220 MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION - . 



Mifcellaneous Information. Mifiake refpecling Dr. Thomjbn, 

 Author of the Elements of Chemiftry. Obfervations on the Scot- 

 tijli Querns. On the fuppofed Determination of the real Zero 

 of Heat. In a Letter from a Correfpondent. 



To Mr. NICHOLSON. 

 SIR, 



Mtftake refpeft- J[ g£G leave to obferve a fmall inaccuracy in the notice * of 

 fo Ut * [ Dr. Thornton's Syftem of Chemiftry. Thomas Thomfon, 

 M. D. Lecturer on Chemiftry in Edinburgh, who is much 

 efteemed for his extenfive knowledge, is the author of that 

 excellent work. The Notes on Fourcroy's Elements of Che- 

 miftry were written by Mr. John Thomfon, furgeon in Edin- 

 burgh. 



The following remarks are at your fervice, from 

 SIR, 

 Your very humble fervant, 



Edinburgh, Feb. 17. 1803. 



I . Obfervations on the Scottijh Querns. 



The. Scottish The Indian hand mill, defcribed in the Philofophical Jour- 



pernor hand ral j3jjj 186 ^ very muc h refembles the hand mill or querns 

 ufed by the cottagers in Scotland for grinding malt. There 

 are many varieties of querns, but the greater number of them 

 anfwer to the defer iption juft quoted, to which I beg leave ta 

 refer the reader. 



The querns in Aberdeenfhire have a peculiar form : a cy- 

 lindrical cavity in the under Hone contains the upper one. A 

 plug of wood is driven in the center of this ftone for fixing the 

 gudgeon, and there is an eve or aperture in the angle through 

 which the ground malt runs out. Inftead of cutting fo much 

 out of the folid ftone, it would be better to ufe a wooden 

 drum. It is unneceflary for me to give a more minute detail 

 of the Scottifli querns, which have been long known in this 



* Phil. Jour. 8vo. III. 62. 



country ; 



