67 
OBSERVATIONS snp EXPERIMENTS 
ON 
ANIMALS AND VEGETABLES CONFINED IN STAGNANT 
AIR. 
INTRODUCTION. 
IL: privation of air is a powerful method of pre- 
venting the production of animated beings, and 
of deftroying life in thofe already in exiftence, 
the prefence of air itfelf, when its circulation is 
impeded, is confidered equally noxious. <A ge- 
neral rule has been eftablifhed, that all animals 
and vegetables forced to refpire the air of clofe 
veflels perifh irrecoverably. It is thought equally 
certain, that feeds do not germinate, and eggs 
are not excluded in this fituation. The great 
Boerhaave fpeaks thus of all. ‘* Ovula quo- 
‘© rumcumque infeCtorum in vitris accurate claufis 
‘< non producunt, licet tepore fota, foetus ; femina 
** plantarum vite macerata, optime: commiffa ter- 
Fi 2 ae. 
