Philosophical Transactions/Volume 4/Number 54
PHILOSOPHICAL
TRANSACTIONS.
December 13. 1669.
The Contents.
A Letter
SIR:
YOu have such a Relation to the Royal Society, that I think my self obliged to impart unto you the Honourable mention, I heard of that Nob!e Institution in the Grand Chambre of the Parlement here, on Thursday last, that Society being then publicly instanc'd in for the Source of Noble Experiments, and having the Precedency of those in Germany, Italy, and other places of Europe; in that order, wherein the Orator thought fit to rank them.
The Occasion of mentioning it was, That one Monsieur Denys, a Physitian, had been question'd before the Lieutenant Criminel here for the Death of his Patient (a Man that had been stark Mad for several years) who had expired under his hands, while he was Transfusing Blood into him, according to the New Experiment. The Operation had been twice perform'd with good success; the Patient having had thereupon a good interval of two Moneths after the first, and all hopes of a longer after the second, had it not been for the debauches in Wine and Brandy, that he fell to, soon after the Operation, He was a Brittan by birth, and the Original of his Madness, Love. That which Mr. Denys, his Advocate, very much gloried in, was, that (besides that the Experiment had been practised with good, at least with no ill success, in England, Germany, Italy, Holland, &c. and defended in Theses in almost all the Universities of France) there were two persons, a Man and a Woman, present in the Audience, that received a benefit to Admiration from the Experiment, after they had been abandon'd by all Physitians and other helps.
In Justifying the Introduction and Use of New Experiments he said, That the Most precious Life to this State (viz That of his Most Christian Majesty) had been saved by the Administration of a lately invented Emetique.
This Advocat was the Son of Monsieur le Premier President de la Moignon. The same was, not long since, in our Court, and is, I perceive, well known to it, and infinitely satisfied with the Civilities he had received from several persons there. Though this was his first Action, yet his performance was a Master-piece, and he had an Audience sutable; all Friends, I suppose, to his Family: among them were the Duke of Enguyen, the Dukes of Luynes, Mortemar, Chaulne, and a World of other Great Persons, Men and Women.
The Pleading for the Widow Plaintiff will be on Thursday next; but any odds would be laid on the Defendants since; though some partial Men here are more than suspected to set on the Widow. Pardon, Sir, this Interruption, and believe me,
Paris, Nov. 30. 1669.
An Extract of A Letter
SIR, IT was design'd to have examin'd the Viscera of Eliz. Travers, but her Aunt, who was with her and, took care of her, fell into such a passion upon the proposal of opening her, that she seem'd to be for the time besides her self; and I could not by any art get her out of the Chamber, where the Corps was laid out, sill she saw her nail'd up in her Coffin. I never saw such fondness shewn to a dead Body; and I was sufficiently troubled to be thus disappointed by a fond extravagant Woman: But yet I believe, if I had examin'd the Entralls, I should have seen little or nothing extraordinary. For, to the last, I could perceive no ill smell from her Breath, or streightness upon the Chest, or painfulness in her Breathing; and the Egesta per urinam, &c. were well enough. If any thing worth Observation do further occurr in these parts, I shall upon every opportunity communicate it to you, who am, &c.
An Appendix
Qu. 1. VVHether those Salt-springs do yield less water and more of the Salt, in great Droughts, than in wet seasons? Ans. Our Springs do not sensibly alter in their decrease or increase in either dry or wet seasons; for, being plentiful Springs, we have alwayes the Pitt full; Only this is observ'd by the Briners, that they make more Salt with the same quantity of Brine in dry, than in wet seasons; and more Salt of the same quantity of Brine at the Full of the Moon, than at any other time.
2. How long before the Spring, or in the Spring, it may be, before the Fountains break our into their fullest source? An. 'Tis not observable at all in our Salt-springs. that the Brine riseth more plentifully in the Spring-time, than at any other season of the year: neither is there aby sensible difference in the quickness of the sources as to the times of the day.
