658 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1683. 



Excerpta ex Literis III. et Clariss. Firorum ad Nob. Ampliss. et Consultiss. D. 

 Joh. Hevelium Cons. Gedanensem perscriptis, Judicia de Rebus AstronomiciSf 

 ejusdemque Scriptis, exhibentia, Studio ac Opera, Johannis Erici Olhoffii Secre- 

 tarii Gedani, Anno l683, Ato. N° 150, p. 308. 



A work chiefly in praise of the astronomical labours and merits of Hevelius. 



Tractatus de Podagra et Hydrope. A Tho. Sydenham, M. D. Londinif l683. 



N° 150, p. 309. 



The 1st of these treatises contains an admirable description (accompanied 

 with pathological and practical remarks) of the gout, a disease with which the 

 author himself was afflicted. The other exhibits the author's mode of treating 

 dropsies, in which he employed the most powerful evacuants avw xat Karw, inter- 

 posing opiates, and completing the cure by bitters, chalybeates and aromatics. 



Account of the Earthquake at Oxford, ^c. Sept. 17, l683. By Tho. Pigot, 



Esq. F.R.S. N° 151, p. 311. 



The season when this earthquake happened is a time in which such effects 

 are most commonly experienced, if we may credit Aristotle, who tells us that 

 they are most frequent in Spring and Autumn ; when there is generally a greater 

 abundance of vapours, and a larger quantity of nitre exhaled; all which ingre- 

 dients may conspire to the producing of an earthquake. For if we consider 

 how capable they are of a large expansion, how forcible they are when rarefied 

 in vessels, closed and placed over the fire; in ^olypiles, from which they break 

 out, with forcible blasts, or in winds, which frequently proceed from the rare- 

 faction of such principles, we may suppose that those vapours, which produce 

 such great commotions in the air, may cause a considerable disturbance in the 

 earthy when pent and locked up. 



As to the weather at the time, the latter part of the first week in September 

 was so rainy, that most people were apprehensive of a flood; and on the Qth 

 there fell some very considerable showers in the afternoon; but from that time 

 it cleared up, and to the end of the next week continued very warm and plea- 

 sant weather. The l6th, in the evening, was inclineable to frost; and the next 

 morning it was very hard frost for the season, and then about 7 o'clock, the 

 day being very clear and calm, the earthquake happened. The like observations 

 of cold preceding, are in Dr. Wallis's account of an earthquake, N° 10 of the 

 Philosophical Transactions; as also in that of Mr. Boyle, N° 11. The height 

 of the quicksilver in the barometer was as considerable as at any time these 



