Al^ifcourfe concerning Digeftioii in a Letter to the 
Vi\h\\i\\Q's:from Mr. Charles Leigh o/Brafen-Nofe 
Colledge Oxford. 
SHould I reckon up here the many controverted 
thefes oiAnatomijis concerning this fubjeB, & fet up a 
new one of my own,* it might perhaps feem a piece of fond 
prefumption : I fliall not theretore be fo vainly opinionative 
as to think that I have here fully explained the nature 
of Chylificattoriy but ftiall onely give you an account of 
2iX\ArtificiaU digefter which I hope mayfomething illu- 
flrate the naturall one. It has been obferv'd by Helmont^ 
Mcebius/Tachenius^ and the Honourable yiv. Boyle, that 
meats by being kept in an acid liquor, would looke ex- 
treamly ivhite. But I doe not find that by the help of a 
fait that is meerly an acidythere can be any chyle prepared 
from any meats. Wedehus is of opinion that Chyle is no- 
thing but a mixture of <?/7 and Serum, Tilm^zus siffivms 
that tis made by a nitrous Salt. Dr. Harvey by trituration. 
. Dr. Willis acid and Sulphur. DiemerbrooJ^ a,nd 
Sylvius by the Saliva. Dr. Mayoiv by a Nitroaenal prin- 
ciple. Galen and Ariftotle by heat. Others by 2i ferment 
fpewed from the glands in the bottom of the Stomach. O- 
thers by thQ relicts of the meat grown four. So many dif- 
ferent opinions I fhall neither pretend to reconcile or 
decide. And fliall therefore onely lay down the Phceno- 
mena which this liquor afforded, and from them draw in-^ 
ferences as probable conjectures. But fliall in the firft 
place premife a defcription of this digejiitig liquor, and' fee 
how far it may probably parallel the naturall ferment in 
th^ Stomach. The tafte of it is like meat vomited out of 
a full ftomach, fomething Sour^ but will not ierment with 
^sx Alkali. 
It is prepared from fpirit of ^/^/^^^r^fpirit of Hartshorn^ 
the 
