An Account of the Several Strata of Earths and Fossils Found in Sinking the Mineral Wells at Holt. By the Reverend Mr. Lewis, Vicar of the Place. Communicated by John Brome, Esq;

V. An Account of the several Strata of Earths and Fossils found in sinking the mineral Wells at Holt. By the Reverend Mr. Lewis, Vicar of the Place. Communicated by John Brome, Esq; After they had passed the upper Turf, they came to a blue Clay, which held about 3 Foot; then they met with a yellow, brittle Clay, very much like Ochre, used by Painters, about 2 Foot in Thickness; and next with a Loam of a looser Texture, which sparkled with a kind of Talc, called by the Naturalists Selenites, and was intermixed with yellow Ochre. These Selenites, which were plentifully found shot in the Clay, were Chrystal consisting of transparent, shining, brittle Flakes, some of a Rhomboidal, others of a Conical Figure, but all Hexadra, or Columns of 6 Sides. They had no sensible Taste of Salt, and the Clay in which they were found was interspersed with Veins of coloured Earth, of the Colour of Sulphur and Iron Rust. Below this, at about 10 Foot deep, they came to a Bed of Stones, of a large Size and very hard Texture, coated with Flakes of Gypsum of a white and yellowish Colour, which run through and divide them, as it were by various Membranes into different Cells, all filled with hardened Loam of a grey Colour. These Stones, which were all of an oval Figure, in Shape resembling Pebbles, weighed from 10 to 60 Pound Weight, and lay all on a Level one by another in the Bed Bed of Clay. Here the Springs come in, and below this the Clay was darker coloured, and interlaid with small Shells of the Oyster, Escallop and Muscle Kind, and with a few Belemnites curiously shaped. Here they met with Stones of a very close Texture, which when washed seemed to be nothing but a Mass of Shells jumbled and embodyed together. And a little lower the Clay produced some Lumps of a black, bituminous Sulphur, interlaid with some small thin Laminae, seeming to be metalline and bright like the purest Silver: Upon firing this sulphurous Bitumen on a red-hot Iron, it emitted a blue Flame, and strong Smell like Brimstone, but the Metal was lost. From this Account of the different Strata found in sinking these Wells, their Impregnation seems to be from Alum, Vitriol of Steel, Ochre and Sulphur, and from an accurate Mixture of all these, which no Art can imitate, it seems to derive those admirable Qualities with which it is endued. Some Conjecture may be made of its Nature and Qualities from the Tinctures it gives upon chymical Experiments: With astringent Drugs, as Galls, Oak-Leaves and Balaustians, it sometimes tinges Red, inclining to Purple, and sometimes will not tinge at all: With volatile Alkalies, as Spirit of Urine, and Sal Armon. it turns milky, with lixiviate Salts, as Oil of Tartar, and Deliq. &c. it rises in a white Curdle: But acid saline Liquors, as Spirit of Salt, Nitre, &c. cause no Alteration. A Gallon and Half of this Water being evaporated ad Siccitatem, the Reliquiae weighed 3 Drains, 1 Scruple and 19 Grains, some Parts of which were white, and shot into Stiriae like Needles, and others into Prifins. The neighbouring Country is chiefly a strong Clay; the Quarries produce a very hard Stone, which seems to be a Composition of Shells closely cemented and embody'd together, and some Marchalites which abound with Sulphur: In sinking deep Pits they throw up Stones like Iron Oar, and covered with a shining metallick Substance and serpentine Stones, &c. and the plough'd Fields abound with Stones resembling Shells of the Escallop and Cockle Kind, striated with some Astroites, which are all strong Alkalies, and with Aqua-fortis, or Spirit of Nitre, raise a violent Ebulition. VI. An Extract of a Letter of Signior Michele Pinelli, concerning the Causes of the Gout. Translated from the Italian by Joh. James Scheutzer, M. D. F. R. S. and Coll. Med. Lond. Lic. In Order to acquire a competent Knowledge of the various Distempers incident to the human Body, particularly such, whose Causes being not very well known, their Cures also have been found hitherto very difficult, it is absolutely necessary, that by the concurrent Assistance of Reason and Experience, we should make an accurate Inquiry into the Principles of which it is composed. With this general View, but more particularly in Order to discover the Nature and Cause of the Gout, I have