An Account of an odd Spring in Westphalia, together with an Information touching Salt-Springs and the straining of salt-water.
An observing Gentleman did lately write out of Germany, that in Westphalia in the Diocess of Paderborn, is a Spring, which looses it self twice in 24 houres; coming always, after 6 houres, back again with a great noise, and so forcibly, as
to drive 3 Mills not far from its source. The Inhabitants call it the Bolderborn, as if you should say, the Boysterous Spring.
The same Person, having mentioned the many Salt-Springs in Germany, as those at Lunenburg, at Hall in Saxony, at Saltzwedel in Brandenburger Mark, in Tyrol, &c. observes, that no Salt-water, which contains any Metal with it, can well be sodden to Salt in a Vessel of the same Metal, which it self contains, except Vitriol in Copper Vessels.
He adds, that, to separate Salt from Salt-water, without Fire, if you take a Vessel of Wax, hollow within, and every where tight; and plunge it into the Sea, or into other Salt-water, there will be made such a separation, that the vessel shall be full of sweet water, the Salt staying behind: but, though this water have no saltish taste, yet, he saith, there will be found a Salt in the Essay, which is the Spirit of Salt, subtile enough with the water to penetrate the Wax.
An Account of the Rise and Attempts, of a Way to conveigh Liquors immediately into the Mass of Blood.
Whereas there have lately appeared in publick some Books, printed beyond the Seas, treating of the Way of Injecting liquors into Veines; in which Books the Original of the Invention seems to be adscribed to others, besides him, to whom it really belongs; It will surely not be thought amiss, if something be said, whereby the true Inventor's right may beyond exception be asserted & preserved; To which end, there will need no more, than barely to represent the Time when, and the Place where, & among whom it was first started and put to tryal. To joyn all these circumstances together, 'Tis notorious, that at least six years since (a good while before it was heard off, that any one did pretend to have so much as thought of it) the Learned and Ingenious Dr. Christopher Wren did propose in the University of Oxford (where he now is the Worthy Savilian Professor of Astronomy, and where very many Curious Persons are ready to
attest this relation) to that Noble Benefactor to Experimental Philosophy, Mr. Robert Boyle, Dr. Wilkins, and other deserving Persons, That he thought, he could easily contrive a Way to conveigh any liquid thing immediately into the Mass of Blood; videl: By making Ligatures on the Veines, and then opening them on the side of the Ligature towards the Heart, and by putting into them slender Syringes or Quills, fastened to Bladders (in the manner of Clyster-pipes) containing the matter to be injected; performing that Operation upon pretty big and lean doggs, that the Vessels might be large enough and easily accessible.
This Proposition being made, M. Boyle soon gave order for an Apparatus, to put it to Experiment; wherein at several times, upon several Doggs, Opium & the Infusion of Crocus Metallorum were injected into that part of the hind-legs of those Animals, whence the larger Vessels, that carry the Blood, are most easy to be taken hold of: whereof the success was, that the Opium, being soon circulated into the Brain, did within a short time stupify, though not kill the Dog; but a large Dose of the Crocus Metallorum, made another Dog vomit up Life and all: All which is more amply and circumstantially delivered by Mr. Boyle in his Excellent Book of the Usefulness of Experimental Philosophy, Part 2. Essay 2. pag. 53. 54. 55. Where 'tis also mention'd, that the fame of this Invention and of the succeeding Tryals being spread, and particularly coming to the knowledge of a foreign Ambassadour, that was Curious, and then resided in London, it was by him tryed with some Crocus Metallorum, upon a Malefactor, that was an inferiour Servant of his; with this success, that the Fellow, as soon as ever the Injection began to be made, did, either really or craftily, fall into a swoon; whereby, being unwilling to prosecute so hazardous an Experiment, they desisted, without seeing any other effect of it, save that it was told the Ambassadour, that it wrought once downwards with him: Since which time, it hath been frequently practised both in Oxford & London; as well before the Royal Society, as elsewhere. And particularly that Learned