Editing Robert Boyle (section)

==== Elements, compounds, and particles of matter ====
Boyle endorsed the view of elements as the undecomposable constituents of material bodies; and made the distinction between [[mixture]]s and [[compound (chemistry)|compound]]s. He made considerable progress in the technique of detecting their ingredients, a process which he designated by the term "analysis". He further supposed that the elements were ultimately composed of [[Subatomic particle|particle]]s of various sorts and sizes, into which, however, they were not to be resolved in any known way. He studied the chemistry of [[combustion]] and of [[Respiration (physiology)|respiration]], and conducted experiments in [[physiology]], where, however, he was hampered by the "tenderness of his nature" which kept him from anatomical [[dissection]]s, especially [[vivisection]]s, though he knew them to be "most instructing".<ref name="EB1911" />