3. How much Water the Spring yields daily, or in an hour, ordinarilv, or in great Droughts? An. Our Pitt is about 5 yards square or better and of so plentiful a source, that I believe, it cannot be guessed; and the rather, because it seems not to run much, when 'tis permitted to come at its lull guage, where a vent through the bank into the River is; but being drawn much, so as to sink it below its usual guage, it so plentifully lets in, that 'twill serve all the houses in the Town to work, without falling much lower than a yard or two at most so that I believe, that, when 'tis full, its own weight balances much the influx of the Springs, which are much quicker in a low Pitt, than a full one.
4. At what distance, the two richest Springs, of Nantwich and Droytwich are from the Sea? An. That of Nantich is from the Sea about 30 Miles. Droytwich, being in Worcestershire, is not known to me.
5. How near the foot of an Hill is to those Springs; and what height the next Hill is of? An. The nearest Hill (of those, that are worth calling Hills) to our Springs is about 7 Miles distant from them: the Hill steeper, but not much higher, than High-Gate Hill.
6. Wherein consist the Distinctions of those sorts of Salt, which are called Catts of Salt, and Loaves of Salt? An. As White Salt is that, deliver'd in my former discourse and Gray Salt the sweepings of such Salt, as is constantly shed and scatter'd about on the floore without taking much of the Dirt, which occasions its grayness (which sells not at half the rate of the White Salt, and is only bought up by the poorer sort of People, and serves them in salting Bacon, course Cheef, &c.) So Catts of Salt are only made of the worst of Salt, when yet wettish from the Panns; molded and intermix with interspers'd Cummin-Seed and Ashes, and so baked into an hard lump in the mouths of their Ovens. The use of these is only for Pigeon-houses: But Loaves of Salt are the finest of all for Trencher-use. No difference in the boyling of these from the common way of the line Salt; but in the making up some care is used: for first they cut their Barrows, they intend or Salt-loaves, with a long slit from top to bottom equally on both sides; then they tye both tides together with cords; then fill this Barrow with Salt boiled as usually, but in the filling are careful to ramm down the Salt with the end of some wooden bar, continuing this, till the Barrow be fill'd to their minds; then place it speedily in their Hot-house, and there let it stand all the time of their Walling: wherefore they prepare for these Loaves at the beginning oi their Work; that they may have all the benefit of;their Hot-houses; and when these begin to slack, they take out the Loaves, and untye the cords, that fastned the Barrow. that both sides of the same may easily open without breaking the Loaf. Then they take the Loaf, and bake it in an Oven where houshold-bread hath been baked; but new drawn forth. This they do twice or thrice, till they see it baked firm enough; and this being plac'd in a Stove or in a Chimny corner, and close cover'd with an Hose of Cloth or Leather, like the Sugar-Loaf-papers, will keep very white, and when they have occasion to use any, they shave it of with a knife (as you do Loaf-Sugar) to fill the Salt-seller.
I must not omit telling you, that all the ground, where Salt or Brine is spilt, is, when dugg up, excellent Muck for Grazing Ground; and even the Bricks, that are thoroughly tinged with it, are very good Muck, and will dissolve with other Muck, and fertilze Land considerably especially Grazing ground) for at least four years; but of this I shall perhaps rake loccasion to say more in my Answers to your, Queries of Agriculture.
A Relation
THe Town of Idria, in the County of Goritia and Province of Friuli, is seated low, and encompass'd with Hills on all sides. A River of the same name runs by it, which although Leandro terms it superbissimo fiume d'Idria, yet I found small and shallow at the time when I was there; though upon plentiful Raine it proves sufficient to convey down the Firr-Trees and other Wood required in the building of the Mines, and also for Fuel required in the service of them: And to this end there is an handsome work of Piles made sloaping athwart the River (after the same manner as I observ'd in Newsol in upper Hungary cross the River Gran;) to stop the Trees, which are cut down, and cast into the River above this place.
