TOL. XLVII.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 245 



LXVII. Of the Eruption of Mount Vesuvius in Oct. 1751, written at Naples, 

 Jan. 15, 1752, N. S. p. 409. 



After the usual phenomena of smoke and flame, and bellowings, &c. there, on 

 the 25th of October, in a place called Atrio del Cavallo, on the east side of the, 

 mountain, a fiery fluid, like melted glass in a furnace, burst out, or rather 

 seemed to boil over, which ran down the declivity of the mountain with great 

 velocity and force, carrying along with it large stones, gravel, calcined earth, &c. 

 In fi hours time it ran 4 miles, and covered vast tracts of fine land; destroyed 

 many farm-houses, villas, and vineyards. The reason why it does so much mis- 

 chief is, that it spreads itself, where the ground is plain, and covers in some 

 places above an acre in breadth; but where there is a hollow ground, it forms a 

 current river, making banks of its own substance, by cooling and hardening 

 towards the edges; and when this current happened to be opposed by a rising 

 ground, (the high banks of the cooling lava preventing its passage on either 

 side) it formed high mountains of lava of 50 or 6o feet; till at last, by the 

 weight and force of the red-hot river flowing incessantly from the bocca above, 

 it burst out from under this new hill, and forming a second fiery river, pro- 

 ceeded down the country, destroying all where it came. It was shocking to see 

 trees, and vines loaded with fruit, floating on this river of fire. And, to our 

 great astonishment, though we plainly saw the fluidity and rapid current of this 

 matter, yet was it so impenetrable, that no weighty body would sink in it; nor 

 did a sharp heavy iron instrument, thrown at it with great force, make the least 

 impression on it, but, remaining on it a few minutes, it became red-hot like the 

 lava. Nor could the pious procession and liquefaction of St. Januarius's blood 

 on the spot put a stop to the destructive inundation; for it has run for these 2 

 months past, and runs a little still. 



LXFIII. Of an Hydrophoby. By The. mihraham, LL.D., F.R.S. p. 412. 



On March 29, 1752, Isaac Cranfield, a waterman, about 30 years of age, 

 was received into the infirmary in Westminster, with an hydrophobia on him. 

 He had been that morning with Mr. Heathfield, one of the surgeons to that 

 infirmary, for advice; who being informed of that remarkable symptom, asked 

 him, if he had not been lately bitten by. a dog? he answered, no. But his wife, 

 who was with him, put him in mind, that he had received a wound from a dog 

 about 9 months before. This he presently recollected : and said, it was a strange 

 dog he met with at a public-house, that, as he was going to stroke him, gave 

 him a little bite in the hand.. 



The same day, about one o'clock. Dr. Coxe, Dr. Watson, and Dr. W. met 

 together to consult on his case. When he came to be examined, he repeated to 

 them the manner of his being bitten, as Just mentioned ; and said further, that 



