We have... many proofs of the great force with which plants and their several branches and leaves imbibe moisture, up their capillary sap vessels: Th… - Stephen Hales

November the sixth following, viz. in the Year 1741 Martin Triewald, Captain of Mechanicks and Military Architect to the King of Sweden, and Fellow of the Royal Society at London, in a Letter to M.D. and Secretary of the Royal Society, says, that "this Spring he had invented a Machine, for the Use of his Majesty's Men of War, which went to block up Petersburgh, in order to draw out the bad Air from under their Decks, the least of which does exhaust 36172 cubick Feet of Air in an Hour,"...

[I]t occurred to me the March following, that large Ventilators would be very serviceable, in making the Air in Ships more wholesome; this I was so fully satisfied of, that I immediately drew up an Account of it; several Copies of wbich were communicated, both by my self and others, to many Persons of Distinction, and Members of the Royal Society: Before whom I laid a large Account of it, which was read in their Presence the May following...

I find that a small Degree of Putrefaction in Water, kills Fish; but if, in order to prevent that Putrefacton, a few Drops of Spirit or Oil of Vitriol be dropped into the Water, then the Fish will live many Days in that Water.