Extract of a Letter to the Reverend Thomas Birch, D. D. Secretary to the Royal Society, fromMr. Abraham Mason, of Barbadoes, Relating to an Extraordinary Agitation of the Sea There,31st of March 1761, and an Epidemical Disorder in That IslandAuthor(s): Abraham MasonSource: Philosophical Transactions (1683-1775), Vol. 52 (1761 - 1762), pp. 477-478Published by: The Royal SocietyStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/105653 .

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LXXV. ExtraS of a Legter to tZe RSevereBd Thomas Birch) D. D Sgcretgry a the Royal Societyg from Mr A6rahanz MaNany of Barbadoes} relatxng to an ewa.-ardizzary v4gization of the Sea there, 3Ifl of March I 76 I, ard at epgdemgcal Dforder is /uat IJZand.

S I R, Barbadoes, kfay 30, T 76 1. Reed M6rch IIs I Cannot omlt giving you an account

* of a very extrac)rdinary tnotinn of the fea, (I think it was the laft day of Marth paIl) not unlike that, remarked here, on the dreadful cday of calamity, svhich happened at LiSbon; with this difference, the laft was not fo fudden as the formerX ln the flux and reflux; wh;ich fufficiently Shews, that the Shock muR have been greater, that occafioned it, as it is moi likely they proceeded from the fame cauSes (z7iz*) that of an earthquake, whereby fome placea under the furface of the fea, has been funk.

According to the beR obServations that collldtbe uade) the tide ebbed and flowed, in about eight mio nutes, between eighteen inches and two feet, and continued Co tllree hours, regularly decreafing till nlght, wllen it was no nzore obfel4srable.

It is very remarkable, that, flnce that time) t1ze inand has been in a vety deplorable corldition, having fuffered under tlae feveleft-colcls, that llave l:een ever knosvn. The diR1eX has been fv general, that I Bl2y VelltUlv to aflett) (RtAt11 cotlfilollc) that nlIl

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1: 478 3 teen twentiet}ls of the ixlhabitants of t}le inand have felt the effedes of the contagioIl; a1zd to fome it has lteen repeated Several times. It has puzzled all the adepts in pharmacy to find out the cauSe and cure of it. One favourable circutn{lallce has attended it, {viz.) few have died wlth it. The leeward iflands have not eXcaped lt, having raged there more vio lently, and more fatal. His MajeRy's {hips have fe- verely felt the effeEts of it, fome of them not being capable of keeping the feas, for want of men fit for Service.

This happening at a Seafon of fhe year remarkably the healthieIl, makes it the more furprizing; I had faid firange, in compliance with the aptnefs of the ex- prteElonX only, T think, all natllral caufies are equally to, though thofe are not alike Srangers to them, whofe bufinefs it is to feek the acquaintarnce. Bleeding has been found of great efficacy, and uSed, both by way o£prevention and curel with great fuccefs

D

o 1 rb

Your moIk obedient

humble rvant,

Abraham Mifons

SXXVI. Obo

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