[ *§7 1 



in their quantity, they equally precipitate in lime- 

 water, and they are reftored by the fame means. 



Since air which has palled through the lungs is the 

 fame thing with' air tainted with animal putrefaction, 

 it i-s probable that one ufe of the lungs is to carry off 

 a putrid effluvium, without which, perhaps, a living 

 body might putrefy as foon as a dead one. 



When a moufe putrefies in any given quantity of 

 air, the bulk of it is generally increafed for a few 

 days ; but in a few days more it begins to (brink up, 

 and generally, in about eight or ten days, if the wea- 

 ther be pretty warm, it will be found to be diminifhed 

 4., or l of its bulk. If it do not appear to be di- 

 rninimed after this time, it only requires to be pafled 

 through water, and the diminution will not fail to 

 be fenfible. I have fometimes known almoft the 

 whole diminution to take place, upon once or twice 

 paffing through the water. The fame is the cafe 

 with air, in which animals have breathed as long as 

 they could. Alfo, air in which candles have burned 

 out may almoif always be farther reduced by this 

 means. All thefe precedes, as I obferved before., - 

 feem to difpofe the compound -mafs of air to part 

 with fome ccnftituent part belonging to it; and this 

 being mifcible with water, muft be brought into 

 conta<ft with' it, in order to mix with k to the. 

 moffc advantage, especially when its union with the 

 other conftituent principles of the air is but partially 

 broken. 



I have put mice into veffels which had their mouths 

 immerfed in quickfilver, and obferved that the air 

 was not much contracted after they were dead or 

 cold; but upon withdrawing the mice, and admitting 



B b 2, lims 



