sodium, in a gaseous state combined with hydrogen. When the hy. drogen was inflamed, by a mixture of oxymuriatic gas, the metals were deposited in a solid form, coating the sides of the vessels. As the stones which had fallen from the atmosphere were all metallic, he in ferred that they might be formed by an explosion of a large quantity of inflammable air, in which the metals had been dissolved. The opinion that these meteoric stones are formed from metals in a gaseous state, which explode and condense, seems very probable, and is agreeable to the appearances which accompany their fall. The dense cloud, the loud explosion, the brilliant light which precedes their descent, the heat of the stones when they are first found, are all indications of their being thus produced. Mr. Davy was, however, inclined to trace their origin to another source, and to consider them as the ruins of some planetary body; or, perhaps, they might be small satellites moving round some of the planets, which, coming near the orbit of the earth, were attracted to it. Though this opinion has been advanced before by some philo sophers on the continent, it is too improbable, and wildly conjectural, to be at all admitted.

An article in a late Martinico gazette describes the effects of a tree growing on the coasts of that island, under the name of the divine Alconorque. It is said to be a specific in diseases of the viscera, especially of the liver and lungs. An infusion of the outer bark is the way in which it is used. A glass of this infusion is taken morning and evening with two spoonfuls of honey. Milk, acids, spices, and all irritating substances are to be avoided during its use. A cataplasm of it is used for pains in the region of the liver. This account of the virtues of the divine Alconorque, is said to be derived from the Indians. What is the divine Alconorque? and who are the Indians of Martinique ?

Dr. Terry, of Coventry, has recently given the Oleum Terebinthing in a case of tænia with success. The patient, a lady above fifty years of age, being in a weak state of health, Dr. T. did not give the remedy in the large doses, which some practitioners have employed. He directed a tea-spoonful to be taken every four hours, mixed with honey.

The third dose acted geutly on the bowels, and brought away some detached portions of tænia which measured about four yards in length. Before she had consumed an ounce of the oil, a worm was discharged, rolled into a ball. She did not unfold it to ascertain its length; having seen what the supposed to be the head.. The oil did not produce any uneasy sensation in the stomach, nor any irritation in the urinary passages. In another case of tænia Dr. Terry prescribed the oleum terebinthing in a similar manner, and with like success; a worm being expelled that measured more than nine yards.

Inflammatory Diseases-General and Topical Bleeding. Query. Would it not be of use to follow it up immediately with strong stimulants? It appears so in the external inflammation, as to the eye. Query, in internal inflammation?

Dr. Beddoes Adversaria.

When Dr. Beddoes made this query, he was not aware that in Pneumonic inflammation in the thorax, some veterinary surgeons pursue pre

cisely the practice here suggested. Immediately after one copious bleeding, the cuprum vitriolatum is given in large and repeated doses. This practice, apparently so contrary to all principle, is said to be com pletely successful, very few horses dying when thus treated; while the evacuating treatment is unfortunate in a much greater proportion. The rationale of this, if it can be said to have any rationale, is, that after the vessels are excessively depleted, for the single abstraction of blood is enormous, a degree of tone or constriction is given to them by the cu prum vitriolatum, which prevents congestion of blood again occurring in the lungs, or a serous effusion taking place. Whatever may be the theory of this practice, the fact itself deserves notice.

Dr. Adams commences his Summer Course of Lectures on the Intitutes and Practice of Medicine, the beginning of June, at his house No. 17, Hatton Garden.

Mr. A. T. Thompson has commenced his Summer Course of Lectures on the Science of Botany. A lecture is delivered every morning, except on Saturdays and Sundays, at nine o'clock, in the library of the Botanic Garden, Sloan Street; and the course is particularly designed for Medical students.

Mr. W. T. Brande's Lectures on the principles of Experimental Chemistry, commenced on the 28th of May, at the Theatre of Anatomy, Great Windmill Street.

