Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society Part 24

The b.u.t.tons of his _Doublet_ were most of them off; which, some thought might have been torn off with the blast, getting in at the neck, and then bursting its way out: for which the greatest presumption was (to me) that, besides 4 or 5 b.u.t.tons wanting towards the bottom of the Breast, there were about half a dozen together clear off from the bottom of the collar downwards, and I do not remember, that the rest of the b.u.t.tons seem to be near worn out, but almost new. The collar of his doublet just over the fore-part of the left shoulder was quit broken asunder, cloth and stiffening, streight downwards, as if cut or chop'd asunder, but with a _Blunt_ tool; only the inward linnen or fustian lineing of it was whole, by which, and by the view of the ragged Edges, it seem'd manifest to me, that it was by the stroak inward (from without) not outwards from within.

His _Hat_ was strangely torn, not just on the Crown, but on the side of the hat, and on the brim. On the side of it was a great hole, more than to put in ones fist through it: some part of it being quite struck away, and from thence divers gashes every way, as if torn, or cut with a _Dull_ tool, and some of them of a good length, almost quite to the edges of the brim. And, beside these, one or two gashes more, which did not communicate with the hole in the side. This also I judged by a stroke inwards; not so much from the view of the edges of those gashes (from which there was scarce any judgement to be made either way) but {225} because the lining was not torn, only ript off from the edge of the hat (where it was sow'd on) on that side, where the hole was made. But his hat not being found upon his head, but at some distance from him, it did not appear, against what part of the head that hole was made.

Upon the rest of his Cloaths, I do not know of any further effect, nor did we smell any sulphurous scent about them: which might be, _Partly_ because it was now a good while after the time, and _Partly_ by reason of their being presently drenched in the water into which he fell.

The night following, the three _Doctors_ above mentioned, and my self, with some Chirurgions (besides a mult.i.tude of others) were present at the opening of the head, to see if any thing could be there discover'd; but there appear'd no sign of contusion; the brain full and in good order; the nerves whole and sound, the vessels of the brain pretty full of Blood. But nothing was by any of them discern'd to be at all amiss. But it was by candle-light, and they had not time to make very nice Observations of it (the Body being to be buried by and by) and the croud of People was a further hindrance. But if any thing had been considerably out of order to the view, it would surely have been by some of them discover'd. Some of them thought, they discern'd a small fissure or crack in the skull; and some who held it, while it was sawing off, said, they felt it Jarring in their hands, and there seem'd to the eye something like it, but it was so small, as that by candle-light we could not agree it certainly so to be.

Some of the _Hair_ on the right Temple was manifestly singed, or burnt; and the lower part of that Ear blacker, than the parts about it, but soft; and it might be only the settling of the Blood. The upper part of the left shoulder, and that side of the neck, were also somewhat blacker than the rest of the Body, but whether it were by the blow, which broke the collar, and scorch'd the round red spot thereupon, or only by settling of the Blood, I cannot say; yet I think, it might very well be, that both on the head, and on this side of the neck, there might be a very great blow, and a contusion upon it (and seems to have been so, by the tearing of the hat, and breaking the collar, if not also cracking of the skull) and yet no sign of such contusion, because dying so immediately, there was not time for the Blood to gather {226} to the part and stagnate there (which in bruises is the cause of blackness) and it was but as if such a blow had been given on a Body newly dead; which does not use to cause such a symptom of a bruise, after the Blood ceases to circulate.

Having done with, the Head, they open'd the _Breast_, and found that burning to reach quite through the skin, which was in those scorch'd places hard and horney, and shrunk up, so as it was not so thick as the soft skin about it: but no appearance of any thing deeper than the skin; the Muscles not at all disorder'd or discolour'd (perhaps, upon the reason, that was but now said of the Head, Neck and Shoulder). Having then taken off the _Sternum_, the Lungs and Heart appear'd all well, and well-colour'd without any disorder.

This is the sum of what was observ'd; only that the whole Body was, by night, very much swell'd, more than in the morning; and smelt very strong and offensively: Which might be by the hotness of the weather, and by the heat of the place occasion'd by the mult.i.tude of People.

_An Experiment to examine, what _Figure_, and _Celerity_ of _Motion_ begetteth, or encreaseth _Light_ and _Flame_._

This was communicated by Dr. _Beale_, as follows;

_May_ 5. 1665. fresh Mackrels were boyl'd in Water, with salt and sweet herbs; and, when the Water was perfectly cold, the next morning, the Mackrels were left in the Water for pickle.

_May_ 6. more fresh Mackrels were boyl'd in like Water; and _May_ 7. both Water and Mackrels were put into the former Water, together with the former Mackrels. (Which circ.u.mstances I do particularize, because, whether, the mixture of the pickle of several ages, and a certain s.p.a.ce of time, or whatever else was necessary, and wanting, the trial did not succeed with like effect at other times).

