[ + 8i ] 
The Serum of human Blood putrified, made, with 
a Solution of Sublimate, fird a turbid Mixture, and 
afterwards a Precipitation. This is one of the Teds 
of an Alcali , but fcarce to be admitted here ; ftnee 
the fame thing was done with recent Urine (of a 
Perfon in Health), which is never accounted alcalinc. 
The fame Serum did not tinge the Syrup of Violets 
green and made no EfFervefcence when the Spirit 
of Vitriol was poured upon it. I made the Experi- 
ment twice upon Portions of different Serum , both 
highly putrid ,• and once on Water, in which cor- 
rupted Flefh had been fome time infufed ; and the 
mod I could find was, that, having given the Syrup 
previoufly a fmall reddifh Cad with an Acid, this 
Colour was rendered fainter, but not dedroyed by 
the putrid Humours ; and as to the Efrcrvefcence, 
having dropped the Spirit of Vitriol into thefe Li- 
quors unmixed, and alfo diluted with Water, the 
Mixture was quiet, and only a few Air-bubbles ap- 
pealed on fhaking the Glades. Upon the whole, tho’ 
there were fome Marks of a latent Alcali in the pu- 
trid Serum , they were fo very faint, that one Drop 
of Spirit of Hartfhorn in a Quantity of Water equal 
to that of the putrid Liquors, fhewed more of an 
Alcali than twenty Drops of any of the other. 
2. It has been a Maxim, that all animal Sub- 
dances, after Putrefa&ion, being diddl'd, fend forth 
a great Quantity of volatile Salt in the fird Water; 
but Mr. Boyle found that this held good only in 
Urine ; and that in the Didillation of the Serum of 
human Blood putrefied, the Liquor which fird came 
over had little Strength, either as to its Smell or 
Tade, 
