OHihiLight/romtrgariifedBoditi. ^if 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Obs. I. The al)ove experiments clearly prove, as I apprehend, that this light is a con- 

 ftituent principle of marine fifties : and that it is feparated, by the menftruum employed 

 on this occafion, in the fame way that the principles of any other body are feparated, by 

 the menftruum fitted to decompofe it. They likewife fliow, that it is not partially but 

 wholly incorporated with every part of their fubftance, and makes "a part thereof, in the 

 fame manner as any other conftituent principle. 



06s. 2. Light is probably the firll conftituent principle that efcapes, after the death of 

 marine fifties. The experiments of the firft Se£lion teach us that it appears foon after 

 death*^ even in fifties which, to the eye, feem quite frefli and fweet ; or, at leaft, long 

 before any fenfible putrefcence takes place. And we have feen that the flefti and roes> 

 infufed in the faline menftruums, continued to emit light for feveral days, without under- 

 gding any apparent putrefaflive change. 



Ois. 3. The experiments likewife render it probable, that no offenfive putrefa£tion 

 takes place in the fea, after the death of fuch myriads of animals as miift needs daily perifli 

 in the vaft ocean, (quite contrary to what happens on land;) and that the flefli of marine 

 fifties remains pretty fweet for fome time, and may become wholefome food for many 

 kinds of thofe which ftill remain alive. An eminent inftance this, of the wifdom of the 

 Creator, in the conftruftion of the aqueous part of the world, which comprehends, by 

 far, the greateft portion of the terraqueous globe, and is the moft replete with ani- 

 mal life ! 



SECTION III. 



Some Bodies or Subjlances have a Power of extingttifljing fpontaneous Light -when it it 



applied to them, 



EXPERIMENTS. 



The luminous matter proceeding from the herring and the mackerel, was quickly es- 

 tinguiflied when mixed with the following fubftances: i. Water alone. 2. Water 

 impregnated with quick-lime. 3. Water impregnated with carbonic acid gas. 4. Water 

 impregnated with hepatic gas. 5. Fermented liquors. 6. Ardent fpirits. 7. Mineral 

 acids, both in a concentrated and diluted ftate. 8. Vegetable acids. 9. Fixed and 

 volatile alkalis, when diflblved in water. 10. Neutral falts : viz. faturated folutions of 

 Epfom fait, of common fait, and of fal ammoniac, u. Infufions or chamomile flowers, 

 of long pepper, and of camphor, made with boiling-hot water, but not ufed till quite 

 cool. 12. Pure honey, if ufed alone. 



(To be concluded hereafter.) 



3 I 2 On 



