( V‘9 )

The former partof this Position may be thus made ouc.

i. I never yetfound, that any Vegetabit (or indeed Animal, dr Mineral)Subßance did in the least meafore manifest to the Tast, or by its Effects,that it contain’d any such Sah. Many Plants and Rccts, lightly bruised,affect the Eyes and Nose after the mannet of Volatile Salts , and leVeral dobite the Tongue, and strike upon the Palate. Some Herbt yield a copiousVolatile Sah immediatcly aster they are prested by a considerable degree ofHeat: And many sorts of Eartbs do abound therewith, so that it is highlyprobable, they do offen actually exist in Vegetables, in the very fame form,wherein they appear to us upon DtßiUaticn from the Herbs theruselves, orfrom Soot. And that Acid Saks do really exist in many Plant s, is displayedby their Tafts and Effects. They may bealso obratned without Fire or anyArtisicial Analyst:, as is evident in Tartar, and the reputed Effential Salti ofmany Pianti ; in Vtrjuice, Vmegar , and Verdegrii , whose Acidttiei may beconcentred, and made to appear in a Dry form. Now did Alcaliei exist inthe flanti before the Analyfii , especially so copiouffy as they sometimes ap-pear afterwards, certainly they would betray themselves by some vrsible sen-sible Property, or other Symptom of their prcsence.

x. Dia Alcaliei prseexist in Pianti, probably Animali, whose sole Foodthey are, would also abound therewith; whereas on the contrary we do notfind the least foot-steps thereof, ei the r in Blood, Urine, Bonei, Horm, &c.whichdo all abound with Volatile Salti : nor in some other parts, Excrements,and Juices, thatafford störe of Acidity, which may frecjuently by Coagulati-on bc brought to a Saline form or confistence. Nor can it reasonably be pre-tended, that the Ferment of the Stomach and other parts, ftvcral Digesti-onsand repeated Circulations, have alter’d its property, and at length ren-der’d it Volatile ; For, Virfi, Alcaliei seem to be of a very Ftxed Nature,and are not easily Volatiliued : And daily Expeiience will evince, that theChyle doth not in the least participate, either in Tast, or any other proper-ty, with Alcalizate Salti. Besides, Herbi taken out of the Omasu: of Ru-mtnating Animals, without any further Digestion or Preparation, yield a Vo-latile Salt as when Fermented or Putrify’d in the open Air, without Addi-tament.

z. M o&Vegetablei, whether Woods or Herbs, if Burnt whilst they areGreen, and with asmothering Fire, yield Saht which are far enough fromAlcalizate ; being either Neutral or Acid, or, to speak more properly, Tar-tareoui: For they do almost exactly resemblePutnfy’d Fartor ; and Dißilltdyield the very samcSubstances. Indeed, some few Herbs, such as Satureja,Rosemary , &c. which abound with sprightly Volatile Ojl , if they are wellDryed, upon simple Incineration yield an Alcalizate Salt : so do some DryWoods. But, that they are proiduced by the Fire , and not scparated, Ifliall anon prove from Experiments, I think, unquestionable and unati-(werable.

4. In the most natural method of Analyßng Plant 1, which is by Fermen-tation or PutrefaFrion without Additaments, or the intervening of a sospici-ous Analyfer , we reeeire Or/, Acid Sptrit, and Volatik Salt copiouffy; allVol, III. U u which