Volume 1

Zoonomia : or, The laws of organic life / by Erasmus Darwin.

Date:
1801
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Zoonomia : or, The laws of organic life / by Erasmus Darwin. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    not, (Swammerdam, p. 319. FIcmyiig Phil. Tranf. Ann. ]755, 42). And towards the end of gefta- tion, the foe tides ofall animals are proved to drink part of the liquid in which they fwim, (Haller. Phyfiol. P. 8. 2o4). T. he white of egg is found m the mouth and gizzard of the chick, and is nearly or quite confirmed before it is hatched, (Harvci de Generat. 58). And the liquor amnii is found in tne mouth and ftomach of the human foetus, and of calves; and how elle fhould that excrement be produced in the inteftines of all animals, which is voided in great quantity foon alter their birth ; (Gipfon, Med. Eflays, Edinb. V. i. 13. Halleri Phyfiolog. T. 3. p. 318. and T. 8.) In the ftomach of a calf the quantity of this liquid amounted to about three pints, and the hairs amongft it were of the fame colour with thofe on itsfkin, (Blalii Anat. Animal, p. m. 122). Thele faffs are attefted by many other writers of credit, befkles thofe above mentioned. III. It has been deemed a furpriling inltance ofinftindf, that calves and chickens fhould be able to walk by a few efforts almoft immediately after their nativity: whilft the human infant in thofe countries where he is not incumbered with clothes, as in India, is five or fix months, and in our climate almoff a twelvemonth, before he can fafely ft and upon his feet. ' The draggles of all animals in the womb muft referable their mode of fwimming, as by this kind
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