Analyses of Boohs. 457 



amination of the evidence of various storms, states, that he has found 

 them to pursue generally a uuiform course, which is always north- 

 westerly in the tropical latitudes, and till they approach the latitude 

 of 30^ N. "In the vicinity of this parallel, the storms turn to the 

 northward, and then their course becomes north-easterly on a track 

 which appears to incline gradually to the east as they sweep over 

 the higher latitudes of the Atlantic. The course thus pursued is 

 entirely independent of the direction of wind which the storm 

 may exhibit at the different points over which it passes ; the wind 

 in all such storms being found to blow after the manner of a whirl- 

 wind around a common centre or vortex during their entire pro- 

 gress, in a circuit which is commensurate with the lateral extent of 

 the storm; and in a determinate direction or course of rotation, 

 which is from right to left (that is, in the direction from west to 

 south) horizontally." The direction of these gales would appear, 

 therefore, to be that of the Gulf stream. The remainder of the 

 paper is occupied with important details relative to particular storms, 

 and will be found of great interest to meteorologists and nautical men. 



Article X. 



Scientific Intelligence. 



I. — British Association for the Advancement of Science. 



Section E. — medical science. 



{Continued from page 395.) 



The second paper read this morning was by Dr. Houston, descrip- 

 tive of a Twin Fcetus, born without Brain, Heart, Lungs, or 

 Liver. The placenta was double, and there were separate membranes 

 and cords for each foetus. The umbilical vein of the imperfect 

 infant opened directly into the vena cava, from which branches, 

 totally devoid of valves, passed to all parts of the body. The arterial 

 system, commencing from the venous capillaries and gradually running 

 into larger trunks, formed a sort of aorta, like that in fishes, from 

 which the umbilical arteries arose. No communication existed any 

 where between the arteries and veins except at the capillaries ; so 

 that by whatsover vessels the blood entered the body, by the same 

 it must have been distributed. A round tumor, which existed in the 

 substance of the cord, outside the umbilicus, had produced effects 

 on the vessels calculated to throw light on the course of the circula- 

 tion — the vein was varicose from the tumour as far back as the 

 placenta, and the arteries were dilated on the side next the body of 

 the foetus. 



There is much difference of opinion respecting the course of the 

 blood in abnormal foetuses of this nature, and such distinguished 

 individuals as Sir Astley Cooper, Sir B. Brodie, Ticdemann, xMonro, 

 Blandin, Breschet, &c., have been engaged in the controversy. Sir 

 A. Cooper has lately made a discovery, that there is a free anas- 

 tomosis in the placenta, between thevesels of the cords, from which 



