VOL. XIX.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 213 



because too much water will hinder the operation, or quench the fire. Which 

 I take to be the case of the Bath waters, where steel and sulphur cause a great 

 effervescence, but no flame. And the like of other hot springs. And I do not 

 confine it to this particular mixture, for the chemists, I presume, may furnish 

 us with divers others. And therefore I said, "or somewhat equivalent." But 

 I gave instance of this for one. I would have added also, that the same account 

 may be given of ^tna, and other burning mountains, where the mixture of 

 steel and sulphur may give a flame ; which is often attended with prodigious 

 explosions and earthquakes, from great quantities of nitre, as in springing a mine. 



Account of. Books. — /. Ref radio Solis Inoccidui in Septenlrionalibus Oris, Jussu 

 Serenissimi ac Potentissiini Principis Caroli II. Suecorum, Gothorum, Fanda- 

 lorum, &c. Monarchic Clementissimi, circa Solstitium JEstivum, 1695, aliquot 

 Observationibus Astronoviicis detecta. Holmice in Ato. Swedish and Latin, and 

 noiv translated into English, in 8vo. N° 233, p. 731. 



This work is chiefly about the refraction of the atmosphere, and a journey 

 made by the Swedish astronomers to the northward, to a place where they could 

 see the sun above the horizon at midnight, on account of the great refraction 

 there. 



The author, J. Bilbery, treats of the figure of the earth, the variation of 

 the needle, and the difference of refractions under the pole and equator. He 

 observes that the places where they travelled are all laid down too northerly in 

 the maps, and discourses of the figure of the globe, which he believes is not 

 spherical ; also of the variation of the needle. 



//. De Fontium Mutinensium admirandd Scaturigine Tractatus Physico Hijdro- 

 staticiis, Bernardini Ramazzini,* in Mutinensi Li/cceo Medicines Professoris. 

 Mutince iSgi, in 4to. Translated into English, and illustrated with many 

 curious Remarks and Experiments, by the Author and Translator, Dr. Rob. 

 St. Clair. London, 1697, 8vo. N° 233, p. 734. 



The author Ramazzini begins his treatise with a description of the wells, 



* Bernardin Ramazzini was born at Carpi in l633. He studied at Parma, and practised for several 

 years at Modena, where he experienced much unfair dealing from some rival practitioners. In 

 1700 he removed to Padua, being appointed professor of the practice of physic in that university. He 

 was afflicted with blindness for some years previous to his death, which happened in 1714, at the age 

 of 81. He wrote on epidemic constitutions, after the example of Sydenham ; but his Diatribe de 

 Morbis Artificura, (with a supplement de Morbis Literatoram) is the work by which he acquired 

 most celebrity. The novelty and variety of the subject soon brought this publication into general 

 notice, and it has been translated into most of tlie European languages. It cannot be denied that the 



