132 ^Treatise on 
mediately upon coming to the Air grows hard like 
a Stone. But this is a Miftake *, for it is equally 
hard whether it be within or out of the Sea. In- 
deed the Bark, as long as the Coral is in the Wa- 
ter, is fofter, and by lying in the Air to dry be- 
comes fomething harder, though never fo hard as 
Stone. 
The Liquor wherewith the Canals, papillary Pro- 
tuberances, and Cells of the Bark are filled, when the 
Coral is firft got out of the Ocean, is milky and 
glutinous, of an acrid Tafte with fome Aftringen- 
cy, approaching, as we have faid, to the Tafte of 
Pepper and Chefnut ; which is very perceptible in 
freih Coral, but as the Liquor dries the pipperine 
Tafte is loft, the Aftringency only remaining. The 
Liquor, after being about fix Hours in the Air, 
turns yellow, is infpiffated, and at length changes 
into an hard and friable Subftance of a Saffron 
Colour. It is the Juice which is fubfervient to 
the Nutrition and Increafe of the Plant. What is 
contained in the round Capful <e of the Flowers feems 
to be impregnated with the Germ of Coral, and 
may pafs for its Fruit or Seed ; inafmuch as thefe 
Capful * , when they fall off from the Branches, ad- 
hering to Rocks, Shells or other Bodies upcn 
which they light, are by little and little expanded 
and germinate, and produce a new Coral-Plant. 
The ftony Subftance of Coral is not inert, nor 
deftitute of active Principles •, much lefs the Bark. 
In fhort, Coral, when frefn out of the Sea, is in- 
dued with active and volatile Principles, of which 
it is deprived by being kept long in the Air. 
The Bark contains ftill a larger Proportion of 
thefe Principles, as appears by its Analyjis. 
From three Ounces of the Bark of Coral, frefh 
and replete with milky Juice, were obtained in 
Diftillation five Drachms and thirty Grains of 
Phlegm, 
