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into inflammable air j and it feems to be as probable 

 that this phlogiftic matter may have been imbibed by 

 the roots and leaves of plants, and afterwards in- 

 corporated into their fubftance, as that it is altogether 

 produced by the power of vegetation. May not this 

 phlogiftic matter be even the moft effential part of 

 the food and fupport of both vegetable and animal 

 bodies ? 



In the experiments with metals, the diminution of 

 air feems to be the confequence of nothing but a 

 faturation with phlogifton ; and in all the other cafes 

 ef the diminution of air, I do not fee but that it 

 may be effected by the fame means. When a vege- 

 table or animal fubftance is diffolved by putrefaction, 

 the efcape of the phlogiftic matter (which, together 

 with all its other conftituent parts, is then let loofe 

 from it) may be the circumftance that produces the 

 diminution of the air in which it putrefies. It is 

 highly improbable that what remains after an animal 

 body has been thoroughly diffolved by putrefaction, 

 mould yield fo great a quantity of inflammable air, 

 as the dried animal fubftance would have done. 

 Of this I have not made an actual trial, though I 

 have often thought of doing it, and ftill intend to 

 do it; but I think there can be no doubt of the 

 refult. Again, the iron, by its fermentation with 

 brimftone and water, is evidently reduced to a calx, 

 fo that phlogifton muft have efcaped from it. Phlo- 

 gifton alfo muft evidently be fet loofe by the ignition 

 of charcoal, and is not improbably the matter which 

 flies off from paint, compofed of white lead and oil. 

 Laftly, lince fpirit of nitre is known to have a very 

 remarkable affinity with phlogifton, it is far from 



being 



