128 EXAMINATION OF 



a man is expofed to a moderate heat, It thickens, 

 and the motion of all the animalcules is fud- 

 denly flopped. But, vAiqu. allowed to cool, I 

 it dilutes, and the animals continue in motion 

 till the liquor again thickens by evaporating. 

 The more this fluid is diluted, the number of 

 animalcules is augmented ; and, when greatly 

 diluted bv the addition of water, the whole Tub- 

 ftance of the fluid feems to be compofed of ani- 

 mals. When the motion of the animalcules is 

 about to ceafe, either on account of heat or of 

 drying, they appear to approach nearer each 

 other, to have a common circular motion in the 

 centre of the fmall drop under obfervation, and 

 to periin, all of them, at the fame inflant. But, 

 when the quantity of liquor is greater, it is eafy 

 to diltinguiih them dving; in fucceflion. 



Thele animalcules are faid to be of different 

 figures in different animals; but they are all 

 long, thin, without any members, and move 

 with rapidity in every diredlion. The fluid in 

 which thev are contained, as formerly remark- 

 ed, ib much heavier than blood. The femen of ' 

 a bull, when chemically analyfed by Verrheyen, 

 yielded firll phlegm, then a confiderable quan- 

 tity of foetid oil, a very fmall proportion of vo- 

 latile fait, and:* more earth than he expeded *. 

 This author was furprif'ed that he could draw no 

 fpirit from the diftillation of femen; and, as 

 he imagined it contained a great quantity of 



fpiritSj 



* See Verrheyen fup. anat. torn. a. p. 69. 



