en the VliaVity and Life ofSerms, 243 



germs three different ways; either by the deficcation it may 

 produce by too much heating the bodies expofed to it; or by- 

 favouring new combinations between the ahiioft liquid part* 

 of the germ, in fuch a manner as to deftroy their natural 

 dIfpofition;.or, in the laft place, becaufc, being itfelf 4 

 Himulus, that is to fay, an agent capable of affecting vitaHty 

 different ways, it may, by the violence of its intenfity, o> 

 the continuation of its aelion, cxtingui{h the vitality, as ail 

 ftimuii too violent or too long continued exhautl the fubjecSl 

 on which they aift. 



It may be readily fccn that the firft hypothefis, that of 

 the deficcation produced by the light of the fun, is void of 

 all foundation, as is proved by the black jars e:xpofcd to 

 the north, and the tubes which were kept immerfed in water. 



In regard to the influence which light may have en 

 germs, by facilitating or producing new combination", it 

 certainly defcrves lobe examined. Tt may, indeed, be cafily 

 conceived that a new difpofition of the parts, contrary to 

 that which is neceflary for the exercife of life, cannot take 

 place without deflroying it; and we know by the dificrent 

 experiments of Hunter, how much power the vital principle 

 has to caufe the germs of the eggs of fowls (which are eafily 

 injured by froll when the vital principle is dcdroycd) to 

 refifl cold with efiicacy. 



Harvey, and feveral other philofophers, have alfoobferved 

 that the egg will keep as long as the membrane which con- 

 tains the orcrm is found ; and various obfervers have re- 

 marked, that the vital principle can even make the feeds of 

 certain plants refift the injury of ages. 



Info6ls which are fufceptible of a kind of refurre(M:ion arc 

 fo only as long as the vital principle exifts in them, by 

 the means of which they reiifl the agency of dcflrucftive 

 powers; but, if thefe powers derange their organization, thev 

 irrecoverably lofe the faculty of refuming new life. That is 

 to fay, in thefc animals, as in germs, the vital principle is 

 always cfTentially united to a certain difpofition of organiza- 

 tion, which is iwt changed till aft^r the deflru6lion of the 

 vital force. 



It 



