[Dr. Willis was one of the most
eminent physicians of his age, and author of numerous Latin works on
medical subjects. The above extract is a curious illustration of the
state of professional knowledge at the time. - J. B.]
___________________________________
Copperas. - Thunder-stones, as the vulgar call them, are a pyrites;
their fibres doe all tend to the centre. They are found at Broad
Chalke frequently, and particularly in the earth pitts belonging to
the parsonage shares, below Bury Hill, next Knighton hedge; but wee
are too fare from a navigable river to make profit by them; but at
the Isle of Wight they are gathered .from the chalkie rocks, and
carried by boates to Deptford, to make copperas; where they doe first
expose them to the aire
and raine, which makes them slake, and fall to pieces from the centre,
and shoot out a pale blewish salt; and then they boile the salt with
pieces of old rusty iron.
___________________________________
In the chalkie rocks at Lavington is umber, which painters have used,
and Dr. Chr. Meret hath inserted it in his Pinax. ["Pinax Rerum
Naturalium Britannicarum, continens Vegetabilia, Animalia, et Fossilia
in hac Insula reperta". By Christopher Merret, M.D., 1666, 12mo.]
___________________________________
In the parish of Steeple Ashton, at West Ashton, in the grounds of Mr.
Tho. Beech, is found plenty of a very ponderous marchasite, of which
Prince Rupert made tryall, but without effect.
Pages:
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109