550 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1742. 



must be lengthened. Thus the vertebrae of the back will be gradually brought 

 from their irregular form, to a perpendicular; and the head, that probably 

 leaned too much to one side, will rise upright. 



The child, or crooked person, may hang suspended much longer on this 

 swing, than by the head in one of the semicircular swings, which cannot extend 

 the contracted side in such manner as this can. It may be necessary to keep 

 the arms down, by a small bandage round the body and arms a little above the 

 elbow. 



By this method of swinging a child, its own weight must necessarily stretch 

 the contracted muscles, &c. that draw the shoulder and hip too close together, 

 and give liberty to the ribs to extend themselves to a greater distance from each 

 other ; and at that very moment of time, the too much extended side, by the 

 weight of the body, will be pressed closer together; and by daily increasing the 

 fcime that the person is on the swing, the desired effect may be produced, an 

 agreeable form of body recovered, and a healthy constitution restored, to the 

 satisfaction of the parents, and great benefit of the once crooked person. 



ABC, fig. 4, pi. 14, represents the steel-yard balance swing ; d, one of the 

 square iron loops to which the cords are to be fixed, and which loops, one on 

 each arm of the balance, are moveable from one notch to another; e, a weight 

 to be hung upon the arm c at p, to add to the weight of the too much extend- 

 ed side, as occasion requires. 



Concerning a golden Torques found in England. By Sir Tho. Mostyn, Bart. 



N°462, p. 24. . . 



This torques is a wreath of gold, weighing nearly 9 ounces. It seems to be 

 without alloy, being pliable. It being joined here with the pharetra, and being 

 very proper for carrying a quiver, makes it probable that the Gauls, from whom 

 the Romans took it, used it for that purpose ; but among the latter it seems to 

 have been worn as an ornament, rather than a thing of use. There are several 

 passages in the historians, which mention its being given as a reward for mili- 

 tary service. It is sometimes described as a chain consisting of several links ; 

 but this is all one piece, without any link or joints, and takes its flexibility from 

 the pureness of the metal. . 



Of the Fire-ball seen Dec. 11, 1741. By Mr. Benj. Cooke, F.R.S. Dated 



Newport, in the Isle of Wight, Jan. 25, 1741-2. N" 462, p. 25. 



A gentleman was on a hill about 3 miles west of that town, and had a very 



advantageous view of the fire-ball. He says, that at that time the brightness 



of the sun was a little obscured by the interposition of some thin clouds, when 



