246 Miscellaneous Intelligence. 



ful of hydrocyanic acid, instead of strychnia, and found the same 

 results. He conchides, i. That these effects furnish new arguments 

 in favour of the idea, that many poisons are absorbed, ii. That 

 their deleterious effect would be prevented by hindering their ab- 

 sorption, or arresting- the circulation in the part to which they are 

 applied, and that it is in this way the cupping-glasses used by Dr. 

 Barry act. iii. That in cases of poisoned wounds, a ligature above 

 the wound would have the same effect as the cupping-glasses.— Jfec?. 

 Jour, Ivii. 84. 



12. Bites of Venomous Reptiles. — M. le Dr. Record, sen,, dis- 

 covered, during a long residence in America, what he considers a 

 sure mode of preventing mischief from such bites. *' It is sufficient," 

 he says, " to pour a few drops of tincture of cantharides on the 

 wound, to cause a redness and vesication ; not only is the poison ren- 

 dered harmless, but the stings of the reptiles are removed with the 

 epidermis that the blister raises." — Revue Med. ; Med. Jour. Ivii. 88. 



13. Poison of Rattlesnakes. — M. E. Rousseau has ascertained, by 

 experiments made with the fangs of a dead rattlesnake, that the 

 venom of these animals preserves its injurious qualities for a long 

 time, even in our climates, and at a very advanced part of the year. 

 A pigeon wounded by them died in a very short period. — Bull. Phil, 

 1826, p. 141. 



14. On Two new Kinds of Urinary Gravel. — These new varieties 

 of calculi were observed by M. Majendie. The first occurred with 

 a man of rank, a lover of good eating, who, being in circumstances 

 in which he gave way to his inclinations, thought it right to eat 

 each morning a large plateful of sorrel. After following this plan 

 for more than a year, severe pains were felt in the loins and ureters, 

 and shortly after a calculus was voided, six or seven lines in length, 

 and two in width. It was hard, had an orange colour, and being 

 analysed, was found to consist of oxalate of lime nearly pure. The 

 oxalic acid introduced into the system by the sorrel was evidently 

 the cause of this calculus, and an effectual remedy was found in 

 change of diet. 



The second kind of gravel was of much more uncertain origin. 

 In this disease (as yet undescribed) the saline deposit of the urine 

 assumed two forms, being sometimes a fine white powder, mixed 

 with a large quantity of small hairs, varying in length from a line 

 to an inch or more ; and sometimes, on the contrary, forming white 

 pieces, of unequal and irregular form, having no great degree of 

 consistency, and crushing between the fingers. The fragments did 

 not, however, separate entirely, but adhered together by means of a 

 multitude of small hairs like those described, which, being mixed 

 with, made a part of the mass. 



Maceration separates these hairs from both varieties of the hairy 

 gravel, as they have been named. They are then found to differ 

 but little from ordinary hair, except in being finer, and of a grey 



