Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 014.djvu/174

Rh

I Formerly sent some Observations about Spittle, which I find have been Printed in the Lectures and Collections of Mr. R. H. in the year 1678. Since that time l have often observed my Spittle, out of this Consideration, that if there be any Animals dispersed in our Body, they may at some time or other, be emptied out of the Ductus Salivales into the Mouth. But my expectation in this particular has fail'd, for I have perceived no Animals, or other thing in Spittle than what I formerly mentioned. Tho my Teeth are kept usually very clean, nevertheless when I view them in a Magnifying Glass, I find growing between them a little white matter as thick as wetted flower: in this substance tho I could not perceive any motion, I judged there might probably be living Creatures.

I therfore took some of this flower and mixt it either with pure rain water wherein were no Animals; or else with some of my Spittle (having no Air bubbles to cause a motion in it) and then to my great surprize perceived that the aforesaid matter contained very many small living Animals, which moved themselves very extravagantly, the biggest sort had the shape of A. their motion was strong and nimble, and they darted themselves thro the water or spittle, as a Jack or Pike does thro the water. These were generally not many in number. The 2d. sort