NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 13 



provecta firmo, tuberculoso, saturate olivaceo viride ; cellulis globosis vel ellip- 

 ticis, in thalli astate inimaturo pleruraque singulis aut geminis et saepe sparsis, 

 in thallo maturo s^pe in familias counexis, plenimque confertis ; thalli maturi 

 tegumentis plerumque distinctis, thalli immaturi plerumque diffluentibus. 



Diam. cell. glob. max. 3-500 



Cell, oblong, long. max. -^^q^ 



Dr. Samuel Lewis was chosen a member of the Department. 



Dec. 7th, 1868. 

 Vice Director, J. G. Hunt, M. D., in the Chair. 



Twenty-five members present. 



Dr. F. W. Lewis presented to the Department a microscope, with 

 box, bull's eye condensed, two eye pieces and three objectives, in- 

 cluding 1 in., ^, and y'^, for which the thanks of the Department 

 were formally rendered. 



S. Weir Mitchell made the following remarks upon the general 

 resemblance in the effects caused by the venom of the various genera 

 of poisonous serpents. 



Several years ago, I reached the conclusion that the bite of the European 

 viper and that of our own rattlesnake, produced identical symptoms. Since 

 then I have been able, from experiments, to extend this conclusion to the 

 copperhead. A very close study of Russel's experiments upon the East Indian 

 snakes, particularly the cobra, and a like analysis of the results obtained 

 bj- Guyou in Africa, and Rufz in Martinique, make it probable that all the serpents 

 studied by these observers occasion symptoms which are so much alike as to 

 make it impossible from these alone to state which snake inflicted the wound. 

 The difference is one of degree and never one of kind. 



Several months ago I received from Dr. Halford, of Victoria, Australia, a 

 paper on venom poisoning. In replying, I enclosed a dried specimen of rattle- 

 snake poison, with which he made comparative experiments. These appear 

 to confirm the resemblance between the cobra and our own serpents At 

 the same time Dr. H. states that the tiger-snake differs from the cobra 

 in that its venom occasions but trifling or no local symptoms. He also 

 adds that after death from this serpent's bite, the body does not putrifj- quickly, 

 but is rather preserved thereby from decomposition. This seems to me so re- 

 markable — so exceptional indeed — as to make it very desirable to have it set 

 beyond doubt by further experiments. Apart from this single case, the 

 identity of all known snake poisons seems to be well established. 



Dr. J. G. Hunt exhibited an entire pitcher of the Nepenthes Dis- 

 tillatoria, prepared to show the situation of the previously unde- 

 scribed glands, to which he some months ago called the attention of 

 the Department. 



Dr. L. S. Bolles exhibited a new clinical microscope, constructed 

 by Mr. Tolles, of the Boston Optical Works, on a plan proposed by 

 Dr. Cutter of Mass. The microscope possessed a one-fifth objective, 

 and resembled somewhat the tubular part of Dr. Beale's clinical 

 microscope. It was, however, provided with a severe movement for 

 the adjustment, which secured a smooth and sufticieiitly rapid ap- 

 jiroximation of the object glass towards the object, without the dis- 

 advantages so evident in the sliding movement of a tube within a 

 tube. It was unprovided, however, with any special means of illu- 



