412 VHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1740. 



tercepting afterwards the nourishment to the leg, as happens often after the 

 operation of the aneurisma. 



The remains, though sordid at first, by a peculiar method of dressing, and 

 proper applications of strong digestives, detersives, &c. cleansed, and the ulcer 

 soon digested, the substance came even to the skin, and, September the 2ist 

 it was all perfectly cured, without any hardness, or any inconvenience to her 

 walking, and was likely always to remain so. 



On a Remarkable Aurora Borealis. By Mr. James Short, College, Edin- 

 burgh. N° 456, p. 368. 



On Saturday last, Nov. 13, 1736, about 6 o'clock, there was one of the 

 most remarkable aurorae boreales that ever Mr. S. saw. At first there appeared 

 the ordinary luminous arch, the vertex of which was about 30° above the ho- 

 rizon, and had its centre somewhere in the meridian circle. After this was per- 

 fectly well formed, there appeared little or none of the purple and red colours 

 which are usually in that arch ; but immediately there broke out, from the 

 western extremity, a great deal of that northern light which formed this arch, 

 and, rushing along with rays directed to the zenith, formed another aurora 

 borealis above the first, the centre of which was to the east of the meridian. 

 After this was formed, there followed, from the same extremity, a great deal 

 of purple and red-coloured light, quivering and shaking towards the zenith 

 with a flapping noise in rushing along, till it formed a third aurora borealis 

 above the second, the centre of which was somewhere on the east-side of the 

 meridian. Looking again to the western source of these arches, he perceived, 

 as it were, a huge pillar of a dull red-coloured light, rising out of the same 

 place whence the arches took their beginning, extending in a direction towards 

 the zenith, till it rose almost 60° high. These arches and the pillar lasted very 

 near an hour ; the 2 uppermost arches were continually quivering apd shaking, 

 and the pillar always turning to a paler red. 



The night before the aurora borealis, there was an amazing hurricane of wind, 

 which lasted till the Saturday morning ; and all that day it continued to blow, 

 though not so hard. The arch from whence the wind blew, was from the north- 

 west, the same quarter from whence the arches took their rise. To the 1 8th, ever 

 since the hurricane of wind, there has been a most intense frost. It froze so 

 hard, that in less than 24 hours after it began, the lake on the north-side of 

 this city was so strong, as to bear people on it. 



