1851.] 201 



May Qth, 1851. 

 Dr. Morton, President, in the Chair. 



A letter dated Breslau, Sept. 2, 1850, from the Royal L. C. Academy 

 of Sciences was read, acknowledging the receipt of Proceedings, 

 Vol. 4, No. 8, Vol. 5, Nos. 2 and 3 ; also a second letter from the 

 same, dated Breslau, Dec. 29th, 1850, accompanying Part 2, Vol. 2, of 

 the Nova Acta of that Institution. 



Dr. Leidy read a paper describing new species of Entozoa, &c., en- 

 titled " Contributions to Helminthology 5" which was referred to Dr. 

 Ilallowell, Dr. Rand, and Dr. Bridges. 



Dr. Leidy after some general remarks upon the transplantation of animal tis- 

 sues, stated that about five months ago Dr. Horner removed from a female a 

 scirrhus mamma, a portion of which, at his request, he took home for microscopic 

 examination. In structure it proved to be composed of fibrous tissue and nucle- 

 ated, elongated, or caudated cells. After the examination, about four hours sub- 

 sequent to the removal of the tumor from the woman, Dr. L. inserted four pieces 

 of the tumor, each half an inch long by one-eighth of an inch broad and thick, 

 beneath the integument of the back of a large frog. Three of the fragments were 

 pushed forward to the vicinity of the ear. In a few days succeeding the opera- 

 tion, the incision of the skin perfectly cicatrized. 



Yesterday upon killing the frog, and opening the skin along the back, it was 

 found that three of the scirrhus fragments had formed a vascular attachment with 

 the integument, and for one half their length had had a large development of capil- 

 laries in them. Two of the fragments had also formed a vascular attachment to 

 each other throughout their length. The fourth fragment had formed no attach- 

 ment with the tissues of the frog, and had remained apparently unchanged. 

 Upon examining the fragments with the microscope, it was found that the caudated 

 cells had been entirely transformed into fibrous tissue. 



Dr. L. exhibited a portion of the frog with the fragments of cancer attached. 

 The net-work of blood-vessels pervading the pieces was beautifully distinct to 

 the naked eye. 



May 12th. 

 Vice-President Bridges in the Chair. 



The Librarian announced that the Portrait of Mr. George Ord, which 

 had been presented to the Society by that gentleman at the request of 

 several members, had been received, and was now in the Hall. 



Mr. Vaux read a letter addressed to him by the Rev. Francis Mason, 

 American Missionary at Burmah, dated Maulmain, Feb. 15th, 1851. 



Mr. Mason after observing that he had been " for more than twenty 

 years in this ' sleepy hollow,' shut out from the world and libraries, 

 and with a few exceptions from books," proceeds to make the follow- 

 ing observations of interest, on some plants of Burmah. 



" On looking over Griffith's Medical Botany, which was recently put into my 

 hands, it seems to me that our knowledge is very imperfect in that department 



rnOCEED. ACAD. NAT. SCI. OF FIIILADELrUIA. VOL. V. NO. IX. 27 



