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To the author of the SCOTS MAGAZINE. SIR, Edinburgh, Dec. 24. 1757; N your Magazine for January 1756

Iy your legaiged the Jabliry, 1756

account of a very fingular coal found at Caftle-Comber in Ireland [xviii. 37.]. I have now the pleasure to inform you that there is a coal in the grounds of Lufcar in Fife, of altogether fimilar quality. It lies very convenient for exportation, being but two miles from Torryburn, and three from Lymekills, both harbours in the frith of Forth.

The discovery of this coal promises to be of general advantage to the public. It is a cheaper fewel for the poor than any at present in ufe; it is preferable to the common coal in all cafes where a greater degree of heat is wanted; and it proves an effectual cure of smoky chimneys; your inferting the following letter will therefore much oblige, &c.

IN

Jos. STRACHAN.

A letter to the proprietor of the Lufcar coal. SIR, Edinburgh, Nov. 21.1757. N compliance with your defire; fome chymical experiments were made upon the Lufcar coal, to ascertain the quantity of fulphur contained in it, and the comparative proportion of its fulphur to that of the common coal. But no fulphur could be obtained from it by the common chymical proceffes; and I did not think it neceffary to pursue the experiments further, as they would be but of little weight in determining your principal question, relating to the nature of the vapour or fteam which iffues from the Lufcar coal when burning; as it is certain that the inflammable principle in all foffil coals is partly of a fulphureous nature, it being their bituminous oil. I will only venture to fay, that I have feen coals brought from the neighbourhood of Edinburgh, which to me feemed to contain a greater quantity of fulphur, and that of a purer mineral nature, than the Lufcar coal.I have alfo obferved a very perceptible difference in the famples you fent me of the Lufcar coal; having difcovered, by the tarnishing of filver, and other means, that fome parcels VOL. XIX.

of it contained a much larger proportion of fulphur than others.

As to your principal queftion, Whether the vapour or fteam of the Lufcar coal is noxious, innocent, or even conducive to health, as is afferted of a coal of altogether the like quality found at Caftle-Comber in Ireland? [xviii. 37.]; the fact I find is this.

The fteam of the Lufcar coal is very fenfibly perceived by a perfon coming from the fresh air into a close room where this coal has been kept burning for fome time, and especially when the vapour is diffused through the whole room, as in burning it in a very fmoky chimney, where there is not a fufficient draught of air to carry it up.

Now, I must first observe, that the groffeft fteams, and even the moft difagreeable and strongest vapours or scents, are far from being always the most prejudicial to health, or most hurtful to animal life; on the contrary, vapours the moft imperceptible to our senses, are often the most unfriendly to animals. Thus the most fetid and strongest steams of oil of hartshorn, volatile fpirit of fal ammoniac, &c. though almoft fuffocating, are yet friendly to the conftitution; whereas the fteam of new-plaistered walls, of burning charcoal, and of many other poifons which emit effluvia almost imperceptible, are noxious in a high degree.

As the hurtful or innocent quality of any effluvia or fteams whatsoever, can only be known by their effects, I made the following experiment.

When a pretty large fire of the Lufcar coal was fufficiently kindled, I drew out the grate into the middle of the room; and having fecured the doors and windows, fo that the whole team was pent up in the room, I fhut up in it a dog for half an hour. The confequence was, that, upon opening the door, the dog im mediately ran out, feemingly unaffected with the vapour of the coals. The like experiment was repeated upon a cat, with the like fuccefs; only the cat, upon running into the fresh air, appeared at first fomewhat giddy, but immediately recovered.

While thefe animals were thus confined, the vapour from the coals had 4 Y

diffufed

in fome rooms to be almoft infupportable to fome perfons of the family.But in the room where the fire ftood, the fteam was fo denfe, and fuffocating, that it was with difficulty I could bear it for the fhort time I ran to open a window to give it iffue.

diffused itself over the whole house, fo as A gentleman for many years fubject to a return of habitual headachs, informs me, that by the use of the Lufcar coal, in all the apartments of his house, for a twelvemonth past, the attacks of his headach have become much less frequent; and, he is fenfible, are now chiefly induced, by vifiting in other families, where the common coals are burnt, especially when there is the least smoke of them in the room. He has often had a fit of the headach, occafioned by the smoke of the wood ufed in kindling of the Luscar coal; which, by withdrawing into another chamber, until that smoke was diffipated, and his fire fufficiently kindled, foon left him.

