L ANIMALCULA OF INFUSIONS. .^ 



ftantial account is in my Differtations, and it will, 

 be fpoken of more at large in the courl'e of the 

 Trad. 



Thus, it is clearly evident, that long boiling of 

 feed infufions does not prevent the produdion of 

 animalcula ; and, notwithftanding the maize does 

 not feem to favour it, four infufions flrongly cor- 

 roborate the fadt. 



What is the caufe that infufions boiled leafl 

 have fewefl animalcula ? I cannot think myfelf 

 miftaken in afTigning the following reafon. That 

 animalcula fhould appear, it is neceifary that the 

 macerating fubftances give fome indication of the 

 diflblution of their parts ; and, in proportion as 

 diffolution advances, at ieafl for a limited time, 

 the number of animalcula will increafe. The uni- 

 formity of this has been fhewn in another place^ 

 and would be confirmed, was it requifite, by fur- 

 ther experiments and obfervations, in thefe new 

 inquiries. Now, as feeds have boiled a fiiorter 

 time, fo are they lefs invefled and penetrated by 

 the diffolving power of heat ; therefore, when fet 

 apart to m.acerate, they are not fo foon decom- 

 pofed as thofe longer boiled. Thus, there is no 

 occafion for furprife if fome infufions fwarm with 

 animalcula while others have very few : And 

 this I do believe the reafon why, when two infu- 

 fions are made at the fame time, one of unboil- 

 ed, the other of boiled feeds, animalcula are fre- 

 quently 



