TOL. I.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 75 



head ; tlie vessels of the brain were pretty full of blood, but nothing amiss 

 could be discerned. (The examination was made by candle light, and hastily, 

 as the corpse was soon to be interred, and the crowds of people were an impedi- 

 ment.) — Some of the hair on the right temple was singed, and the lower part of 

 the ear was blacker than the rest of the body. On opening the breast, it was 

 found that the burning reached quite through the skin, which was in those 

 scorched places hard and horny, and shrunk up, so as not to be so thick as the 

 soft skin about it ; but there was no appearance of any injury deeper than the 

 skin, the muscles being not at all altered or discoloured. On removing the 

 sternum, the lungs and heart exhibited a natural appearance. The whole body 

 was, by night, very much swelled, more than in the morning, and smelt very 

 strong and offensively ; which might be owing partly to the warmth of the 

 weather, (it was the month of May) and partly to the heat of the place occa-* 

 sioned by the multitude of people.* 



Of Shining Fish. By Dr. Beale. N' 13, p. 226. 



May 5, 1665, fresh mackrel were boiled in water, with salt and sweet herbs ; 

 and they were left in the water for pickle. 



May 6, more fresh mackrel were boiled, and, May 7? both water and mack- 

 rel were put into the former water, together with the former mackrel : but 

 May 8, in the evening, the cook stirring the water, to take out some of the 

 mackrel, 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 in the boiling, 

 was of itself thick and rather blackish, than of any other clear colour : yet being 

 stirred, it shined, and all the fish appeared more brightly luminous in their 

 own shapes. 



Wherever the drops of this water fell, after stirring, they emitted a light. 

 On the cook's turning up the lower side of the fish, there was no light : 

 and after the water was for some time settled, and fully at rest, it did not shine 

 at all. 



May 9, we repeated the same trial,' and found the same effects. The water, 

 till it was stirred, gave no light, but was thick and dark. But as soon as the 

 cook's hand was thrust into the water, it began to glimmer ; and being gently 

 stirred by the hand moving round, it shone in such a manner, that those at 



* In some future accounts of deaths occasioned by lightning, we shall offer a remark or two on the 

 appearances which it induces, and on the manner in which it proves fatal. 



k2 



