VOL. LXVIII.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRAXSACTIONS. SQS 



claret-coloured dress, which is as much a black to my eyes as any black that ever 

 was dyed. She has been married several years ; no child living, and my son is 

 unmarried ; so how this impediment may descend from me is unknown. I have 

 a general good satisfaction in the midst of this my inability ; can see objects at a 

 distance v\hen I am on travel with an acquaintance, and can distinguish the size, 

 figure, or space, equal to most, and I believe as quick, colour excepted. 



XXVIII. An Account of Baplhms, Marriages, and Burials, during Forty 

 Years, in the Parish of Blandford Forum, Dorset. Communicated by R. 

 Puheney, M.D., F.R.S. p. 6l5. 



In 1773, there were 446 families, reckoning a workhouse of 44 persons, and 

 three schools containing 9'2, as 4 families only, which gives nearly 4-2- to a 

 family. The whole number of souls in the parish was found to be, males 1174, 

 females 936, total '2110; but it must be remarked, that in this number were not 

 included any of the inhabitants of the close adjoining villages of St. Mary, 

 Blandford, Brianston, or Langton. It appears that 55f is nearly the average of 

 deaths for 40 years ; and the average of the last 10 years 54 : hence, taking 53 

 for the average number, which also was the exact number of burials in the year 

 preceding that of the survey, it follows that about 1 in 38 or 3g dies yearly ; 

 and, as it can scarcely be doubted, that the errors of a survey must be on the 

 side of omission, it may not be too much to allow 1 in 39 only. 



In the 40 years, from 1732 to 1772, the baptisms, marriages, and burials, 

 were as below : 



Total baptisms. Marriages. Total burials. 



Males 1133 832 Males 1099 



Females .... 1042 Females .... 1 132 

 2175 In all 2231 



The baptisms among the Dissenters are brought into this account only during 

 the last 10 years, males 39, females 54, total 93 : if therefore the same propor- 

 tion is taken for the first three decennial periods, the total of the baptisms will 

 amount to 2454. 



XXIX. Part of a Letter from Matthew Guthrie,* M. D. of Petersburg, to 

 Dr. Priestley, F. R. S. on the Antiseptic Regimen of the Natives of Russia. 

 p. 622. 



Reading the elegant oration of Sir John Pringle, on the great merit of Cap- 

 tain Cook, for which old Rome would have loaded his ship with civic crowns, 



* Dr. Guthrie died at Petersburg, Aug. /, 1807 ; where he had long been physician to the Im- 

 perial Corps of Noble Cadets, and a Counsellor of State. He was a native of Scotland, and early 

 in life went into the medical service of Russia. 



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