348 RECAPITULATION. 



pofe in the fame manner; they contain fimilar 

 organic particles ; and they exhibit the very fame 

 appearances. 



All animal and vegetable fubflances contain a 

 great' quantity of this organic and prolific mat- 

 ter. To difcover it, we have only to fepa- 

 rate it from the brute matter in which it is 

 entangled; and this operation is effected by 

 infufmg animal or vegetable fubftances in water: 

 The falts melt ; the oils feparate ; and the or- 

 ganic particles become evident by their move- 

 ments. They abound more in the feminal fluid 

 than in any other parts of animals; or rather, 

 they are there more difengaged from the brute 

 matter. Soon after flefh is infufed, and while 

 it is only flightly diflolved, the organic matter 

 appears under the form of moving bodies, which 

 are nearly as large as thofe in the feminal fluid. 

 But, in proportion to the increafe of the diflTolu- 

 tion, thefize of the organic particles is diminifh- 

 ed, and their motion is augmented; and, when 

 the fleih is entirely decompofed or corrupted, 

 the organic particles are extremicly minute, and 

 their motion is inconceiv^ably rapid. It is then 

 that this matter may be poifonous, like that of 

 the viper's tooth, in which Mr Mead perceived 

 an infmite number of fmall pointed bodies, and 

 which he imagined to be falts, though they are 

 nothing but thefe fame organic particles in an 

 extremely adive ftate. The pus which pro- 

 ceeds from wounds may acquire, luch a degree 



of 



