28^ Medicine. [Cha?. IV. 



&:c. But in the century just mentioned a much 

 nearer approximation to the truth was undoubtedly 

 made. Verheyen observed that those animals which 

 respire most have the warmest blood*. Lower de- 

 monstrated that the blood receives a new and a 

 brighter colour in passing through the lungs f, 

 Verheyen and Borelli both proved that the air lost 

 something by coming into contact with that organ J. 

 And the former remarked that this something is ab- 

 sorbed by the lungs; and is probably that which 

 maintams combustion, which qualifies the air to sup- 

 port animal life, and imparts to the blood the ver- 

 milion colour §. Towards the latter part of the 

 same century Dr. Hook and Dr. Mayow published 

 opinions concerning respiration, which approach 

 more nearly to the doctrine now generally received 

 than could be readily believed, if their writings 

 themselves did not bear witness. The former seems 

 to have been obscurely acquainted with oxygen and 

 its absorption in breathing. The latter, according 

 to the opinion of Dr. Beddocs||, '^ was acquainted 

 with the composition of tlie atmosphere, and per- 

 ceived the action of vital air in almost all the wide 

 extent of its influence. He carried on his investi- 

 gation of respiration from the diminution of the 

 air by the breathing of animals, to tho change it 

 produces in the blood during its passage through 

 the lungs. The office of the lungs, says Dr.Mayow, 

 is to separate from the air, and convey to tl\e blood 

 one of its constituent parts." 



* Tract. Be u.su Rapiralionis. f Jh'nJ. X Ibid. § Ibid, 

 jj See i)r. Beddoes's Anali/sis of Dr. Aiuyow's Work, 



