Ch^rmjiry — Galvafiifm — Metcorol(igy, 1 7 1 



FRENCH NATIONAL INSTITUTE, 



The following account of the labours of the Mathematical 

 jind Phyfical Ciafs of the Sciences during the lafl three nionths 

 iias been read. 



Chemi/iry, — C. Berthollet has proved that the propagation 

 c»f the chemical acSiion is lefl'ened, ift, by the weakiiefs of 

 that a6lion : adly, by conftitutional changes to which the 

 fubftances that exercife it are fubjc6l. He has eftabliftied the 

 limits of the chemical knowledge hitherto acquired in regard 

 to vegetable phyfiology. He has fliown alfo that rnotjon ac^ 

 celerates the conimunication of heat, by bringing nearer thofe 

 parts which are at a diftaijt temperature; fo that their reci- 

 procal aiSlion becoui.es tl)ereby ipore lively and inflantaneous; 

 but that it Qught not thence to be concluded that liquids ajid 

 claftic fluids are incapable of tranfmitting heat. 



Guyton is employed on the means of purifying the air and 

 checking the prpgrefs of contagign. He has carefully cxar 

 mined all the methocjs hitherto followed for this purpofe, 

 and even his own, and determii)ed thofe which ought to in- 

 fpire the greateft confidence. He has read alfo a m-pmoir on 

 the preparation of mortar, lime, and different kinds of ppzzo- 

 lauo, in ,^hich hje cpmpares tl^e natyre of thefe fubftances, 

 and gives the refult of experiments, ipade on a l^irge fcale, 

 even .under |:he w/iter of the fea, with fon)e flatters which he 

 propofes to fubftityt.e in the rtjpni of the pozzolano of Italy. 

 ' Experimental Phijofophy, — Hallp has given an account of 

 experiments refpecling galvanjfni, ejther repeated or made 

 for the firft tin^e at th.e School of Medicine by mcan^ of 

 Volta's apparatus. The general refult of them is ^ prqpf of 

 the identity of the galvanic principle and eledtricity, 



Meteorqlogy, — Teflier has prefented a ferie§ of queftions 

 to be propofpd to t^e conltituted authorities arid the corre- 

 fpondents of the Inftitute in the deparui]cnts, in order to 

 obtain from theji) every information neccllkr}'' to niake known 

 the extent of the efl[(>6ts of the ftpfiP which took place in \\\q 

 jnonth of November. 



, Lamarck has cndeavoi^retl tp fix the nomenclature of cer- 

 tairi meteors. According to his opinion, hurricanes and 



Y % ' fqualis 



