LUNACY AND OTHEK MALADIES. 



sky at night, are liable to receive a deposition of dew, which 

 humidity has a tendency to accelerate putrefaction. . But this 

 effect will be produced if the sky be clear, whether the moon be 

 above the horizon or not. The moon, therefore, in this case, is a 

 witness and not an agent ; and we must acquit her of the misdeeds 

 imputed to her. 



7. Supposed Lunar Influence on Shellfish. It is a very ancient 

 remark, that oysters and other shell-fish become larger during 

 the increase than during the decline of the moon. This maxim 

 is mentioned by the poet Lucilius, by Aulus Gellius, and others : 

 and the members of the academy del Cimento appear to have 

 tacitly admitted it, since they endeavour to give an explanation 

 of it. The fact, however, has been carefully examined by 

 Eohault, who has compared shell-fish taken at all periods of 

 the lunar month, and found that they exhibit no difference of 

 quality. 



8. Supposed Lunar Influence on the Marrow of Animals. An 

 opinion is prevalent among butchers that the marrow found in 

 the bones of animals varies in quantity according to the phase 

 of the moon in which they are slaughtered. This question has 

 also been examined by Rohault, who made a series of observations 

 which were continued for twenty years with a view to test it ; 

 and the result was that it .was proved completely destitute of 

 foundation. 



9. Supposed Lunar Influence on the Weight of the Human Body. 

 Sanctorius, whose name is celebrated in physics for the 

 invention of the thermometer, held it as a principle that a healthy 

 man gained two pounds weight at the beginning of every lunar 

 month, which he lost towards its completion. This opinion 

 appears to be founded on experiments made upon himself ; and 

 affords another instance of a fortuitous coincidence hastily gene- 

 ralised. The error would have been corrected if he had continued 

 his observations a sufficient length of time. 



10. Supposed Lunar Influence on Births. It is a prevalent 

 opinion that births occur more frequently in the decline of the 

 moon than in her increase. This opinion has been tested by 

 comparing the number of births with the periods of the lunar 

 phases ; but the attention directed to statistics as well in this 

 country as abroad, will soon lead to the decision of this question. 

 Other sexual phenomena, vulgarly supposed to have some relation 

 to the lunar month, have no relation whatever to that period. 



11. Supposed Lunar Influence on Incubation. It is a maxim 

 handed down by Pliny, that eggs should be put to hatch when 

 the moon is new. In France it is a maxim generally adopted, 

 that the fowls are better and more successfully reared when 



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