The Virginia Gazette

On Board the Dorsetshire, June 26, 1737.

Mr. Parks,

Please to insert the following, in Answer to the Objections appearing against me, in your Gazette,

No. 45 and you'll oblige,

Sir, Your very humble Servant,

JOHN TENNENT.

Legere & non Intelligere est Negligere.

By my Representation, in the Gazette, N. 31.
it is plain, That I proposed to discuss the
Arguments which my Opponents us'd against
me, in a fair Manner; and therefore I hope,
that all the Censure I pass'd, will be deem'd
very reasonable; since they had not then observed, what
by Men of Sense and Honour, could be esteem'd just:
For, instead of that, they strenuously endeavoured to im-
pose their Notions of the Matter almost upon every Per-
son they met with; whether such understood the Subject
or not; which, by the By, I must observe, demonstrates
the little Regard they have for the Public Good, and how
much their Interest is at Heart, when they unfairly oppose
a Thing proposed for Public Benefit; as they had never
given me an Opportunity to answer their Objections.
I shall purposely pass over the arrogant indecent Ex-
pressions, of my notable Adversary, and content myself
with examining the Reasons he brings to justify his As-
sertions, and shewing that they demonstrate the Contra-
diction of those Assertions, for proving of which they are
adduced.
He asserts that there is not an Analogy between the
Coagulation of all Fluids; and for the Proof of this As-
sertion, refers to the Doctrine of Attraction. Now, it is
well known that the Particles of a Fluid Body attract one
another in a Manner different from the Attraction of the
Particles of a Solid Body: I would speak of a Fluid and
Solid, abstracting from any particular Kind of either;
And, to state the Matter clearly, I shall suppose the Par-
ticles of a Fluid, to be Spherical, and those of a Solid,
Quadrangular. Then, it is plain, that upon the Appli-
cation of any Thing which will change the Particles of
this Fluid Body from a Spherical into a Quadrangular
Figure, that there is an Analogy between this Change of
the Fluid, and that of another, abstracting from the
particular Nature of that other Fluid; and only consider-
ing it with Regard to that Property, be what it will,
that renders it a Fluid Body: Whence it follows, that
during this Change of a Fluid Body, to a Solid, in what-
ever Degree it is due, the Particles attract one another
exactly alike, regarding that Property which only makes
it a Fluid. And therefore from this Doctrine of Attrac-
tion, it is evident, that there is an Analogy between the
Coagulation of all Fluids.
In this Sense my Expression must, by all thinking
Men, be considered; for, had I said that there is an Ab-
solute Analogy between the Coagulation of all Fluids,
"twould have been a Contradiction in Terms; since
there are so many Kinds of Fluids in the Universe; and
therefore no Man of Sense could conceive it otherwise
than a relative Analogy.
I come next to his other Assertion, founded on Doctor
Mead's Method of accounting for the ill Effects of the
Viper Venom; where he confidently says, that by my
own Reasoning, and what is by that great Man said of
that Matter, That there is not, nor can be, the least Re-
lation in the State of the Blood in this Case, and in that
of a Peripneumony, or Pleurisy, is incontrovertibly evi-
dent; giving no other Reason for so peremptory an Af-
firmation than, that as the Coagulation of the Blood is
produced from different Causes; therefore there can be
no Relation in the Two Cases; or in his own Words,
Since he abhors the Reason of its Coagulation, or Viscus-
dity in those Disorders, not to proceed from any violent
Shock given to that Fluid, So as to break its Texture;
but from its Quantity, from viscid Diet, or the like.
It is an Axiom, that under many Circumstances diffe-
rent Causes will produce the like Effects: Now, if this
learned Gentleman had known this, 'twas his Business to
have demonstrated the Impossibility of its being so in this
Case: But he thinks his gratis Dictum is sufficient, tho'
he conceals his Name. Let us then examine the Matter
closely, and see whether the Blood can be in the same State
in a Peripneumony or Pleurisy, and when it is affected
with the Viper or Rattle-Snake's Venom. It is most cer-
tain that a Dissolution of the Blood is the immediate Ef-
fect of the Viper or Rattle-Snake's Venom; and that a
Coagulation succeeds this Dissolution; and it is as certain
that there can be no Coagulation in the Blood, without a
Dissolution: For, the Blood is a Heterogeneous Fluid;
and, in such, no Coagulation can be, without an ante-
cedent or previous Dissolution; whereby there is a Sepa-
ration of the more solid Particles of the Blood from those
more fluid. So that it appears from hence, That the
Blood, after the Bite of a Rattle-Snake, or Viper, is of
an uneven Texture; and appears very evidently to be so,
by the Intermission of the Pulse, Convulsions, Fever, and
Coughing; which last Symptom, the most clearly proves,
that there is a very intimate Division of the more solid
Parts of the Blood, from the more fluid: For, meeting
with a small Resistance in the Branches of the Aspera
Arteria, because of the loose Contexture of the Lungs,
there it lodges. Now, tho' it is well known that such
Symptoms attend Pleurisies, and that it is a very sure
Way of inferring the Likeness of Cases, by the Phæno-
mena, upon applying one Thing to each Cure; yet this
extraordinary Remarker, will by no Means take this for
Proof, but has brought in the Doctrine of Attraction,
which serves to controvert this Objection, as well as the
First, since from it I shall now shew, how the Causes I
assign for the Production of a Pleurisy, or Peripneumony,
will induce a State of the Blood, the same as the Rattle-
Snake, or Viper Venom.
The Causes I assign to produce a Pleurisy, or Perip-
neumony, are, a viscid Diet, sudden Obstruction of Per-
spiration, and a Relaxation of the Solids; under which
Circumstances, no laudable Blood can be form'd: And,
since the Blood is a Heterogeneous Fluid, the Particles
thereof will not be mix'd, so as to form a Blood of an uni-
form Consistence, especially as the Circulation is languid;
therefore those Particles will not attract one another ac-
cording to their different Natures, which is the Law of At-
traction; so that there will be a Blood of an uneven Tex-
ture, and consequently coagulated; this is certainly true,
and liable to no well-grounded Objection: Indeed, here
is an apparent one, viz. That as the Viper, or Rattle-
Snake Venom, was emitted into a laudable Blood, the
Cases therefore cannot be alike. This Objection is easily
obviated: For, it is found, by Experience, that Hetero-
Geneous Fluids, may by a Dissolution of their Parts, be reduced very near to the same State as before they were intimately united. And to prove the Likeness of the Two Cases. it is certain that the Quantity of Blood is increased, from a Dissolution of its Parts. that is, it will occupy a greater Space in the Vessels : and therefore I presume it appears in all Circumstances, that the Blood is in the same State, or very near it in both Cases.

To conclude, I shall pass by his inconsistent Way of Talking about Specifics, as obvious to any One who has a competent Knowledge of Letters;. and make this Observation to his Dear Countrymen.. What must they think of the Abilities and Depth of the Man's Judgment, when the Reasons he offers to justify his Assertions, prove their Contradiction ? Will they not charge him with the Name he bestows upon another ; and reject him as an unskilful Pilot ? As such lead upon innumerable Rocks, and the Ship-Wreck Death.