so Cold and at Smolensko in Russia the Spittle freezes before it can fall from one's Mouth to the Ground 6. I have observ'd the Air grows sensibly heavier in frosty Weather but whether it depends on any frigorifick Atoms dispersed through the Air or not I shall leave to be decided by further Tryals In Northern Countries it is observ'd That foggy Weather presently vanishes when Frost begins the moist Vapours being by that condensed and precipitated and the Surface of the Earth so closed up that other Vapours were repressed and kept from rising and the Air hath been by several observ'd to have been much more clear in the Winter here in England and Sweedland and elsewhere than at other times 7. The Refraction of Luminaries in the Northern Air in Nova Zembla is so great that the Dutch-Men observ'd the Sun to appear to them 14 Days sooner than it ought to have done And Capt. James tells us That he observ'd the Latitude of Charlton-Island to vary 52 Minutes and the Sun to rise 20 Minutes sooner than it ought to rise Besides several Instances of Refraction laid down in the History of the Air. 8. To what we have said of the Coldness of the Air we shall subjoyn the Relations and Observations of Navigators which we shall either propose as promiscuous or in Confirmation of the three following Observations 1. That the greater or lesser Coldness of the Air in several Climates and Countries is nothing near so regularly proportionate to their Respective distances from the Pole or their Vicinity to the Equator as Men are wont to presume It hath been observ'd That of Places of an equal distance from the Northern and Southern Poles those near the latter are Colder Tho' in Moscow the Cold is almost intolerable yet in Edenburgh which is a degree more Northwards the Air is temperate enough and the Snow seldom lies on the Ground Mr. Pool in his Northern Voyage tells us That it did
one Bowl in Motion striking against another not in Motion communicates as much of it's Motion as it can to the other and loses it 's own and so the Vapours and steams in a Room in frosty Weather striking against the Glass-Windows are deprived of their Motion and froze which is observ'd to be much thicker upon the Glass in Russia than here in England A Note out of Martinius in his account of China This Author tells us That at Peking tho' the Pole be not elevated above 42 degrees yet for four Months together from the middle of November the Rivers are froze in one Day so that they bear Coaches and Horses A Note taken out of Martinius Cromerus his Polonia The Cold is so violent in these Countries sometimes That the Trees wither at the Roots and Water is froze as it falls through the Air and the Waters are froze up for two Months so that they bear Horses loaden and Coaches And this Author tells us That he passed over the Weisell in Massovia with a Coach and Horses and other Horse-Men And in Prussia the Fishing in the Ice began after the beginning of November and lasted till March was ended Another Note out of the same 1. They catch Fish more commodiously in Winter than Summer for breaking holes in several Places in the Ice a Net being cast into one of them and ropes fastned to it Men with Poles and Horses draw the Net from one Place to another 2. I am told that at Warsaw in twelve Hours the Water was froze 4 Inches downwards One that sailed to make Discoveries beyond the Arctick Circle told me He could eat as much in one Day as in ten here and that after they had sailed over a deep blew Sea they came to one as black as Ink which being sounded it was above 70 Fathom Sack being froze and thawed again presently lost its Vigour 3. In these Parts the Frost penetrates the Ground five Foot and the Ice in Iberia in the River Ob is said to be a Fathom and a half thick there being there but twelve Weeks in the whole Year without Frost The Rivers have breathing places a Mile long out of which Fumes ascend as out of a Cellar when the Door is open'd Death by Cold is not painful if it be intense Cold dries excessively cleaves the Earth and causes Timber to crack TITLE XX. Experiments concerning the Weight of Bodies frozen and unfrozen The Weight of Bodies frozen and unfrozen 1. TO try whether Bodies upon freezing would grow heavier since Epicurus and other Atomists suppose Congelation to depend upon the crowding in of frigorifick Atoms we exposed Eggs to be froze all Night and in the Morning we found they had lost four Grains of their Weight which we suspected to proceed from the Avolition of some Exhalations through the Shell since at other times we observ'd That Eggs counterpoised lost eight Grains of their Weight in some process of Time 2. Water froze and weighed counterpois'd a Grain and a little more than when it was thawed But the Experiment being made in a Glass with a long Stem hermetically seal'd when the Water was froze it was as heavy or heavier after it was thawed and the same Equality of Weight betwixt frozen and unfrozen Water happened in other Experiments 3. Stones being weighed after exposed to the cold Air and also in a warm Air they seemed to discover an Increase of Weight but I suspected it proceeded from Water