( ^oh ) 
is ohkv^^^in Calahria^ and is call'd in their language Cocciomci- 
Irgno, It arifeth on the furface of the bGdy^in the form of a fmali 
fpeck, ofthe bignesofa lupin. It caufeth feme pain^andifit 
grow not foon red thereupoDgit in a very fhort time certainly 
kills/Tis the common opinion of rhofe people, that fuch a di- 
ftcmper befals thofe onlyjthat have eaten flefli of Animals dead 
of chemfelves; which opinion I can from experience afSrm to 
be falfe*So it freqiiendy falls out ^that of many ftrang efFcds, we 
daily meet with^the true cauf<: not being knowOj fuch an one is 
affigned^ which is grounded upon fome vulgar prejudice* And 
of this kmdiefleemtobethe vulgar belief of the caufcofthat 
diftemper^which appears in thofe that think themfelves ftung by 
Tarantulas^ 
But why fliould not we rather thinks that that diftemper is 
caufed by an inward difpofitioo, like that which in fome places 
of Gemanj is wont to produce that evil, which they call Chorea 
StiViti^SuVitQ^dznCQ. Butof this ihopelfliallfoonbc ableto 
^ vrite my thoughts more fuUyjVvhichvvilljI think ^ be fufficient 
to refute that fable of the Tarantula. 
An Account of the Aponenfian Baths near Padtia ^ commmikatedby 
theforementiond Inquijitive Genthman ^ Mr. Dodington j 
Letter tvritten iQthe Pablijher from Venice March i8. 1672. 
S I R, 
iNthe Obfervations and Hiftory of Nature pofTibly this may 
* not be unworthy the notice. Five miles from ^re the 
waters, call d Aponenfia^ from a town called Jponum^ famous in 
antiquity, and among others frequently mentioned by I^t^* ^ 
will not doubt,but that Sr. I.F.and D Bawo worthy mernbers ot 
the J{.Socieiy znd who lived long in P^<3^oi'/?^have informed them- 
felves moft exadly of what ever! fliall be able to fay on this Sub- 
jedl ^ however I do not fcruple to give you a fhort relation of it. 
The waters are aftually very hot* Secondly^they are ftinking^ 
Thirdly, they yield a great deal of very fine fait 5 of which the 
natives ferve themfelves in their ordinary occafions* This fait is 
the thing, I think moft confiderable 'there. It is gathered in this 
manner : The Natives^ after Sun fet , ftirr peices of wood in the 
water, and prefently the Saltfticks to them, and comes off in 
feiall fiakes, exceeding white^and very fait. This never loofeth 
its favoun The people there, with the fame water ufe to wafli 
their 
