| Description | ' Dr Charleton cut the Spleen out of a living dog with good success.
The Experiment of shutting up a bird in condensed Air was tryed again with this Success, that the Air being compressed to halfe the Space, and double the quantity of Air being forced into the cavity of the Engin, the Bird seemed to be pretty weill in it, having continued therein from 12 of the clock till about 4 in the afternoon of that day.
Ordered, that the tryall be repeated by compressing the Air as far as safely can be done, to a treble, quadruple, with the Bird in it.
Sir Robert Moray mentioned a person, that had done very notable feats under water in a Bell, at 24, 25, 26 fathoms depth ; as to take out ballast out of a ship, to saw asunder the Docks of Ships, for the taking out of Guns. But that at the depth of 24 fathom, he used to fall iinto a swoun, and by the Compression of the Spirits, bleed at his nose, Ears and Eyes. Sir Robert Moray was desired to procure the whole story of this matter, with all the particulars, in writing, which he promised to Endeavour to doe.
The same mentioned the Diver desired to be directed, how to conveigh a good number of Barrells under water at a great depth, for the raising of Sunck Ships.
Mr Hook produced thre leaden boxes to be used under water for furnishing of Air, by a couple of pipes whilst the Diver comes out of the Bell or Tubb and walks up and down working ; which air being Spent the Diver retireth again to the Tubb or Bell for a fresh supply.
Ordered that the Experiment be made under water with those Boxes, and that Mr Evelyn inquier after the Diver about Deptford for this purpose.
Dr Merrit produced a Fish called Lupus marinus by Swingeild, and caught in the Elbe, which hath double teeth round about his mouth and even in the roof thereof; Serving to discover a vulgar Errour concerning Toadstones, which the Dr said to be nothing else but the Teeth of this kind of Fish, having shewed them to severall Goldsmiths (who acknowledge them to be the same with the Supposed Toadstones) and made severall Chymical tryals upon them, which confirms these teeth and Toadstones to be the same thing. For the mean time, Mr Palmer, and Mr Haak, and others that have Toadstones, were desired to produce them at the mext Meeting, to compare them with these Teeth.
Ordered, that Dr Merritt and Dr Charleston do consider and make a Catalogue of what is most desirable of all Sorts of Animals for the Repository of the Society, both Exotick and Domestick ; and withall to give directions, how to prepare them as to their Skins, when dead : concerning which, Dr Merritt suggested that the dust of Pepper was good to dry out all their moysture after Evisceration ; Others proposed that Mr Crew's preserving powder, formerly brought in by Dr Charleton, might be sent into those parts from whence such Animals are to be transported hither.
Mr Boyle suggested that seing Animals of remote parts have peculiar and considerable inward contrivances, some Liquor, as Spirit of Turpentine, might be thought upon, and sent abroad, for the preservation of the internal parts, at least in smaller animals.
Ordered, that Mr Povey, Mr Colwall, Dr Ball and Mr Hill be desired to take care of Sending into Forraigne parts, for such Animals as they shall be directed from time to time, by the said Dr Merret and Dr Charleton.
Dr Merret moved, that in the first place, notice should be taken, and a Collection made of all the rare productions of England, as to Beasts, Birds, Fishes, Vegetables, Mineralls etc concerning which, he was desired to give all possible assistance himselfe, as having taken great pains in it already.
Dr Charleton suggested, that Mr May should be Spoken to, to let the Society have all those fine Exotick birds of his Majesty that dye.
Sir Robert Moray mentioned that his Majesty had the Curiosity of weighing himselfe, very frequently, to observe the severall Emanations of his Body, before and after sleep, Tennis, Riding abroad, Dinners and Suppers : and that he had found he weighed lesse after Tennis, by two pounds three ounces, (but the king drinking two draughts of Liquor after play, made up his weight;) after Dinner, more by four pounds and an halfe.
Sir Robert Moray related, that he had heard from Dr Hinton of a copulation of a male rabbit and female cat, which produced Monsters, whose foreparts were like a Catt, and the hinder parts like a Rabbitt ; and that those Monsters had reproduced more complicate Monsters : Of all which, he hoped to get a fuller account in writing.
Dr Charleton related to have once taken out of a woman a very mishapen masse of a Child, of 23 pounds weight, having no bones at all, nor head, nor heart; which, he said, to have then shewed to our President, and to Dr Prujean : He was desired to bring in writing the whole story, attested by Dr Prujean, the President not well remembering the shape of the same.
Dr Willkins proposed, that Mr Willoughby, a Fellow of the Society, and Mr Ray, now both in Italy and intending for Spain, might be desired to passe from Cadiz to Teneriffe, and there make those Experiments and Observations, formerly directed by Some Members of the Society, and recorded in their Books : This motion was well liked of, and the Proposer desired to write to the said persons to that purpose, and to send them a Copy of those Directions, as they are registred, together with the Apparatus of Instruments necessary for such performances.
Sir Robert Moray mentioning that Dr Wallis had ready the Catalogue of the places of the fixed starrs, assigned by Ulug Beig, and desired by Monsieur Hevelius, it was ordered, that it should be sent him, together with a Letter to be drawn up by the Secretary, acknowledging his Civility to the Society, and encouraging him to the prosecution of his Celestial Observations.
The same moving, that the whole book of the said Ulug Beig, being Astronomical, might be translated, and both the Persian and the Translation printed together if Mr Alertess would undertake the Printing. it was ordered, that the said Allertess should be spoken with by Dr Wallis concerning it, and told, that the Members of the Society would take every one a copy thereof.
Some persons having been in the next preceedent Meeting appointed to observe the Suns Entrance into Aries ; Dr Wallis was desired to joyn with them therein.
Sir Robert Moray produced the Scheme of a Comet seen at Gratz, the 2nd of January 1663, the first time, and at Recklesburg and Cackathurn January 17th rising after midnight, and appearing untill the break of day, of the same Colour with the other Stars, but having the figure of a halfe Moon in the middle of its Body, and the Tayle standing Northward. ' |