294 l»HILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [anNO 1739- 



thick as casks branching out into many surprizing forms.* Thus not only the 

 arches, formed by nature in the solid rock, but also the floor of the cavern are 

 thickly covered with clear ice ; which shines all about within the cavern, as if 

 it were incrusted with crystal. 



M. B. seems chiefly to ascribe the freezing quality of the cavern to the saline 

 nature of its texture. The nature of the Carpathian mountains, is saline, ni- 

 trous, aluminous, and vitriolic ; hence he concludes must ensue an almost con- 

 stant congelation. 



As to the cavern at Ribar, a village in the county of Zol, it emits very 

 noxious vapours. It was formerly a rude copious fountain, and the water 

 rising to a good height, overflowed on all sides. The water was petrifying; 

 and generating a tophus, formed it gradually into such a mass, as became a 

 kind of mound about the mouth of the spring, and dammed it up so as to 

 prevent it from overflowing. 



But afterwards, when subterraneous waters flowed from the interior of the 

 fountain in the hidden passages, the ground began to give way near the old 

 foundation, and at length formed a new opening ; when it began to emit 

 noxious vapours again, destructive to birds and other animals. In this cavern 

 is heard the murmuring noise of running water ; so that a river probably flows 

 through the interior passages, and at last loses itself in some kind of swallows. 



A very extraordinary Tumour in the Knee of a Person, whose Leg was taken 

 off. By Mr. Jer. Peirce, Surgeon at Bath. N° 452, p. 56. 



William Hedges of Stratton in Somersetshire, 25 years of age, of a mus- 

 cular healthy habit, had never known any kind of disease ; but about 8 years 

 before, he first observed a small swelling on his right leg, near the supe- 

 rior epiphysis of the tibia, which he called a splint, about the size of a 

 split horse-bean. He was not conscious of any bruise on the part, and was 

 quite free from pain; yet from its constant increase, which during the first 2 



* Dr. Townson, who, in his Travels into Hungary, gives a particular account of this remarkable 

 cavern, states that he found abundance of icicles in it in the month of July, but in a stale of thaw. 

 The temperature of the cavern at that time (near Midsummer') was at Oof Reaumur's thermometer, i.e. 

 at the degree of melting snow. He therefore infers that the masses of ice found in this cavern must 

 be formed in the winter, and consequently that contrary to this author's account and to vulgar 

 report, the temperature of the air in the cavern, regulated to a certain extent by the temperature of 

 the atmosphere without, is lower in winter than in summer. However, as the temperature of the 

 cavern is but slowly affected by the temperature of the external air. Dr. T. admits that, when a very 

 warm spring suddenly succeeds to a severe winter, a freezing cold may prevail within the cavern, for 

 some time after it has begun to thaw without, and vice versa. 



