Dubois.] 26 [April. 



Professor Coppee introduced the subject of Flax and the 

 manufacture of Linen in the United States, the history of 

 which Avas then given by Mr. Kimber, of Philadelphia, with 

 the causes leading to its abandonment in 1857, and the dif- 

 jBculties, probability, and utility of its revival. Other mem- 

 bers present then spoke of the substitution of Flax for Cot- 

 ton, and of the growth of Cotton in the Northern States, in 

 China, and elsewhere. Dr. Rogers hoped to see the fibre of 

 the Flax become a substitute for Cotton, and based the hope 

 upon their similarity under a microscope, and the fact that 

 no perfect solvent for the cement between the fibres had been 

 yet discovered. Dr. Coates referred to communications on 

 the subject in the Proceedings of the Rhode Island Society, 

 and to manuscripts in the possession of an absent member, 

 Mr. Powel. 



Mr. Peale submitted for inspection a large collection of the 

 Stone implements of the Ancient Britons, which he had lately 

 received from England; they were obtained from barroAvs in 

 the North Riding of Yorkshire. 



Mr. Dubois made the folloAving communication respecting 

 the average health of Philadelphia, in comparison Avith other 

 cities. 



The last edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, in the article 

 Mortality, contains a tabular statement, which, however accurate 

 in other respects, is far from being correct in regard to Philadelphia. 

 It professes to show (but without citing authorities), the ratio of 

 deaths in every thousand of the population, per annum, in various 

 cities of the world, arranging them in the order of healthfulness. 

 Philadelphia stands pretty far down in the catalogue, and, as will 

 surprise every one, quite below London and New York. Its annual 

 mortality is stated to be 26.8 per thousand. 



In point of fact, the mortality for the years 1859, 1860, and 1861, 

 being averaged, shows an annual proportion of 21 to 1000, if the 

 still-born are included; if not, about 20 to 1000. This result places 

 Philadelphia near the top of the list, and agrees with the general im- 

 pression on this side of the ocean. It may be remarked that the 

 year just elapsed, although not visited by any great epidemics, was 

 unusually fatal in Philadelphia. 



It may be interesting to add, in this connection, that the average 