imbibed into their Pores since Stones are observ'd to increase their Weight in Water And further because one that was well polished and not apt to imbibe Water retain'd barely its own Weight So that the Doctrine of the Epicurean Freezing must be invalid except he supposes the frigorifick Atoms like those of a Load-stone to be without Weight An Appendix to the XX Title The fore-going Experiments may not only satisfie us That the Doctrine of the Epicureans is erroneous but may likewise help us to correct some extravagant Relations on the other Hand For Helmont tells us That Water thawed in a Vessel Hermetically sealed was â…› heavier than before But perhaps this Difference might in part depend on the Access of Vapors on the outside the Glass In opposition to what Manalphus tells us I found That Water froze in a Metalline Porringer in one Experiment lost 50 in another 60 Grains of its Weight which I attributed to an Avolition of some Parts of the Water since when we order'd the Matter so that no Water could steam out there was no considerable Increase or Decrease in the Weight of Water froze or thawed Particulars referrable to the XX Title 1. Quick-silver being weighed in the Air and afterwards counterpoised in Water when by the application of a Mixture of Snow and Salt it began to freeze the Bubble weighed ¾ of a Grain less than before A Globe of Snow rammed into a Mould whose Diameter was an Inch weighed 112 Grains A Globe of Ice of the same Diameter weighed 2 Drams and 5 Grains 2. After a long Frost and Snow the Liquor in the gaged Weather-glass stood below the first Mark but the Mercury in the Baroscope stood at near 2 â— below 29 Inches which perhaps might be attributed to the high Wind. 3. Four Ounces of Snow being counter poised were exposed to the Frost all Night and at 10 or 11 in the Morning had lost near 30 Grains which Parts seemed to have been evaporated the melted Liquor in the Bottom of the Scale amounting to no more than 8 Grains 4. Two Ounces of Snow depressed flat so as to form a large Superficies and counterpoised in a Night's time lost 55 Grains no Water being found in the Scale and two Hours after the Decrement was 63 Grains none of the Snow appearing yet to be melted TITLE XXI Promiscuous Experiments and Observations concerning Cold. Whether Frost hinder odoriferous Effluvia from exerting their Power 1. SEveral Flowers being gathered in December and January and hastily smelâ—ed 〈◊〉 had no sensible effect on the Sensory whicâ— Phaenomenon I attributed to the Frost hindring a sufficient Quantity of spirituous Sap from rising up into them and not that it prevented those spirituous Parts from emitting Effluvia since a vigorous fresh Primrose had an Odour genuine and sweet 2. Rose-water being froze when it was wholly Ice afforded a genuine Scent but something fainter than when it was thawed again but in making these Experiments it is requisite that the Body smelt at should not be held too long near the Nose lest the warmth of one's Face should help to excite those Odoriferous Parts and consequently frustrate the Tryal 3. Stinking Water being exposed to the Cold and froze was altogether inodorous 4. It is reported by several and attested by Olearius That the Russians and Livonians enable themselves to bear Cold extremely by going out of their Store naked immediately into cold Water and even Ice it self 5. Having made use of a good
Water severed from it by Ice nine or ten Foot thick Besides I think it altogether inconceivable how Wind by taking upon the outside of a Glass should cause the Water within to freeze since the freezing of Water is an action much different from the putting of the Glass into a trembling motion besides we see that Water will not be froze by the blowing of a strong Wind against the outside of a Glass tho' it will when enclosed in Liquors where no Wind can come at it and those two which are not subject to freeze themselves And whereas Mr. Hobbes gives it as a Reason why some Wells freeze not because the Wind hath not liberty to blow strong enough upon the Water I shall add that those Wells that are subject to be froze when Northerly or Easterly Winds blow will freeze tho' covered over and sufficiently guarded from the Winds and in Cold Winters whether the Wind blows or not And Whereas Mr. Hobbes tells us that the lightness of Ice above Water proceeds from the bubbles received into it whilst it is freezing the Contrary is evident since Water froze in a seal'd Glass will be plentifully stocked with bubbles as well as that which is frozen in the free Air. Postscript To conclude this History of Cold I shall instead of some other Experiments designed for this Treatise subjoyn an Experiment elsewhere mention'd in the History of whiteness and blackness viz. Take a piece of Cork and having burnt it till it be reduced to a black Coal and then having slacked it in fair Water it will by being mixed with Gum-water form a black Ink which you may write what you please with which writing if it be interlined with a colourless Solution of Minium in Spirit of Vinegar upon wetting the Paper with a spunge dipped in a fluid Liquor prepared by mixing three Parts