6o Tiert A T U R A L H-I Ö R<Y^3f
Thefe things premifed, it is evident that by Vitriolick Particles,
the Spittle , andiâerum óf sötëiRlbod ate render’d Vileid,
and in Taft, Cqnfiftence, and Colour adequate to what we find
in Scorbutick cafesl ' ’
Since-then as is Demonftrable by Chymiftry, thefe Vitriolick
Partricles are difunited bÿ Fire, - arid fill in Crouds the circumambient
Atmofphere, and that in fuch an Air the Pbtbifóis'moh
general and particular,it is but a rational confequence to imagine,
that then thefe Vitriolick Particles communicated to the Mali of
Blood by the Air we breath in, begin, and cheriCh this Stationary
Ththifis.
But now the principal difficulty to be folvedrferthi^ hostile
Inhabitants bordering on Salt and Mar-ffiy Göafts, becotne
the fubjedts of thisDiftemper, and are fo- much infefted with it,
who live only upon the produits of the Fields, and altogether
abftainfrotn Meats Salted, or Dryed in? Smoke, how, I fay, the
Air here becomes faturatêd with faliiie Particles, fince Marine
Salts, as is plain by Evaporation , are of atmore fixe<LNâîüte
than to afcend by thé Heat ofithe îSuhoér ithe fofceq bl ithe
Winds.
Having had feveralTfaoughtful Eflkys on this fubje^ibbtought
it at length to this Condufion. i r iis si Ml
It is very clear to any Man’s Obfervation, that thefe Miaritime
Climes abound both with Sulphüreous,and Salifie Particles, this
Hypothefis is confirmed by the fubfequent Arguments. J
In the firft place about Even-tidé in thefe parts are to be leen
infinite flaffies, like fo many Phofphors burfting from out the
Earth which undoubtedly argties a Sulphur to be there, in the
fécond place very fetid fmells are often emitted like what; are
difcernablein aMixtureof Sulphur and Salt* fo that from thefe
Salt and marfhy places, Sulphureous Particlqs continually arifing,
are yet fo entangl’d with Saline ones, that they bear them up upon
their Points, and by that means impregnate all the Neighbouring
Atmofphere; for fince this Phthijis is fo univerfal inthofe
Airs, it is but reafonable to fiippofe it draws its nourifhment
from Sulphureous, Saline-Particles.
For
• A ANÓA S U I èrfÈrS HT-R.E ; &c. (ft 7
For a farther Confirmation of this Hypothefis we may draw
an . z te Contrario, as for inftance, this Diftemper is very
rare where thefe faline Loams are wanting, hence it is that in
fome places of Rujfia, and Neto^Englandj for a whole Year together
you will fcarce hear a Perfon Cough, though he inhabits on
the Sea Coafts,. and why may it not be for the fame reafon that
the Air in flionpelier^ is become fo famous againft Confumptions
though it borders on the Mediterranean Sea;■ .,
When on the other hand in the firft mention’d places not a
Year'paffes, but Confumptions, Drópfies, Scorbutick intermitting
Fevers, nay whole Myriads of Difeafes very feverely abound,
fb that we. may almoft fay of thefe Salt and Marlhy places, as
Pythagoras did of the Herb Aproxis , whofe Root takes Fire like
Naphtha, and by whofe Effluvia the Air is'renderd infeffious.
It remains now that I treat of the other fpecies of a Scorbutick
Phthijis, (viz.), arifing from fome errour of the fix Non-natnrais,
and thofe that are Hereditary, as to the firft, fhet^c'iuTe.s ’ftiay1
beexplain’d by the above recited Arguments,'fb waving' thehf^
Vifcproeèed to the -Seorbutiek Hereditary Gonfiimption.
ït paffes for an undoubted truth amongft Philofophers , and
Anatom ifts that an Human Foetus is formed in the Ovum, butfthe
mannfr how thefê Om bébotïfë impregnated is theControverfy.
TheOw are guarded by a double Manbfané,!rand' ifiVolvêd in
their proper Coats,j fo that not one Drop can be fqueezed from
thèm,' thefê dt'e fomé that very zealoüfly affert, they, are impregnated'
by a certain Gas Virile, or Seminal Air; certain if is, and
very obvious to u's in pra&ice, that many jtai’rk^tifidêr this Diftemper
have pfofecuted the fteps of their Fore-Fathers, although
their Mothers through the whole Courfe of their Lives have continued
ftrong, and healthful, fome are feized *vöifh it about* th©:
fame Age their Fathers were before, fome perhaps fooner, fome
later, fome have all along Continued fickly and infirm, others
robufti, aqd vigofêfré enough, till the very feixufe of the Con-
ftimpMon, and all thisarcprdingtothe different Crafis of the
meti Virik, even as the Spirits are lodged there, Or more or lefs
deprefs’d, or the Saline Particles exalted, hence the very Prinafi
Q I pie#