316 NOVUM ORGANUM. 



other materials they produce the effects of heat. Sailors state that 

 when bundles and masses of spices, which have been shut up for a 

 long time, are suddenly opened, those who first disturb and take them 

 out stand in danger of fevers and inflammations. In like manner it 

 may be tried whether spices and herbs of this kind, when powdered, 

 would not dry bacon and meat, hung over them, as smoke does. 



To the Twenty-sixth. 



31. There is an acidity or penetrating power in cold substances, as 

 vinegar and oil of vitro), as well as in hot, as oil of marjoram and the 

 like. And so they equally excite pain in animated bodies, and dis 

 integrate and destroy the parts of inanimate substances. Therefore 

 to this Instance no negative is subjoined. But in animated bodies no 

 pain is found to exist without a certain sensation of heat. 



To the Twenty-seventh. 



32. Heat and cold have very many actions in common, though 

 in a very different manner. For snow seems after a while to burn 

 children s hands, and cold preserves flesh from putrefaction, no less 

 than fue ; and heat contracts bodies into a smaller bulk, as also does 

 cold. But it is more convenient to refer these and similar instances 

 to the inquiry concerning cold. 



xiii. Thirdly, we must make a Presentation to tJie Intellect of 

 Instances in which the Nature under inquiry exists in different 

 degrees, more or less, either by comparing its increase and decrease 

 in the same subject, or by instituting a comparison of its amount in 

 different subjects by turn. For since the Form of a thing is the very 

 thing itself, and since a thing differs from its Form only as the appa 

 rent differs from the actual, the external from the internal, or that 

 which is referred to man from that which is referred to the universe ; 

 it necessarily follows that no Nature can be received as the true 

 Form, unless it decreases invariably when the Nature itself decreases, 

 and in like manner invariably increases when the Nature itself in 

 creases. And so we have usually called this table The Table of 

 Degree S) or The Table of Comparison. 



Table of Degrees or Comparison in Heat. 



We shall therefore first speak of those substances which have no 

 degree of heat at all perceptible to the touch, but which seem to have 

 a certain potential heat, or disposition and preparation for warmth. 

 Afterwards we shall descend to Instances which are hot actually, or to 

 the touch, and to their intensities or degrees. 



i. Among solid and tangible bodies we find nothing which is in its 

 own Nature originally hot. For there is no stone, metal, sulphur, 

 fossil, wood, water, nor corpse of any animal, which is found to be hot. 

 And hot waters in baths seem to attain their heat accidentally, either 

 through the agency of flame or subterranean fire, such as is vomited 

 forth by /Etna and many other mountains, or from the conflict of 

 bodies, as heat is caused in the solution of iron and tin. And so there 