of Quick-lime and one of yellow orpiment and digesting them two or three hours in sixteen Parts of Water the invisible Solution of Minium will exhibit black Letters and the other black ones will disappear but whilst this fetid Liquor is preparing it must be well shaken several times that the Quick-lime and the powdered orpiment may the better impregnate it and then the decanted and filtred Liquor must be kept for use But besides this there are several other ways of making Ink which I could be glad to learn And I my self have tryed that Words might be writ with a Solution of Minium which I could render legible by the help of the fire CHAP. VIII An account of Freezing made in December and January 1662. By Dr. Merret Several Experiments about freezing THE following Experiments were made in Weather which was very frosty continuing six weeks yet not without some alternate Relaxations in Stone-Windows exposed to the North and North-East-Winds The Vessels in which they were tryed were Glass-Canes of several Bores Earthen and Pewter Vessels c. Cold Water exposed to the Air in open Pans was froze in an hour boiling Water in two boiling and Cold Water mix'd in ½ the Cold Water beginning to freeze at the top and and sides but the other at the bottom and when the Water was Cold at the top The same succeeded with Water thrown upon a Table the Cold Water being first froze A four ounce Vial with a Stem a Foot long and half filled being exhausted of Air in Vacuo Boyliano was almost froze as soon as Water exposed in an open Pan and appear'd white seeming to consist purely of bubbles Water in which Arsnick was eight Months infused congealed into a white Ice sooner than Water and so did Solutions of all sorts of Vitriols and sooner than Solutions of other Salts except Allum which froze into an Ice whiter than Milk and stuck so fast to the Pan that I could scarce separate it Sandever presently freezeth but Eris sooner and Kelp in less time than that all of them forming white lumps of Ice Sal-Armoniack frequently froze before the rest of them but once after them Two drams of common Salt dissolved in four ounces of Water was in hard frost congealed into a white Ice in about thirty hours Stinking Sea-Water full of Salt being exposed in a Beer-Glass was covered with a film of Ice as thick as ½ a Crown in twenty six hours when froze it tasted Salt and smelled stinking but when thawed it had lost the fetor In four days more the whole was froze but that in the bottom tasted sharper than the rest The same Water in broad Pans was quite froze through in thirty six hours and sooner in a Mixture of Snow and Salt neither a strong Solution of Salt-Petre no◠Bay-Salt nor Sal-Armoniack were froze in six days But a Solution of Salt of Tartar froze in a little more time than Water and being exposed in a Tube it began to freeze at the bottom top and sides all once whereas other Liquors freeze uniformly either at the top or bottom first Salt-Petre in a Cold season was in twenty eight hours froze into a white Ice which was mistaken for Sal-Prunel and sparkled in the fire as that Salt usually does A lixivium of it made with Copperas or Allum singly or mixed set in Snow and Salt or Snow alone was frozen in one Night Sal-Gem tho' Snow and Salt were mixed with it and tho' it were set in Snow and Salt would not be brought to freeze But Phlegm of Vitriol froze sooner than the Solutions before mention'd Oyl of Vitriol is coagulated sooner than any of the afore mention'd Liquors except Water a large Tube being filled ¼ with it and being froze tasted of a strong Vitriolate taste the coagulated Part was of a paler colour than the other and both being poured together in a Bottle it became too hot to hold in one's hands this coagulated Part remain'd unthaw'd a week after the rest of the Liquors and another Tube of the same Oyl being wholly froze it subsided ½ an Inch below its station to which it rose again upon a thaw but the other Liquors rose upon congelation A flask of small Beer froze in thirty eight hours but three Parts of Ale continued unfroze after six days hard Frost but at four a Clock in the morning the unfroze Liquor tasted much stronger and brisker than before it was froze the Ice was less firm and fuller of bubbles than common Ice and being thawed was very pale and of a quick Aleish taste A Beer-Glass of Hull-Ale being exposed to the Cold in a Glass in twenty four hours was crusted over with Ice as thick as half a Crown and that being taken off it yielded another and so successively till the whole was froze these Laminae were all of the same colour and taste but the lowest was the most tender This Ale would not freeze so soon as that which I exposed before Hull-Ale hath a brackish taste Claret exposed in a spoon in thirty five hours was turned into a soft Ice which had the Genuine
