452 Miscellaneous Intelligence, 



to' 



artificial incubation, effected through the means of the thermal waters 

 of that place. In 1827, I went to the baths of Chaudes-Aigues, 

 principally for the purpose of doing the same thing' there. Finding 

 the proprietor a zealous man, I succeeded in making a useful appli- 

 cation of this source of heat to artificial incubation. 



*' The advantage of this process may be comprehended, when it 

 is known that the invalids who arrive at Vichy, for instance in the 

 month of May, find chickens only the size of quails, whereas, by 

 this means, they may be readily supplied six months old. 



*' The good which may be done by establishing artificial incubation 

 in places where hot springs exist, is incalculable; it may be intro- 

 duced into these establishments without at all interfering with the 

 medical treatment of patients, since the hatching would proceed in 

 winter, at a time when the baths for other purposes are out of use. 



** There is no other trouble required in raising chickens, by means of 

 hot baths, than to break the eggs at the proper time ; for, when the 

 places are closed, the whole of the interior will readily acquire a 

 sufficiently elevated and very constant temperature." — Ann. de V In- 

 dustrie, i. 388. 



In addition to these details by M. D*Arcet, a letter has been re- 

 ceived from M. Felgeris, the proprietor of the baths at Chaudes- 

 Aigues (Cantal), in which he describes the success he has had in 

 following M. D'Arcet's process. This consists in putting the eggs 

 into a small basket, suspending the latter in one of the stoves heated 

 by the hot mineral water, and turning the eggs every day. The 

 very first trial was attended with success, and no failure was experi- 

 enced in four repetitions of it. — Jour, des Conn. Usuelles, vii. 128. 



18. Prevention of Death from Poison. — A memoir on very simple 

 and effectual processes in some cases of poisoning has been read by 

 Dr. Verniere, to the Academy of Sciences at Paris. His views are 

 founded on the experiment in which M. Magendie entirely prevented 

 absorption in a dog, by throwing warm water into the veins, and 

 thus forming an artificial plethora. 



Three grains of the alcoholic extract of nux vomica were put on a 

 wound in the foot of a young dog, and then a ligature placed above 

 the articulation of the humerus. Warm water was then slowly 

 injected by the jugular vein, until the animal could bear no more 

 without great suffering : after which the vein of the poisoned limb 

 was opened beneath the ligature, some ounces of blood withdrawn, 

 and these introduced into the jugular vein of another dog. The latter 

 dog instantly died in convulsions ; the wound in the former dog 

 was well cleaned, a little blood drawn, and the animal set at liberty. 

 There was no appearance of poisoning, and eight days after it was 

 perfectly well. 



Knowing that plethora prevents absorption, the explanation of 

 the effects described is very easy : only that blood flowing from the 

 vein could have been poisoned, for that vein and its neighbours 

 were the only ones free from the general plethora. Another circum- 



