Observations on the nature and cure of calculus, sea scurvy, consumption, catarrh, and fever : together with conjectures upon several other subjects of physiology and pathology.

  • Beddoes, Thomas, 1760-1808
Date:
1793
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on the nature and cure of calculus, sea scurvy, consumption, catarrh, and fever : together with conjectures upon several other subjects of physiology and pathology. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    294/300 (page 276)
    In the firft place it is evident, that among the fubftances which favour the extrication of pure air, we have every thing which can well be fup- pofed to enter into the compofition of manure, falts fimple and compound, with the juices and extrac- tive matter of plants. If we may likewife affume, that the production of this falutary fluid is a natu- ~ ral funéiion and an healthy procefs, it follows di- rectly, that the ufe of manure Is to occafion a great- er exertion of that function. That the produ@tion of dephlogifticated air is among the chief functions of vegetables is a fuppo- fiiion countenanced by many experiments. Mr. Cavendith himfelf infers, that the vital air obtained by Dr. Ingenhoufz comes from the decompofition of water. There is one experiment related by the laft-mentioned author, highly remarkable, and not to be explained on any other fuppofition that has been hitherto thrown out. ‘ I boiled, (fays he]. c. p- 198. B. 2.) fome water for two hours, and then poured it boiling into a glafs balloon of the capacity of 200 cubic inches. The balloon was then carefully clofed. Before the water was grown quite cold, 1 introduced into the balloon four cubic inches of granulated green matter, which was taken out of the great refervoir in the botanic garden (at Vienna), and repeatedly wafhed in boiling water ; care being taken to fqueeze out after each wafhing all the moifture, in order that none except boiling water might remain adhering to it. I next clofed the balloon with a perforated ftopple, in order to allow the water an exit when it fhould be preffed by the air evolved from the green matter. The balloon was invertea into a veflel of quickfilver placed in