colour and taste of Wine In thirty eight hours Canary exposed in a spoon was covered with a thin film which grew no thicker in four days But neither Claret or Canary would freeze in Tubes or Bottles Two ounces of Spirit of Wine exposed in a spoon all evaporated in twelve hours but the same quantity of Brandy left about a spoonful of Ice void both of taste and it 's Inflammable Quality but being held betwixt my Eye and a candle it discover'd several bubbles An Ox and a Sheep's Eye were both frozen through in one Night the three Humours being Opacous hard and inseparable The Chrystalline humour was white like Whitings boil'd the waterish and glassy humour seemed to be made of flakes of Ice Sheeps Blood exposed to freeze the Serum was turned to Ice which being separated from the Blood and thawed at the fire congealed a second time into a Membranous substance but the Blood was not in the least froze The Heart and Blood in the Vena Cava of a Dog and Cat exposed dead to the Air were both froze Milk froze into white flakes being soft and with few bubbles in it and retaining the proper taste of Milk The yolks and Whites of Eggs were froze in one Night they thaw best by lying on New-Castle Coals or in a deep Cellar I am told that Eggs tho' they have been froze will produce Chickens-Eggs held near the Surface of the Water when froze will acquire a crust of Ice on the outside the inward Parts of it still remaining froze and if those Eggs whilst froze be poched they will be very tough An Egg and an Apple being suspended two Foot deep in a Cistern and taken up after twenty four hours tho' both of them were full of Ice within yet neither of them had contracted Ice on the outside Horse-Radishes and Onions froze yet Beer in which Horse-Radish and Scurvey-Grass are infused will not freeze so soon as strong Beer without them Oranges and Limons froze have a hard and tough rind and lose their genuine taste and when thawed they soon become rotten Apples Cut in the middle will have a thin Ice on both plains which may be discerned by a knife or the touch The skins of these Apples soon turn brown and they begin to corrupt there Oyl exposed look'd like Butter melted and coagulated again but in Caves and Cellars it would never appear more than Candied White Wine-Vinegar froze in a Tube without apparent bubbles Whatever hath a watry humour in it will coagulate But what will not the next Paragraph contains Spirit of Wine Aq. Mariae Coelestis c and Canary in large Vessels Soap-Boilers Lees Spirit of Salt Vitriol Salt-Petre Aqua fortis Spirit of Sulphur and Spirit of Soot will not freeze but the two last afford a Precipitate the first of the colour and taste of Brimstone but not inflammable the latter a yellowish powder more bitter than the Spirit and inflammable But tho' these Spirits would not freeze yet being mixed with twelve Parts of Water all of them froze except Spirit of Salt Nitre and Aqua fortis I am told that one having dissolv'd Ice in the North Seas found it Salt As for the figures of Liquors froze Allum appear'd in lumps Salt-Petre Tartar Milk Ale Wine and Sal-Armoniack in plates And other Liquors which composed a soft Ice seened to be composed of Globuli adhering to each others Water Kelp and Frits resembled the fibres of an Oaken leaf the interstices being filled up with smoother Ice and the middle Fibres as in Plants appeared larger than the others and made acute Angles at the lesser end of the leaf But as for the figures of frozen Urine those having been accurately describ'd by the curious Mr. Hook I shall pass that part of my task by I took the Salts of Rosemary Rue Scurvey-Grass Mint and Plantan and putting ½ or ¾ of an ounce of each into ½ of a pint of their distilled Waters the Rue and Plantan being sealed up none of them froze resembled the Plants they belong'd to but the Aromatick Waters were much enriched in their scents especially the Rosemary Kelp froze represents the leaves of Alga Marina A Recipient full of Water being froze and the top of the Ice broke there appeared a Cavity within which was thick set with Plates of Ice from which Stiriae appeared on each side like the Teeth of Combs some of which stood at such a distance that I could put my finger betwixt them A flask full of Water being froze it appear'd full of bubbles like tailed hail-shot the sharp points of all of them pointing upwards They had Cavities which would admit a Pin into them and might be discerned in the Ice appearing like black spots And in the middle of the Ice was contained a Cavity filled with Water in which were several of these bubbles imperfectly formed All the Liquors I made Experiments with did sensibly rise above the mark before they froze and more after congelation Vinegar and Urine rose ½ an Inch and Lees made of Salts of Rosemary Kelp and Frits about ½ of an Inch. Solutions of Allum and Copperas less and Saline Liquors in general less than Water which rose a full Inch and small Beer in a narrow Tube four Inches Oyl of Vitriol alone subsides below the mark hot Water subsides till it is cool and then rises again Water being froze in Beer-Glasses rises up and forms solid Triangles but the rising of it is more visible in narrow Glasses Ice in a flask rose four Inches above the Water-mark and hung two Inches out of it but in a Bolt-head it rose five Inches above the Water-mark If Glasses be filled about ⅔ full they seldom break Round Spherical Glasses usually break uniformly A Bolt-head being filled up to the neck with