VOL. XLIV.j PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 255 



with walls and pillars of decident lapidescent waters; the hollowness in some 

 places being pervious further than any yet has adventured to discover; the dark- 

 ness of these caverns requiring the help of candles, which are often extinguished 

 by the dropping water. 



A Letter from James Parsons, M. D., F. R. S. serving to introduce a Remark 

 from John Milner, Esq. concerning the Burying of the Cotvs, dead of the 

 present reigning Distemper, in Lime or not. N° 480, p. 224. 



When the means for preventing the infection among the cattle were under 

 consideration, burying them was thought the most effectual method to obstruct 

 its progress; and, by way of improvement to this project, the addition of lime 

 was imagined necessary, for the more speedy destruction of the distempered car- 

 cases. But some doubts arising, whether the lime might not exalt the putrid 

 particles, and help to spread the infection, it was the opinion of several of the 

 learned, that it was most safe, on that account, to bury them without it. 



This difference will probably be decided by the inclosed account of cattle buried 

 both with and without lime, written by John Milner, Esq. one of the justices 

 appointed to inspect into the affair, and one who has the good of mankind at 

 heart as much as any person whatever. I hope it will serve to prevent the prac- 

 tice of burying them with lime for the future, as this accidental fact makes it 

 more than probable, that malignant particles may be sent up, and spread through 

 the air. 



N. B. The cattle were buried 10 feet deep with lime; 8 feet deep without 

 lime. 



Mr. Stallwood, a farmer at Hackney, informed the justices, to whom the care 

 of the distempered cattle was committed, that he had buried 13 cows very deep, 

 with the quantity of lime appointed by the justices; and observing his dogs to 

 scratch and tear up the ground with their feet, to get at the cows' flesh, (the 

 lime fermenting, and causing a foam, as he called it, or strong scent of meat to 

 arise, which made the dogs so eager to come at it) he beat them off several times; 

 but the dogs always returning as soon as he was gone, for some time he hired 

 boys to keep them off. But that he had buried several other cows in another 

 place, with their hides cut and slashed, without any lime (being ordered by the 

 justices so to do) and the dogs never attempted to scratch or tear up the ground 

 there, though it lay open to them equally with the other ground, and they oftea 

 ran over it. 



N. B. Two bushels of lime to each cow was the allowance. 



