were observed several specimens of a broad foliated mineral from Riddarhyttan, having a silver-white colour, and the me tallic lustre. Berzelius instantly recognized it as being identical in its external characters with the mineral first described by Von Born, under the name of molybdenous silver, which Klaproth considered as a sub-sulphuret of bismuth, but which he himself ascertained few years ago to be an alloy of bismuth and tellurium, mixed with some selenium. (The Use of the Blowpipe, Eng. Tr. p. 152.) The mineral from Riddarhyttan proved by a blowpipe examination to contain rather more sulphur than Von Born's, but the other constituents appeared to be exactly the same, and in exactly the same proportions in both. It is remarkable as being the first instance in which this rare metal has been found in Sweden.-(Kongl. Vet. Acad. Handl. 1823, st. I.)

T

MISCELLANEOUS.

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6. Hydrophobia cured by Acetate of Lead, ***

Dr. Fayerman, of Norwich, had a patient under his care, labouring under the most dreadful symptoms of confirmed hydrophobia, in consequence of the bite of a mad dog upwards of three months before he was taken ill. Having tried the usual methods without success, Dr. Fayerman, to use his own expression, "took time to consider what was best to be done; my personal observations confirmed me in the previous idea which I had entertained, that hydrophobia is a disease specifically of the nervous system. I felt more strong in the belief, from the knowledge that local irritation from wounds in irritable habits, especially when conjoined with a perturbed state of the passions, and also violent affections of the mind, independently of corporal injury in hysterical and hypochondriacal constitutions, have at times produced all the pathognomic symptoms of canine madness.” "Having witnessed the powerful effects of lead on the nervous system, I determined at once to give this mineral a trial in the terrific disease before me." "At nine o'clock," (the patient being in a state of comparative quiet, from exhaustion) "I gave him 35 drops of the liquor plumbi superacetatis, vulgo Goulard's extract of lead, on a lump of sugar; the pulse at this period was tremulous and irregular, and at 105; the power of deglutition at this period was greatly impeded by the frequent spasms affecting the glottis, and it was at least 15 minutes before the medicated sugar had passed into the stomach. At 10 o'clock the dose was increased, and he took 40 drops of the extract of lead, in the same manner as before, pulse 98. He slept from half-past 10, to within a few minutes of 11. He was awoke by severe pain about the scrobiculus cordis, great thirst and heat about the fauces, but there was absence of

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Ispasmodic contraction which had previously threatened suffo-cation. At one o'clock, on the 13th of August, I repeated the venesection eight ounces, and gave 45 drops of the extract of lead, mixed in a small portion of honey. At three, this morning the dose was repeated, and notwithstanding the powerful astringency of the medicine, there was certainly less difficulty ind the act of swallowing. The pain about the stomach had been reduced in violence, since the use of the lancet a second time, and the mind had become more calm and collected. At five o'clock the thirst having increased beyond endurance, he expressed a desire to drink; a little weak brandy and water, mixed in a tea-pot, was presented to his notice; but the moment the fluid had been taken to the lips, a violent spasm came on, he seized the vessel with the fury of a maniac, and bit the spout off. In 25 minutes after this paroxysm had subsided, 50 drops of the solution of lead was administered. At nine o'clock the patient complained of coldness along the spine, and of a peculiar tingling sensation in the lower extremities, and soon after of total inability to move his limbs-the pulse at this time was at 84. I examined his legs and found them completely paralyzed. The symptoms of hydrophobia became every hour after this crisis materially lessened. I fully succeeded at halfpast 10 in getting down three tablespoonfuls of castor oil. I reduced the solution of lead in doses of 20 drops every three hours; at 12 o'clock the bowels were evacuated; at two P. M. wel again attempted the introduction of the weak brandy and water, the patient made a bold and resolute effort to conquer -or die in the struggle. He armed his mind with the strongest courage and fortitude; he carried the vessel to his lips, and although his countenance fully displayed the most horrid re-pugnance, yet from a total absence of spasm, he succeeded in getting down a considerable portion of the fluid. From this moment I considered the cause gained, and I hailed with joy the triumph which such a conquest inspired. I gradually descended the scale of my remedy to 10 drops, and I had the satisfaction to find, that in the space of 48 hours from the first exhibition of the solution of lead in this case of hydrophobia, all the more urgent symptoms of this monstrous disease had abated. In four days, not the least appearance of hydrophobia malady existed, the patient had the look of a person enervated and debilitated to an excessive degree; the wound in the hand" (occasioned by excision of the bitten part, and the application of caustic,)" was suffered to remain open for some weeks. On the 26th September, the patient recovered the use of his limbs sand was discharged."

(Signed)

ARNALL THOMAS FAYERMAN

In We have extracted the preceding from the account which

appeared in the Morning Herald of the 7th of last month. It cannot be too generally known; for if further experience prove the efficacy of the remedy, Dr. Fayerman's name will stand deservedly high, as a benefactor of mankind. The subject is rather more exclusively medical, than we are in the habit of admitting amongst our miscellanea, but our great object is to make the pages of the Annals of Philosophy, the medium for communicating interesting and useful matter in every department of science, to the world at large, whether that matter be original, or selected from respectable cotemporary journals, foreign or domestic, and other works of merit and reputation; and we shall continue to pursue that object, equally indifferent to the worthless praises and contemptible criticisms of hebdomadal quacks and sciolists.

