Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society Part 19

7. That a Body, immersed in a Fluid, sustains a Lateral pressure from the Fluid; and that increased, as the depth of the immersed Body, beneath the Surface of the Fluid, increaseth.

8. That Water may be made as well to depress a Body lighter than it self, as to buoy it up.

9. That, whatever is said of Positive Levity, a parcel of Oyl lighter than Water, may be kept in Water without ascending in it.

10. That the cause of the Ascension of Water in Syphons, and of its flowing through them, may be explicated without having a recourse to Nature's abhorrency of a _Vacuum_.

11. That a Solid Body, as ponderous as any yet known, though near the Top of the water it will sink by its own weight; yet if it be placed at a greater depth, than that of twenty times its own thickness; it will not sink, if its descent be not a.s.sisted by the weight of the inc.u.mbent Water.

These are the _Paradoxes_, evinced by our Authour with much evidence and exactness, and very likely to invite Ingenious men to cultivate and to make further disquisitions in so excellent a part of Philosophy, as are the _Hydrostaticks_; and Art deserving great _Elogiums_, not only, upon the account of the _Theorems_ and _Problems_, which are most of them pure and handsome productions of Reason, very delightful and divers of them surprising, and besides, much conducing to the clear explication and {176} thorow-understanding of many both familiar and abstruse _Phaenomena_ of Nature; but also, upon the score of its _Practical_ use, since the Propositions, it teaches, may be of great importance to Navigation, and to those that inquire into the Magnitudes and Gravities of Bodies, as also to them, that deal in Salt-works: Besides, that the _Hydrostaticks_ may be made divers waies serviceable to _Chymists_, as the Author intimates, and intends to make manifest, upon several occasions, in his yet unpublisht part of the _Usefulness of Natural and Experimental Philosophy_.

These Propositions are shut up by two important _Appendixes_, whereof the _one_ contains an Answer to seven Objections by a late learned Writer, to evince, that the upper parts of water press not upon the lower; the _other_, solves that difficult _problem_, why _Urinators_ or _Divers_, and others, who descend to the bottom of the Sea, are not oppressed with the weight of the inc.u.mbent water? where, among other solutions, _that_ is examined, which occurs in a printed Letter of Monsieur _des Cartes_, but is found unsatisfactory.

II. _Nicolai Stenonis de Musculis & Glandulis Observationum Specimen; c.u.m duabus Epistolis Anatomicis_. In the _Specimen_ it self, the Author, having described in _general_, both the _Structure_ and the _Function_ of the _Muscles_, applies that description to the _Heart_, to demonstrate that _that_ is also a _true Muscle_: Observing _first_, that in the substance of the _Heart_ there appears nothing but _Arteries, Veins, Nerves, Fibres, Membrans_; and that that, & nothing else is found in a _Muscle_; affirming withall, that which is commonly taught of the _Muscles_, and particularly of the _Heart's Parenchyma_, as distinct from _Fibres_, is due, not to the _Senses_, but the _Wit_ of _Anatomists_: so that he will not have the _Heart_ made up of a substance peculiar to it self, nor considered as the principle of _Innate heat_, or of _Sanguification_, or of _vital spirits_.

He observes _next_, that the _Heart_ performs the like _operation_ with the _Muscles_, to wit, to contract the Flesh; which action how it can have a different cause from that of the Contraction made in the _Muscles_, where there is so great a parity and agreement in the _Vessels_, he sees not. And as for the _Phaenomena_, that occur, of the _Motion_ of the Heart, he undertakes to explicate them all, from the _Ductus_ or _Position_ of the _Fibres_; but refers for the performance of this undertaking to another _Treatise_, he intends to publish.

