Observables Touching Petrification

Parenchyma in any Muscle; and think my time well spent in receiving a full satisfaction of the ungroundedness of my opinion; and readily submit to the Author, with a grateful acknowledgement of my Obligation to any one, that shall rectifie me in my mistake, if it be one. Observables Touching Petrification. Though much hath been already said and written of Petrification, yet 'tis conceived, that all that comes so far short of a competent stock for the composing of a perfect History of Petrification, that the incompleteness thereof ought to awaken the more diligent attention of the Curious, and to call in their aid for Additions, thereby so to increase and to complete the Materials for that work, that it may the better serve to clear and make out the Cause of that Transmutation. And that the rather, because if it lay in the power of humane Skill (by the knowledge of Nature's works) to raise Petrification, or to allay, or prevent it, or to order and direct it (which perchance in time might be attained the said way) much use might be made of this Art; especially if it could be made applicable to hinder the Generation of the Stone and Gravel in humane Bodies, or to dissolve the Stone, where 'tis formed; besides other valuable Uses, that might be excogitated. Upon this Consideration, care is, and further will be taken in these Papers, to record, among other Observables of Nature, what shall be communicated of this kind of Change. In Numb. 1, 2, and 5, several Relations have been made belonging to this Argument. Much of it, together with considerable Reflections may be seen in Mr. Boyle's Essay of Firmness: In Helmont de Lithiafi, where, among other remarks, is recited the Testimony of Paratus, of a Petrified Child seen at Paris, and by the Owner used for a Whealstone: In Deusingius's Historia Infantis in Abdomine inventi, & in duritiam lapideam conversi: In Mr. Hook's Micrography, and in others. To omit now, what has been related (but perhaps not well enough attested) by Authors, concerning the stupendious Petrifications of whole Companies of Men, and Troops of Cattle; by Avenaeus lib. 7, Annal. Bojorum; by Purchas in his Pilgrimage p. 426, in fol. printed at London 1614, and, (of a Troop of Spanish Horsemen) by Jos. Acosta lib. 3, c. 9. To all which, the Curious Dr. Beale now adds a Narrative of a Stone, not long since taken out of the Womb of a Woman of his neighbourhood near Trent in Somersetshire, by incision, and afterwards perfectly cured, though she had born the Stone with extreme torments for 8 or 9 years. The operation he relates to have been made in Easter last; after which time, he affirms to have seen the Stone, and weigh'd it in Gold-Scales, where it wanted somewhat of four Ounces, but had lost of the weight, it formerly had, being being very light for a Stone of that Bulk. He further describes it to be of a whitish colour, lighter than Ash-colour; perchance (faith he) not unlike to that recited out of Scaliger by M. Poyle in his Essay of Firmness pag 238, qui aëris contecta pistæ in gipsæam tum speciem tum firmitudinem concreverat. It had no deep asperities, and had somewhat of an Oval figure, but less at one end, than a Hen-Egge, and bigger and blunter at the other, than a Goose egge. This Stone (to he concludes) is intended for the Royal Society, with the Testimony of the Chirurgeon, that perform'd the Operation, and other Witnesses of special credit; where also will be annexed the manner of Operation. It appears by this last clause (to add that on this occasion) that this Well-wisher to the Improvement of all usefull knowledge, has taken notice of that considerable Collection of Curiosities, lately presented to the lately nam'd Society for their Repository, by that Publick-minded Gentleman Mr. Daniel Colwell, a very worthy and useful Member of that Body: To which Repository whatsoever is presented as rare and curious, will be with great care, together with the Donors names and their Beneficence recorded, and the things preserved for After-ages, (probably much better and safer, than in their own private Cabinets;) and in progress of Time will be employed for considerable Philosophical and usefull purposes; of which perhaps more largely in another place. A Relation Of a kind of Worms, that eat out Stones. This is taken out of a Letter, written by one M. de la Vye to M. Auzent, to be found in the 32. Journal des Scavans; as follows. In a great and very ancient Wall of Free-Stone in the Benedictins Abby at Caen in Normandy, facing Southward, there are to be found many Stones so eaten by Worms, that one may run his hand into most of the Cavities; which are variously fashion'd, like the Stones, which I have seen wrought with so much Art in the Louvre: In these cavities there is abundance of live-Worms, their excrement, and of that Stone-dust, they eat. Between many of the Cavities there remain but leaves, as it were, of Stone, very thin, which part them. I have taken some of these living Worms, which I found in the eaten Stone, and put them into a Box with several bits of the Stone, leaving them there together for the space of eight days; and then opening the Box, the Stone seem'd to me eaten so sensibly, that I could no longer doubt of it. I send you the Box and the Stones in it, together with the living Worms; and to satisfy your Curiosity, I shall relate to you, what I have observed of them, both with and without a Microscope.