But now on the next _Munday_ (_May_ 8). evening, the Cook stirring the Water, to take out some of the Mackrels, found the Water at the first motion become very luminous, and the Fish shining through the Water, as adding much to the Light, which the water yielded. The water by the mixture of Salt and Herbs, {227} in the boyling, was of it self thick and rather blackish, than of any other clear colour: yet being stirr'd, it shin'd, and all the fish appear'd, more brightly luminous in their own shapes.

Wherever the drops of this water (after it was stirr'd) fell on the Ground, or Benches, they shin'd: And the Children took drops in their hands, as broad as a penny, running with them about the house, and each drop, both near and at distance, seem'd by their shining as broad as a six pence, or a shilling, or broader.

The Cook turn'd up the side of the Fish, which was lowest, and thence came no shining: and after the water was for some good time settled, and fully at rest, it did not shine at all.

On _Tuesday_ night (_May_ 9). we repeated the same Trial, and found the same effects. The water, till it was stirr'd, gave no light, but was thick and dark, as we saw by day-light, and by candle-light. As soon as the Cook's hand was thrust into the water, it began to have a glimmering; but being gently stirr'd by the hand moving round (as the Dairy-maid do to gather the Curds for Cheese) it did so shine, that they, who look'd on it at some distance, from the farther end of another room, thought verily, it was the shining of the Moon through a Window upon a Vessel of Milk; and by brisker Circulation it seem'd to flame.

The Fish did then shine as well from the Inside, as the Outside, and chiefly from the Throat, and such places, as seem'd a little broken in the boyling.

I took a piece that shin'd most, and fitted it as well as I could devise in the night, both to my great _Microscope_, and afterwards to my little one; but I could discern no light by any of these Gla.s.ses; nor from any drops of the shining water, when put into the Gla.s.ses. And _May_ 10. in the brightest rayes of the Sun, I examin'd, in my great _Microscope_, a small broken piece of the Fish, which shin'd most the night before. We could find nothing on the surface of the Fish very remarkable. It seem'd whitish, and in a manner dried, with deep inequalities. And others, as well as my self, thought, we saw a stream, rather darkish, than luminous, arising like a very small dust from the Fish: And rarely here and there, a very small; and almost imperceptible sparkle in the Fish. Yet of these _sparkles_ we are _certain_; we numbered them, and agreed in the number, order and place. Of the _steam_ I am not confident, but do suspect our Eyes in the {228} bright Sun, or that it might be some dust in the Aire.

The great _Microscope_ being fitted in the day-light for this piece of Fish, we examin'd it that night, and it yielded no light at all, either by the view of the Gla.s.s, or otherwise.

Finding it dry, I thought that the moisture of Spittle, and touching of it, might cause it to shine: and so it did, though but a very little, in a few small sparks, which soon extinguish'd. This we saw with the bare eye; not in the Gla.s.s.

The Fish were not yet fetide, nor insipid to the best discerning palats: And I caused two Fish to be kept for further Tryal, two or three days longer, till they were fetide in very hot weather; and then I expected more brightness, but could find none, either in the water, by stirring it, or in the Fish, taken out of the water.

And some Trials I made afterwards with other boyl'd Mackrels (as is above said) with like pickle, but failed of the like success.

This season serves for many Trials in this kind, and by better _Microscopes_, or better ordered. And in these Vulgarities we may perhaps as well trace out the cause and nature of Light, as in Jewels of greatest value, &c.

_Some Considerations touching a Letter in the _Journal des Scavans_ of _May 24. 1666_._

In _Num._ 9. of these _Transactions_ were publish'd the _Schemes_ and _Descriptions_ of certain Ways of _Sounding the Depth of the Sea without a Line_; and of _Fetching up Water from the bottom of it_; together with some Experiments already made with the former of these two Contrivances. The Author of the French _Journal des Scavans_ found good, to insert them both in his _Journal_ of _May_ 3. but in another of _May_ 24. intimates, that the said _Schemes_ and their _Descriptions_ are not very clear and intelligible (he means, that they were not well understood by _French_ Readers) proposing also some Difficulties, relating to that Subject, and esteemed by him necessary to be satisfied, before any use could be made of the said Instruments.

Upon this occasion, the Author of these _Tracts_ thinks fit, here to represent, {229}

_First_, That _Englishmen_ and such others, as are well versed in the _English_ tongue, find no difficulty in understanding the descriptions of these _Engines_, nor in apprehending their structure, exhibited by the _Figures_, especially if notice be taken of the Emendation, expressed at the end of _Num._ 10. about the misgraving the _Bended end_ of the _Springing Wire_ (which it seems has not been noted in _France_, tho' the said _Num._ 10 is known to have been seen there a pretty while before their _Journal_ of _May_ 24. was publish'd). And as for the particular of the _Bucket_, fetching water from the bottom of the Sea, both the _Figure_ and the annexed _Description_ thereof are so plain and clear, that 'tis some wonder here, that any difficulty of understanding them is pretended by any, that hath but ordinary skill in _Cutts_ and the _English_ language. Mean while, that way, which the _French_ Author recommends for this purpose as more simple, _Videl. a Bra.s.s-Pump with double Valves_, is not at all unknown in _England_, nor has bin left untried there; but was found inconvenient, in respect that the Valves in descending did not fully open, and give the water a free pa.s.sage through the Cavity of the Vessel, nor in ascending shut so close, as to hinder the water from coming in at the top: Whereas by the way proposed in _Num._ 9. both is perform'd with great ease and security.

