Translation of a letter, from Antoni van Leeuwenhoek to the Royal Society

Description

Observing the structure of a cotton seed; comparing cotton seeds with insects' eggs; observing the structure of the embryo of a cottonplant; concerning stones of dates, the structure of clove and nutmeg and the seeds of fruits; concerning the origins of chyle; concerning salt in sweat; experiment to show that sweat on the skin came from drinking wine; denies the existence of sweat pores; further observations of the optic nerve and eye lens; observations of the bile of a roach; concerning the structure of the skin of the eel, bream and perch; observations of human skin; examination of vinegar, lemon juice, sal ammoniac (ammonium chloride); experiments showing the effects of sal ammoniac on vinegar and blood; experiments with sal volatile oleosum; concerning mulberry trees killed by cold weather
Original figures now no longer exist
Translation of EL/L1/77
Transcribed and translated in 'Alle de brieven van Antoni van Leeuwenhoek', edited, illustrated and annotated by Committee of Dutch Scientists, vol 5, p 277
English extract printed in 'Philosophical Transactions', vol 17, no 205, p 949

Reference number

EL/L1/78

Earliest possible date

01 January 1685

Page extent

37 pages

Format

Manuscript

Also available on Early Modern Letters Online

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