June 22. No more mouldinefs appear'd: whence we have it confirm'd, PNEUMATICS. that the air is, fometimes, unfit to produce mouldinefs; fince, laft year, all The change of this kind of flowers, contracted a great mouldiness.

weight made

Shewn, by expa

thereto in an

(148.) Sept. 4. 1678. I expofed one dram of minium, in an open glafs, in veffels herme to the fun-beams, concentrated by a burning-glafs; and found that it loft tically fealed, grain of its weight, though much of the minium had not been touch'd by fing red-lead the rays. (149) Sept. 6. I took calcined coral, and endeavour'd to calcine it fur-pen glass. ther, by the rays of the fun, in a fealed glafs; and the whiteness of the calx was fomewhat increased hereby.

Calcin'd coral

in a fealed one.

Sept. 10. I expofed the fame coral again to the fun-beams, in the fame glafs hermetically fealed, for two whole hours; and, then weighing the glafs, found it had loft about part of a grain, fince it was firft fealed. And the calx of (150.) May 23. I put calx of tin in a light glafs vial, hermetically fealed, tin, minium, and weigh'd it exactly: afterwards I expofed it to the beams of the fun, and fulphur. for a long time, by the help of a large lens; then the glass, being again weigh'd, feemed to have loft part of a grain of its weight.

May 29. I repeated the experiment with minium, inftead of calx of tin,

and the lofs of weight came to part of a grain.

May 30. I endeavour'd to calcine the fame minium again, but fuch plenty of air was produced, that the glafs broke, with a great noife, into an hundred pieces.

June 6. I made the fame experiment again with minium; and then i part of a grain was wanting of the weight.

Attempting again to burn minium, the glafs alfo broke.

July 15. I ufed wood-coals for the fame experiment, but the fun did not at all affect them.

July 20. I expofed Sulphur vivum, to the beams of the fun, in the fame manner; and tho' it was eafily melted, and emitted many fumes, yet I found no change at all in the weight.

Aug. 1. I kept the fame vial ftill, with the flower of fulphur; and often expofed it to the fire of the burning-glafs, without danger of being broken; because fulphur produces no air: the fumes rofe, and, at firft, the fulphur bubbled; but the weight remain'd the fame.

chiefly in vacuo,

(151.) Nov. 6. A piece of roafted rabbet, being exactly clofed up, in an Bodies preferved exhaufted receiver, was two months, and fome few days after, taken out, and firft foe without appearing to be corrupted, or fenfibly alter'd, in colour, tafte, or roafted rabbet. fmell.

(152) March 11. A fmall glafs receiver, being half fill'd with pieces Bread. of white bread, was exhaufted, and fecured.

April 1. The receiver being open'd, part of the bread was taken out, and appear'd not to have been impair'd in that time; only the outfide, of fome pieces of crumb, feem'd to be a very little leis foft and white, than before. There appear'd no drops, or the leaft dew, on the infide of the glafs. The remaining bread was, again, fecured foon after.

VOL. II.

Mmmm

April

PNEUMATICS. April 18. The bread was taken out again, and tafted much as it did the laft time; the cruft being, alfo, foft, and no drops of water appearing on the infide of the glass.

Milk.

Violets.

Sheep's blood.

Cream.

(153) March 9. I open'd a fmall exhaufted, and fecured receiver, wherein, about three months ago, we had included fome milk, which was well-colour'd, and turn'd, partly, into a kind of whey, and, partly, into a kind of foft curd. The tafte was not offenfive, only a little fourish, like whey; nor the fcent fetid, but fomewhat like that of fourish milk.

(154) March 5. Violet-leaves, put up, freed and fecured from air, being open'd, April 7. appear'd not to have chang'd their fhape, colour, or confiftence; but their odour could not be well judg'd of; because he who included them, had crufh'd many of them together, in thrufting them down; fince, by fuch a violation of their texture, 'tis natural for violets to lofe their fragrancy, and acquire an earthy fmell.

(155) Having carefully placed fome violets in an exhaufted receiver, of a convenient fize, and bignefs, and fecur'd it from immediate commerce with the external air; after feven months, we look'd upon them again, and found they were not putrefied, or refolved into any mucilaginous fubftance, but kept their shape entire; fome of them retaining their colour, but more of them having fo loft it, as to look like white violets.

(15.6.) Nov. 5. We convey'd into a conveniently fhaped receiver, fome ounces of fheep's blood, taken from the animal, kill'd that afternoon. After the exhauftion of the air, during which, numerous bubbles were generated, that made the liquor fwell confiderably; the included blood was kept in a warm place for twenty days; and, during one or two of the first, the blood feemed to continue fluid, and of a florid colour; but afterwards, degenerated into one, that tended more to blackness.

