243 



Biographical Memoir of the late Francois Andre Michaux. By Elias 

 Durand. (Trans. Am. Phil. See. Vol XI.) Philadelphia, 1857. 

 4to. — From the Author. 



The Committee to which was referred a pnper by Dr. 

 Adamson, entitled " Notes on certain methods of measuring 

 minute intervals of time," made a report favourable to the 

 publication of the paper in the Transactions of the Society, 

 which was ordered, and the committee discharged. 



Dr. William Harris referred to the decease of Dr. E. K. 

 Kane, at Havana, on the 16th ultimo, in the 3Sth year of his 

 age; and spoke of his early devotion to scientific pursuits, his 

 assiduity as a student, his energy as an adventurer, and his ex- 

 cellence as a man and a Christian. 



On motion of Dr. Harris, the Rev. Dr. Board man was ap- 

 pointed to prepare an obituary notice of Dr. Kane. 



Dr. E. J3rown-Sequard exhibited crystals from blood taken 

 from the veins ot^ dogs after the extirpation of the supra-renal 

 ca])sules, and mentioned the results of several experiments 

 upon animals in relation to the extirpation of these glands, 

 upon the duration of life after the operation, and other phe- 

 nomena connected with the functions of those capsules. 



Dr. Dunglison ex])ressed his gratification at the statements 

 of Dr. Brown-Sequard. The functions of the supra-renal cap- 

 sules had recently received great attention, and it had been 

 found by Dr. Addison that their disorganization was accompa- 

 nied by a fatal wasting and bronzed appearance of the skin, a 

 diseased condition, to which the name "Addison's disease" — 

 Maladie d'' Addison — had been given. 



After further remarks upon the subject, Dr. D. expressed his 

 hope that the attention of Dr. Brown-Sequard might be turned 

 to other ductless glands — the thymus and the thyroid^ for ex- 

 ample — to determine whether they also do not possess more 

 intimate relations with the great vital functions than are at 

 present admitted. 



Mr. Peale solicited the attention of the members to a new 

 form oi valves which he submitted for their inspection. 



He remarked that he used the word new^ but in doing so desired 

 to explain that they were imitations, as near as the means permitted, 



