42S Messrs. Daniel and Robert Cooper on the 



light ; we have also been informed by Mr. Nazer that he 

 has distinctly observed this luminous property in veal. In order 

 further to verify the fact that it has been observed in several 

 Mammalia, we have made diligent inquiries of several pur- 

 veyors of meat in the metropolis, who have the opportunity of 

 seeing meat in all its stages of decomposition, and we are in- 

 formed, that they have at times perceived it on a dark night 

 to be slightly luminous ; but such a phfienomenon is of rare oc- 

 currence. The common opinion with these individuals with 

 respect to the cause, is, that the meat had been struck by light- 

 ning, it having been generally observed in the summer months. 



On the parts of the Body most affected. — When the lumino- 

 sity was discovered in Boreham, it was observed to occupy 

 both the interior and exterior of the thorax, and gradually ex- 

 tended to other parts of the body, more especially the bones, 

 tendons and fasciae, and also to the muscles, but in a slighter 

 degree. On Saturday, March 10th, we observed the cartilages 

 and bones of the ribs extending from the fourth to the seventh 

 on the right side, and on the back from the fifth to the ninth 

 dorsal near their point of attachment to their vertebrae : the 

 light in the interior corresponded in situation to the light on 

 the exterior of the thorax ; there was no phosphorescence ob- 

 served on the viscera of the chest or abdomen. It likewise 

 extended over the right and slightly over the left lumbar, sa- 

 cral, and iliac regions as far down as the insertion of the tensor 

 vaginae femoris between the two laminae of the fascia lata, 

 from which fascia we were enabled to remove it with our 

 fingers, and to them it gave a luminous appearance. On the 

 evening of the following Monday we continued our researches. 

 On entering the room we observed it greatly diminished in in- 

 tensity; and upon examining the body we perceived the right 

 knee (the integument of which had that day been removed) 

 to be very luminous. Upon taking a scalpel and scraping 

 the bone, we were surprised to find that the luminosity in no 

 way diminished : although we could remove it by continual 

 scrapings, it seemed to extend into the substance of" the bones. 



Power of increase, — In order to ascertain whether Boreham 

 had been inoculated with the matter from Tomkins, we placed 

 a portion of the luminous matter taken from the former on the 

 chest of another subject, situated on the opposite side and 

 further end of" the room, on Monday the 12th; and accord- 

 ingly on Wednesday the 14th, as we anticipated, we disco- 

 vered the trunk of the inoculated subject to be luminous to a 

 very great extent. This occurrence clearly proves to our 

 minds, that the matter from Tomkins had inoculated the body 

 of Boreham. iu order to ascertain whether the luminosity 