What is chiefly considerable in this Town, are the Quick-silver-Mines, very well known to the Neighbouring parts, and exceeding useful to many at greater distance.
The entrance into these Mines is not high, or upon an Hill, as in many other Mines; but in the Town it self, whereby they are somewhat the more troubled with Water, against which they are provided with many excellent Engins and Devices, as at other deep Mines. The deepest part of the Mine from the entrance, is between 120 and 130 fathoms.
Of the Quick-silver of this Mine they make two forts: The one they call Iungfraw, that is, Virgin-Quicksilver; the other, plain Quicksilver. Virgin-Mercury they call that, which discovers itself without the help of Fire; and is either plainly to be seen in the Ore, or falls down in little drops in the Mine, and sometimes streams out in good quantity; as about seven years agoe it ran out of the Earth at first in a streame as small as a shred, and afterwards as big as a pack-thred, but ceas'd in three or four dayes.
That also is accounted Virgin-Quicksilver, which, having no need to pass the fire, is separated by water first in a Sive, and afterwards in a long trough, having very small holes at one end. So that there are in a manner two sorts of Virgin-Mercury; the one, running out and discovering itself without labour, the other, requiring some way of Extraction and separation, though not so high an one, as by Fire.
Plaine Quicksilver they name that, which is not at first perceived by the Eye, or falls from the Ore, but is forc'd out by Fire. And this they obtaine out of the Ore, or out of the Cinnaber of Mercury. which they digg out of this Mine. The Ore of this Mine is of a dark colour, mix'd with red. But the best is an hard Gone; which they commit not presently to the operation of the Fire, but powder it grossly, and work it by the Sive; that so, if any Virgin-quicksilver be found in it, it may be separated in this manner, and what doth not pass the Sive, may be separated by Fire in Iron-furnaces; Fifty of them in a Fire.
The Quicksilver-ore of this Mine is the richest of all Ores, I have yet seen; for ordinarily it contains in it halfe Quicksilver, and in two parts of Ore one part of Quicksilver, and sometimes in in 3. parts of Ore, two parts of Quicksilver.
I went into the Mine by the Pitt of St. Agatha, and came up again by that of St Barbara, descending and ascending by Ladders. I ascended at one of 639. staves or 89. fathoms. Andreas Siserus, in Kircher's Mundi Subterraneus, makes such a dreadful description of this Mine, that it might discourage any from attempting the descent; which makes me doubt, Whether he had been in any other Mine especially where the descent is made by Ladders.
This Mine. I was inform'd, hath been wrought 200. years; about the same space of time with Newsol-Mine, but coms much short in time of the Silver-mine at Schemnitz; and much shorter yet of the notable Lead-mines in upper Carinthia. Some hundreds or men are employed about this Mine of Idria; of which the chief Officers are the Prefect, the Controller, and the Judge.
I heard no complaint of the Damps of this Mine, as I have heard of divers others; Yet the workmen are sufficiently mischiev'd without them: for, though they be not suddenly suffocated, yet the Mercury getting into their Bodies, they are languishingly destroyed by it. Much less could I hear any news of either noxious or innocent Apparitions, Virunculi &c. such as some write, and many talk of in other Mines.
In a Laboratory, where the Quicksilver is-separated by Fire, I saw an heap of 16000 Retorts of Iron; every one of which costs a Crown at the best hand from the Iron-furnaces in Carinthia, There are 800. Retorts and as many Recipients employ'd together, in drawing over the Quicksilver in 16. Furnaces; 50. in each Furnace, 25, of a side, 12. above, and 13. below of each side.
June 12, when I was there, they carried out 40. Saumes of Quicksilver into forrain parts, each Saume containing 315. pound weight, to the value of 400 ducats of Gold. Though the conveyance be not easy, yet some is sent as farr as Cremnitz in Hungary, for the use of the Gold-mines; and very much carried away Southward, For, though the River by the Town be but small, yet they are not very farr from the Sontius or Lysonzo, a considerable River, which runs into the Gulf of Trieste in the Adriatick Sea.
