84 REPORT — 1844. 



On the Shyens and Karens of India. By Mr. Kincaid. 



There are about eight millions of Shyens ; they all speak the same language, and 

 have the same written character. It is monosyllabic, and partakes largely of nasal 

 sounds. Their alphabet is an improvement on the Burman, as it adopts only the 

 useful consonants. They have twelve vowels which are rarely used ; certain points 

 or marks are attached to the consonants to make the vowel sounds. Their alphabet, 

 in form, hardly varies from the Burman. The Kakhyens, Thing-bau Kakhyens, Ka- 

 rens and Karen- nees, are only so many different names. They are scattered over a 

 vast extent of country and number about five millions. The account given by Marco 

 Polo agrees with that furnished to Mr. Kincaid by the Shyens. 



On Ethno-epo-graphy. By the Rev. T. Myers. 



The author's object was to furnish travellers among hitherto unknown tribes with 

 a correct method of expressing the sounds which they hear, and forming vocabularies 

 on the intelligible principle of using a distinct character for every sound. He used a 

 modification of the common Roman characters, and showed how his system applied 

 to the Arabic and Hindoo families of languages. He referred to the schemes of other 

 orthoepists. 



On the Mode of Constructing Ethnographical Maps. By Dr. Kombst. 



MEDICAL SCIENCE. 



On a Disease of the Tongue. By Dr. Heming. 



The author described the disease, the appearances of which, although varied in 

 degree, were uniform in character. In the early symptoms the tongue is oedematuus, 

 sulcated, and prone to become ulcerated on the borders of the sulci, or in parts which 

 may be irritated by the contact of a decayed or ragged tooth ; the surface then be- 

 comes morbidly smooth in longitudinal streaks, the papillae being apparently oblite- 

 rated ; the whole organ assumes the same character, becoming dry and hard in its 

 texture, the ulceration becomes more marked, is sometimes superficial, and in some 

 cases forming deep ragged ulcers ; in one case the ulcers had pierced entirely through 

 the organ. The author detailed five well-marked cases; they all occurred in fe- 

 males, and the general constitutional health was much impaired, the patients suffering 

 from sick head-aches, deranged digestion, oedematous ancles, &c.; in some cases the 

 disease was of many years' continuance. In the treatment, the author deems the 

 restoration of the general health of primary importance : after the ordinary aperients, 

 he gave soda and cicuta, and continued these remedies many weeks. The local ap- 

 plication found most useful was nitrate of silver; by perseverance in the treatment 

 every case got well. 



On the Bitter Principles of some Vegetables. By Prof. Peretti of Rome. 

 The greater part of those vegetables, he observed, which contain a bitter principle 

 not depending on an alkaloid, owe it to an alkaline resin ; they are decomposed by 

 large quantities of water, by acids, and by earthy salts. By the processes he adopted 

 (which he described in detail), the Professor obtained the bitter principle of worm- 

 wood, quassia, coffee, gentian, &c., and also the pure bitter of bile. The bitter 

 principle which attracted his chief attention was that of the Absinthium Romanum, 

 which he stated to have much power in allaying severe irritation of the stomach, and 

 he had successfully used it as a remedy in sea-sickness, half an ounce of the solution 

 being enough to prevent it, or stop it if it had commenced. The Professor detailed 

 several of the chemical properties of these resinates. The so-called resins he stated 

 to be bi-resinated alkalies; such are the resins of jalap, guaiacum, &c. The gum-resins 

 lie stated to be combinations of resinate and bi-resinate of potash with resinates of 

 lime and magnesia. The paper concluded by observations on some other points of 



