A letter from Sir R- S- [i.e. Sir Robert Sibbald in defence of his "Scotia ilustrata, sive prodromus historiae naturalis."], to Dr. Archibald Pitcairn / [Sir Robert Sibbald].

  • Robert Sibbald
Date:
1709
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A letter from Sir R- S- [i.e. Sir Robert Sibbald in defence of his "Scotia ilustrata, sive prodromus historiae naturalis."], to Dr. Archibald Pitcairn / [Sir Robert Sibbald]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Difference . You have ftrange ways with you*, fometimes you give us a Suppofuionin your Pro- pofition, which is the very fame with your Pro- pofition : At another time you premife a Suppo- fition, and immediately fopprefs the contradiOL* on of it in your Propolition. Your next Differtation is taken up in explain¬ ing the effeQ: of the Air on the Blood in the Lungs, where you are pofitive, that the Air, which enters the Lungs in Refpiration, does not mix with the Blood. But notwithftanding your Confidence, I believe there may be fucti Ar¬ guments alledged forits entering the Blood Vef- fels, as you will not eafily anfwer. I will here take your method, and lay down feme Pheno¬ mena, or Experiments, which ought to be con- iidered before this Matter can be determined. And Firlf, It is known that Air will pafs thro much thicker and clofer Bodies than the Blood- Vefftls in the Lungs. To prove which, I will give you the following Experiment. There was a long Tube made of the very thickeft part of an Oxes Hide, with a defign that a Di¬ ver under Water might, by the help of this Tube, have a Communication with the open Air* the Tube was well pitched all over, and delay twilled round with Packthread, which was like- wife Pitched, and over that there came feveral Folds of the Inteftinesof a Sheep, each of which were covered with Packthread arid pitched, the lower end of this Tube was immerfed about ten Fathom under Water, the upper reached above the Surface of the Water, and then the Air in it being prefs’d by the weight of the incum- B bent
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