VOL. XXVII.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 557 



at Leyden but the spring before this publication, on the death of Dr. Hotton, 

 who succeeded the celebrated botanist Dr. Paul Herman, whose catalogue of 

 that garden, with his Prodromus and Paradisus Batavus, are living testimonies 

 of his immortal fame. This curious botanist, to repair his loss, obliges us 

 here with a methodical index of all such plants as actually grew in that garden 

 the last year, that the world may see what he can furnish them, as well as what 

 he wants; so that by a mutual commutation each may improve his stock. 



The Anatomy and Osteology of an Elephant ; being an exact Description of all 

 the Bones of the Elephant which died near Dundee, April the 27 th, 17 06, 

 with their several Dimensions. By Mr. Patrick Blair, Surgeon, &c. N° 326, 

 p. 53. 



The elephant is said to live to a great age: some asserting they live to 120 

 years; others to 200 years; some to 300; and some even affirm that they can 

 live till they be 500 years old, and that they are very strong and robust at 200. 

 Tentzelius tells us, that when a certain German, who had sometimes been in 

 the Indies, saw those bones he treats of, he concluded from certain marks the 

 Indians have, that that elephant could not have been under 200 years old. 

 Mr. Tavernier says, he could never learn exactly how long the elephants lived ; 

 but that their keepers have told him, they knew such an elephant to have been 

 in their great grandfather's, grandfather's, and father's custody, which he mo- 

 destly computes not to have been under 120 or 130 years: and it is memorable 

 what Juba king of Lybia told, as it is related by Philostratus, that the knights 

 of Lybia at a certain time fought upon elephants, some of which had a tower 

 engraven on their teeth ; and when they were separated by the night, such as 

 had the tower were beaten, and fled to mount Atlas; and that Juba 400 years 

 after took one of them, which had this eiisign so lively engraven, as if it had 

 been but lately done. However this may be, they seem generally to live to a 

 great age; for the keeper told me, that the elephant which fell in our way was 



diseases to which the living frame is subject, the curative indications are to be drawn, not from 

 the supposed changes in the quality or composition of the fluids, but from the kind and degree 

 of action induced in the solids ; from the increase or diminution of the animal heat ; and from the 

 excess or deficiency of the excretory discharges. But whatever objections may be made to his patho- 

 logy, his histories of diseases cannot be too much admired} and even some of his curative indications, 

 especially on the subject of inflammatory diseases, may be safely recommended. In his Treatise de 

 Viribus Medicamentorum, he gave an improved arrangement of the Mat. Medica; which he further 

 illustrated by his lectures. He was well acquainted with botany j but his favourite pursuit (next to 

 the proper duties of his office as professor of physic) was chemistry j his treatise on which is re- 

 markable for the great body of facts which it contains, and for the order and perspicuity with which 

 they are arranged and described. 



