Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 004.djvu/132

 have toucht or been toucht by Epileptical persons: Of a Stone generated in the Tongue: &c.

Having inquired of an observing Correspondent, living in the Country, Whether he had met with any such Instances as was mentioned above, of a Viviparous Hen, he returned this Answer, that at Wackton in Norfolk, 2. or 3. years since, there was a Hen, which bigg with Eggs, upon some account could not lay, but after a time dyed; and then being opened, there was found in the Ovarium a perfect chick, which was offered to a Physitian in those parts to preserve.

Nd this Author, though printed 2. or 3. years agoe, came not to our knowledge, till now: He in this Tract, endeavours to justify the Ancients, blamede by Zwelfer in his Pharmacophœa Augstana for having committed severall faults in the preparation of a certain Salt call'd Theriacal because extracted our of Vipers and divers other Ingredients composing Theriack. And having done this, he thence takes occasion to treat of the nature of Salts, especially of the Alcaly's and Acids, which he, with fume other Chymists, holds to be the first Principles of all mixt Bodies. And being perswaded, that Hippocrates was also of this opinion, and a great Chymist too, he entitles this Book Hippocrates Chymicus.

Though the Salt Alcaly properly signifies that Salt which is drawn out of the Ashes of an Ægyptian herb, named Kaly; yet Chymists take it in a larger sense, and understand by that word all the Salts, which, like that of the said herb, draw and impregnate themselves with Acid ones. To this Salt our Author refers almost all the Operations of Nature, and having examined its proprieties, relates divers not Un-curious Observations concerning it.

For Example: That nothing pierces so much as Alcaly's, and that therefore Nature hath stored the Sweat of Animals so plentifully with it. For, that the ordure, which continually gathers on the skin, would soon stop the pores of it, if the