74 



new commotions, capable, though not of dissolving 

 that natural connexion of the red and serous particles, 

 yet of preventing any preternatural concretions or 

 coagulations. . 



53. These are the parts of which this wonderful 

 machine is composed, which the chymists say, con- 

 sists of four sorts of martt-r, earth, water, salt, and 

 sulphur, the particles of which being variously mixed 

 constitute larger particles of different kinds ; out of 

 which, more loosely or closely connected, all the parts 

 of the body, so id or fluid are composed. 



But this is far from being an accurate account. For 

 what are salt and sulphur but species of earth ? May 

 not we then much more properly say, with the an- 

 cients, that the body is chiefly composed of earth and 

 water, yet cannot enjoy even animal life, unless air and 

 fire, also be wrought into its frame ? So that at 

 whatsoever time, it is deprived either of air or fire y 

 it is an useless, lifeless clod. And yet the manner 

 how these are so intimately mixed, both with our fluid 

 and solid parts, as much exceeds our comprehen- 

 sion, as the manner how the soul is united to its house 

 Oi c'ny. 



That much air is wrought into the whole animal 

 frai,:., appears I; the o'lowing experiments. The 

 bio (1 of a sheep. ire^ drawn, was in a wide-mouthed 

 gla>s put in'o a. receiver, and the air drawn out. After 

 a while, he ^ubii parts of the blood forced their way 

 t'jrou^h tilt- clammy ones, and seemed to boil in large 

 clusters, some as big as nutmegs; and sometimes 

 th" expansion was so vehement, that it boiled over the 



glas-?. Some milk In ing put into a vessel four 



or fhe inches higK when the air was drawn out, it 

 boih'd s impetuously, as to throw up several parts 

 out Oi tiV gia&b luiit contained it. 



And to shew that not only the blood, but the 

 other parts of anurals include air ; the hvrr of an 

 eel was put into a receiver, and even this apparently 

 swelled '-very way, as soon as the air was withdrawn. 



The air as a uxed element in the composition of 