Water the top which was twelve Inches above it was sealed up upon which the Water being froze was raised three Inches into the neck and the Glass breaking in the thinnest Part from that point several Lines ran as from a Pole to the Meridian but none of them went round the Glass nor were they all of the same length In a flask cracked in many places the cracks were irregular Glass Bottles and stone-Jugs kept little order in breaking and Metals none at all but Woods cleave with the Grain Two oval Boxes one of Box and another of Maple containing each two ounces were fill'd full and by the Frost in one Night were cracked from the bottom to the top A Pepper-Box of Latin had its neck broke off and the joints at the bottom loosned Lead-Pipes above ground were broke in many places and some that lay a foot under ground Brass-Locks and Barrels of Pumps usually break with the Frost A Copper-Box of the shape of a Pear was cracked the fourth time it was froze The Cylinder of a silver Ink-horn bore the Frost but a silverball was considerably extended by the Frost Tobacco-Pipes and Earthen Ware were burst with the
that so small a parcel of our Noctiluca continued to shine above a hundred and fifty Hours In which time the following Circumstances were observable First That the luciferous Fumes were visible both Night and Day and rose from the Particles of the Noctiluca like Smoak from so many Chimneys Secondly This Smoak was so copious and tenacious that it lost not that Form 'till it rose a Foot above the Matter that afforded it the Motion of it being swift and sometimes tending directly upwards sometimes horizontally and sometimes downwards as if their Motion had been determin'd by the scituation of the Noctilucal Fragments by which they were emitted And one thing further observable was that when it had been a long time exposed to the Air it emitted strong and odorous Exhalations distinct from the visible Fumes As for the Liquor which dropped from this Noctiluca and which remained in the Glass Vessel I put it into a Concave Silver Vessel and held it over Small-Coals and Ashes where it evaporated not so easily as I expected but turned into an unctuous Substance of a dark reddish Colour and being thence removed and held over quick Coals it boiled and crackled like Bay-Salt cast into the Fire and emitted several successive Flashes Another piece of this Noctiluca which weighed three Grains being put into a small Glass Funnel whose Stem was so fine that it was less than a small Pin's head and the Pipe of the Funnel being purposely placed in a Vial to catch the colliquated Liquor and this being set in a South-Window all Day and placed in my Chamber at Night I observed that it continued luminous no less than 360 Hours From whence appear'd the extraordinary Minuteness of the parts of our Noctiluca and what is more strange the Weight of â—â—r Noctilucous Matter colliquated exceeded the Weight of the Noctiluca it self two thirds This Noctiluca being spread upon Paper and held to the Flame of a Candle when the Flame came to the Noctiluca it burnt away in a flashing and spluttering manner and cracked like Salt And some of this Paper being put upon Embers cover'd with Ashes the Noctiluca would take Fire and communicate its Flame to the Paper And to shew its inflamability further I put a Grain of it into Spirit of Wine and tho' it discolour'd not the Flame of the Spirit which was partly red and partly blue yet when the Spirit was consumed and the Flame was contiguous to the immersed Phosphorus it took Fire and emitted a yellow Flame copiously And a piece of this being set on fire by the Sun-beams concentrated it burnt very vividly and clear and the expiring Flame left behind it a Caput Mortuum which formed several Circles like those of a Sardonix whereof the largest was white another yellow and the third red all the three Colours being vivid and pleasant Some part of the Caput Mortuum being left in the Spoon was presently resolv'd per deliquium into a Liquor as sharp as Spirit of Salt and other parts having free access to the Air appeared combustible Another instance of the Inflammability of it was by rubbing it in a Mortar for by that means it took Fire and burnt vividly but was soon extinguish'd by the Fire Of the burning of Bodies with the Noctiluca If our Noctiluca be pressed hard betwixt ones Fingers or against a Board it will feel sensibly hot and will sometimes be violent enough to scorch the Skin And one thing observable is that Blisters raised by its Heat are not only more painful but harder to be cured than ordinary ones But tho' some parts of this Noctiluca are disposed to take Flame yet they are not all equally prone to an Incalescence To these Observations of our Noctiluca I shall add that some of it being rubbed betwixt Folds of Paper for some time they took Fire and so did it when rubbed with Gun-powder by which means the Gunpowder was exploded And once when my Servant carried some of it in his Pocket the Glass being broke the Attrition and Heat of his Body set it on Fire by which means several Holes were burnt in his Breeches To which I shall subjoin that six Parts of Sulphur and one