Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 2, 1802).djvu/366

334] , and it swims better than any other quadruped. Its body is naked, and without any tail: the fore limbs are very lightly made, while the hind legs and thighs are remarkably long, and furnished with strong muscles. As soon as the spawn is vivified, the future frog becomes a tadpole, in which state it is wholly a water-animal; but as soon as it is changed into a frog, and attains its proper shape, it immediately migrates to the shore.

These animals adhere closely to the backs of their own species, as well as to those of fishes. It has been remarked that they will even destroy pike; and it is certain that they materially injure carp, by fixing their hind-legs to the back of those fish, while their fore-legs are fastened to the corner of each eye; so that the carp become much exhausted, and frequently sink under the weight of so disagreeable a companion.—See.

2. The esculenta, or Eatable Frog, differs from the former species, only in having an high protuberanee in the middle of the back, which forms an acute angle. Its colours likewise are more vivid, and its marks more distinct, the ground colour being a pale or yellowish green, marked with rows of black spots from the head to the rump.—Both this and the preceding species are, according to Mr., used as food, though rarely in this country.  FROST, is that state of the atmosphere, which causes water and other liquids to congeal, or freeze.

Frost is supposed to descend from the upper parts of bodies; but no experiments have hitherto ascertained to what depth it will extend either in earth or water, as its effects vary, according to the degree of coldness in the air, the longer or shorter duration of the frost, the texture of the earth, the nature of the juices with which it is impregnated, &c.

In cold countries, the frost frequently proves fatal to mankind, not only producing mortification, but even death itself. The hands of those unfortunate persons, who die in consequence of intense cold, are first seized, till they lose the sense of feeling; next a drowsiness pervades the whole body, which, if indulged in, is attended with imperceptible dissolution.

If animation is suspended from severe frost, the following will be the external symptoms: rigidity of the whole body; and inflexibility of the limbs, which continue in the same posture as the frozen person had adopted during the unfortunate accident; the teeth are closed; froth sometimes issues from the mouth; there is a total insensibility to all stimulants, and the extremities are partly mortified, and, in some instances, spontaneously separate.

Notwithstanding these unfavourabie appearances, every exertion ought to be instantly made to restore life, if possible, by strictly adhering to the following directions; because there is a greater probability of recovering such persons, than those deprived of life, in consequence of drowning or suspension by the cord.

No external warmth of any kind must be applied to frozen persons, till the internal or vital heat, be excited, when the former also should be carefully and very gradually adapted to the manifest degree of the latter. Hence the whole process should be performed either in