248 Analyfts of the Air. 



From this property in the vapours, arifing 

 from animal bodies, to rebate and deftroy 

 part of the elafticity of the air , a probable 

 account may be given, of what becomes of 

 a redundant quantity of air, which may at 

 any time have gotten into the cavity of the 

 Thorax j either by a wound,or by fome defed 

 in the fubftance of the lungs, or by very 

 violent exercife. Which if it was to con- 

 tinue always in that expanded ftate, would 

 very much incommode reipiration, by hin- 

 dering the-dilatation of the lungs in infpira- 

 tion. But if the vapours, which do con- 

 tinually arife in the cavity of the Thorax, 

 deftroy fome part of the elafticity of the air, 

 then there will be room for the lungs to 

 heave : And probably, it is in the fame man- 

 ner, that the winds are reforbed, which in 

 their elaftick ftate fly from one part of the 

 body or limbs to another, caufing by their 

 distention of the veflels much pain. 



Experiment CXIL 



I have by the following Experiment found, 

 that the air will pafs here and there thro* the 

 fubftance of the lungs, with a very fmall 

 force, viz % I cut 



