VOL. VIII.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. (5l 



all the luxuriant branches by the way ; then gives them liberty to spread upon 

 the tiles, all over one side the roof of his house. Thus he furnishes his dwell- 

 ing house, and many out-houses ; by which means the vines are no hindrance 

 to the other wall-fruit, and the rays of the sun being almost direct upon the 

 vines, he has riper, sweeter and greater plenty of grapes, than when the vines 

 are placed as wall trees. 



On the Motion of the Hearts of two Urchim, after their being cut out. By 

 Mr. John Templer. N° 93, p. 6016. 



I cut out the hearts of two urchins ; whereupon I found the systole and 

 diastole to continue full two hours, while the hearts lay upon a glased earthen 

 w^hite plate, in a cold window. The distance of their diastoles was unequal in 

 time, but very large for half an hour, and then sensibly diminishing until they 

 ceased at the two hours end ; and would not then be reinforced by a needle's 

 point, which for the half hour preceding they would answer at any time. 



After the hearts had ceased above 4- of an hour, so as a needle pricking them 

 caused no motion ; yet upon setting the plate on the hearth in the chimney, in 

 about two minutes they began to beat, though but weakly ; and upon eight 

 minutes continuance they beat freely ; and when removed into the window 

 again, continued their pulsation, without pricking, above an hour ; and might 

 have done longer, could they have been attended to. Perhaps we may hence 

 conjecture the cause of life and death. And when shall we say then, any animal 

 or insect is dead if it has motion ? 



Observations on Turkey. N° 93, p. 60i7. 



A disease reigns in the country about Aleppo, and as far as Bagdat, that at- 

 tacks both sexes, all ages, and strangers as well as natives. It is commonly 

 called II mal d' Aleppo, and appears to be in the skin a small pustule, hard and 

 red, the head scarcely larger at the beginning than the point of a pin ; afterwards 

 growing, and being nourished by five or six little roots or fibres, it goes on to 

 its height for the space of about 6 months ; and in as many more declines again. 

 So that the whole period of this disease is generally comprised within the space 

 of one year. This pustule has hitherto yielded to no remedies^ neither in the 

 beginning, middle, nor decline. It is wholly to be left to nature ; and by doing 

 so, there is no pain or trouble in it. It affects people not once only but often, 

 and it seizes on several parts of the body ; and when on the face, causes a re- 

 markable scar, which yet by little and little vanishes.* 



* The cause of tliis species of cutaneous disease ]:eiTiains still a matter of conjecture. Is it produced 

 by some animal belonging to the tribe of insects or worms ? Dr. Russell, in his history of Aleppo, has 

 mentioned tlie mercurial plaster as the best remedy against it. 