of this being mixed and beaten with the haft of a Knife the Noctiluca shone through the Paper and as soon as these Ingredients were exposed to the Flame they immediately took Fire and once the Experiment being repeated the Brimstone did not burn with a slow Flame but flashed away like Gun-powder And once my Laborant having prepared some of it and trying to write upon a dry Board the force of Attrition kindled the Wood and afforded not only vividly shining but burning Letters To try what was the Nature of this saline Noctilucal Matter I dropped some of it upon Syrup of Violets and found that it did not turn it green but of a fine Carnation Colour as Acid Spirits usually do And I likewise found that it presently destroy'd the blue Colour tho' not the other of the Lignum Nephriticum I likewise poured some of this Noctilucous Liquor upon Filings of Copper and exposed them to the Air for two or three Days I found that tho' the Filings were dissolv'd yet the Colour of the Tincture was not a deep Azure as if made with a Volatil Urinous Salt but seemed to partake of green and blue It likewise fermented with Powder of red Coral and also with Salt of Tartar From whence it appears that the nature of our Salt is not Urinous but of the Family of Acids But to proceed I enclosed a parcel of this Icy Noctiluca in a small Vial and another together with the Water it came over with in Distillation and I observ'd that the former lost its Light in four Days and the other in about a Week But to try whether a sufficient Degree of Heat would not cause our Noctiluca to take Fire I enclosed some of it in a Glass-Egg with Hermes his Seal and found that the Ball of the Egg being held near the Fire the Noctiluca presently took Flame and burnt much longer than we expected and when the Flame was over we sometimes observ'd a little Liquor in the Glass the rest of the Matter by the Operation of the Fire acquiring a red Colour Some of this Noctiluca being put into a Glass Egg and Water poured upon it when the Water was heated very hot and the Noctiluca was melted we poured the Water off upon which the Noctiluca remaining in the Glass immediately being exposed to the Air took Flame and part of it running out with the Water burnt fiercely upon the Surface of it and with a crackling Noise the remaining Caput Mortuum appearing red To which relations I shall add that the Beams of this Noctiluca passing through an Orange colour'd Glass appear'd of a very pleasant Colour And on this occasion I shall subjoin that tho' once I could not obtain any Light from some of this Noctiluca included in a Vial with Oyl of
and if an Organical Body furnished with all the Parts requisite for the Preservation of Life be contained in so small a compass 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 formed 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 matter minutely divided is this viz. We dissolved a grain of filings of Copper in Spirit of Sal-Armoniack pouring the Solution into a tall Cylinder four Inches in Diameter and successively filling it four times with distilled Water 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 Experiment 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 penetrate 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 levissimo attactu sed pedem licet optime calceatum Piscatoris incaute Pisciculum conterentis Paralysi stupore afficit instar Torpedinis Europeae 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 Magnetical 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 Magnetical Virtues as to become a North Pole and according to Magnetical Laws to drive away the North Point of a Needle but being inverted and held under the Point of a Needle it became a South Pole and attracted it Another Proof of the great subtlety of Effluviums may be taken from the small decrease of Weight by parting with store of such Emanations as Vitrum Antimonii Crocus Metallorum 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 Ambergrease which weighed about 100 or 120 Grains being suspended three days in the open Air lost not sensibly of its Weight notwithstanding 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 â… 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 constant 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 considering 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 suppos'd to be left on the Ground where such an Animal hath stood and likewise at what distance 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 Bodies 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 Observations 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 distempered Animals may leave an Infection upon the Grass they tread on But to prosecute the chief aim of our Discourse I shall add That since Corpuscles that are too minnte to be visible may affect an Organ of Sense it is not improbable but that there may be a great many which may be so fine
