194 



The process of putrefaction may be learned from 

 an easy experiment. Take the green juicy parts of 

 any fresh vegetable, throw them together in a large 

 heap in a warm air, and lay a weight upon them* 

 The middle part of the heap will soon conceive a small 

 degree of heat. It will come hotter and hotter, till 

 it comes to a boiling heat, and is perfectly putrified. 



In three days from the first putting them together 

 the heat will equal that of a human body in health* 

 By the fifth day the heat will be such as the hand 

 can hardly bear. By the seventh or eighth, all the 

 juices are generally ready to boil. Sometimes the 

 matter will even flame, (as does moist hay) till it 

 burns away. But commonly it acquires a cadaverous 

 taste and smell, and turns into one soft, pulpy mass, 

 much resembling human excrements in the scent 3 and 

 putrified flesh in the taste. 



If this be distilled, there will come from it, l.An 

 urinous spirit, perfectly like that obtained from ani- 

 mals, and separable by fresh distillation into pure 

 water, and a large quantity of white, dry, volatile 

 salt, not to be distinguished from animal salts. An. 

 oily salt which shoots into globes. 3. A thick, fcetid 

 oil, both which are intirely like those of animals. 

 5. The remainder being calcined in an open fire, 

 yields not the least particle of fixed salt ; just as if 

 the subject had been of the animal, not the vegetable 

 kingdom. And this process holds equally in all 

 kinds of vegetables, though of ever so different na- 

 tures. Yea, in dry vegetables, so they be moistened 

 by water, before they are thrown into heaps. 



By this means the difference between one vegetable 

 and another is intirely taken away. By this pro- 

 cess, they ai'e all reduced to one common nature; so 

 that wormwood, for example, and sage, become one 

 and the same thing. Nay, by this means the differ- 

 ence between^ vegetables and animals is quite taken 

 away ; putrified vegetables being no way distinguish, 

 able from putrified flesh. Thus is theje an easy and 



