from perusing an article by Mr. Smithson, in the Annals of Philosophy, on the subject of securing small particles for examination by the blow-pipe. Mr. Smithson suggests three processes. 1. Small plates of clay, formed by beating it with a hammer between the folds of a piece of paper. 2. A small portion of the clay moistened. The substance to be tested will adhere. 3. A paste of the body itself, reduced to So successful was Mr. Smithson with these processes, that he melted flint, when even of considerable bulk, without difficulty.

fine powder.

As Col. Totten was not able to procure any clay sufficiently refractory, he was induced to use the mineral, which he designed to expose to the action of the flame, or in other words, to adopt Mr. Smithson's third process. The powder was made into a paste with very thick gum water, and formed under the finger into very acute cones. The particles to be tested, are very readily made to adhere to the points of these cones, and the flame of the blow-pipe can thus be directed upon it with full effect. The results were highly satisfactory. Precious serpentine melted instantly into a brownish yellow enamel. Common serpentine was more difficult of fusion, but its point formed a white blebby enamel. Black Flint, Calcedony, Carnelian, and Quartz, all melted readily. The last of these, however, was found infusible, when the smallest possible crystaline fragment was used. Colonel Totten, therefore, concludes that "this substance is fusible only in a state of powder."

These experiments (as our author observes) evidently increase the power of the common blow-pipe. With reference to it, minerals may be subdivided into the following classes. 1st. Such as are fusible per se with ordinary supports. 2nd. Such as are fusible per se in microscopical particles. 3d. Such as are fusible only with addition. 4th. Such as are infusible even with fluxes.

Two papers on TOXICOLOGY remain to be noticed.

1. Observations and Experiments on the seeds of the Cerbera Thevetia, by J. B. Ricord Madianna, M. D.

2. Researches and Experiments on the Genus Passiflora, by the same.

Orfila in his Toxicology, mentions that the nut of Cerbera ahovai, and the fruit of the Cerbera manghas, are each deemed highly poisonous. To these, Dr. M. has added another species with similar properties. Having made au emulsion with distilled water from the kernels of the C. Thevetia, he administered it to a dog. In half an hour vomiting was excited; the mouth was covered with foam, and the animal was much agitated, and ran in various directions. A stiffness of the posterior extremities, with staggering, ensued. These symptoms gradually abated, and in four hours from the time of taking the substance, he appeared out of danger. The dose here given was fourteen grains.

Twenty-eight grains administered to another dog, caused vomiting-great nervous weakness-insensibility-paralysisdilatation of the pupils-laborious respiration-feeble and trembling pulse. Death ensued in twenty-two minutes after taking the poison.

On dissection, all the blood-vessels leading to the brain were found distended with blood; the heart also was distend ed with black blood; the stomach much contracted, and its mucous membrane of a dark red colour, while the mucous membrane of the duodenum was much inflamed, and contained a mucous fluid, of a spongy yellow colour.

These facts render it probable, that the Cerbera Thevetia is an acrid poison.

We believe Dr. Madianna is the first who has noticed the poisonous qualities of the Passiflora Quadrangularis, or Basbadine. This plant is cultivated very extensively in Gaudaloupe.

An infusion of the root given in a large dose to small lizards, (Anolis Fullaris, Daudin.) produced convulsive motions, paralysis and death, in fifteen minutes. An extreme difficulty of breathing was a striking symptom. When given to birds of different species, and frogs, a small dose produced a slight convulsion; a larger one catalepsy, while death ensued from an increase of quantity. Two table spoonsfull of

the infusion made a dog cataleptic for an hour. His head and limbs remained in every position in which they were placed. At the expiration of the above time, he recovered with a slight chill.

In those animals that died from the effects of this poison, a great fulness of the blood-vessels of the lungs was noticed, together with black blood in the auricles and ventricles.

Dr. Madianna states, that in his experiments on the roots of this plant, he found a substance resembling opium.

127

QUARTERLY HISTORY

OF

IMPROVEMENTS IN MEDICINE AND SURGERY.

Foreign.

ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY.