[Sidenote: __Conglobate_ Glanduls are called those, that do consist, as it were, of one continued substance, having an _even_ superficies; whereof there are many in the _Mesentery_, and in other places: contra distinguisht to those, that bear the name of _Conglomerate_ Glanduls, which are made up of several small Kernels, such as the _Pancreas_, the _Salivating Glanduls_, &c._]

As to his Observations about _Glanduls_, he affirms, that he has been the First, that has discover'd that Vessel, which by him is call'd {177} _Salivare Exterius_, pa.s.sing from the _Parotides_ (or the two chief Arteries that are on the right and left side neer the Throat) into the Mouth, and conveying the _Spittle_: Where he also gives an account of several other Vessels and Glanduls, some about the _Lips_; others under the _Tongue_; others in the _Pallate_ &c. To which he adds the Vessels of the _Eye-lids_, which have their root in the _Glanduls_ that are about the Eyes, and serve for the _shedding of Tears_. He mentions also several things about the _Lymphatick vessels_, and is of opinion, that the knowledge thereof may be much ill.u.s.trated by that kind of _Glanduls_ that are called _Conglobatae_, and by their _true_ insertion into the veins; the mistake of the latter whereof, he conceives to have very much misled the n.o.ble _Ludovicus de Bills_, notwithstanding his excellent method of _dissection_. And here he observes _first_, that all the _Lymphatick vessels_ have such a commerce with the _Glanduls_, that none of them is found in the body, which either has not its origine _from_, or is inserted _into_ a _Glandule_: And _then_, that _Glanduls_ are a kind of _Strainers_, so form'd, that whilst the Blood pa.s.ses out of the Arteries into the Veins through the small _Capillary_ vessels, the _Serous_ parts thereof, being freed from the _Sanguineous_, are by vertue of the beat expell'd through fit pores into the _Capilaries_ of the _Lymphaticks_, the direction of the _Nerves_ concurring.

Of the two annex'd _Epistles_, the _First_ gives an account of the dissection of two _Raja's_ or _Skates_, and relates that the Author found in the bellies of these Fishes a _Haddock_ of 1 span long, and a _Sole_, a _Plaise_, and nine middle-sized _Sea crafishes_; whereof not only the three former had their flesh, in the fishes stomack, turn'd into a _fluid_, and the Gristles or Bones into a _soft_ substance, but the _Crafishes_ had their shels comminuted into very small particles, tinging here and there the _Chyle_ near the _Pylorus_; which he judges to be done not so much by the heat of the Fishes stomack, as by the help of some digesting juyce.

Coming to the _Uterus_ of these Fishes, he takes occasion to examine, with what ground several famous _Naturalists_ and _Anatomists_ have affirm'd, that Eggs are the _uterus_ exposed or ejected out of the body of the Animal. Taking a view of their _Heart_, he there finds but _one_ ventricle, and discourses of the difficulty arising from thence. As for the _Lungs_, he saw no clearer footsteps of them in these, than he had done in other Fishes: but within the mouth he trac'd several _gaping fissures_, and found the recesses of the _Gills_ so form'd, that the water taken in at the mouth, being let out by these dores, cannot by them re-enter, by reason of a skin outwardly pa.s.sing over every hole, and covering it. Where he intimates, that though Fishes have not _true_ Lungs, yet they want not a _Succedaneum_ thereto, to wit, the _Gills_; and if _water_ may be to Fishes, what _Air_ is to terrestrial Animals, for Respiration: affecting, that whereas nothing is so necessary for the conservation of Animal life as a reciprocal Access and Recess of the _Ambient_ to the sanguineous vessels, tis all one, whether that be done by receiving the Ambient _within_ the body, or by its gentle pa.s.sing _by_ the _Prominent_ vessels of the _Gills_.

