Of Salts in general . I 4 
danding the Water being evaporated, (hew 
themfelves again combined in fome fort of 
angular Forms, with a Degree-of Tranfpa- 
rency, and to the Tade are more or lefs 
pungent. To this may be added, that they 
are fudble by Fire. 
Salt, thus underdood, is one of the drd 
Principles of the Chemids * and indeed has 
good Reafon to be edeemed fo, as it en¬ 
ters into the Compodtion of all Bodies. It 
is every where, and in every thing : for if 
any Stone, Plant, or Animal be burnt,- a Salt 
remains in the Alhes, which may be ex¬ 
tracted by Water,- and feparated from the 
Caput Mortuum. 
It is the Nutriment of Animals, Vege¬ 
tables and Minerals, infomuch that Herbs, 
Roots, Bread, &c. deprived of their Salts, 
can neither fudain, nourifh, or increafe the 
Bodies of Animals ; and the Earth when di-* 
veded of it becomes abfolutely barren. 
Vegetables and Animals, whild douriih- 
ing and alive, difcharge by Perfpiration and 
other more fendble Evacuations, the Excefs 
and Excrements only of the alts whereby 
they are preferved : but when they perilh, 
the Chain whereby the Parts were kept to« 
gether becomes broken, the Salts regain 
their Liberty by Putrefaction, fome dy 
away into the Air, and the red remain in 
a Condition to enrich and render fertile 
Vol, II. C that 
