[ 262 ] 
up more pi'oofs, that might, as it were ex fuperahun- 
dantiy confirm and illuftrate the dodlrine, which I 
was endeavouring to eftablifh, before I fliould ven- 
ture to publifli it, 1 cafuaily found what, as I here 
folemnly declare, I knew nothing of before, to wit, 
that I was not the firfi:, who had obferved hairs in 
the meconium of ripe calves, two authors having 
been before-hand with me, to wit. Aides and Swam- 
merdam j the former in his Epifiola contra Harveiumy 
i.'ublifhed in the firfi; volume of the Bibliotheca Ana- 
tomica of Mangetus and Le Clerc : the latter in the 
Biblid Natura. Aides, a feigned name under 
w’hich Slade, an Amfierdam phyfician, conceals him- 
felf, barely mentions the obfervation, without draw- 
ing any inference from H, either on the one fide 
or the other. Swammerdam draws the fame con- 
ciufion with me ; but, I think, he goes farther 
than the obfervation can well jufiify, maintaining, 
that it evidently follows from thence, that a calf 
licks his own Ikin in uteroy thereby loofening the 
hairs, and fwallowing them down along with the 
liquor amnii, its nourilhment. See the whole paffage, 
Bibl. Natiir. pag. 3 ip. 
Ilowever that be, it is enough for my purpofe to 
liave two fuch authors concurring with me, as to 
the reality of the fundamental faff, and quite faves 
me the trouble of making anv farther trials to con- 
jfirm it. 
It is no wonder, that thefe pafiages efcaped me, 
who have fpent almofi: ail my time in prad;ice, and 
pradfical fiudies, and w’ho never was pofi'elfed of 
either of thefe books ; but, after J found them quoted, 
was obliged to trouble two learned friends, at a di- 
y fiance, 
