158 
observed an enormous ball of fire fall 
about five yards distaut from them, 
tearing up the ground, and emitting a 
great smoke. Being rather discon- 
certed at the circumstance, they re- 
treated ; and would not, in the first 
instance, mention the circumstance. 
Shortly afterwards, however, several 
persons became acquainted with the 
fact, and on examining the place where 
the fire descended, they found, at the 
depth of five feet, a great stone, 
weighing very little short of 200 ewt. 
The countrymen having by this time 
recovered from their fright, supposing 
from its bulk and size, that it contained 
gold, could not be prevented, either by 
arguments or promises, from breaking 
it into pieces. A few of the fragments 
have been preserved by several gentle- 
men at the place. From the appear- 
ance of the stone it was composed of 
two substances. The outside is covered 
with a thin coafing, somewhat like the 
glaze the common brown earthenware 
is coated with. It is rather hard, but 
does not strike fire with steel; ner is 
it acted upon by nitric acid. In ano- 
ther account, given by M. L. A. D, 
Firman, it is stated, that a stone of 
much smaller dimensions fell within a 
short distance of the spot where the 
Report of Chemistry and Experimental Philosophy. 
[March 1, 
former one descended. A gentleman, 
who was looking toward the place where 
the fire first appeared,showed it to some 
of his workmen: and comparing the 
time it took in its descent with the 
motion of his pulse, found it occupied 
about five seconds.- He also observed 
a misty train left in the air, after the 
fall of the metevorolite. It separated 
before the stone reached the ground, 
and was not emitted afterwards. 
GERMANY. 
A table of the periodical variation of 
Algol has been printed in Bode’s Ephe- 
meris for 1822, and contains the period 
of the star’s least magnitude, according 
to Paris time. © The following are the 
times in March and April. 
1822. H. M. 
March 14 -— &26. M. 
17 — 215 
19 — 11 4 Ey. 
22 — 8 53 
April 6,5 0g a nae 
9 — 0 47 
11 — 9 36 Ev. 
29 — 230 M. 
It is announced in the Journal de 
Medicine Pratique of Berlin, that the 
belladonna is a preservative against 
scarlet fever. The fact was first dis- 
covered at Leipsic, but it has lately 
been confirmed by several experiments. 
REPORT OF CHEMISTRY AND EXPERIMENTAL PHILOSOPHY. 
a 
rR. FARADAY in some experiments 
on electro-magnetical motions, 
states that it appears very probab’e that 
in the regular bar magnet, the steel, or iron, 
is in the same state as the copper wire of 
the helix magnet; and, perhaps, by the 
same means, namely, currents of electri- 
city; but still, says he, other proofs are 
wanting of the presence of a power like 
electricity than the magnetic effects only. 
With regard to the opposite sides of the 
connecting wire, and the powers emanat- 
ing from them, I haye merely spoken of 
them as two, to distinguish the one set of 
. effects from the other. The high authority 
of Dr. Wollaston is attached to the opinion 
that a single electro-magnetic current pas- 
sing round the axis of the wire ina direc- 
tion determined by the position of the vol- 
taic poles, is sufficient to explain all the 
phenomena. M. Ampere, drew from his 
theory, the conclusion that a circular wire 
forming part of the connexion between the 
poles of the battery, should be directed by 
the earth’s magnetism, and stand in a plane 
perpendicular to the magnetic meridian 
andthe dipping needle. This result was 
said to be actually obtained, but its accu- 
racy has been questioned, both on theoreti- 
cal and experimental grounds. As the 
magnet directs the wire when in form of a 
curve, and the curve a needle, I endeavour- 
ed, says Mr. Faraday, to repeat the experi- 
ment, and succeeded in the following man- 
ner :—A voltaic combination of, two plates 
was formed, which were connected by a 
copper wire, bent into a circular form; the 
plates were put into a small glass jar with 
dilute acid, and the jar floated on the sur- 
face of water; being then left to itselfin a 
quiet atmosphere, the instrument so ar- 
ranged itself, that the curve was in a plane 
perpendicular to the magnetic meridian ; 
when moved from this position, either one 
way or the other, it returned again ; and 
on examining the side of the curve towards 
the north, it was found to be that, which, 
according to the law already stated, would 
be attracted by a south pole. A voltaic 
circle made in a silver capsule, and mount- 
ed with a curve, also produced the same 
effect; as did likewise, very readily, M. 
de la Rive’s small ring apparatus. When 
placed on acidulated water, the gas libe- 
rated from the plates prevented its taking 
up a steady position ; but when put into a 
little floating cell, made out of the neck 
of a Florence flask, the whole readily took 
the 
