=A.D. 1678.=--Redi (Francesco), well-known Italian scientist, physician to the Grand Duke Ferdinand II, publishes his “Experimenta circa res diversas Naturales,” wherein he is first to communicate the fact that the shock of the _raia torpedo_ can be transmitted to the fisherman through the line and rod connecting him with the fish. REFERENCES.--Leithead, “Electricity,” Chap. XII; the Firenze, 1671 ed. of Redi’s “Esperienze,” etc., pp. 47–54; _Phil. Trans._ for 1673, Vol. VIII. p. 6003; _Sci. Am. Supp._, No. 457, pp. 7300–7302; Matteucci, “Recherches,” 1837 and 1867; Eschinardi (F. della Compagnia di Gesü), “Lettera al S. Francesco Redi,” Roma, 1681, wherein are detailed many curious experiments, including some treating of the magnetic needle by which agency are foretold sudden attacks of earthquakes, etc. etc. =A.D. 1679.=--Maxwell (William)--Guillelmo Maxvello--native of Scotland, author of “Medicina Magnetica,” offers to prove to various medical faculties that, with certain magnetic means at his disposal, he could cure any of the diseases abandoned by them as incurable (Blavatsky, “Isis,” Vol. I. p. 215). REFERENCE.--J. H. Van Swinden, “Recueil de Mémoires,” etc., La Haye, 1784, Vol. II. p. 367. =A.D. 1683.=--Arrais (Edoardo Madeira), who had been physician to--João--John IV, the first Portuguese king of the house of Braganza, is the author of this much-delayed edition of a book entitled “Arbor Vitæ, or a physical account of the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden.” It treats of occult qualities under the headings of “Doubts,” of which latter there are eight separate ones which constitute as many different chapters, from which the following extracts will prove interesting: “Doubt” 5, p. 45. “Doth not the fish called _Torpedo_ render the fishes that swim over it immovable, and stupefy the fisher’s arm with its virtue diffused along his spear?” “Doubt” 5, p. 46. “... as also there are divers sorts of fishes that bring numness, as our _Torpedo_ doth.” “Doubt” 5, p. 49. “And those that travail the coasts of Brasile make mention of another fish, which causeth numness as our _Torpedo_ doth: whence it becomes sufficiently manifest that there are many kinds of _Torpedoes_ to be found. But this kind lives especially in the river Itapecuro, in the country of the Maragnani, and it is called _Perache_, or, as Gaspar Barlæus observed, _Puraquam_, among those Barbarians. In shape and greatness it resembles a kind of lamprey (or Muræna); they use to kill it by striking it with staves; but the arm of him that strikes and then his whole body is stupefied, and shakes presently. Of which thing, Frier Christopher Severineus, Bishop elect of Angola is my ocular witness....”