Nov. 25. We let in the external air; and the glafs, containing the blood, being held in a light place, the greatest part of the bottom of it feem'd to be thinly overlaid with a coagulated fubftance, of a higher colour than what fwam above it; which, though it appear'd dark, and almoft blackish in the glafs, whilst view'd in the bulk, yet, if it was fhook, thofe parts of it that fell down along the infide of the glafs, appear'd of a deep fair colour. But, whilft the blood continu'd in the glafs, it was fuppos'd not to ftink; fince, even when it was pour'd out, tho' its fcent feem'd, to me, fomewhat offenfive, yet, to others, it feem'd to fmell like the blood of a dog, newly kill'd.

(157) March 17. Some cream being put up, and fecur'd in an exhaufted receiver, appear'd, a year after, to be more thick, and almoft like butter, at the top, than in other parts; and afterwards, by being well fhaken together, in the glafs, it was eafily enough reduced to butter, whofe butter-milk, by the judgment of thofe who were more ufed hereto than I, appear'd not different from ordinary butter-milk; and, I found it had, like that, a grateful fournefs. The butter was judg'd to be a little fourer than ordinary, but was not, as they fpeak, made.

(158.) Feb. 18.We look'd upon three vials, that had been exhaufted, and fe-PNEUMATICS. cured Sept. 15 laft; the one of thefe had in it fome flices of roafted beef, Beef &c. the other fome fhivers of white bread, and the laft fome thin pieces of cheese; all which, feem'd to be free from putrefaction, and look'd, much, as when they were firft put in ; we, therefore, let not the air into the receiver, but left them, as they were, to prolong the experiment.

(159) Feb. 18. There was a fourth vial, wherein, about fix months be- Flowers fore, had been inclos'd, and fecured fome july-flowers, and a rofe; yet, thefe being kept in the fame place with the reft, tho' they feem'd a little moift, retain'd their fhape and colour, efpecially the rofe, which look'd, as if it had been lately gather'd. We obferv'd, in none of these four receivers any great drops, or fo much as dew in the parts fituated above the included matter.

(160) June. 4. We left fome strawberries in an exhaufted receiver, and Straw-berries. coming to look upon them after the beginning of November, we found them to be difcolour'd, but not alter'd in fhape, nor mouldy; we, therefore, left them still in the receiver for further trial.

(161) May 2. 1669. A piece of roaft-beef, fecur'd September 15. laft, ap- Cheese, &c. pear'd to be not at all alter'd; no more did a piece of cheefe, fecured in another receiver, and fome pieces of a French roll, fecured, on the fame day,

in a third.

Flowers, feal'd up August 12. 1668, being this day look'd upon, appear'd fresh.

(162.) June 17. A pint of fmall beer, being put into a conveniently Small-beer. fhaped glafs, afterwards exhaufted, and fecured from the air; the moft part of Auguft proving extraordinarily hot; towards the latter end, there was, at feveral times, great thunder, which turn'd the beer in our cellar, and in moft of thofe of the neighbourhood, four. Sept. 1. The beer was open'd, but did not feem to be four.

(163.) Totry, whether the thunder would have fuch an effect upon ale, Ale. exactly ftopt in glass veffels, as it often has on it in ordinary casks; I caus'd fome ale, moderately ftrong, to be put into a conveniently fhaped receiver, and having exhausted the air, and fecur'd the glafs veffel, 'twas put into a quiet, but not a cool place. About fix weeks after the liquor had been inclos'd, there happen'd fome very loud thunder; and our beer, upon this, tho' the cask was kept in a good cellar, being generally noted to have been turn'd four; I ftay'd yet a day or two longer, that the operation upon our included liquor might be the more certain and manifeft; and then taking out the ale, found it good, and not at at all four'd.

(164) Some black-berries, included in an exhaufted receiver, Sept. 21. Black-berries. 1670. were open'd June 20. 1673. and found free from all mouldinefs, and ill fcent; only there was fome four liquor, which being taken out, the berries were fecur'd again. At the fame time, another parcel of the fame berries was exactly clos'd up in a receiver, whence the air was not pump'd; but coming, Octob 11. 1673. to look upon the glafs, we found it crack'd, and the fruit all cover'd with a thick mould. Nor was this the Mmmm 2

only

PNEUMATICS only veffel, wherein, trials made to preferve fruits without any exhaustion of the air, mifcarried.

Ale.

Claret.

Octob. 11. 1674. The former berries in vacuo, being look'd upon, appear'd much lefs black than before; but did not feem putrefy'd, either by loss of fhape, or by any ftinking fmell; nor was the leaft mouldinefs obferv'd upon them, tho' they had been kept in the fame receiver for above four years.

(165) June 14. We put a convenient quantity of ale into a bolt-head, and feal'd it up hermetically; the next year, July 5. we broke off the feal, and found the liquor very good, and without any fenfible fournefs. The next day, it was feal'd up again, and fet by for thirteen months; when, the neck of the glafs being broken, the ale was found four. We fee, however, that a small quantity of ale was preferv'd good, at leaft, above a year; which is much longer, than that liquor ufually keeps.

