494 Rev.W.V.Harcourt on Lord Brougham's statements 



ceiver at all : then the receiver being accurately cemented to 

 the engine the air was pumped out ; whereupon the bird grew 

 sick, and when he was thought near dying, the bottle was un- 

 stopped, that the streams and supposed air that had been shut 

 up in it during the operation might have liberty to expand 

 themselves in the receiver for the refreshing and recovering 

 of the animal : but here it succeeded not ; in so much that 

 though the bird was taken out of the receiver and exposed to 

 the fresh air, yet it recovered not." 



" The other experiment was made with a kitling after the 

 manner of the former, only that instead of distilled vinegar 

 was employed aquafortis, whereof the success was, that the 

 air being drawn out till the cat had done struggling, and was 

 upon the point of expiration, and the bottle being unstopped 

 to emit the streams and supposed air into the receiver, the 

 cat did soon begin to recover, whereupon the animal had 

 fresh air given it, which was again exhausted, to see whether 

 it would revive of itself, without any nitrous exhalation ; but 

 after this exhaustion the cat appeared to be dying, whereupon 

 she was after a little while taken out into the open air wherein 

 she revived again." 



" It was also moved that a standarpl might be used to know 

 what quantity of air was generated." 



" The glass phial with the swelled bladder, experimented 

 upon at the last meeting and shut up till this day, was pro- 

 duced, and the bladder found evidently shrunk. Ordered to 

 be tried next day with a glass phial whelmed under water, 

 thereby to gather all the bubbles of the air generated by the 

 corrosion." 



" On being inquired how it was known that that which was 

 supposed to be air produced by the dissolving of pounded 

 oyster-shells by spirit of nitre, or distilled vinegar, or aqua- 

 fortis, was true air, and answer being made by the President * 

 — that a body rarefied by heat, and condensed by cold, was air, 

 the bladder was put to the fire where it expanded again as 

 much as formerly and being removed from thence became 

 somewhat flaccid again." 



" It being moved that it might be tried whether the streams 

 produced by the operation of distilled vinegar upon the pow- 

 der of oyster-shells were convenient for respiration, the trial 

 was made, and the bottle wherein that dissolution was per- 

 formed, carried about to the company for every one to smell 

 to it, and it was found by most of the company incommodious, 

 as it was undiluted." 



'* It being moved by Mr. Hook that the air-boxes contrived 

 * Lord Brouncker. 



