VOL. XL.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIOH8. 225 



the ice in Hudson's Bay, viz. that the magnetic virtue of the needle was so 

 far lost or destroyed, that it would not traverse as usual, even when the ship 

 was in a considerable motion: and in his voyage thither last year, he observed 

 the compass would not move at all, any longer than the quarter-master kept 

 touching it. There was then much snow on the land, and many isles of ice 

 around them, and the sea not very smooth: he ordered one of the compasses 

 to be brought into the cabin, but did not find it any better, till it had stood 

 near the fire about -^ of an hour, and then it began to traverse very well; he 

 then ordered it to be placed in the binnacle, and another to be brought into the 

 cabin, changing them alternately thus every half hour, and found by this means 

 he could make them traverse as well as in any other part of the world. He 

 was obliged to continue this practice, till near 100 leagues from the coast ; but 

 afterwards he had no occasion for that trouble What should be the cause of 

 this wonderful phenomenon he could not conjecture, being certain the com- 

 passes, as to their mechanical structure, were very perfect, and answered very 

 well both before and after, during the whole voyage. 



Concerning an uncommon Palsy of the Eye-lids. By Dr. jindrew Cantivell 



of Monlpelier. N" 449, P- 3 1 1 . 



A lady, about 30 years of age, was troubled with a very singular disease. 

 It was an intermitting periodical palsy of the eye-lids, which began every 

 evening about 6 o'clock, with a defluxion from the great canthus, of a whitish 

 matter of some consistence ; so that she remained blind till next morning, and 

 then recovered the use of her eye-lids as before. This disorder held her 

 for 4 months ; from which lime all remedies ordered by her physician proving 

 ineffectual, she was sent to Baleruc for the benefit of the waters. 



As Dr. C. lodged in the same house, he had a fair opportunity of observing 

 the efFects the waters had on her. She was pumped on the back part of her 

 head and neck 7 times, without receiving any sensible benefit : the Qth time 

 her disorder seized her an hour later than usual, and the defluxion was less 

 and thinner. The next evening it retarded 1 hours, and the following night 

 she had as much command of her eye-lids as ever. She took the douche, for 

 so they call that way of pumping, the next morning and evening, and was 

 entirely cured. Dr. C. sat with her an hour that evening, carefully observed 

 her eye-lids by candle-light, and asked her several questions on her disorder. 

 She opened her eyes as well as he did his, and set out the next day for 

 Montpelier. 



VOL. via. G G 



