Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 002.djvu/132

 Parts or Ingredients may act according to their particular and pristine nature.

8. In divers Bodies, that which is call'd or look'd upon as the Specifick Form, is often not so much as the Presiding, but only the most eminent.

9. The forms discoursed of, seem to be rather concurrent, than subordinate.

To each of these Propositions are annexed short Comments, full of very pertinent and teaching Instances, Relations, Comparisons, &c. for which the Reader is referred to the Book it self.

is Author is of opinion, that all those Philosophers, who have hitherto inquired into the Nature and Use of Respiration, have only caught the shadow of it, nothing of the substance. And of this he gives this for the chief reason, because they have been too negligent in considering the first manifest motion of the Breast and Lungs in a Fœtus; which particular being understood he thinks it very easie to judge of the Respiration of born Animals. He scruples not to reprehend the immortal Doctor Harvey, for having excluded from the office of the Lungs the use of Refrigeration; which he pretends to have asserted himself by most evident Experiments, and uncontroulable Reasons.

To represent distinctly, what he undertakes to make out in this Tract, we may take notice of these particulars.

1. He takes pains to refute the Doctrine of Attraction, and to substitute in its place the Doctrine of Pulsion or Intrusion of Air into the Lungs.

2. He endeavours to assert, that the Lungs do not fall down, but are by the Breast contracted.

3. He affirms, to have clearly shew'd, what is the proper function and work of the Diaphragme, and' other Muscles serving for Respiration.

4. He pretends, to have experimentally evinced the Genuine Use of Respiration, and the Benefit thence resulting to the Animal Life. In