The other _Epistle_, contains some Ingenious Observations, touching the way, by which the Chicken, yet in the sh.e.l.l, is nourish't, _videl._ not by the conveyance of the _Yolk_ into the _Liver_ by the _Umbilical_ vessels, nor into the _Stomack_ by the {178} _Mouth_, but by a Peculiar _ductus_, by him described, into the _Intestins_, where, according to his alledged experience, it is turn'd into _Chyle_: which he affirms, he hath discover'd, by taking an Egge from under a brooding Hen, when the Chicken was ready to break forth, and when he was looking for the pa.s.sage of the _Yolk_, out of its integument into the _Liver_, by finding it pa.s.s thence into the _Intestins_, as he found the _White_ to do by the _mouth_ into the _belly_. Whence he inclines to infer, that, since every _faetus_ takes in at the mouth the liquor it swims in, and since the Chicken receives the _white_ of the Egge into the _mouth_, and the _yolk_ by the new discover'd _ductus_ into the _Intestins_, it cannot be certainly made out, that a _part_ of the _Chyle_ is conveyed into the _Liver_, before it pa.s.ses into the _Heart_; Exhorting in the mean time the _Patrons_ of the _Liver_, that they would produce Experiments to evince their Ratiocinations.

III. _Regneri de Graeff, de Succi Pancreatici Natura & usu, Exercitatio Anatomico-medica._ In this Tract, the Industrious Author, after he has enumerated the various opinions of _Anatomists_ concerning the use of that kernelly substance; call'd _Pancreas_ (in _English_, the _Sweetbred_) endeavours to prove experimentally that this _Glandule_ was not form'd by Nature, to separate any _Excrement.i.tious_ humor, and to convey it into the _Intestins_, but to prepare an _useful_ juyce out of the Blood and Animal Spirits, of a somewhat _Acid_ taste, and to carry the same into the Gut, call'd _Duodenum_, to be there mixt with the Aliment, that has been in some degree already fermented in the Stomack, for a further fermentation, to be produced by the conflux of the said acid _Pancreatick_ juyce and some _Bilious_ matter, abounding with volatile Salt, causing an Effervescence; which done, that juyce is, together with the purer part of the nourishment, carried into the _Milkie_ veins, thence into the _common receptacle_ of the _Chyle_ and _Lymphatick liquor_, and so through the _ductus Thoracicus_ into the right Ventricle of the Heart.

This a.s.sertion, first advanced (saith the _Author_) partly by _Gothofredus Mobius_, partly by _Franciscus de le Boe Sylvius_, he undertakes to prove by experiments; which, indeed, he has with much industry, tried upon several Animals, to the end that he might collect some of this juyce of the _Pancreas_ for a taste: which having at last obtained, and found it somewhat _acid_, he thereupon proceeds to deliver his opinion both of the _const.i.tution_ and quant.i.ty of this _Succus_ in _healthy_ Animals, and the vices thereof, in the _unhealthy_: deriving most diseases _partly_ from its too great Acidity, or from its saltness, or harshness; _partly_ from its paucity or redundancy: but especially, endeavouring to reduce from thence, as all _intermittent Feavers_ (of all the _Phaenomena_ whereof he ventures to a.s.sign the causes from this _Hypothesis_) so also the _Gout, Syncope's, Stranguries, Oppilations, Diarrhaeas, Dysenteries, Hysterical_ and _Colick pa.s.sions_, &c. All which he concludes with mentioning the waies and remedies to cure the manifold peccancy of this juyce by Evacuations and Alterations.

This seeming to be a _new_ as well as a _considerable_ discovery, it is hop'd, that others will by this intimation be invited to prosecute the same by further experiments, either to confirm what this Author has started, if true, or to rectifie it, if he be mistaken.

_NOTE._

In _Fig._ 1. of _Num._ 9 of these Tracts the Graver hath placed the bended _end_ of the _Springing Wire_ C F, above the _Wire-staple_ B, between it and the _Ring_ E, of the _Weight_ D; whereas _that_ end should have been so expressed, as to pa.s.s _under_ the _Wire-staple_, betwixt its two Wires, into the said _Ring_.

_London_, Printed for _John Martyn_, and _James Allestry_, Printers to the Royal Society. 1666.

{179}

_Num._ 11.

PHILOSOPHICAL _TRANSACTIONS._

_Munday_, _April._ 2. 1666.

The Contents.

