The natural history of animals containing the anatomical description of several creatures dissected, by the Royal academy of sciences at Paris ... / Done into English by a fellow of the Royal society [Alexander Pitfield] ; to which is added an account of the Measure of a degree of a great circle of the earth, published by the members of the same Academy : English'd by R.W. [i.e. Richard Waller].

  • Académie des sciences (France)
Date:
1702
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The natural history of animals containing the anatomical description of several creatures dissected, by the Royal academy of sciences at Paris ... / Done into English by a fellow of the Royal society [Alexander Pitfield] ; to which is added an account of the Measure of a degree of a great circle of the earth, published by the members of the same Academy : English'd by R.W. [i.e. Richard Waller]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Of the Amphibious, as the Sea-Calf, are of the firft Species: And thefe Lungs do abfolutely appear flefhy, becaufe that the Blood is equally difperfed thro’ all their Subftance, into which it Circulates entirely, making all the Blood to pafs thro’ the Lungs by its VefTels from one Ventricle of the Heart to the o- ther. The Lungs ofTortoifes, Serpents, Frogs, Salamanders , Came lions, &:c. are of the lecond Species; And they appear abfolutely membranous, having but very little Blood difperfed into their Subdance, viz. only that which is neceffary for their particular Nourifhment: So that there is no other Circu¬ lation made in its Yeffels but of this Nourifhment. The Lungs of Birds are of the third Species, and they do appear partly flefhy, and partly Membra¬ nous, by reafon that the part which is faftned to the Ribbs is filled with a great quantity of VefTels, by which the Circulation is entirely made as in Terreftrial Animals; and the other part, which is divided into eight and fomtimes into ten great Bladders, has no VefTels, and the Circulation therein is only for its peculiar Nourifhment. Thefe three Species of the Lungs may be reduced to two, if their differen¬ ces be taken from the ufe which the Lungs have,in relation to the entire Cir¬ culation of the Blood; And in this cafe the Lungs of Tortoifes, and other Am¬ phibious Animals of that kind, will make a particular Species, their Lungs be¬ ing ufelefs for the entire Circulation. And the Lungs of Birds, and that of Terreftrial Animals jwill make another Species, which will be common to thofe whole Lungs appear abfolutely flefhy, and thofe that appear only in one part. For the eftablifhing thefe two Species, there may be likewile add¬ ed another difference taken from the Motion of the Lungs, which in Terreft¬ rial Animals, even as in Birds, is continual, regular, and periodical: And in the others,as in the Tortoife, Camelion &c.it is interrupted,and fo feldom and unequal, that the Camelion is fomtimes half a day without ones being able to difeern in him any Motion for the Refpiration: And fomtimes it is per¬ ceived to fwell on a fudden, and to remain a quarter of an hour in this con¬ dition. The Tortoife does probably ufe the fame] manner. We have a long time obferved feveral living and entire, and we have taken notice that indeed they fomtimes caft forth a cold Breath thro the Noftrils, but it is by intervals, and without order. In thofe which were opened alive, we faw that the Lungs remained continually fwelled by the exa£t compreflion of the Glottis, and that it fhrunk entirely and fuddenly, when entrance was giv¬ en to the Air by cutting the Jjpera Arteria. When the Breaft of a living Dog is opened, by taking away the Sternum with the Cartilaginous A ppendices of the Ribbs, the Lungs are obferved fuddenly to fink, and afterwards the Circulation of the Blood and Motion of the Heart to ceafe in a little time, after that the right Ventricle of the Heart, and its Auricle with the Vena Cava are fwelled,as if they were ready to burft: So that to prevent the Animals Death, the end of a pair of Bellows is put into the Afpera Arteria, and pufhing in the Air to make the Lungs fwell,and after¬ wards withdrawing them to make them fink, they are Artificially made to have the Motion that they Naturally ufe: and it is obferved that the Ventricle and right Auricle of the Heart with the Vena Cava do unfwell, and the Heart refumes its ordinary Motion again. This