An Observation about the Epiploon, or the Double Membrane, Which Covers the Entrails of Animals, and is Filled with Fat

Ign) upon Blood yet warm, as it came from the Animal, viz. That by putting into it a little Aqua-fortis, or Oyl of Vitriol, or Spirit of Salt, (these being the most usual Acid Menstruums) the Blood not only would presently lose its pure colour, and become of a dirty one, but in a trice be also coagulated; whereas if some fine Urinous spirit, abounding in Volatil Salt, such as the Spirit of Sal Armoniack, were mingled with the warm Blood, it would not only not curdle it, or imbese its Colour, but make it look rather more florid than before, and both keep it fluid, and preserve it from putrefaction for a long time. This Experiment I devis'd, among other things, to shew the Amicableness of Volatil Spirits to the Blood. And I remember, 'twas so much taken notice of, that some very inquisitive Members of the Society came presently to me, and desired me to acquaint them more particularly with it; which I readily did, though afterwards I made some further Observations about the same Experiments, that I had no occasion to relate. This having been so publicly done, though I shall not say, that Signor Fracassati may not have hit, as well as I, upon the Experiments published in his Name, yet there is so little difference between the warm Blood of an Animal out of his Veins and in them, that 'tis not very improbable, that he may have had some imperfect Rumour of our Experiment without knowing whence it came, and so may, without any disingenuity, have thence taken a hint to make and publish what now is English'd in the Transactions. If it be thought fit, that any mention be made of what I related so long since, I think I can send you some other Circumstances belonging to it: For I remember, I tried it with other Liquors (as Spirit of Wine, Oyl of Tartar, Oyl of Turpentine) and I think also I can send you some Remarks upon the Colour of the upper part of the Blood. And I shall on this occasion add, in reference to Anatomical matters in general, that after I saw how favourably the usefulness of Experimental Philosophy was receiv'd, I was invited to inlarge it in another Edition; and for that, I provided divers Anatomical as well as other Experiments, and designed many more, so that I have by me divers things that would not, perhaps, be unwelcome to Anatomists, &c. An Observation about the Epiploon, or the double Membrane, which covers the Entrails of Animals, and is filled with Fat. This Observation should have been added to those that were publish'd in Number her 27. and made by Fracassati and Malpighi; for it is contain'd in an Exercitation De Omento, annexed to the Tetras Anatomicarum Epistolarum Marcelli Malpighii and Caroli Fracassati de Lingua & Cerebro, printed in Bologna. Since it was then omitted, it was thought worth the inserting now, viz. The Epiploon, being look'd upon by a good Microscope, is like a great Sack full of abundance of other Small Sacks, which do inclose gatherings of Grease or Fat. There are many Vessels which may be call'd Adipous or Fatty, which issue out of this Membrane, and spreading themselves all over the Body, convey Fat to it, just as the Arteries carry the Blood all over the same. Wherever is Fat or Grease, there is found store of these little Sacks, wherein that is inclosed; whence it is, that in lean and emaciated Bodies, instead of Fat, you find nothing but Skins. The structure of these small Sacks, and of the adipous Vessels, sufficiently sheweth, that the Fat is not formed accidentally out of the thick Vapours of the Blood, as is the common belief: Nor is its chief use to foment the natural Heat; but it seems rather to conduce to the allaying of the Acrimony of the Salts, that are in the Blood and the Serotities. And indeed (saith this Author) lean persons, and those whose Epiploon hath been cut, are more subject than others to Rheumatisms, Lienteries, and the like diseases that are caused by the sharpness of the Humours. And those that are fat, are not so easily seized on by them, in regard the Acrimony of the Serotities is corrected by the mixture of the Fat, just as the sharpest Lixivium will lose its force, if Oyl be mingled therewith. Some Hortulan Communications about the curious engrafting of Oranges and Lemons, or Citrons, upon one another's Trees, and of one Individual Fruit, half Orange and half Lemon growing on such Trees, &c. 1. We have here Orange-trees, (saith the Intelligence from Florence) that bear a fruit, which is Citron on one side, and Orange on the other. They have not been brought hither out of other Countries, and they are now much propagated by Engrafting. 2. This was lately confirmed to us by a very ingenious English Gentleman, who asserted, that himself not only had seen, but bought of them An. 1660. in Paris, whither they had been sent by Genoa Merchants; and that on some Trees he had found an Orange on