_Secondly_, Whereas the _French_ Author is of opinion, that 'tis unknown, how much time a Heavy Body requires to sink in water, according to a certain depth; he may please to take notice, that that hath been made out in _England_ by frequent Experiments; by which, several Depths, found by this Method of sounding _without_ a Line, were examin'd by trying them over again in _the same_ place _with_ a Line, after the common way. And as to that _Quaere_ of his, Whether a heavy Body descends in the same _Proportion_ of swiftness in _Water_, that it would do in _Air_? The Answer is, that it does not; but that, after it is sunk one or two fathoms into the Water, it has there arrived to its greatest swiftness, and keeps, after that, an equal degree of velocity; the _Resistance_ of the water being then found equal to the _Endeavour_ of the heavy Body downwards.

_Thirdly_, When the same _Author_ alledges that it must be known, when a Light Body reascends from the bottom of the water to {230} the top, in what proportion of time and swiftness it rises. He seems not to have considered, that in this Experiment, the times of the descent and a.s.sent are both taken and computed together; so that for this purpose, there needs not that nicety, he discourses of.

_Fourthly_, Whereas it is further excepted, That this way of Sounding Depths is no new Invention; The answer is ready, that neither is it pretended to be so, in the often quoted _Tract_; it being only intimated there, that the manner of performing it, as it is in that place represented and described, is new.

_Lastly_, To rectifie the said Author's mistake, as if the instrument of fetching up Water from the bottom of the Sea, were chiefly contriv'd, to find out, Whether in some places of the Sea any _Sweet_ Water is to be met with at the bottom: There will need no more, than to direct him to the Book it self _Num._ 9. where p. 149. towards the end, the _First_ use of this _Bucket_ is express'd to be, to know the _degrees of Saltness_ of the Water according to its nearness to the top or bottom; or rather to know the const.i.tution of the Sea-water in several depths of several _Climates_, which is a matter, much better to be found out by _Trial_, than _Discourse_. Neither is it any where argued in that Book (as the _French Journal_ insinuates) that, because sweet water is found at the Bottom of the Sea of _Baharem_, therefore it _must_, but only that it _may_, be found so elsewhere. And since the same _Journal_ admits, that those Sweet water-springs, which yield the sweet water, that is found at the said place, have been formerly on the _Continent_, far enough from the Sea, which hath afterwards covered them. It will be, it is presumed, lawful to ask, Why in many other places there may not be found the like? And besides, how we do know, but that there may be in other parts, Eruptious of large Springs at the bottom of the Sea, as well as there?

Printed with Licence for _John Martyn_, and _James Allestry_, Printers to the Royal-Society. 1666.

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_Num._ 14.

PHILOSOPHICAL _TRANSACTIONS._

_Munday_, _July_ 2. 1666.

The Contents.

_An Account of a _New_ kind of _Baroscope_, which may be call'd _Statical_; and of some Advantages and Conveniencies it hath above the _Mercurial_; communicated by Mr. _Boyle_. The Particular Observations of the Planet _Mars_, formerly intimated to have been made by Mr.

_Hook_ in _February_ and _March_ last. Some Observations, made in _Italy_, confirming the former; and withall fixing the _Period_ of the said Planet's Revolution. Observations, lately made at _London_, of the Planet _Jupiter_: as also of _Saturn_. A Relation of a sad Effect of Thunder and Lightning. An Account of some Books, lately publish'd; _videl_. The Relations of divers Curious Voyages, by Mons. _Thevenot_: A Discourse about the Cause of the Inundation of the _Nile_, by Mons.

_de la Chambre_, both _French_: De Principiis & Ratiocinatione Geometrarum, Contra Fastum Professerum Geometriae, by Mr. _Hobbes_: King _Salomons_ Pourtraiture of Old Age, by_ J. Smith, M. D.

_An Account of a _New_ kind of _Baroscope_, which may be called _Statical_; and of some Advantages and Conveniencies it hath above the _Mercurial_: Communicated, some while since, by the Honourable _Robert Boyle_._

[Sidenote: * See _Num. 11. p. 185. Phil. Transactions._]

As for the _New_ kind of _Baroscopes_, which, not long agoe, * I intimated to you, that my haste would not permit me to give you an account off; since your Letters acquaint me, that you still design a Communicating to the {232} Curious as much Information, as may be, in reference to _Baroscopes_; I shall venture to send you some Account of what I did but name (in my former Letter) to you.