216 Miscellaneous Intelligence. 



4. New Medicinal Substance. — This substance has been obtained 

 by MM. Caventou and Francois, from the root of a Brazilian 

 tree of the family of the rubiacies, called the cai'nca, {chiococca 

 racemosa,) and in Bahia by the name of the rair-prela or black 

 root. The peculiar chemical principle which gives character to 

 the extract of this root has tonic without exciting properties. It 

 slightly purges and is very diuretic. Its mode of action on the 

 urinary passages is remarkable ; the first day it very little augments 

 the quantity of urine evacuated, but on continuing to administer 

 it, the effect is progressively increased from day to day. As the 

 augmentation of action is slow, no undue irritation is produced ; 

 and in consequence, the administration of this body as a medicine 

 has never produced more favourable effects than in those cases 

 M'herethe urine, red and irritating, has been rendered with much pain. 



The extract of the root being tonic, purgative and diuretic, it 

 is evidently applicable in cases of dropsy, and very favourable 

 results have been obtained in several instances of this kind. — BulL 

 Univ. C. xix. 338. 



5. Population of Wales : — 



Shires. 1700 1750 1801 1811 1821 



Total . 366,500 450,200 559,500 632,600 732,500 



Y. Cymro. . 



6. Use of the Chlorides of Lime and Soda in cases of Plague. — 

 A medical expedition to Egypt and Syria is under the direction of 

 M. Parisot. The following are extracts from a letter written by 

 him. "Tripoli, Syria, 28th June, 1829. You have not forgotten 

 that our mission had two objects, — to ascertain the cause of plague, 

 and to ascertain the effect of chlorides on the infectious matter 

 and pestilential miasmata. For the first object we proceeded to 

 Egypt, a country always considered as the original source of 

 plague. Our conjectures have been confirmed by an examination 

 of the localities, and we expect, on our return to France, that no 

 doubt will rest on this point, 



