6o The Nature and ufeful Properties of Salt . 
or Cryftals peculiar to each Sort of Plants 
and probably conflitutes its ejfential Salt. 
It is alio taken continually into the Sto¬ 
machs of Animals, their Food abounding 
with it, and affording them proper Nutria 
ment by the Means thereof. It diffolves in 
and circulates with their Blood and Hu¬ 
mours, and becomes fo highly fubtilized by 
the Heat and Action of an animal Body, 
that the greateft Part of it is rendered vola¬ 
tile, and can hardly be reduced again into 
its original Figure, though feme of it may 
always be found unaltered in the Blood, 
Urine, &c. And the Fertility which Dung 
produces in barren Soils, is owing to the 
Abundance of it contained therein : for 
though Salt in its natural State is prejudicial 
to Vegetables, it becomes fo tempered, after 
having palled through the Bowels of living 
Creatures, and been intimately mingled with 
their putrefying Faeces, that it caufes them 
to thrive exceedingly. 
No Menftruum is yet found to diffolve 
Gold, unlels one of the Salts we are treating 
of be an Ingredient therein ; they being 
the only known Diffolvents of Gold, as 
Nitre is of Silver : but, on the contrary. 
Common Salt, Rock-Salt, or Spring-Salt, 
mixed with Aqua Forth or Spirit of Nitre , 
will prevent its diffclving Silver, though 
fuch Mixture proves the readied: DiiTolvent 
of Gold. 
I fw i, 1 
