294 



" He observed that, granting an action of inhaling by the lungs 

 or the auricle of the heart, it would not explain the fact of air en- 

 tering by the veins, since these vessels, having tbeir sides delicate 

 and pliant, would be sucked together and collapse. 



" He further remarked, on the deadly effect of the air thus enter- 

 ing the circulating system, that it did not satisfy the inquirer to 

 say that death was produced by impeding the circulation in the 

 heart, or the oxygenation of the blood in the lungs ; that we must 

 keep steadily before us the fact that death took place suddenly, 

 without a struggle or a groan, or one expression of anguish in 

 voice or feature,. — a transition suddenly, and without interval 

 from life to death. 



" Contemplating the phenomenon thus, there was but one organ 

 or point which, being disordered, could at once terminate sense 

 and motion, and voice and expression, viz. the medulla oblongata ; 

 and he therefore concluded that the air entering the vertebral ar- 

 teries deprived this vital part of arterial blood ; cutting off the 

 source of all living power and causing death." 



Monday, IQth March. 



Right Hon. Lord GREENOCK, V. P. in the Chair. 



The following Candidates were elected Fellows of the So- 

 ciety : — 



John Shedden Patrick, Esq. 

 John Learmonth, Esq. 



The following Communications were read : — 



1. On Sulphuret of Cadmium, a New Mineral (first observed 

 by Lord Greenock). By Arthur Connell, Esq. 



" This mineral occurs in small crystals embedded in prehnite, at 

 Bishoptown, in Renfrewshire. It had been long supposed to be 

 a variety of zinc-blende; but was first distinguished from that mi- 

 neral by Lord Greenock. Two small crystals of it, sent to the 

 author for chemical examination by Professor Jameson, appeared 

 to be six-sided pyramids, and had a wine-yellow colour, conchoi- 

 dal fracture, splendent and vitreous lustre, hardness about that of 

 calcareous spar, orange-red streak, and considerable transparency. 



" When heated, it decrepitates, and acquires a fine carmine-red 

 colour, and recovers its yellow colour on cooling. It does not 

 fuse nor volatilize at a red heat. 



" In powder it is readily soluble in heated muriatic acid, with 



