Volume 1

Dissertations relative to the natural history of animals and vegetables / Translated from the Italian of the Abbe Spallanzani ... To which are added two letters from Mr. Bonnet to the author.

  • Spallanzani, Lazzaro, 1729-1799.
Date:
1784
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dissertations relative to the natural history of animals and vegetables / Translated from the Italian of the Abbe Spallanzani ... To which are added two letters from Mr. Bonnet to the author. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Leeds Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Leeds Library.

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    ferver. The addrefs of Spallanzani has dif- fipated the illufion. He detached the vafcu- lar membrane from the yolk, and fetting it upon a plate of glafs, found that the yel- low colour difappears, and is fucceeded by a pure red. Of the red particles of the blood he ob- ferved, that they do not turn round, accord- ing to a common fuppofition, upon their own axis, and that they have merely a progreflive motion along with the other conflituent parts of that fluid. Thus the teftimony of Spallanzani may be' added to that of others* in order to prove, that the laws to which inanimate matter is fubjedt, cannot be applied to living bodies. It could not, however, be expedted, that mechanical phyfiologifls would yield without a conteft to this attack upon their theory. Accordingly Prochalka, a phyfician of Vi- enna, has attempted to overturn theie obier- vations. But his objedtions will only ferve to Axengthen the caule of his adverfary; and it would be eafy, if this were the proper place, to expofe their futility. It may per- haps be. fufficient to remark, that he has not taken up the microfcope, and feen the con- trary of what is related by the Italian Pro- feilbr, but with a temerity that can fearcely be