| Reference number | EL/L1/77 |
| Level | Item |
| Title | Letter, from Antoni van Leeuwenhoek to the Royal Society, dated at Delft |
| Creator | Leeuwenhoek; Antoni van (1632-1723); tradesman and microscopist |
| Date | 12 October 1685 |
| Description | Signed letter
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 after 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
English translation see EL/L1/78
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
LBO/11(1)/45 for English transcription and engravings from 'Philosophical Transactions' |
| Language | Dutch |
| Extent | 21p |
| Format | Manuscript |
| Place origin | Delft, South Holland, (United Provinces) Netherlands |
| Origin coordinates | 52.00667, 4.35556 |
| Digital images | View item on Science in the Making |
| Access status | Open |
| Related material | DOI: 10.1098/rstl.1693.0073 |
| Related records in the catalogue | EL/L1/78 |
| URL description | Also available on Early Modern Letters Online |
| URL | http://emlo.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/profile/work/9dc269c6-97c7-4043-acdd-dfdf498c866a |
Fellows associated with this archive
| Code | Name | Dates |
| NA8438 | van Leeuwenhoek; Antoni (1632 - 1723); tradesman and microscopist | 1632 - 1723 |