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 amounted 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 purposely 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 Spirit 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 Serum 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 upon by Bodies that have in them any thing of Urinous Salt usually give a conspicuous Tincture we accordingly found that the Metal 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 latent 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 Window 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 offensively 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 Violets 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 readily 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 bottom 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 Scituation 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 Similar 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 being 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 presently be united and ascend in Distillation Encouraged by which Observation I mixed Serum with Quick-Lime upon which there ensued a transient Heat and this mixed Body being 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 accompanyed 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 dropped 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 Serum 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 Phaenomena this Spirit of the serous part of the Blood seems to be very near of kin to that of the concreted mass To try whether the fixed Salt of Pot-ashes would have the same effect on Serum
we could readily precipitate with the Spirit of Blood a Substance which looked like a white Earth and such a Substance 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 Solution 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 Vinous Spirits THAT there is an Affinity betwixt Spirit 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 Tincture 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 Adiaphorous Spirit formerly mentioned but dephlegmed 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 different viz. the one to the Animal and the other to the Vegetable Kingdom With the essential Oyls of Aromatick Vegetables the Spirit seems to have a greater Affinity 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 continued 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 quantity or half as much Oyl of Aniseeds and having 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 being dissolved part of the Oyl appeared floating upon the top whence being separated by a Tunnel the Liquor was whitish and without 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 considerable 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 Spirits 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 Volatile Salt of Human Blood but had quite lost its stink and yet retained a considerable quickness and something of the scent of Aniseeds and the remaining Liquor was likewise deprived of its ill smell and moderately imbued 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 quantity 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 betwixt 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 considerable 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 Copper 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 colour 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 intercourse of the Air being excluded the Liquor 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 Copper 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 altogether 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 unstopping the Vessel I observed that in two minutes of an hour the Surface of the Liquor where it touched the fresh Air became Ceruleous and in a quarter of an hour the whole Body of the Liquor had attained a deeper 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 Experiment 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
Perpendicular to the Horizon and the lower End of it immers'd in Water This done we cover'd the Ball of the Bolt-head with a Mixture of beaten Ice and Bay-Salt upon which the internal Air being condens'd the Water rose up into the Stem and stood a good while Then having made a Mark at it's highest Station we fill'd the Vessel with Water and found that it yielded ℥ 19 and ʒvj the Weight of the Water which fill'd the Stem up to the Mark being ℥ j and ʒiij by which Number the former being divided the Quotient was 14 4 11 Drachms so that the Proportion of the two Quantities being as 11 to 158 The Space into which the Air was condens'd was to it 's former Space as 147 to 158 So that the highest Degree of Condensation it was then capable of made it lose of it's former Extent 11 158. N. B. First The Stem of the Glass ought to be long lest the Water upon the Air 's Condensation should rise into the Ball of it Secondly The Cylinder of Water was two Foot so that it might by it's Weight in some measure hinder the Ascent of more and so keep the Air from condensing to it's utmost Thirdly When the Water rose as high as it well could we observ'd it to rise and fall alternately for a little time Fourthly The Air may thus be further condens'd than by Winters Cold. But to shew that in the forgoing Experiment the Cold did not compress the Air immediately