Two Observations about Stones Found, the One in the Bladder of a Dogg, the Other Fastned to the Back-Bone of a Horse: Both Mentioned in Two Roman Journals de Letterati

Two Observations about Stones found, the one in the Bladder of a Dogg, the other fastened to the Back-bone of a Horse: both mentioned in two Roman Journals de Letterati. I. The Dogg was a pretty Spaniel, two palms and a half high, white, and an excellent setter for Quails. Being kept tyed, as such doggs are wont to be, he would rather have burst than urine or dung in the place where he was kept. By reason of his aptness to bite, he was cut when he was five years old, and two years after that, he began to urine with much difficulty. Whereupon as often as he was let loofe, he ran presently into the Garden and fell to eat of Pellitory of the Wall, and Fig-leaves. This disease continued upon him for five years together, sometimes with that violence that his Master had him stringed, and anointed with oyl of Scorpions, and used other remedies to help the poor creature. At length he died at twelve years of age, and being opened by a skilful Anatomist, there was found in his bladder a stone weighing an ounce, of an irregular figure, white, yet here and there with some reddith specks; and in the bottom of the bladder was found store of small white gravel, and in the mouth of the urinal passage a stone as big as a great pine-kernel, white and tender. The rest of the body was all swelled. It may be noted here (saith the Italian journalist) that Matthiolus and others say, that the Juice of Pellitory doth much provoke urine; and that it doth so especially, when being heated upon a tile and sprinkled with a little Malmesly, it is applied to the part. And as to Fig-leaves, he adds, that Physicians adscribe to Figs an absteritive vertue, opening the body and cleansing the reins: Of which vertue the Leaves may perhaps participate. Thus Brutes seem to know, without any direction from a Dioscorides, or Matthiolus, or other Botanist, the herbs proper for their diseases. II. The other Stone, that was fasten'd to the back-bone of a Spanish Gelding, that died at the age of between thirteen and fourteen years, weighed four ounces and an half; it was round round and a little flatted; of an olive colour, marked with red specks, like coagulated blood; and so polished and shining, that it reflected images. It was wrapped up in a membrane full of fat, and fastened on both ends to the backbone, over against the Kidneys. Though this Horse had been dead twelve hours before it was opened; yet was it still very warm, and kept that warmth above six hours after it was opened. This stone is kept among the Rarities of Signor Bartolini, an Italian Riding-master. An Account of some Books. I. An Essay about the Origine and Vertues of Gems; by the Honourable Robert Boyl Esquire, Fellow of the R. Society. Printed at London, 1672. in 8o. The design of the Noble Author of this excellent Treatise being to propose and historically to illustrate therein some conjectures of his about the Consistence of the Matter of Precious Stones, and the Subjects wherein their chief vertues reside; he comprises the substance of all in these two particulars: First, That many of these Gems, and the Medical Stones, either were once fluid Bodies, as the Transparent ones, or in part made up of such substances as were once fluid. Secondly, That many of the real virtues of such Stones may be probably derived from the mixture of Metalline and other mineral substances, which are usually (though unsuspectedly) incorporated with them; and that the greatness of the Variety and Efficacy of those virtues may be attributed to some happy concurrent circumstances of that commixture. The first of these Heads relateth properly to the Origine of Gems: the second, partly to that, and partly to the kinds and degrees of their virtues. To countenance the former, the Author alledges for his first Argument several Considerations, taken first from the Diaphaneity of Gems; secondly, their external figuration; thirdly, their internal texture; fourthly, their Colours that seem to be adventitious and imparted by some coloured Mineral Juice, or some tinging Mineral exhalation, whilst the Stone was either