In the Castle I saw 3000 Saumes of Quicksilver together, in barrels; the Quicksilver being first made up in double leather: And in another house as much rich Ore, as can be distill'd in 2. years, except they have great plenty of rain to bring down the wood; but, the Hills being high about them, it snows at the tops of them oftner than it rains.
The Countrys, through which I pass'd, are singularly well wooded, and well stor'd with fair Trees, wherein, beside such as grow with us in England, are stately Firrs, Larches, Pines, Pinasters, Picea's, and that nobly crisped and well grain'd kind of Acer, whereof Viols and Violins are made: Whereof there is also plenty in the Country of Saltzburg and Carinthia.
Travelling sometimes in the night, we had continually about us a great number of large Glow-worms, which put into papers gave a dimm light like Candles in Lanthorns; and the Aire also full of flaming Flyes, affording some delight to us.
The way unto this place I found difficult; for, travelling from places on the borders of Croatia by Lovitch, I was faine to pass over great mountains, and coming from it, I pass'd over Swartzenberg or the Black mountain, from whence I descended 10. miles in a rocky Country, and fart more stony than the Cran or Campus lapidosus in Provence; and so to Aidoschini and Goritia, and leaving the Sclavonian behind, entred into the Lingua Fulana, and so onto this Noble and incomparably fortified City; where being yet uncertain, whether, should go to Venice, I would not omit to present you this accompt, which I beseech you to accept from &c.
Palma nova in Friuli June 15, 1669.
An Accompt from the same Dr. Brown
HAving cross'd the River Dravus, and pass'd Mount Luibel in the Carnick Alpes, by that noble passage, cut through the Rocks. and vaulted like that of Pausilype near Naples, I had a desire to take a view of the Lake of Zirchnitz, so much spoken of, and written on by so few; and therefore I went unto Crainburg upon the River Savus, and so to Labach, the chief City of Carniola; from whence I continued my Journey in Carniola betwixt the Hills and a great Marsh, till I came to Brounizza, two leagues from whence and beyond the Hills is seared the said Lake, receiving that name from Zirchnitz, a town of about 300. houses.
This Lake is near two German Miles long, and one broad. On the South-side thereof lyes a great Forrest, wherein are many Deer, and wild Boares, Wolves and Bears. On the North side the Country is flat; but the whole Valley is encompassed with Hills, at some distance from it.
This Lake is well fill'd with Water for the greatest part of the Year; but in the Month of July it sinketh under ground, not only by percolation or falling through the pores of the Earth, but retiteth under ground, through many great holes at the bottom of it: And in the Month of September it returns by the same, and so in a very short time fills up the Valley again.
As the time of the waters Descent is short, especially when the Lake grows lower, and hath for a while shewed some abatement, so the Ascent and return is speedy; for at these holes it mounteth with such violence, that it springs out of the ground to the height of a pike, and soon covers the tract of Earth again.
And this piece of ground in the time of the retirement and absence of the Water is not unfruitful, but by a speedy and plentiful production of Grass yieldeth not only a present sustenance for the beasts of the field, but a good provision of hay for the cattle in the winter.
Nor have the Inhabitants thereabout only the benefit of the ground b these Commodities, but also the recreation and profit by Hunting. For at the time of the waters absence, Hares, Deer, Boares and other Animals come into it out of the neighbouring Forrest and Country, and are taken several wayes by them.
The Lake is not only thus fill'd with water, but every year well stored with fish. The Prince of Eckenberg is Lord of it and of much Country thereabout: But upon restoring of the waters all have liberty to Fish; and the fishermen, standing up to the wast at the holes before-mentioned, intercept the passage of the Fish, and take a very great number of them, which otherwise would be secure for some Months under the Earth, and not (illegible text) to return in September.
