

258 Analyfis of the Air. 



mical infe&ions are conveyed by the breath 

 to the blood (when we confider what great 

 quantities of the airy vehicle lofes its ela- 

 sticity among the veficles, whereby the in- 

 fectious Miafma is lodged in the lungs. 



When I reflect on the great quantities 

 of elaStick air, which are deftroyed by bur- 

 ning fulphuf 5 it feems to me not improba- 

 ble, that when an animal is killed by light- 

 ning without any vifible wound, or imme- 

 diate Stroke, that it may be done by the 

 air's elasticity, being inStantly deftroyed by 

 the Sulphureous lightning near the animal, 

 whereby the lungs will fall flat, and caufe 

 fudden death 5 which is further confirmed 

 by the fktnefs of the lungs of animals thus 

 killed by lightning, their veficles being; found 

 upon diSFe&ion to be fallen flat, and to have 

 no air in them : The bursting alSo of glafs 

 windows outwards, feems to be from the 

 fame effect of lightning on the air's elaf- 

 ticity. 



It is likewife by destroying the air's elaf- 

 ticity in fermented liquors, that lightning 

 renders them flat and vapid : For Since Sul- 

 phureous Steams held near or under vcSTds 

 will check redundant fermentation, as well 



as 



