[ 3 
feed upon it, many of which are here found in the 
Hofpitals afflicted with a very fingular kind of Mor- 
tification, which caufes their Limbs to drop off. 
There are two Sorts of Blight, in one of which the 
Grain crumbles into a black Powder j and the other is 
that which gives thefe moving Filaments or Eels. Mr. 
Bernard de JuJJieu tells me, that one is from a Cor- 
ruption of the Flour, and the other of the Grain. 
It may not here be amifs to hazard a few Queries. 
Do not all Mortifications, and other Maladies in 
which there appears an extraordinary Exuberance of 
Matter in any one Parr, proceed from a Weaknefs, 
a Want of Refiftance, and from Principles of Union, 
which give to this vegetative Force, found to refide 
in every Point of animal or vegetable Subffances> 
more Play in one Part than in another ? For If the 
Refiftance be not equal in all Parts, the exuberant 
Matter mud break forth, and caufe that Part to de- 
compofe j and if the Habit of Body be extremely 
lax, the Decompoiition muft continue ; and that, 
in a certain extraordinary Degree, we fhall call a 
Mortification. To rub a Wound, or any natural 
Sore, with Salt and Spirits, is found to be falutary, 
and preventive of Mortifications $ and Salt I know, 
by Obfcrvarion, will immediately put a Stop to 
thefe microfcopical Vegetations, and caufe the Ani- 
mals to fubfide motionlefs to the Bottom: There 
fore it is probable, that Salts and Spirits are Princi- 
ples of Union, and produ&ivc of a greater Refinance 
in the dufble Matter afled upon by this vegetative 
Force. High Living, rich Wines, &c. are Preferva- 
tives againlt many contagious epidemical Diftempers: 
Do not therefore thefe Maladies arife from a laxer 
5* 2 Habit 
