VOL. LV.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 20] 



XI I. An Account of a New Improvement of the Portable Barometer. By 

 Edward Spry, M.D. of Tolness, Devon, p. 83. 

 This barometer. Dr. S. presumes, will answer every intention of the usual, and 

 more complex portable one, and in a much more simple and durable manner, 

 viz. The double round at the bottom makes it difficult to cause an ascent of air, 

 or a fall of mercury into the bowl ; which, if the latter circumstance were to at- 

 tend it, the quicksilver, from the bowl's construction, must remain in it, thence 

 of no inconvenience. The small bowl at the top, with beads in it, render it far 

 less liable to break by the mercury's ascent, the bowl giving it an immediate ex- 

 panse from the colon, and the beads counteracting its force as so many springs, 

 which has such an effect, that from many experiments it was found no easy 

 matter to break it by the mercury's ascent, which is very easy in the common 

 one. It is so well evacuated by boiling the quicksilver in the tube, that he 

 depends on its being luminous after being carried so far. The tube may be as 

 large as you please ; but, if so, it should not be continued further than the tube's 

 curve, which should have its colon small, by the tube's being drawn so, or, what 

 is better, one of the smallest bore being joined to it. This barometer may be 

 conveniently carried, inverted, in a walking stick, with a scale contained in a 

 large tube covering the other. 



XIII. Of a Locked Jaiv. By Mr. TVoollcombe, Surg, at Plymouth Dock. p. 85. 

 On Saturday June 2, in the afternoon, Mr. W. was sent for to a poor woman, 

 who an hour or 2 before had been taken with an oppression at her breast, 

 attended with a slight pain in her side, and at the same time complained of a 

 soreness in her jaws, and a little difficulty in swallowing ; as he then took it to 

 be only a common cold, she had 14 oz. of blood drawn off, and some nitrous 

 medicines sent her. On visiting her the next morning, he found her relieved as 

 to her breast and side, but her jaw was fixed, and almost closed, with a very 

 great difficulty of swallowing. On a further inquiry, and short reflections, he 

 was soon convinced she had that terrible symptom, a locked jaw. As this dis- 

 order is more frequently the consequence of external injuries than from internal 

 causes, he inquired whether she had any kind of wound or cut ; and was told 

 that about 8 days before a rusty nail had run into the bottom of her foot; and 

 though the wound was painful for 2 or 3 days, yet it was cured by their own 

 applications, and had been well 4 days before she was taken with the above 

 complaints. He therefore examined the foot, and found it quite whole, though 

 on pressing the tendons of the foot she expressed a little uneasiness. He now 

 endeavoured to relieve this terrible malady; as the blood drawn the preceding 

 day was of a firm texture, and her pulse full and tense, he took away 14 oz. 

 which proved sizy ; and having procured some stools, gave her an anodyne of 40 



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