but partly in as much as it by stuffing up the Pores of the Water caus'd it to swell and so to compress the Air I took a new Glass Bolt-head with a short Neck and fill'd it full of Water so that when it was hermetically seal'd up the Liquor wrought within 3 Inches of the Top the sharp End which was made for the Conveniency of sealing being ¼ of an Inch long This being done the Bolt-head was plac'd in a Mixture of Snow and Salt upon which the Water ascended and compress'd the Air into the Conical Part upon which the Glass flew in pieces In which Experiment according to Dr. Wallis his Estimate the Air was compress'd into a 40th part of the Space it possess'd before Which is considerable above the utmost Compressure made in Wind-Guns where it is usually thought not to be compress'd into less than a 15th and according to Mersennus into an 8th part of it's former Space CHAP. XI Of the Admirably differing Extension of the same Quantity of Air rarified and compress'd The admirable different Extensions of the same Quantity of Air. THE first Thing I shall take notice of concerning the different Degrees of the Air 's Rarefaction and Condensation is That in our Climate tho' Cold will not condense it near into a 20th part of the Space it possess'd before yet it may be expanded to 70 times that Space Secondly The Air may be much more condens'd and rarifi'd by our Engins than by Heat or Cold the Proportion in respect of Expansion being as 1 to 70. But Thirdly Perhaps the Proportion betwixt the Degrees of the Air 's Condensation and Rarefaction will not be thought so great as what we have mention'd if we consider that the Air we make Experiments with here below is so much compress'd already by the Incumbent Atmosphere that for that Reason it is more inclin'd by it's Spring to yeild to an Expansive than a Compressive Force Fourthly It may be question'd how the parts of the Air which have a specifick Gravity come to be spread so thin in the Cavity of the exhausted Receiver since there is nothing in it for them to swim in and to bear them up Since the Proportion is so great betwixt the Parts of the Air and the Cavity of the Receiver they are contain'd in Fifthly It is not a little wonderful that Air should be so subject to vary it's Dimensions so that if we consider how far it may be expanded without the Assistance of Art elaborate Engins or Heat the Top of the Atmosphere must be extremely rare To conclude If we compare the utmost Degrees of Condensation and Rarefaction together the same Portion of Air may possess 520000 times the Space at one time that it did at another CHAP. XII New Experiments about the weakned Spring and unheeded Effects of the Air communicated in the Philos Transact of Decemb. 75. TO try whether as some Corrosions of Bodies in close Vessels increase the Spring of the Air so others may not weaken it and likewise to discover whether some Effects of the Air may not depend on some unheeded Qualities I made the following Experiments which I shall lay down when I shall have made some Tryals the Changes of Colour in Solutions of Copper by the Influence of the Air. EXPERIMENT I. Change of Colour in a Solution of Copper FILINGS of crude Copper being put into a Crystal Glass of a Conical Figure with as much Spirit of Salt as stood a Fingers breadth above the Filings we cover'd the Vessel with a Stopple exactly adapted to it upon a Solution of the Copper the Colour of the Liquor was a dark Brown but it soon lost that Colour and was clear again like common Water but when by taking out the Stopple the Liquor was again expos'd to the Air it first acquir'd a brown Colour upon the Top and that penetrating deeper into the Liquor by degrees it in a quarter of an hour was wholly tinged with a brown Colour again and so it successively laid down and re-acquir'd that Colour as it was stopp'd up or expos'd to the Air till at the last being kept up a Month it kept the brown Colour it had acquir'd in the Air unalter'd EXPERIMENT II. A Bottle of the same Liquor with the former and which was much clearer being expos'd to the open Air in half an hours time was not in the least alter'd but the Vessel being again clos'd up for two or three hours it acquir'd a faint Green and the Glass being again unstopp'd 24 hours the Green was deep enough but not very transparent EXPERIMENT III. ABout 3 Spoonful of the brown Tincture of Copper was shut up in a Receiver capable of holding ten times as much It retain'd it's Colour half a Year in Vacuo and then being expos'd to the Air it acquir'd a Green in about an hour without the Precipitation of any muddy Sediment EXPERIMENT IV. SOme of the aforemention'd Tincture being left a considerable time in a Window lost it's Colour and appear'd like common Water but towards the latter end of December being expos'd to the Air it acquir'd a faint and moderately transparent Green EXPERIMENT V. Filings of Copper and Spirit of Wine FILINGS of Copper and as much rectified Spirit of fermented Urine as rose an Inch above them being shut up in a Conical Glass with a mercurial Gage in some hours the Mercury in the seal'd Leg was depress'd EXPERIMENT VI. A Gage being shut up in a