VOL. XV.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 199 



inhabitants, into the utmost consternation, and brought on a return of the fits ; 

 which at first observed no regular periods, but afterwards attacked her in the 

 order above-mentioned, resisting the remedies which had before proved suc- 

 cessful. The fits continued to observe this type for 2 years, when in conse- 

 quence of another fright they changed their day of attack, at first seizing the 

 patient twice a week, and afterwards on Sundays only, and in this manner they 

 have continued ever since. Wearied with repeated disappointment, she cannot 

 now be prevailed upon to take any more medicine. 



One remarkable circumstance must not be omitted, viz. for a long time past 

 she has taken it into her head, that if she went out of doors she should be im- 

 mediately seized with a fit ; she therefore constantly confines herself to her own 

 house. About 20 years since she accepted an invitation to spend the evening at a 

 neighbour's ; but no sooner had she entered the door, than she was attacked 

 (though it was not the stated time for a paroxysm) with a violent fit, as she had 

 apprehended, and was obliged to be carried home again. From that time to the 

 present moment, she has never stirred from her own door, except when she was 

 carried to her new house, 18 years ago ; on which occasion (though it was not 

 the stated day of an attack) she was seized with fits, which continued for 10 

 successive days, (2 fits each day) till they at length returned to the order they 

 had before observed. 



Notwithstanding the patient has been afflicted so many years with this dis- 

 order, yet, in the intervals between the paroxysms, her intellects do not 

 appear to be at all impaired ; and she manages her domestic concerns as well 

 as if she had never been subject to such attacks. 



Abstract of a Letter of Mr. Leewenhoeck, F. R. S. dated March 30, l685; 

 concerning Generation by an Insect (Animalcule). N° 174, p. 1120. 



About the latter end of the summer of the year l683, I took the semen 

 masculum of a dog, which was of about a year and half old. This I put into 

 a glass pipe, and wrapped it up in soft leather, because the nights were some- 

 thing cold. This semen I observed 4 days successively, and in the first, I found 

 that several of its animals were dead. In the second and third day, there were 

 yet more of them dead, but on the fourth, there were very few left alive ; and 

 so far I proceeded at that time. But in the beginning of October in the year 

 l684, I observed again the semen masculum of the same dog, who was then 

 very strong and vigorous, and I found that after 7 days and nights, there were 

 some few animals yet left alive, a very few whereof swam as briskly as if they 

 had just come from the dog. 



From hence I infer, that these animals would have lived a much longer time 