_A Confirmation of the former Account, touching the late _Earth-quake_ near _Oxford_, and the Concomitants thereof, by Mr. _Boyle_. Some Observations and Directions about the _Barometer_, communicated by the same Hand. General Heads for a _Natural History_ of a Country, small or great, proposed by the same. An Extract of a Letter, written from _Holland_, about _Preserving Ships from being Worm-eaten_. An Account of Mr. _Boyle's_ lately publish't Tract, ent.i.tuled, _The Origine of Forms and Qualities_, ill.u.s.trated by Considerations and Experiments._

_A Confirmation of the former Account touching the late _Earth-quake_ near _Oxford_, and the Concomitants thereof._

This Confirmation came from the n.o.ble Mr. _Boyle_ in a Letter, to the _Publisher_, as followeth:

[Sidenote: * _See_ Num. 10. Phil. Transactions p. 166-171; _at the time of the printing whereof, this Relation of Mr._ Boyle _was not yet come to hand._]

As to the _Earth-quake_, your curiosity about it makes me sorry, that, though I think, I was the first, that gave notice of it to several of the _Virtuosi_ at _Oxford_; yet the Account, that I can send you about it, is not so much of the _Thing_ it self, {180} as of the _Changes of the Air_, that accompanied it. To inform you of which, I must relate to you, that riding one Evening somewhat late betwixt _Oxford_ & a Lodging, I have at a place, 4 miles distant from it, the weather having been for a pretty while Frosty, I found the Wind so very cold, that it reduced me to put on some defensives against it, which I never since, nor, if I forget not, all the foregoing part of the Winter was obliged to make use off. My unwillingness to stay long in so troublesome a Cold, which continued very piercing, till I had got half way home-ward, did put me upon galloping at no very lasy rate; and yet, before I could get to my Lodgings, I found the Wind turned, and felt the Rain falling; which, considering the shortness of the time, and that this Accident was preceded by a setled Frost, was surprising to me, and induced me to mention it at my return, as one of the greatest and suddainest Alterations of Air, I have ever observ'd: And what changes I found, have been taken notice of in the _Gravity_ of the _Atmosphere_ at the same time by that Accurate Observer * Dr. _Wallis_, who then suspected nothing of what follow'd; as I suppose, he has ere this told you himself.

Soon after, by my guess about an hour, there was a manifest _Trembling_ in the House where I was (which stands high in comparison of _Oxford_.) But it was not there so great, but that I, who chanced to have my thoughts busied enough on other matters, than the weather, should not have taken notice of it as an _Earth-quake_, but have imputed it to some other cause, if one, that you know, whose hand is employed in this Paper, and begins to be a diligent observer of Natural things, had not advertis'd me of it; as being taken notice of by him and the rest of the people of the House. And soon after there hapned a brisk Storm: whereupon I sent to make inquiry at a place call'd _Brill_, which standing upon a much higher ground, I supposed might be more obnoxious to the effects of the _Earth-quake_ (of which, had I had any suspition of it, my having formerly been in one neer the _Lacus Lema.n.u.s_, would have made me the more observant:) But the person I sent to, being {181} disabled by sickness to come over to me (which he promis'd to do, as soon as he could) writ me only a _Ticket_, whose substance was, That the _Earth-quake_ was there much more considerable, than where I lodged, and that at a Gentlemans house, whom he names (the most noted Person, it seems, of the neighbourhood) the House trembled very much, so as to make the Stones manifestly to move to and fro in the Parlour, to the great amazement and fright of all the Family. The Hill, whereon this _Brill_ stands, I have observ'd to be very well stor'd with Mineral substances of several kinds; and from thence I have been inform'd by others, that this Earth-quake reach'd a good many miles; but I have neither leasure, nor inclination to entertain you with uncertain reports of the Extent and other Circ.u.mstances, especially since a little further time an inquiry may enable me to give you a better warranted account.

