SfS PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1750. 



care in the hospitals of the army, Dr. P. ventured to lay before the Society what 

 he had found somewhat different from the common opinion, as well as some 

 facts, which, as far as he knew, had not been mentioned before. 



1. Finding it a received notion, that bodies by putrefaction became highly 

 alkaline, he made the following experiments, to inquire how far this was the 

 iactl 



The serum of human blood putrefied, made, with a solution of sublimate, first 

 a turbid mixture, and afterwards a precipitation. This is one of the tests of an 

 alkali, but scarcely to be admitted here ; since the same thing was done with 

 recent urine (of a person in health), which is never accounted alkaline. The 

 same serum did not tinge the syrup of violets green ; and made no effervescence 

 when the spirit of vitriol was poured on it. He made the experiment twice on 

 portions of different serum, both highly putrid; and once on water, in which 

 corrupted flesh had been some time infused ; and the most he could find was, 

 that, having given the syrup previously a small reddish cast with an acid, this 

 colour was rendered fainter, but not destroyed by the putrid humours; and as to 

 the effervescence, having dropped the spirit of vitriol into these liquors unmixed, 

 and also diluted with water, the mixture was quiet, and only a few air bubbles 



established to need commendation here. It may be remarked however that in the treatment of scene 

 disorders lie resorted too freely to venesection, his partiality for which was doubtless to be ascribed to 

 the precepts of Boerhaave. In 1758 he was admitted a licentiate of the Lond. Coll. of Phys. Two or 3 

 years afterwards he was appointed physician to the queen's household. In 1763 he was made physician 

 extraordinary to her majesty, and in the same year he was elected a fellow of the Lond. Coll. of Phys. 

 In 1766 he was raised to the dignity of a baronet. He had been chosen f. r. s. in 1745. After he had 

 been one of the council of that learned body for several years, he had the honour in 1772, of being called 

 to the president's chair. In this situation he delivered, for a succession of years, some admirable discourses, 

 on presenting Sir G. Copley's gold medal to those members who had distinguished themselves by the 

 communication of important improvements and discoveries in science. These discourses were after- 

 wards printed at the request of the r. s. They are 6 in number, and were delivered on presenting the 

 aforesaid medals to Dr. Priestley, Mr. Walsh, Dr. Maskeleyne, astronomer royal, Mr. Mudge, and 

 Dr. Charles Hutton, mathematical professor at Woolwich, for their respective papers. The medal 

 for Captain Cook was assigned to him while he was out on his 3d voyage of discovery (1776), from 

 which he never returned. About !: years after his elevation to the presidency of the k.s. Sir J. 

 Pringle was appointed physician extraordinary to the king ; and various foreign academies had elected 

 him one of thefr members. In the midst of these honours his health began to decline, insomuch 

 that in 1778, finding the situation of president of the tt.s. to be attended with much inconvenience 

 and fatigue; he felt himself under the necessity of resigning the chair, and was succeeded in that 

 honourable situation by Sir Joseph Banks. After this Sir J. P. went to Scotland, and resided some 

 time at Edinburgh ; but deriving no benefit from this change, he again removed to London, whero 

 he died in 1782, being then in the 75th year of his age. 



Had Sir J. Pringle's merits been confined to his profession, he would still have held a conspicuous 

 place in the list of British physicians ; but he possessed a mind capable of mastering more than one 

 "branch of science ; and if he was justly celebrated for his skill in physic, he was equally entitled to 

 distinction for his acquirements in philosophy. It is this union of general science with professional 

 jskill, that gives a physic ian the fairest title to respect and reward. 



