Scientific Intelligence. 373 



"would be worked in the same state it was found in, shewing me a 

 cold chisel made of it. I told him to examine the land and see 

 whether an abundance of it really did exist, mentioning, at the same 

 time, that I was convinced that but a single, or at least very few 

 pieces of it could be found, because it was meteoric iron, which, so 

 far as it is known, falls only in single masses. Colonel Player went 

 to the spot and then learned that only a single piece of it had been 

 found. From this gentleman I learned that the original piece was 

 pretty large, but that it had been cut up and worked in the black- 

 smith's shop ; that the only piece now existing in its natural state, 

 and which he had in his possession, was of about 8 to 10 pounds; 

 part of it, together with the cold chisel mentioned above, is now in 

 my possession. 



This piece weighs 4f pounds. It is a remarkable variety, has a 

 fine granular fracture, similar to that of steel, is very compact, and 

 has no traces of crystals, or of a crystalline structure. It is a 

 shapeless mass and has a rough surface, where it has not been cut — 

 it has the properties of steel ; in fact the above-mentioned chisel is 

 €qual to one made of cast-steel. An incomplete analysis has given 

 me, 10 per cent, of metal mostly nickel. It was found near Smith- 

 iand, Livingston County, Kentucky. — Amemcan Journal of Science 

 <md Arts, Vol. ii. p- 356. 



SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE. 



METEOROLOGY. 



1. Effects of Diminished Atmospheric Pressure on Animals. — la 

 the heights of the Cordillera the effect of the diminished atmo- 

 spheric pressure on the human frame shews itself in intolerable 

 symptoms of weariness and an extreme difficulty of breathing. 

 The natives call this malady the Puna or the Soroche ; and the 

 Spanish Creoles give it the names of Mareo or Veta. Ignorant of its 

 real causes they ascribe it to the exhalations of metals, especially anti- 

 mony, which is extensively used in the mining operations. The first 

 symptoms of the veta are usually felt at the elevation of 12,600 feet 

 above the sea. These symptoms are vertigo, dimness of sight, dulness 

 of hearing, pains in the head, and nausea. Blood flows from the eyes, 

 nose, and lips. Fainting fits, spitting of blood, and other dangerous 

 symptoms, usually attend severe attacks of veta. The sensations which 

 accompany this malady somewhat resemble those of sea-sickness, and 

 hence its Spanish name Mareo. But sea-sickness is unaccompanied 

 by the distressing difficulty of breathing experienced in the veta. Thii 

 disorder sometimes proves fatal, and I once witnessed a case in which 



VOL. XLH. HO. LXXXIV. — APRIL 1847. 3 B 