The fishof this Lake have a closer habitation than those of any other I know; for, they pass some Months under the Earth, and a good part of the Winter under Ice. I could not learn, that there were any Otters in this Lake, (which otherwise must probably have taken the same Course with the fish;) nor that there were any remarkable extraneous substances, any Vegetables, or unknown Fishes brought up by the water but those which come up are of the same kind with those which descended.
But beside these holes at the bottom of the Lake (of which there are many) there are also divers Caverns and deep places in the Country of Carniola, even where there is no water; after the like manner as we have in the Peack-country, and at Elden-hole in England.
Halfe an English mile nearer the Lake than the town of Zirchnitz, stands a village named Seadorf, and neigher to the Lake than this, another village called Niderdorf: between these two there are Corn-fields; yet sometimes these lands are also drown'd; and 'tis conceived, that there are divers subterraneous Caverns under them: for, it happens sometines at Niderdorf, that the ground sinks in several places upon the sudden retiring of the Lake; and the aforesaid Prince of Eckenberg was once so curious, as to descend into one hole, through which he passed under an Hill, and came out out on the other side; as I was informed by Monsieur Andreas Wifer the present Judg of Zirchnitz, and also by Johanes Wifer, who hath formerly held the same place.
The people who are acquainted with the Lake, wet and dry, know where they are, and have a particular knowledge of the eminences, vallies and inequalities of it: for, the bottom of the Lake is not even, or near about the same depth, but sometimes two foot, and then suddenly twenty yards deep. And because the Fish haunt the deep places more than the shallows; they have given names to the 7. chiefest cavities or valleys in the Lake.
I took boat at Niderdorf; and went divers miles on the Lake, passing over the five first valleys. I went also to a noted Stone, commonly called the Fishers-stone, which hath somewhat of the use of the Nilescope-pillar at Grand Cairo; for by a certain appearance of that, they conjecture how soon the Lake will retire. I also passed by a noted Hill, which, when the Lake is high, becomes a pleasant island, and so I returned, &c.
Venice June 20. 1669.
An Accompt of some Books.
THis Excellent Mathematician, having composed a Learned Treatise concerning the Doctrine of Motion, and what thereon depends, managing it in a manner altogether Geometrical, was pleased, upon the importunity of his Friends, to permit the First Part thereof to come abroad, whilest the others are still in the Printers hands; which is about One third part of what he did, near two years since, impart to the R. Society, and was by them desired to make it publick. In this First Part he delivers,
1. The General Rules of Motion, promising thereto, as becomes a strict Reasoner and good Geometrician, the Definitions belonging to that Subject; and then comprising the Rules themselves in Thirty Propositions: In which he takes occasion, among many other weighty particulars, to intimate, That it is principally the business of a Mechanician, to excogitate and make practicable such Engins, to be interposed between the Strength and the Weight, as may so moderate the Celerity of Motion, as to compensate the Greatness of the Weight, by the Slowness of the Motion, or the want of strength, by the length of time.
2. Of the Descent of Heavy Bodies, and the Declivity of Motion, Thirty four Propositions. In which he doth not think fit to explicate the Physical Cause of Gravity, whether it proceed from an innate quality in the Heavy Body it self; or an Universal Tendency of Circum-ambient Bodies to the Center, or at Magnetical Power in the Earth, or the like; but contents himself (his purpose requiring no more) to understand by the word Gravity, that sensible force of moving downwards, or to a certain Point, both the Heavy, Body it self, and the less powerful Impediments: Shewing in this Part also, in what proportion the different Declivities of Oblique or Sloping Plains, in which a Heavy Body is supposed to be moved, doth operate to the Helping or Hindering of such Motion. All which he delivers as generally applicable to-Motions, produced by any other force, as well as that of Gravity; and directed any other way as well as downward.