From this experiment one may venture to conclude, that there is nothing in the fteam of these coals very hurtful to the lungs, or immediately deftructive of animal life. A fteam of equal ftrength from charcoal, would, in my opinion, have killed both animals, or at leaft have deprived them of fenfe and motion for a while. And the vapour or smoke of common coal pent up in like manner, would have given nearly as fuffocating a fenfation, though not fo difagreeable and faintifh a one to me, as that of the Luf car coal.

I would not however be here underfood to fay, that the close-confined vapour or fmoke of any fewel can with entire fafety be drawn into the lungs. Air heated to a certain degree, proves deadly to animals; and perhaps the more decompofed the inflammable principle of the fewel is, as in the embers of the common coal, the more noxious are its effects. But this much is certain, that when the fresh air has accefs to prevent thefe, in such cases fenfations are rendered agreeable or difagreeable chiefly by habit and cuftom.

Thus, for example, one who has been always accustomed to a fire of peats in the country, is apt to be fenfibly affected by the burning of coals in town; whereas those who are used to a coal fire, are fenfible of the fmell of peats, even in the open air, in countries where peats are the common fewel; and I have known fuch perfons, upon a near approach to a fire of kindled peats, feized with a ficknefs and headach. In like manner, the vapour iffuing from a fire of Lufcar coal, will, by cuftom, become lefs cognisfable by the fenfes, as hath been experienced. Notwithstanding this, a diverfity of fewel does undoubtedly produce various effects on different people; of which the following is a remarkable instance.

That the conftant ufe of the Lufcar coal does not produce any bad effect in very clofe apartments, may appear from two trials made of them by ladies of my acquaintance.

A young lady burnt them conftantly in her chamber, when confined to it by a quotidian ague for fix weeks. She was not fenfible of their giving any peculiar fcent to the room: ftrangers however were. Yet neither she nor her physicians difcovered any bad effects from the conftant burning of this coal, or its fume in the room.

Another lady, extremely delicate, and fo valetudinary as feldom to come abroad, being for the moft part confined to her room, had the misfortune of having in it a very fmoky chimney. She was advised, as a remedy for the fmoke, to use the Lufcar coal. This fhe did all the laft winter.

The crevices of the windows in her chamber were then pafted over with paper. She always accustomed herself to have large fires, and to keep her room very warm, close, and even ftifling; as being apt, the thinks, to be affected by the leaft degree of cold. Yet, notwithstanding her being afflicted with a diforder in the breaft, and a variety of complaints, which confined her for the most part of the whole winter to this remarkably close and warm room, where the Lufcar coal, and no other, was continually burnt, fhe was not fenfible of the leaft prejudice this fire did to her health or constitution, or of any influence it ever

had

had upon her disorders.- And fhe ftill continues the use of the Lufcar coal, as an effectual security against smoke in her apartment.

I have also been informed, that Mr Henry Wardlaw, the original proprietor of Luscar, and the coal, used it conftantly for above forty years in his family, even till his death; and he lived to above eighty years of age.

As to your last query, viz. How much longer a fire made with Lufcar coal will continue burning before it is confumed, than a fire made with the ordinary coal? -I can only fay, that as the Lufcar coal must be broken very fmall before it can be properly fet on fire, I judge a fire made of the Lufcar coal will burn about three times longer than a fire made of the like quantity of our ordinary coal broken down into equally small pieces.

I am, &c.

JAMES LIND. N. B. The following direction is given for making a fire of the Lufcar coal: " Break the coal into small pieces, and pile them in the grate, clofe, upon their ends, leaving a hollow in the middle for a kindling of the embers of common coal;"fimilar to the direction for making a fire of the Castle Comber coal. [xviii. 39.]

