148 Proceedings of the 



on the knowledge we possess of what substances are found beneath 

 chalk, though never either above or in them. The Memoir of 

 M. Dufresnoy was ordered to be inserted in the * Recueil des 

 Memoires des Savans Etrangers.' 



Soring the Earth. On the 20th of June a letter was read from 

 M. Jobard, of Brussels, announcing that he had brought to perfec- 

 tion a new machine for boring the earth to any depth, and through 

 any soil. He stated that his plan had been -tried with the greatest 

 success in the neighbourhood of Marienburg, where he had rapidly 

 attained a depth of seventy-five feet, through an inclined rock of 

 phylade, mixed with argillaceous flints. By a process something 

 similar, though less perfect, wells have been dug in China to a depth 

 of from 2000 to 2800 feet, through solid rock. M. Jobard antici- 

 pates the greatest advantages to geognosy from his discovery ; and, 

 with the usual enthusiasm of projectors, looks forward with confi- 

 dence to the period (not far distant) when we shall be as well 

 acquainted with the centre of the earth as we now are with its 

 surface. 



The Lesser Atlas. At the same meeting M. Cordier communi- 

 cated some geological observations made by M. Rozet in Africa. 

 M. Rozet is now of opinion that the earths which he had formerly 

 considered as terrains de transition are, in fact, to be classed among 

 those belonging to the epoch of the lias and the calcareous gryphites. 

 The most elevated summit of that part of the lower Atlas visited by 

 M. Rozet, and measured with the assistance of the barometer, was 

 1399 metres (4590 feet) above the level of the Mediterranean. 



MEDICAL SCIENCE. 



Cure of Fever. On the llth of April, M. Rousseau announced 

 to the Academy, that in three distinct cases of recent occurrence, 

 fever had been completely cured by a few doses, of a drachm each, 

 of the powder of holly-leaves, diluted with half a glass of water. 

 The Academy directed the Medical Committee of the Prix Mon- 

 thyon to take cognizance of the cases. 



On the 23d of May, M. Deleschamps, a young chemist, announced 

 that he had succeeded in obtaining a new vegetable matter from the 

 bark of holly, to which he had given the name of ilicme, and which 

 may be substituted for quinia in the treatment of intermittent 

 fevers. It will be recollected that an extract of the bark of willow, 

 called salicine, has already been suggested as a substitute for sul- 

 phate of quinia ; should experience prove that the qualities of 

 these two matters are at all comparable to those of quinia, their 

 low price will render the discoveries highly important to the lower 

 classes. 