3. The Doctrine of the Libra, or Ballance (containing the Fundamental Principles of all Staticks) in Twenty five Propositions; among which, he explains the Geometrical Considerations requisite in making both exact Common Scales, and the Roman Statera.
On this of the Libra, depends (that which is the subject of the next Part, almost finisht at the Press) the whole Doctrine of the Center of Gravity, and the Calculation thereof: Which (Center of Gravity) he does not onely demonstrate to be (which others have hitherto Postulated, but not any, that I know of, demonstrated;) but doth from General Principles shew, How by Calculation to assign the same in infinite sorts of Lines, Surfaces, Solids, as well such as are bounded, or take their rise from Crooked Lines, as those that are bounded onely with Streight Lines and Plains.
And from the General Principles, here laid down, he, doth, in his Third Part (which is to follow) derive the Doctrine of the Vectis or Leaver; the Trochlea or Pulley; the Cochlea or Screw; the Axis in Peritrochio, or several sorts of Wheel-work; and other such Mechanical Engins derived from these. As likewise the Doctrine of Percussion (on which depends that of the Cuneus or Wedge; with many other Speculations of a like kinde:) And that of Resilition or Rebounding, which (as appears by a short Specimen formerly Printed in Numb. 43]. of these Tracts) he derives from a Repercussion, either of some other Body in Motion, which it meets with, or from the Elastick Force or Spring in one or both of the Meeting Bodies, which, being compressed by the Collision, doth endeavor to restore it self by calling of these Bodies, one or both ways. Consonant to his Principles here laid down in the Tenth, eleventh, and twelfth Propositions of his First Chapter; where the Impedimentum or Obstacle is made sufficient to retard or stop a Motion; but a vis contraria or contrary Force, necessary to give an opposite New Motion.
In this first Book, he illustrates all with Eighty Figures, contained in two compendiously contrived Plates: And doth, from their proper Principles, demonstrate many of these things, which Writers commonly Postulate, or take for granted; but which (to make a sure Foundation) ought to have been demonstrated.
THe occasion of Writing this Epistle, was, That the Learned Dr. Willis in his Pathologia Cerebri undertakes to confure the Causes of the Hysterick and Hypochondriack Passions, as they are assigned by our Author in his Exercitations, concerning these two Symptons, published An. 1660. Who thereupon thought himself obliged to write this Defence, in behalf of what he had formerly delivered upon this Subject.
The Controversie, as to the former of these Passions, consists in this, Whether the cause of it is to he referred more immediately to the Genus Nervosum, and it be primarily a Convulsive Symptom, depending on the Brain, and the Nerves thereof; or whether it ought to be imputed to the Blood, rushing too impecuously into and stuffing up the Lungs? Hence Dr. Willis asserts the former, and objects against the latter, of which, the Vindication is undertaken in this Epistle; wherein it is considered among divers other things. 1. That the Hysterick Passion is not always accompanied with Convulsions; where also the existence of the Succus nutritius (on which Dr. Willis his Doctrine seems to depend) is called in question, and several Arguments alledged to the contrary. 2. That, if the Succus nutritius in the Nerves, be by a violent explosion dilated, and that by the means of Fixed Salts mixed in the Nerves with Acid ones (according to Dr. Willis;) the same may happen upon the Concurrence and Conflict of the like Salts in the Blood.
Concerning the Hypochondriack Passion, the Question between these two Phystians, is, Whether the first and chief cause of that distemper, be the Weakness and Laxeness of the tone of the Stomach and its Fibres, whereby a vicious Chyle and Blood is generated, that causes such a Fermentation, upon which do ensue Trembling and Palpitations of the Heart, Swoundings, Fear, Sadness? &c. This is affirmed, and here further asserted by our Author, but denied by Dr. Willis; concerning which, the Reader will finde the best satisfaction in perusing the Writings themselves of both parties.