From VOLTAIRE's Universal History *.

recommended justice, fpoke like an oracle, and proclaimed, where-ever he came, that the times were fulfilled. He travelled at firft into Greece and I. taly. At Leghorn he ran away with a. girl, and carried her to Jerufalem, where A he began to preach to his brethren. difciple of his, named Nathan, offered to act the part of Elijah, whilst Sabbatei Levi played that of the Meffiah. They both reformed the fynagogue of Jerufalem. Nathan explained the prophecies, and demonstrated, that, at the expiration of the year, the fultan must be dethroned, and Jerufalem become miftrefs of the world. All the Jews of Syria were convinced. The fynagogue refounded with ancient prophecies. They grounded themselves on thefe words of Ifaiah, Awake, awake, put on thy firength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerufalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the unAll the rabcircumcifed and the unclean. bies had the following paffage in their mouths, And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the Lord, out of all nations, upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon Swift beafts, to my holy mountain Jerufa

During the war of Candia, there lem. In fort, their hopes were fed by

happened an affair among the Turks, that drew the attention of all Europe and Afia. A general rumour was Spread at that time, founded on empty curiofity, that the year 1666 was to be remarkable for fome great revolution. The fource of this opinion was the my. ftic number of 666, found in the book of Revelation. Never was the expectation of the antichrift fo general. On the other hand the Jews pretended that their Meffiah was to come this year.

A Smyrna Jew, named Sabbatei Levi, who was a man of fome learning, and fon of a rich broker belonging to the English factory, made advantage of this general opinion, and fet up for the Meffiah. He had a fluent tongue, and a graceful figure: he affected modefty,

[So the book is intitled in the original; though the tranflator has thought proper to alter and confine the title, rendering it, The general biftory and state of Europe.]

thefe and a thoufand other paffages, which both women and children were for ever repeating. There was not a Jew but prepared lodgings for some of the ten dispersed tribes. So ftrong was their perfuafion, that they left off trade every where, and held themselves ready for the voyage to Jerufalem.

Nathan chofe twelve men at Damafcus, to prefide over the twelve tribes. Sabbatei Levi went to fhew himself to his brethren at Smyrna; and Nathan wrote to him thus," King of kings, Lord of lords, when fhall we be worthy to put ourselves under the shadow of your afs? I proftrate myself to be trod under the fole of your feet." Sabbatei depofed fome doctors of the law at Smyrna, who did not acknowledge his au thority, and established others more tractable. One of his most violent enemies, named Samuel Pennia, was publicly con verted, and proclaimed him to be the 4 x 2

fon

fon of God. Sabbatei having prefented himself one day before the cadi of Smyrna, with a multitude of his followers, they all declared they saw a column of fire betwixt him and the cadi. Some other miracles of this fort fet his divine miffion beyond all doubt. Numbers of Jews were impatient to lay their gold and their precious ftones at his feet.

The bashaw of Smyrna would have arrested him; but he fet out for Conftantinople with his moft zealous difciples. The grand vizir Achmet Cuprogli, who was getting ready for the fiege of Candia, gave orders for him to be feized on board the veffel that brought him to Conftantinople, and to be confined. The Jews eafily obtained admittance into the prison for money, as is ufual in Turky; they came and proftrated themselves at his feet, and kiffed his chains. He preached to them, exhorted them, and gave them his bleffing, but never complained. The Jews of Conftantinople, believing that the coming of the Meffiah would cancel all debts, refufed to pay their creditors. The English merchants at Galata waited upon Sabbatei in jail, and told him, that, as king of the Jews, he ought to command all his fubjects to pay their debts. Sabbatei wrote the following words to the perfons complained against, "To you who expect the falvation of Jerufalem, &c. difcharge your lawful debts: if you refufe it, you fhall not enter with us into our joy, and into our empire."

Sabbatei, during his imprisonment, was continually vifited by his followers, who began to raise fome disturbances in Conftantinople. At that time the people were greatly diffatisfied with Mahomet IV. and it was apprehended that the Jewish prophecy might occafion fome difturbances. Under thefe circumftances one would imagine that fuch a fevere government as that of the Turks would have put the perfon calling himfelf king of Ifrael to death; yet they only removed him to the caftle of the DarThe Jews then cried out, that it was not in the power of man to take away his life.

