Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 002.djvu/113

This page has been validated.

(511)

of the Yolk into the Guts for a second coction, there made by the Pancreatick Juyce, acknowledged to be excellently handled by the Learned Sylvius, and his ingenious Scholar, De Graeff, from the former of whom our Author yet diissents, about the mixture of the Gall with the said juyce in the Heart refuting it by several Experiments.

The fifth, explains the Communion of Vessels in Embryo's: In whom, he saith, three Anastomoses are usually observed, which, as soon as the Fœtus is born, are closed. They are called Foramen Ovale, Canalis Arteriosus, and Venosus. The two former to be met with about the Heart; the last in the Liver. All three here described by the Author, who also compares, as Harvey does, the Fœtus yet in the Womb with the manner of operation of those Animals, that are provided but with one cavity in the Heart, and with no Lungs; the bloud of the Fruit, as long as it is unborn, passing neither through the Parenchyma of the Lungs, nor that of the Liver. Lastly, the necessity of Respiration is explicated, and how the defect of the Lungs, and of one of the Ventricles of the Heart, is supplied in Fishes, viz. by comminuting and mixing the bloud in the Gills. To which is annexed the manner of Respiration in Amphibia's, which are furnisht with Lungs and two Ventricles of the Heart, and yet, if Bartholin misinforms us not, keep the Foramen Ovale all their life time open; which yet our Author calls in question, alledging, to have seen no Diving Animals, which had not the said Foramen closed after their being born.

The Sixth makes a digression, to discourse of the Biolychnium, and the Ingres of the Air into the Bloud, for the Generation of Spirits, and the pretended kindling of a vital Flame. But our Author can see nothing that may prove either the existence, or the necessity of such a Flame: On the contrary, he finds the Bloud unfit for taking Fire, and judgeth it very difficult to assign either the place or the manner of this accension; which is not made in the Lungs, nor in the Heart, which he holds to be destitute of all ferment. To which he adds, first, that the Heat of the Bloud is not sufficient to cause such an inflammation, seeing how much even good Spirit of Wine must be heated, before it will flame, which it doth not without the actual application of fire. Next, That Examples are very rare of Liquors kindled by ventilation. Further, That Fishes and Frogs, which yet have life, motion, and sense, are not thought to have this flame, as being actually cold. Besides, That the Animal Spirits are not found in the form of flame; which he endeavours to prove from the Willisian doctrine of the manner, in which

they