f.56 



were allowed to become perfectly flaccid: 

 one of them was then immersed in a vessel of 

 plain water, the other in one of camphorated 

 water. The former became more and more 

 languid, and soon died ; while the latter, after 

 an apparent struggle of several hours, entirely 

 recovered, and, in a day or two, displayed 

 two additional leaves. 



Perkins's Steam- Engine. The following 

 testimonial regarding the merits of Mr. Per- 

 kins's steam-engine, signed by several re- 

 spectable engineers, has been published by 

 Mr. Newton ; and containing as it does the 

 most recent information respecting this admi- 

 rable invention, we doubt not that our read- 

 ers will be interested in its perusal. They 

 state tbat,having made themselves practically 

 acquainted with Perkins's high pressure safety 

 steam-engine, they do not hesitate to state, 

 that he has established the following new and 

 important facts in the construction of his en- 

 gine: 1. Absolute safety; 2. Greater eco- 

 nomy in fuel than in any other engine 

 hitherto invented; 3. The removal of all the 

 reaction of the steam and atmospheric air 

 on the eduction side of the piston, without the 

 necessity of an air-pump ; 4. A new and 

 simple flexible metallic piston, requiring no 

 oil nor lubrication whatever ; 5. A reduction 

 of three- fourths of the weight and bulk, by 

 very much simplifying certain complicated 

 parts of steam-engines, and substituting a 

 very simple eduction-valve for the one com- 

 monly used both for eduction and induction ; 

 by which means a reduction is made in the 

 size of the engine, a saving of power is ef- 

 fected and a diminution of friction, less wear 

 and tear occur, and less destrnctibility of 

 materials; and, lastly, the joints, by Mr. Per- 

 kins's peculiar mode of connecting, are more 

 easily made secure and tight, even with the 

 steam at a pressure of one thousand pounds to 

 the square inch, than the joints of the low 

 pressure condensing engines. 



Salt Springs at Salinn. The follow ing 

 is an abstract of an interesting account of the 

 salt springs at Salina, in the state of New 

 York, which was published at the end of last 

 year in America, and has not, we believe, 

 been noticed by any English journalist. The 

 salt springs in question are situated near 

 the lake Arondaga, 130 miles to the west 

 of Albany : the lake is six miles in length, 

 and one broad, and, although surrounded on 

 every side by copious salt springs, its water is 

 not in the least affected by a similar taste, at 

 least at the surface. The sides of the lake are 

 marshy, and at Saliua the marsh is of a con* 



Ju\B, 



siderable extent. The salt water there issues 

 from a black earth, through small orifices, 

 and is collected into reservoirs for evapora- 

 tion. The valley of Arondaga is many feet 

 below the level of the adjacent plains : on 

 the surface is found a black stratum of very 

 muddy earth, from three to four feet in thick- 

 ness ; then follows a bed of marie, varying in 

 depth from three to twelve feet, and contain- 

 ing many organic remains. According to the 

 analysis of Mr. Beck, the salt water consists 

 of, for 1,000 parts of water, of carbonic acid, 

 0-77; sulphuric acid, 2-46; muriatic acid, 

 69-20; lime, 4 -50; magnesia, 1-12; soda, 



Mineral Waters in India. Upon an 

 analysis of the medicinal waters of Bridhkal 

 Kund, the same as those of Benares, we learn 

 from the last volume of the Asiatic Re- 

 searches, Sir James Prinsep found that 1,000 

 parts of the water contained, of carbonate of 

 lime, 1-33 ; sulphate of soda, 0-75; muriate 

 of magnesia, 0-94; muriate of soda, 2-10; 

 nitrates of potash and of soda, 2'46 : total, 

 740. 



The eleventh anniversery meeting of the 

 governors of the Royal Dispensary for dis- 

 eases of the ear, was lately held, when it ap- 

 peared that, since the establishment of the 

 charity in 1816, upwards of 6,540 patients 

 have been received, 2,620 cured, and 1,930 

 relieved. Out of this number 200 persons, 

 afflicted with nervous deafnes?, who were out 

 of employment, have been cured or relieved, 

 and thereby rendered capable of following 

 their various avocations. 



At this meeting, Mr. Curtis, the surgeon of 

 the institution, remarked, how little atten- 

 tion had been paid to this important organ, 

 in consequence of its mechanism being so 

 extremely complicated, and little known; but 

 observed, that it was only by a knowledge of 

 its anatomy, joined with daily experience in 

 practice, that its physiology and diseases 

 could be thoroughly understood ; hence these 

 considerations should be a powerful incentive 

 to its study; for, had medical men rested 

 satisfied with what was formerly known of 

 the complex mechanism of the heart, the 

 great discovery of the circulation of the blood 

 would never have taken place, for it is only 

 by persevering investigation that we can ar- 

 live at our object ; and he assured the gover- 

 nors, from the liberal encouragement that he 

 had received, nothing should be wanting on 

 las part to extend the knowledge of acoustic 

 surgery. 



WORKS IN THE PRESS, AND NEW PUBLICATIONS. 



WORKS IN PREPARATION. 



Miss Roberts >& long-expected work is on 

 the we of publication j it is entitled, Me- 

 moirs of the Rival Houses of York and Lan- 

 caster, Historical and Biographical ; embrac- 

 ing a Period of English History from the Ac- 



cession of Richard II, to the Death of Henry 

 VII. The author has been at considerable 

 research, and report speaks very favourably 

 of the performance. 



The MS. Herbal of Jean Jacques Rousseau 

 is, we understand, for sale in London. It 

 consists of eight volumes in 4to., containing 



