VOL. XLIII.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 4Q 



Mr. B. brought the matter to calculation; and presently found, that there was 

 above a week's difference in the times of their coming to the nodes ; the comet 

 passing its descending node, Feb. 22, about 2^ in the morning; and Mercury not 

 coming to his till Feb. 2Q; the comet moving all that time southwards with a pro- 

 digious velocity. Again, computing their heliocentric conjunction, which hap- 

 pened Feb. 18, about l'^ in the afternoon, the comet was at that time distant from 

 Mercury nearly 4- part of the semidiameter of the orbis magnus ; being almost 

 twice as near to the sun as the planet ^ ; and having then 31° 30' of north latitude; 

 Mercury's not exceeding 3° 58' to an eye in the sun: whence it is easily collected, 

 that the comet could have no sensible influence on 5 s motion. 



The elements above-given cannot possibly differ much from the true. For, after 

 an interval of 2 months, in which time the comet had gone through almost 4- part 

 of its orbit, it is surprising to find the observed and computed places agree so ac- 

 curately, that the difference no where amounts to a minute. In some parts of the 

 orbit, the agreement is still greater; particularly in the observations made at 

 Sherbom, which come within half that quantity. 



The comet was in conjunction with the sun, Feb. 15, about midnight; audits 

 perigee, Feb. 1 6, about 1 ^ in the afternoon ; at which time it was somewhat nearer 

 the earth than the sun is at its perigee; the comet's distance being them 83, and 

 the sun's 98, such parts, as the semidiameter of the magnus orbis is 100; from 

 which we may have some idea of the comet's magnitude; and therefore may sup- 

 pose it at least equal to the earth. 



Of a Scirrhosity of the Cerebellum. By Albert Haller, F. R. S. Professor of 

 Physic at Goltingen, &c. N° 474, p. 100. An Abstract from the Latin. 



Professor H. describes in this communication the appearances observed on 

 opening the head of a beggar-girl who was supposed to be about 6 years old. Her 

 body was much emaciated, and the mesenteric, inguinal and bronchial glands 

 were found to be in a scirrhous state. 



On examining the head, nearly the whole of the left lobe of the cerebellum 

 was found to adhere strongly to the dura mater which lines the occiput. On 

 making an incision into the tentorium. Professor H. discovered a very large 

 scirrhous tumour, into which the whole of the medullary or of the cortical sub- 

 stance had degenerated. It was of an uniform density throughout, and of a 

 fibrous appearance, not unlike the texture of the kidney. No blood vessel could 

 be seen on cutting into it, nor was there any vestige of the cortical or medullary 

 structure. 



Whatever might be the cause of this morbid affection, it was evident that, in 

 this girl, the middle portion of the cerebellum had been rendered useless, and 



VOL. IX. H 



