364 M*. Henry on the Experiments made with 



fliould further appear, from Dr. Ingenhouz's 

 train of experiments, that plants have the power 

 of feparating phlogifton from common air, ap- 

 plying it to their nurture, and throwing out the 

 pure or dephlogifticated refiduum, as excremen- 

 titious. Now allowing, what appears highly- 

 probable, that they have a fimilar power of de- 

 eompofing fixed air, and of applying and rejed- 

 ing its conftituent parts, our method of con- 

 ducing the experiments was not injurious to the 

 procefs; whereas, when confined in clofe veflels, 

 as by Dr. Prieftley, the plants would be fufFo- 

 cated, in a manner reverfed to what would hap- 

 pen to an animal. For as in that cafe, from a want 

 of communication with the atmofphere, as necef- 

 fary to carry otf the phlogifton thrown out from 

 the lungs, (according to the beautiful theory of 

 refpiration, advanced and fo well fupported by 

 Dr. Prieftley) the animal muft perifli ; fo, in the 

 other inftance the plant would die, if cut off" from 

 the air of the atmofphere, in fuch manner, that the 

 pure air excreted by its veflels could not be con- 

 veyed from it. For, in thefe circumftances, this 

 fluid, fo falutary to animal, but deftrudive to 

 vegetable, life, muft be accumulated in the body 

 of the plant, and, its functions being thus im- 

 peded, death is the neceflary confequence. 



This reafoning feems to be confirmed by fome 

 of the fafls which you have communicated to 

 QTie, from your Journal. For it appears, from 



fever4l 