In the mean time he may please to take notice here, that Dr. Highmore in this Epistle, intersperses some not inconsiderable Remarks concerning the Use of the Spleen, which part he endeavors to free from those imputations it is commonly charged with, being of opinion, That the Blood is originally depraved not by the Spleen, but its matter by the Stomack.
THe Author of this Curious Book, having first taken notice therein of divers Observeables, he met with in the Dissection of Vipers, and among them, of the salival Glands, he discovered in them as well as in other Animals, and those accompanied with Lymphatick Vessels, passing into a greater Vessel running along long and under the said Glands, and discharging itself into the Vesicle of the Gingiva, and carrying with it the Salival liquor, which he makes to be the same with that yellow water in the bag, hitherto esteem'd venomous, but by him reputed a meer harmeless saliva; having, I say, presented his Reader with these and many other Anatomical Observations upon this creature, he makes it his business,
1. To prove, that the biting of Vipers, at least of such as are in France, are indeed venomous, and proved actually mortal: Where he alleadges many Experiments, made by himself in the presence of many Physitians and others, evincing this Assertion; in the recitation of which, he observeth not a few remarkable Phænomena, seen in the Animals, bitten by Vipers, both without, and also within them when dead and opened; particularly, that he found all their Vitals and Viscera fresh and in a good Rate, but the Blood in all of them, that were opened, either coagulated already and blackish, or tending towards coagulation.
2. To confute the opinion of those (and by name of the famous Italian Philosopher Redi, who, a few years since, publisht also a Book of Vipers) that assert, that the Venom of these Animals resides in the Jellow liquor contained in the Bagg about the Vipers teeth; whereas this Author will have it to be in their vexed and enraged spirits: which he thinks, he hath sufficiently proved by wounding several Animals with some of the biggest teeth of Vipers, pulled out, and letting into wounds thus made, and rubbing with that reputed poisonous liquor of the bag; whereupon no ill effects at all have followed. Which he confirms by another tryal, wherein, holding- the Jaws of a Viper, and then thrusting its teeth into the flesh of a living Animal, and letting the Juyce of the bag into the wound, no ill consequence appeared, considering that the angrcd Spirits of the Viper, in that forced and refrained posture, were kept from passing abroad; for the emission of which he supposeth the freedom of the Animal is required.
3. To recommend, among divers other Antidotes for the bitings of Vipers, the Volatile Salt made of them; the vertues of which he exceedingly praiseth, alledging the Example of a person, who being bitten by a Viper, could be saved by no other means, but by several doses of this Volatil Salt; whole preparation he at larg describeth.
This Book is likely to be forthwith translated into English, to be printed for the Stationer, that taketh care of these Transactions.
THis Voluminous Work is divided into Eleven Books; in which the Author having taken some pains to show the Defects and Difficulties in the famous Lullian Art, pretends by a new and Universal Method, that is, by an Artificial Combination of the Subjects of knowledg, to enable men to discourse and dispute, innumerable ways, of every thing proposed, and to acquire a summary and general knowledgeof all things. So that his Combinatory Art, as he cals it, consists chiefly in this, that any subjects being given or proposed, it shews, how often and how many ways they may be combined together, or exchanged, or transposed among themselves.
Of this Art he first shows the Theory, and the Rules, in the first 5 Books; and then in the other 6. he applyes these Rules to Practice by Examples, relating to the several Arts and Sciences.
Of what Use this Doctrine may be for the attainment of knowledg with more case or advantage, the sagacious Reader may judge.
THis smal Tract, consisting only of 4. Sheets, may serve to initiate those, that desire to be acquainted with the sum and import of the Cartesian Philosophy. It delivers, in 11. Chapters, these 11. Heads: The Metaphysicks of that famous Philosopher; his Logick; Principles of Natural Philosophy in general; his Doctrine concerning the Productions made in the Bowels of the Earth; concerning Meteors; Sensible Qualities; Plants; Animals; Man; Humane Passions; and Ethicks.
