Anal)fis of the Air. 2 9 1 



putrefaction ; which operations they attri- 

 bute to very different caufes. The immediate 

 caufe of fermentation is (they fay) the mo- 

 tion of the air intercepted between the fluid 

 and vifcous parts of the fermenting liquor; 

 but the caufe of putrefaction they would 

 have to be, fire itfelf, collected or included 

 within the putrefying fubject. But I do not 

 fee why thefe may not reafonably enough 

 be looked upon as the effects of different 

 degrees of fermentation 5 nutrition being the 

 genuine effect of that degree of it, in which 

 the fum of the attracting action of the par- 

 ticles is much fuperior to the fum of their 

 repulfive power : But when their repelling 

 force far exxeeds their attractive, then the 

 component parts of Vegetables are diffolved. 

 Which diffolving fubftances, when they are 

 diluted with much liquor, do not acquire a 

 great heat in the diffolution, the brisknefs of 

 the inteftine motion being checked by the 

 liquor: But when they are only moift, like 

 green and damp Hay, in a large heap, then 

 they acquire a violent heat fo as to fcorch, 

 burn and flame 5 whereby the union of their 

 conftituent parts being more throughly dif- 

 folved, they will neither produce a vinous, 

 nor an acid fpirit : Which great degree of 



U 2 folution 