Chyle observed in the Veins of the Jejunum. By Professor Mayer of Bonn.*-From my own observations, as well as those of Majendie and Tiedemann, it has been proved that the veins of the intestinal canal, are capable of absorbing the different fluids which it contains. That these veins also take up chyle, is certainly not to be denied, although the fact cannot be easily demonstrated. Every piece of information, therefore, will be interesting, which confirms the opinion that the veins of the intestines absolutely absorb chyle, in a manner independent of the lymphatic system, or of those lacteals, the mouths of which open into the veins, as has been recently shown by Fohmann. The fact did not certainly escape the attention of former anatomists, although their observations on the matter are few. Swammerdam Falkenbergh, Meckel senior, found chyle in the veins of the intestines, and Menghini, also observed it in the veins of birds; and in modern times Tiedemannt observed in the vena porta white streaks which resembled chyle. Others deny the possibility of the fact. The following case occurred to my notice :—

A robust man, about 79 years of age, died suddenly from a severe attack of asthma, and his body was soon afterwards brought to the anatomical theatre at Bonn. The chest, as well as pericardium, contained a great quantity of serum. The lungs strongly adhered to the lining membrane of the chest, and contained several tubercles and small abscesses. The viscera of the abdomem presented no diseased appearance. The upper

* Tiedemann's and Trieviranus' Zeitschrift für Physiologie. Vol. I. p. 331. + Versuche über die Wege auf welchen Substanzen, &c. Heidelbergh, 1820. p. 74.

and lower extremities were both anasarcous. The intestines were now removed from the body for the purposes of anatomical demonstration. On examining separate parts of the intestines with care, I observed both on the outer and inner surfaces of the small intestines, vessels of a greyish white colour. At first I took these vessels for lymphatics, but on a closer inspec tion, found that they were veins. The lower third of the duodenum, the whole jejunum, and a part of the ileum, were covered with these veins, which contained a fluid very similar to chyle; but this fluid only existed in the ramifications of the veins, situated on the surfaces and borders of the intestines; for at the spot where the two layers of the mesentery met, the veins contained blood. On dividing these small veins, a thick greyish fluid, resembling chyle in appearance, was poured out; the small intestines were filled with chyme. No lymphatic vessels containing chyle could be discovered. U fortunately the organs were in such a state, as to prevent the examination being further prosecuted.

It scarcely admits of doubt that these veins really contained chyle; but it will be asked, how the lymphatic vessels of the intestines contained no chyle, although the man appears to have died at the moment when the formation of chyle in the jejunum and duodenum was taking place? This question I am unable to answer, but the appearance which I observed stands recorded. The vitality of the venous, probably continued longer than that of the lymphatic system, and that of the right, longer than the vitality of the left side of the heart. If this were the case, the systole and diastole of the right, continued longer than those of the left cavities of the heart, which might have exerted an influence on the absorption of the chyle, by the extremities of the veins of the intestines.

Distribution of nerves in muscular fibres.-In a Memoir on muscular action. VM. Dumas and Prevost, have communicated some very interesting microscopical observations, on the distribution of the nerves in the muscular fibres, and on the form which these latter assume during their contractions. They placed a thin piece of muscle retaining its nervés, under the microscope, and made it contract by means of galvanism. The fibres contracted by bending in a zig zag manner, and the last nervous filaments were seen to proceed parallel to each other, from the branch giving origin to them, to be inserted precisely at the points where the fibres form their angles.-Edin. Phil. Journ. Oct. and Dec. 1827, p. 200.

Pores of the Skin.-It is well known, that Leuwenhock said that he counted 14,400 pores, in a square inch of flesh, so that a square foot would contain 207,560,000. The whole surface of a middle size man, is fourteen square feet, which, according to the Dutch anatomist, would give 2,904,040,000 pores. Mr. Heary Eichorn, of Gottingen, wishing to be convinced of the accuracy of this assertion, lately investigated the subject, and found only 5000 pores to the square inch of flesh, and consequently 10,080,000 in a man.-Lancet, 22nd Sep. 1827.