Il6 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO iS/S. 



a few weeks before his death, ended in a continual running of urine, with very 

 sharp pain ; after which, about four days before his death, the water was totally 

 stopped. He being dead, on opening the body I observed the following parti- 

 culars: viz. The internal parts being all carefully examined, we found no defect 

 in them till we came to the bladder, which being taken out, we found it quite 

 full of stones, of which the largest was of the size of a pigeon's egg. Of the 

 larger sort there were l6, yet differing in size. The 22 others were very small. 

 Not a drop of urine was found in the bladder; but it had already made, on the 

 side of the orifice of the bladder, an opening of a considerable size, which im- 

 mediately caused death. In the kidneys and ureters there could not be found 

 the least grain or mark of sand. 



Of an Uticommon Foetus. In a Letter from M. Denys, at Paris. Translated 

 from the Frerich. N° QQ, p. 6l57. 



A few days ago, I was called to a sick woman just brought to bed. After I 

 bad prescribed the physic I judged necessary, I asked for the child, which died, 

 I heard, as soon as it was born. The body of it appeared outwardly very well 

 formed, and very fat ; but the head was so deformed, that it frightened all that 

 were present. It had no front; the two eyes were on the top of the face, very 

 large, and almost without an orbit to lodge them in. The upper and hind part 

 of the head was red like coagulated blood, and resembled the bottom of a calve's 

 head, when cut and severed from the vertebras of the neck. I had the curiosity 

 to examine this red flesh, and found under it a bone, not a hollow skull, but a 

 solid bone in the form of a small oyster. I had it opened every way ; but found 

 no hollowness or brains in it. This bone was only fastened before to the bones 

 of the face, and not behind to the vertebrae of the neck ; so that the marrow of 

 the back bone had no communication with the head. I pursued the optic- 

 nerves^ and lost them in this bone, which was in lieu of the cranium, and was 

 not at all spongy, but very hard. It seems to me somewhat extraordinary, that 

 a child should be able to live nine months without brains; for I was informed, 

 that it was very lively and brisk in the womb, but died as soon as it came into 

 the air. 



Account of some Natural Curiosities presented to the Royal Society , ly Sig. Paulo 

 Boccone, of Sicily. N° QQ, p. 6 158. 



The first were uncommon pieces of coral, red and white; some of which 

 were ramified into solid massy bodies; others were coralline buttons or flowers; 

 in some of which the presenter, on squeezing them, found a lacteous juice. 