THis seems to be a very Curious Collection; to which the Author premiseth in the Preface his opinion concerning the Renes succenturiatos, viz. That they seem to be Cases, wherein is elaborated a Bilious Juyce; which afterward by the Emulgent veine, or often immediately, passeth to the Cava and thence conveyed to the Heart, raiseth there that Effervescence, which Sylvius contends to be in that part excited by the mixture of a saltish liquor with an Acid: for although Experiment do contradict the Conveyance of the Juyce out of the Liver, through the Cava, yet (saith he) may that effervescence in the heart (on which the whole Systeme of Sylvius is grounded) still hold, if this opinion about the use of these Kidneys be true, especially since there needs but little Leven to ferment a great Mass; there being required but a very little Salt of Tartar to be mixt with a good quantity of Spirit of Vitriol, to cause a vehement and durable Fermentation, though a considerable plenty of the latter, mingled with a small quantity of the former, produceth but a languid and short Effervescence.
As to the Collection it self, it consists of divers uncommon, and very considerable Remarks, delivered by the Authors own Observation; E. G. A Dutch Stuyver swallowed down, and by closing the Pylorus of the Stomach, killing the Patient in ten days; on the contrary, a small Brass-coyn being-swallowed, was after a Moneths time voided by Purges, and the Patient saved, the Coyn being so worn in the Stomach, that the same hardly appeared: Item, Of a Tumor on the Back, resembling a Sack filled with Corn, formed there by the force of Imagination: Examples of Superfœtation, and Ambiguous Births; of Animals bred the Ear, and Worms come out of the Nose; of two Niples in one Brest; of divers very odd Monsters; of Infants born with Teeth; of a periodical spitting of Blood; of Stones growing upon the Wind-pipe, in the Brain, and the Heart, and killing the Patients; of a double Vena Cava, of a treble Ductus Thoracicus; of four Spermatick Arteries found without Spermatick Veins; of a portion of a Secundine, voided uncorrupted and innoxiously, four Moneths after the production of the Childe; of a Woman, frighted by the prediction, made by a Beggar, of the day of her death, and dying on that very day; of a very stooping and crooked Man, not above forty years of age, made streight again by purging away tough humors, besiedging the Muscles; of a Boy, and of several Sheep destitute of Brains; of many Observables in one and the same Body; of various complicated and odd Diseases in one Patient; of a Woman gone about seven Moneths, who being exceedingly frighted at the hearing of her Daughters falling down Stairs upon her Head, and breaking the hind part of the Skull, was a few days after delivered of a dead childe, wanting the whole Bone of the same part; of the Catamenia flowing thorow the Crown of the Head; others, thorow the right hand; others, from the very time of a Childes Nativity; of a Childe inclosed in a Mola; of a means of restoring the Sight, deprived of its Chrystalline, and the other Humors.
The other part of this Book treats of the gradual and successive Growth of the Bones in a Fœtus; for the better observation of which, the Author affirms to have by him Sceletons from the second Moneth after the Conception, to the very Ninth Moneth, assuring the Reader, that he delivers nothing, but what he knows by his own clear inspection; which he performs in such a manner, that he onely relates the more rare particulars, wherein the Fœtuss do differ from adult Bodies, or he in the Doctrine of the Bones of Fœtuss from other Authors, or which being un-observed of others, he hath observed more accurately; now and then also confirming, what others, by reason of the odness of the thing, yet doubted of. In short, he deduces the increase of the Bones through their several intervals of Times; and gives an accompt. How they are constituted in the first two Moneths, in which there hardly appeareth any thing of Bones distinguishable; then what of them, about the Third, fourth, and the rest of the Moneths, is ordinarily changed, added, or taken away, at least in the Fœtuss of these Climats. The sum is, That there is a Transmigration of Membranous parts into Cartilagineous, and from them into Bony ones; performed by Nature with such silent steps, that the most quick-sighted, and the most patient Eye shall never see it doing, though it may evidently see it done.
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