Dr. Tuthill will begin his Summer Course of Lectures, on the Prac tice of Physic, and on the Laws and Operations of Chemistry, with particular examinations to facilitate the acquisition of Medical and Che mical knowledge, on Monday the 3d June, at his house in Soho Square.

Dr. Merriman, Physician, Accoucheur to the Middlesex Hospital, and Westminster General Dispensary, proposes, during the Summer, to deliver a Course of Lectures on the Theory and Practice of Midwifery, and on Female and Infantile Diseases.

Dr. Hooper and Dr. Agar recommence their Lectures on the Theory and Practice of Physic, Chemistry, and the Materia Medica, at the Theatre in Cork Street, on Monday, June 3, at eight o'clock in the morning.

Dr. Haighton's first Course of Lectures on Midwifery, compre hending the Diseases of Women and Children, commences this day, June I, at the Theatre, Guy's Hospital.

Mr Brooks' Summer Course of Lectures on Anatomy, will commence, at the Theatre of Anatomy, Blenheim Street, on the 8th of June.

4 A

An Account of Diseases in an Eastern District of London, from the 20th of April, to the 20th of May, 1811.

DURING the last few weeks numerous instances of fever have occurred, and these chiefly of the Typhoid kind. This disease was a few years ago so frequent in its recurrence, and so alarming in its consequences, particularly in hospitals and other public institutions, as to engage a very considerable share of medical attention. For some years past, however, it has very seldom made its appearance. It is not improbable that this has been, in some measure, owing to the very large increase of new buildings, some of which occupy the space on which stood many of those closely confined dwellings that were occupied by the poor, and amongst whom the disease in question was most rapidly propagated. The disease has now returned, but has appeared in most cases in its milder form, though there have been instances of its propagation amongst those who have attended upon the sick.

This disorder has approached in its usual manner. It has been introduced by a degree of shivering and chilliness which has been succeeded by an increased action of the heart and arteries, consi. derable pain and unpleasant confusion in the head. This has some. times abated in its violence, and gradually subsided, but at others has proceeded to a delirium, discovered rather by a low incoherent muttering, than by any expressions of violence.

The cases here referred to terminated favourably. When the cordial plan was adopted, in the early stage of the fever, symptoms were rather aggravated than relieved. A gentle diarrhea, which is often the occasion of alarm, has frequently proved highly salutary. BOTANICAL

1

549

BOTANICAL REPORT.

FOUR numbers of the BOTANIST'S REPOSITOTY have been published, since we last noticed this work: we shall devote the present Report to a notice of the contents of these.

Anneslea spinosa, so called by Dr. Roxburgh in honour of the Right Honourable George Annesley Viscount Valentia, who, we are here told, "discovered this plant growing in the Gagra river in Oude, and also about Chittagong." For discovered we suppose to understand saw, for specimens of this plant were brought by Sir George Staunton, from the province of Kinang, in China, from his return from his embassy to this country, long before Lord Valentia commenced his travels in India. We have not, however, the smallest objection to the name; for, when the Magnates concern themselves at all about natural history, more especially when they undertake laborious travels, with a view of acquiring knowledge therein, we should be sorry to deprive them of an iota of their honorary rewards; and we are pleased to see the most magnificent plants devoted to the record of a fame, so much more meritorious, than that of shining in the annals of the Racing Calendar, or the petty intrigues of a borough election. This is altogether a curious article about Nymphs and Naiades, not more conspicuous for their beauty and elegance, than for their mildness ;" and about Anneslea, panther-like, uniting the extremes of beauty and ferocity. We cannot suppose the author is slily insinuating any similarity between his Lordship and his plant, between Annesley and Anneslea. But it gives him an oppor tunity of introducing something about the armour of vegetables, in which the different kinds are amusingly jumbled together in an unusual figure in rhetoric, an inverted bathos, "from the almost imperceptible hair down to the lacerating thorn ;" and about the browsing of camels, asses, and goats; and about hoping to see the magnificent foliage of Anneslea mantling our ponds. The reasoning, however, on which our author grounds his hopes of our being able to naturalize a tropical production to our climate, is not very convincing. " Have we not," he exultingly exclaims," already taught the Thea, the Camellia, the Takio, the Moutan, the Yulan, to resist our winters?" Now it unfortunately happens that we have not taught one of these plants to bear cold a jor better than they did ages ago, in the imperial gardens at Pekin, We have indeed had the good sense to discover, that, being natives of climes more rigid than our own, it was not necessary to confine them

'to our stoves.