_Some Observations and Directions about the _Barometer_, communicated by the same Hand, to the _Author_ of this _Tract_._

These shall be set down, as they came to hand in another Letter; _videl._

[Sidenote: * _See _Num. 9_. of the _Phil. Transact_. p. 159 the last _paragraph_._]

As to the _Barometrical_ Observations (as for brevities sake I use to call them) though you * guessed aright, that, when I saw those of the Learned and Inquisitive Dr. _Beale_, I had not Mine by me, (for I left them, some years since, in the hands of a _Virtuoso_, nor have I now the leasure to look after those Papers;) yet since by the Communication, you have made publick, 'tis probable, that divers Ingenious men will be invited to attempt the like Observations, I shall (notwithstanding my present haste) mention to you some particulars, which perhaps will not appear unseasonable, that came into my mind upon the reading of what you have presented the Curious.

[Sidenote: * _Some whereof have been since invited by the _Publisher_, to give their concurrence herein_.]

When I did, as you may remember, some years agoe, publickly express and desire that some Inquisitive men would {182} make _Baroscopical_ Observations in several parts of _England_ (if not in forrain Countries *

also;) and to a.s.sist them, to do so, presented some of my Friends with the necessary Instruments: The declared reason of my desiring this Correspondence was (among other things) that by comparing Notes, _the Extent of the Atmospherical Changes, in point of Weight, might be the better estimated_. But not having hitherto received some account, that I hoped for, I shall now, without staying for them, intimate thus much to you: That it will be very convenient, that the Observers take notice not only of the _day_, but as near as they can, of the _Houre_ wherein the height of the _Mercurial Cylinder_ is observ'd: For I have often found, that within less than the compa.s.s of one day, or perhaps half a day, the Alt.i.tude of it has so considerably vary'd, as to make it in many cases difficult, to conclude any thing certainly from Observations, that agree but in the day.

It will be requisite also, that the Observers give notice of the _Scituation of the place_, where their _Barometers_ stand, not only, because it will a.s.sist men to Judge, whether the Instruments were duely perfected, but princ.i.p.ally, because, that though the _Baroscope_ be good (nay, because it is so) the Observations will much disagree, even when the _Atmosphere_ is in the same state, as to Weight, if one of the Instruments stand in a considerably higher part of the Countrey, than the other.

To confirm _both_ the foregoing admonitions, I must now inform you, that, having in these parts two Lodgings, the one at _Oxford_, which you know stands in a bottom by the _Thames_ side, and the other at a place four miles thence, seated upon a moderate _Hill_, I found, by comparing two _Baroscopes_, that I made, the one at _Oxford_, the other at _Stanton St.

Johns_, that, though the former be very good, and have been noted for such, during some years, and the latter was very carefully fill'd; yet by reason, that in the _Higher_ place, the inc.u.mbent part of the _Atmosphere_ must be lighter, than in the _Lower_, there is almost {183} always between 2 and 3 Eights of an Inch difference betwixt them: And having sometimes order'd my servants to take notice of the Disparity, and divers times carefully observ'd it my self, when I pa.s.s'd to and fro between _Oxford_ and _Stanton_, I generally found, that the _Oxford Barometer_ and the _other_, did, as it were by common consent, rise and fall together so, as that in the former the _Mercury_ was usually 3/8 higher, than in the latter.

Which Observations may teach us, that the Subterraneous steams, which ascend into the Air, or the other Causes of the varying Weight of the _Atmosphere_, do, many times, and at least in some places, uniformly enough affect the Air to a greater height, than, till I had made this tryall, I durst conclude.

But, as most of the _Barometricall_ observations are subject to exception, so I found the formerly mentioned to be. For (to omit lesser variations) riding one evening from _Oxford_ to _Stanton_, and having, before I took horse, look't on the _Baroscope_ in the former of these 2. places, I was somewhat surprised, to find at my comming to the latter, that in places no farther distant, and notwithstanding the shortness of the time (which was but an hour and a half, if so much) the _Barometer_ at _Stanton_ was short of its usual distance from the _other_, near a quarter of an _Inch_, though, the weather being fair and calm, there appear'd nothing of manifest change in the Air, to which I could adscribe so great a Variation; and though also, since that time, the _Mercury_ in the two Instruments hath, for the most part, proceeded to rise and fall as before.