VOL. XX.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 285 



whence he infers that the quantity of vol. salt contained in 12 ounces of the 

 natural phlegm of blood is exactly 1 gr. and a quarter. 



By a similar train of experiments he infers, that the reddish spirit of blood 

 consists of 27 grains of the vol. salt and 3J of phlegm, being nothing more 

 than phlegm strongly impregnated with this salt, and containing moreover a 

 little sulphur. 



In order to ascertain the relative proportions of the component parts of the 

 foetid oil obtained from blood by distillation, Mr. V. proceeded in the following 

 manner : he took §j of this oil, and having mixed it with §iij of bolar earth 

 well exsiccated and reduced to a very fine powder, he put the whole into a 

 retort with a proper receiver adapted to it, and subjected it to distillation in a 

 reverberatory furnace. There came over first of all with a gentle heat, 40 grs. 

 of a limpid phlegm derived from the bolar earth ; this receiver being taken away? 

 and another fitted on, in its place, there was obtained by increasing the fire 

 5ss 42 grs. of reddish spirit ; and afterwards under a still stronger degree of 

 heat, 3ij 51 grs. of oil, resembling in colour and consistence the bile naturally 

 contained in the gall bladder. The residuum at the bottom of the retort yielded 

 by lixiviation 8 grs. of a black saline matter, which readily deliquesced in the 

 air, was pungent to the taste, effervesced with acids, &c. Hence it is inferred 

 that Ij of the foetid oil of blood contains only IQ grs. of earthy matter, which 

 remained mixed with the bolar additament.* 



In the concluding part of this communication the author takes notice of 

 some experiments, which he made upon bile in the year 1696; wherein he 

 obtained from this fluid a limpid phlegm and a liquor as white as milk, besides 

 some other products which on this occasion he omits mentioning. One 

 drachm of bile was taken from the gall bladder of a sheep just killed; it was put 

 into a glass vessel and diluted with 8 ounces of water ; to this was added a small 

 quantity of spirit of vitriol ; whereupon the liquor immediately acquired a milky 

 appearance ; which milkiness Mr. V. remarks would have been increased, if he 



* The products obtained in this distillation were as follow : 



3 3 Grs. 



Phlegm, supposed to be derived from the bolar earth, ^ss 10 grs. or .... 40 



Red spirit, '^ss 5SS 12 grs. 01 4 42 



Oil, lesembling bile, 5iiss 21 grs. or 2 51 



Alkaline salt 8 



Earthy or insoluble matter 19 



1 40 



Deduct for phlegm supposed to come from the bolar additament 40 



1 