His fame had reached even the moft

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diftant parts of Europe; at the Dardanells he received deputations from the Jews of Poland, Germany, Leghorn, Venice, and Amfterdam: they paid very dear for kiffing his feet; and probably this is what preserved his life. The diftributions of the holy land were made very quietly in the tower of the Dardanells. At length the fame of his miracles was fo great, that Sultan Mahomet had the curiofity to see the man, and to examine him himself. The king of the Jews was brought to the feraglio. The Sultan afked him in the Turkish language, "Whether he was the Meffiah ?" Sabbatei modeftly answered, "He was: but as he expreffed himself incorrectly in this tongue; "You'fpeak very ill," faid Mahomet to him, "for a Meffiah, who ought to have the gift of languages. Do you perform any miracles?" Sometimes," anfwered the other. "Well then," faid the Sultan, "let him be ftripped ftark naked; he will be a very good mark for the arrows of my Icolgans; and if he is invulnerable, we will acknowledge him to be the Meffiah." Sabbatei flung himself upon his knees, and confeffed it to be a miracle above his ftrength. It was propofed to him immediately, either to be impaled, or to turn Muffulman, and go publicly to the Turkish mofque. He did not boggle in the leaft, but embraced the Turkifh religion directly. Then he preached, that he had been fent to fubftitute the Turkish to the Jewish religion, purfuant to the ancient prophecies. Yet the Jews of diftant countries believed in him a long time. The affair, however, was not attended with bloodshed, but increafed the fhame and confusion of the Jewish nation.

Medical obfervations continued. [581.] Art. XX. A letter from Cadwallader Colden, Efq; at New York, to Dr Fothergill. TN this letter, Mr Colden, who former

ly practifed phyfic, gives an account of the fever and fore throat, which he calls the threat-difemper, as it appeared at Kingston in New England, in 1735. Upon this throat-diftemper, Dr Fothergill has written a treatife, which was

well

well received, and this account was probably addressed to him for that reafon. The principal particulars related of the disease in this letter are the following.

1. Kingston being an inland town, and having no foreign trade, this difease, which appeared there before it was known in any other part of America, could not be imported.

2. From Kingston it fpread gradually weftward, till it extended over all the British colonies on the continent.

3. Though it was manifeftly propagated by infection, yet children and young people only were fubject to it, a very few inftances only excepted. It fpread most among the poor, and was more fatal in the country than in great towns. Scorbutic habits, feeders on pork, and inhabitants of wet low grounds, were more subject to the infection than others.

4. It now breaks out in different families and places, without any visible cause, but does not spread so fast as at firft.

5. Several have had it more than

once.

6. The principle of this difeafe feems to operate in the habit before any of its diftinguishing symptoms appear. Children languifh fome time, conftitutional ails revive, and where there have been iffues, or any other fores, a corrofive humour has been generated.

tom. The last complaints are commonly an oppreffion on the upper part of the cheft, difficulty of breathing, and a deep hollow hoarfe cough, with a livid ftrangled-like countenance, and these symptoms are foon followed by death.

8. This disease is not attended with that lofs of ftrength common to other fevers, fo that many patients have continued up and walking about till within an hour of their death, when no imminent danger has been suspected. Some die on the fifth day, fome on the fifteenth day, and fometimes the corruption of the humours is fo great, before any remarkable fymptoms appear, that, the patient dies fuddenly by a general mortification without any sensible struggle for life.

9. It does not appear upon diffection that the bowels are affected, but the lungs look as in peripneumonic cafes, and the corruption of the humours is manifeft from the stench.

10. When the difeafe was treated with the evacuations usual in a common quincy, few escaped; and all fenfible evacuations after the disease has continued fome time are destructive, although bleeding, bliftering, and lenient purga tives, may on fome occafions be of use in the beginning. Cold air is extremely prejudicial even after the symptoms have difappeared; so are flesh, fish, and fpirituous liquors.

11. The bark has been tried without fuccefs.

7. The fymptoms of the disease, when it becomes known, are the fame with 12. The cure was generally effected those of a fever, except a nausea. It is at- by confining the fick to bed, in a mo tended with a moft putrid heat, the skin derate warmth, fo as to preserve a conbeing feldom parched; the tongue is ftant and free perspiration, by gentle often much furred, even to the tonfils, diaphoretics given from time to time, on which white spots fometimes appear with warm fage tea, and continuing about one fourth of an inch in diame- this regimen till some time after all the ter, from which a tough cream-colour- fymptoms have disappeared. ed flough is thrown off, and an ulcer remains. Some patients have had fores like these on the tonfils, with a corrofive humour behind their ears, and on the private parts, fometimes without any ulceration in the throat. When the fores appear red, there is danger; and when black, there is no hope; an itemorrhage on a flight scratch is alfo a fatal fymp

The ferpentaria was in this cafe ufed as the diaphoretic; but care must be taken not to use it fo as to fweat the patient, for fenfible fweating was as prejudicial as any other sensible evacuation.

This account of the throat-diftemper is followed by fome remarks on the humours of the body, which he supposes to be three. 1. The blood, which circu

lates

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