We have been so entertained with this article, that we could not withstand the temptation of amusing our readers with parts of it; but we must not forget to say something serious of this very curious kind of water-lily, which has flowered at White Knight's, the seat of the Marquis of Blandford. The flowers according to the figure are but small, in proportion to the immense size of the foliage, sometimes six or eight feet in circumference, the petals are blue, the calyx green on the outside, and red within.

Eugenia zealanica; from Boyton, the seat of A..B. Lambert, esq. It is one of the natural order of myrti. A curious observation is here made concerning the germen, which contains sixteen ovula, though the fruit admits of only one seed coming to perfection.

Schinus dentata; a native of Owhyhee, and sufficiently hardy to

thrive well in a sheltered situation in the open ground, and even to pro. duce ripe seeds in favourable seasons, if trained against a wall.

Jussiena exaltata; the cattri calambri of the hortus malabaricus, v. 2, p. 97, 150, a new species introduced from the East Indies by Dr. Roxburgh, and communicated to the author by Mr. Lambert, from his Beat at Boyton.

Leptospermum cooparium, native of New Zealand, and one of the most beautiful of the natural order of the myrti, from that quarter, from the number and duration of its flowers. It was found also by Captain Cook to be very useful, and is the shrub described by him in his second voyage, under the name of the tea-plant.

Ardisia elegans; native of Pulo-Pinang, where it grows in moist situ ations, and by the sides of rivulets, introduced by Mr. Evans, of Stepney, in whose stove it attained the height of nearly five feet. This species appears not to have been before described.

Lotus australis. A plant we have before mentioned from the Bota nical Magazine.

Barleria cristata. Barleria comes very near to justicia; even two of the four stamens are nearly abortive. This plant is likewise from Mr. Evans's collection, as are the three following:

Geodorum citrinum, a delicate plant of the family of the orchidez. Begonia evansiana; said to be discovered by Mr. Evans's collector in the island of Pulo-Pinang. We believe, however, that this plant has been long in the collection at Shew.

Clerodendrum pyramidale; supposed to be a new species, also from Pulo-Pinang. Volkameria and Clerodendrum are very unsatisfactorily defined, and several species seem to have been indiscriminately referred to either genus.

Desmanthus natans of Wildenow; Mimosa natans of Roxburgh's Coromandel plants; Neptunia natans of Loureiro. To the character, as here given from Wildenow, the flowering spikes of this plant do not correspond, being neither oblong, nor interrupted, but oval and compact. The roots in Mimosa natans have no attachment whatever to the soil, but are produced in fibrous bunches along the stems, which are likewise furnished with a sponge-like substance as it is called, but which must be more of the nature of cork than sponge, for the purpose of preventing the plant from sinking in the water. There is no appearance either of the roots or of this buoyant cork in the figure, nor any mention mad of it in the description, nor of its mode of growth. These circum tances leave some doubt in the mind whether the plant here gured be really the Mimosa natans of Roxburgh, or the Neptunia natans of Loureiro. The specimen from which the drawing was taken, was communicated by Mr. Milne from Mr. Beckford's collection, at Fonthill.

Ardisia littoralis, discovered on the shores of Pulo-Pinang by Mr. Evans's collector, and introduced at the same time with Ardisia elegans above mentioned. This is probably the same as Ardisia solanacea of Roxough.

Styrax officinale. An old, but still a rare, shrub in our gardens.

Cytisus elongatus. The first account we have of this elegant species, is in the rare plants of Hungary, published by Count Waldstein and Dr. Kitabel. Introduced to this country by the indefatigable and skilful curator of the botanic garden at Cambridge.