Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 002.djvu/152

 27. and made by Fracassati and Malpighi; for it is contain'd in an Execitation De Omento, annexed to the Tetras Anatomicarum Epistolarum Marcelli Malpighii and Caroli Fracassati de Lingua & Cerebro, printed in Bononia. Since it was then omitted, it was thought worth the inserting now, viz.

e 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, conveigh Fat to it, just as the Arteries carry the Blood all over the same. Whereever 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 Serosities. 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 Serosities is corrected by the mixture of the Fat, just as the sharpest Lixivium will lose its force, if Oyl be mingled therewith.

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