( 2cr) ) 



and finencfs. We do indeed, hereby gain fome infight into the 

 manner of Nature's operation of healing ; but, in what particular 

 manner, tlie particles, fo attenuated, do a6i' m the accomphlhment 

 of her purpofe, will, if I miftake not, for ever remain undifcovcr— 

 able by human powers. 



Fartlier, I took a portion of the root, in quantity about five grains 

 apotliccary's weiglit, and placed it on the fire, in order to draw from 

 it the oil and volatile fpirit it might contain. When tiiis Ava.s bunrt 

 to a coal ; in order to dilcover its fixed falts, I poured on it a little 

 rainwater, which watei* bt coming very turbid and foul, b}'' rea'bn 

 ©f the burnt matter, I flraincd it through a filtering-paper, and 

 placed portions of it on feveral pieces of clean glafs, to the end, that 

 the watery parts might evarx)rate. Neverthelefs, there ftill remained 

 fomething of a vifcous matter, from whence I concluded, that fome 

 parts of the root liad efcaped the fire : this v.as all tliat occurred to 

 me worthy of note in this experiment. 



A certain phyfician, in converfation on the fubjeci, fuggefied to 

 me, that if the coal of the root was burnt to a white afli, tlie falts 

 would certainly be difcovered. But, though, in attempting to efte6l 

 this, the glafs on which the pieces of root were placed, always 

 melted by the violence of the heat, the pieces of wocd were never 

 burnt to allies. 



Hereupon, I placed fome pieces of the Pareira Brava root, on a 

 piece of charcoal, fuch as the goldfmiths ufe, and directed tive 

 iiame of a large candle againfl; it, by the blaft of a blow-pipe ; \ry 

 which means, the root was ahnoft all confumed to a wliite afli : tin?, 

 I caft into a fmall quantity of water in a glafs, and filtering the wa- 

 ter, which was very turbid, I let it fall drop by drop on different 

 glalles, made perfectly clean. One of thefe glades I i)laced on a 

 burning coal, in order to evaporate the moifture, for, at that time, 

 the; atmofphere was very damp, and rainy. When this drop of wa- 