7. Extraordinary Tide.

About 10 p. m. on Tuesday, the 13th inst. wind ESE. light airs and variable; barometer 30-0, thermometer 70, a sudden flux of the tide was observed at this port, which rose several feet, and in its reflux, aided by the ebb, its rapidity was such as to sweep every thing before it. The chain conductor of the flying bridge on the Lairy, gave way, and for a time rendered its bridge useless; but by the exertions of the men it was soon repaired. However, about one o'clock, it being then near low water, the same occurrence again took place, and the bridge was again torn from its position. Boats, timber, &c. were swept away by the great flux and reflux of the tide, which con tinued at intervals until four o'clock on Wednesday morning (being about three-quarters flood), when it began to assume a more formidable and terrific appearance. The ordinary velocity of the tide being not more than two knots per hour, was now observed to run from seven to eight, at intervals of from 13 to 15 minutes, and sometimes 20 minutes. As the time of high water approached, the flux and reflux was more powerful, and of longer duration, probably occasioned by the unfinished ends of the Breakwater being at that time overflowed. From nine till about twelve o'clock, the river of Catwater was impassable, excepting by taking advantage of going with the current, and the same in returning. Boats were torn off the shore, and in a few moments hurried out of sight. The appearance of the elements now was truly wonderful; distant claps of thunder, heavy lowering clouds, some rising in different positions, and others floating in a horizontal direction, occasioned, no doubt, from the extraordinary variations of the wind blowing fresh in puffs from every quarter of the compass in a short space of time, with intervals of calm. Some idea of the extraordinary rapidity of the current may be imagined, when it is asserted, from the minutest observations, that the flux or fresh of the tide at

times, was 2 feet 2 inches perpendicular in five minutes, and again actually made a reflux of 3 feet 6 inches in the same short space of time, tearing up the soil from the bottom of the river, the agitated thick surface of which resembled the boiling of a pot. The vessels at the Breakwater one minute were afloat, and the next lying high and dry on the body of the works; and but for the great exertions of the workmen and crews, much damage must have been done. Indeed, was there a possibility of lifting that stupendous structure from its position only for an hour, not a ship could have been safe either in Plymouth harbour or in the Pool! and although it must appear strange, at the same time the sea in the offing was particularly smooth. About halfpast two, p. m. the tide began to resume its regular course. No doubt we shall soon hear of some extraordinary convulsion of nature in some part of the world. In 1798, a similar occurrence took place, about the time of the dreadful earthquake in Sienna, which swallowed up many thousands of our fellow creatures.(Plymouth Journal.)

8. Unequal Distribution of Heat in the Prismatic Spectrum. That the different portions of the prismatic solar spectrum possess different heating powers, has been universally admitted by every philosopher who has examined the subject experimentally; but a great diversity of opinion has prevailed respecting the precise point where this power resides in its greatest intensity. Landriani, one of the first who investigated this subject, placed the maximum heating power in the yellow rays, Rochon in the orange or orange yellow, and Senebier also in the yellow. Herschel, on the contrary, found the heating power of the red to be superior to that of all the other coloured rays; but that there is a certain point of the spectrum, situated immediately beyond the red and invisible, which elevates the thermometer still higher than any of the visible rays. His experiments were directly. contradicted by Leslie, but were soon after in a great measure confirmed by Englefield. Dr. Seebeck, in a memoir read to the Royal Academy of Sciences in Berlin, which with numerous original experiments combines a copious discussion of the opinions of preceding inquirers, appears to have ascertained the cause of those anomalous statements. It exists in the particular nature of the medium by which the rays of light are decomposed; a circumstance so little regarded that few experimenters have even deemed it necessary to record the material of their prism. The following is a summary of his results.

In every part of the prismatic spectrum, there is a perceptible elevation of temperature, and this is uniformly least in the outermost edge of the violet. From the violet it gradually increases, as we proceed through the blue and green, into the yellow and red. In some prisms, it attains a maximum in the yel

low, as, for example, in those filled with water, alcohol, or oil of turpentine. In others, as in those filled with a transparent solution of sal ammoniac and corrosive sublimate, it attains a maximum in the orange. Prisms of crown glass and of common white glass have the maximum of temperature in the centre of the red; others, which appeared to contain lead, have the maximum in the limit of the red. Prisms of flint glass have the maximum beyond the red. In all prisms, without exception, the temperature regularly diminishes from beyond the red; but it still continues perceptible at a distance of several inches from the extremest limit of that side of the visible spectrum. (Schweigger's Nenes Journal, vol. x. p. 129.)

9. Distinction of Positive and Negative Electricity.

Positive and negative electricity may be readily distinguished by the taste, on making the electric current pass by means of a point on to the tongue. The taste of the positive electricity is acid; that of the negative electricity is more caustic, and, as it were, alkaline. Berzelius.-(Journal of Science.)

10. Description of two Surfaces composed of Siliceous Filaments incapable of reflecting Light, &c.

The surface was produced by the fracture of a large quartz crystal, two inches and a quarter in diameter, of a light smoky colour, but impervious to the light, except in small pieces. The surface of the fracture is absolutely black, and was at first supposed to have been occasioned by the interposition of a thin film of opaque and minutely divided matter that had insinuated itself into a fissure of the crystal; but this opinion was overturned when Dr. Brewster observed that both surfaces were equally and uniformly black. He therefore suspected the phenomenon to be occasioned by the surfaces being composed of short and slender filaments of quartz, of such exceedingly minute diameter, as to be incapable of reflecting a single ray of the strongest light; and he verified his conjecture by plunging the fragment in oil of anniseeds, which approaches to quartz in its refractive powers, and examining the light reflected at the separating surfaces of the oil and the quartz. The blackness disappeared; and the fragment, whether seen by reflected or transmitted light, comported itself like any other piece of quartz of the same translucency. On removing the oil from the surface it assumed its original blackness.

Dr. Brewster calculates the diameter of the fibres to be about ath of an inch, or one-fourth of the thickness of the aqueous film of a soap bubble previous to its bursting.-(Edin Jour. of Science.)