(166) June 14. 1670. In a large bolt-head, we hermetically feal'd up above a pint of French claret, which, when we came to look upon July 5.1671. appear'd very clear and high colour'd, and had depofited a large fediment at the bottom of the glafs, but faften'd no tartar, that we could perceive, to the fides. Upon breaking the feal'd end of the glafs, we thought there was an eruption of included air, or fteams; and, high above the furface of the wine, there appear'd a certain white fimoke, almoft like a mift, and then gradually vanish'd: the wine continu'd well tafted, and was a little rough upon the tongue, but not at all four.

The bolt-head was feal'd up again July 6. 1671. and fet by, till Auguft 5.1672. at which time it was open'd again, and the wine ftill tafted very

well.

June 26. 1673. The bolt-head, with the fame claret, being open'd, was found very good, and feal'd up again. Octob. 11. 1674. the fame wine was open'd again, and appear'd of a good colour; it was not four, but feem'd fomewhat lefs fpirituous, than other good claret; perhaps, because of the

cold weather.

Bodies preferv'd (167) Aug. 3. 1678. I included two apricocks in two receivers, one of in compress'd which was exactly fill'd with bruis'd raifins of the fun, and with water; apricecks with but in the other, there were only lodg'd a few raifins, so that the apricock raifins and wa was not touch'd, by them, or their moisture.

quors, and firft

ter.

Peaches in an

Sept. 10. I took cut the apricock, inclos'd with the water; and, whilft the air broke out, the fruit bubbled very much: the raifins had loft, almost all their tafte, but the apricock preferv'd a pleasant relifh; and feem'd more pleafant than fuch fruit ufually is at that feafon of the year.

Feb. 10. 1678. The apricock, inclos'd without water, kept its colour and figure, only feem'd to have loft its firmness.

This experiment informs us, that the taste of fome fruits may be preferv'd in an infufion of raifins of the fun; at leaft in veffels able to refist a great compreffure of the air.

(168) Sept. 17. 1678. I included peaches, with an infusion of raisins,

infufion of rai in two receivers, fhut with a screw.

Lins.

Sept.

Sept. 21. Too great a quantity of air produced in one or the receivers, expell'd fome part of the liquor. The other receiver retain'd its liquor.

Sept. 25. The receiver, out of which the liquor was expell'd, loft fome more of it; fo that a fifth, or fixth part, now feem'd empty: but, fetting the fcrew, the liquor was then preferv'd. The other receiver remain'd unalter'd.

Sept. 26. The fame receiver began, again, to leak, and run over : I fet the fcrew again.

Nov. 27. Our receiver, hitherto, feem'd to be exactly fhut; but now I open'd it; and, whilft the air was getting out, the peaches bubbled very much: one of them, which was of that fort whereto the ftone ufually adheres, preferv'd its firmnefs, and a pleasant tafte; but the other, being of the yellow-colour'd kind, was very foft; yet the taste thereof feem'd to be more pleasant than of the other. The liquor was very grateful.

Decemb. 28. The other receiver feem'd unalter'd; but, when I open'd it, innumerable bubbles immerg'd from the liquor, and from the peach. The peach, on one fide, had preferv'd its firmnefs; on the other, it had loft it: but the whole was grateful to the palate, tho' fomewhat sharp.

This experiment feems to teach, that liquors may grow four, tho' no fpirits have evaporated from them.

627

(169) September 20. I included peaches, with unripe grapes, in two re- Peaches with ceivers, and filled them exactly; the one with apples bruifed to the con- and an infusion grapes, apples, fiftence of a pultice; and the other, with an infufion of raifins of the fun. ofraifins. Sept. 25. The receiver, fill'd with pulp of apples, hitherto feem'd unalter'd; but, in the other, the air, which was generated, had thruft out half of the contain'd liquor, and impel'd the mercury into the gage, to the height of 100 inches; wherefore, I open'd the receiver, and the peach, whilft the air got out, was almoft reduced to the confiftence of a pultice the tafte of it was pleasant.

I put another peach into the fame receiver, and fubftituted a new infufion of raifins of the fun, inftead of that which was loft.

Sept. 26. The mercury rofe to 30 inches above its ufual height.

Sept. 27. The height of the mercury was 72.

28. The height of it was 90. The liquor work'd out.

30. The fame height remain'd; but the liquor was all escaped. October 1. All the air had, alfo, efcaped; wherefore, opening the receiver, I found the peaches very foft, but of a pleasant tafte.

Octob. 3. The receiver; filled with the pulp of apples, had loft nothing; but now I perceiv'd, that almoft all the juice of the apples had run out: I open'd the receiver, and found its contents very much fermented. The peach was very foft, but not unpleasant in tafte.

This experiment informs us, that fruits cannot be long kept in pulp of apples, because of the great production of air; tho' that happens a little later in the infufion of raifins.

(170) Sept. 23. 1678. I included peaches, with crude grapes, in two Peaches with grapes, and the receivers; one of which was exactly fill'd with pulp of apples, the other pulp of apples. with unripe grapes, bruifed.