86 REPORT — 1844. 



been visited by Dr. Home of Boston, the instructor of Laura Bridgeman, who found 

 in her intellectual and moral manifestations a strong confirmation of the susceptibility 

 of education possessed by those cases, which some doubted even after the instance of 

 Laura Bridgeman. 



Several particulars relative to the instruction of the blind were given by the Rev, 

 W. Taylor, and some details of the instruction of a blind and deaf mute, at Bourges, 

 by the Abbe Carton. _____ 



On the Functions of the Bile. By Dr. Kemp. 



The author, after alluding to the experiments of Berzelius, by which it was proved 

 that the bile was only in a slight degree excrementitious, concluded that it was not 

 absorbed with the chyle ivithout undergoing change from the nature of the fluid found 

 in the thoracic duct ; the object of the paper was to suggest a theoretical solution of 

 the question of the action of the bile (chemically) on the chyme, in order to produce 

 the chyle suitable for absorption. 



On the Scientific Cranioscopy of Prof. Carus. By Dr. Thurnam. 



On the Influence of the Endermic Application of the Salts of Morphia in 



painful permanent Swelling of the Joints, causing contractions. 



By A. T. Thomson, M.D., F.L.S., F.R.C.Phys. 



STATISTICS. 

 On the Mining Industry of France. By G. R. Porter, F.R.S. 



He observed that at the present time, when the most strenuous exertions were being 

 made for the advancement of the material interests of this country in all their leading 

 branches, and while those exertions were attended by the measure of success which 

 usually accompanies industry directed by intelligence, it must be interesting to know 

 whether other nations are engaged in the same pursuits, and in what degree success 

 may have crowned their efforts. Our mining industry, if not the greatest, was undoubt- 

 edly one of the greatest sources of our wealth. Other countries had attempted to rival 

 us so far as the means of such rivalry had been within their reach, and their govern- 

 ments have shown a disposition to foster and encourage pursuits fi'oni which they have 

 expected to draw results commensurate with those which have thus excited their emu- 

 lation. In no country had greater efforts to this end been made than in France. Whe- 

 ther the means by which success had been sought had been the most judicious on the 

 part of the legislature of that country was, however, questionable. The latest returns 

 having reference to mining operations in France relate to the year 1841, being five 

 years in advance of the returns brought forward at the meeting of this Section of the 

 British Association in Newcastle. The system of government inspection of mines was 

 begun in 1832, during which year, as well as in 1836 and 1841, the value of the 

 principal mineral productions were ascertained to be as follovvs : — In 1832, the value 

 in sterling money was £4,230,040 ; in 1836, it was £6,169,138; and in 1841 it reached 

 £7,134,243. The per-centage increase in 1836 over 1832 was 4584, or 11-46 per 

 annum; in 1841 over 1836, 15'64, or 3-12 per annum ; and for the whole nine years, 

 1841 over 1832, was 68-65, or 7'63 per annum. The number of coal fields which were 

 open in 1836 was 46 ; in 1841 they were increased to 62. These coal fields are situ- 

 ated in 41 of the French departments; two departments, which produced a small 

 quantity of coal in 1836, have ceased to do so ; but, on the other hand, thirteen depart- 

 ments which did not produce coal in 1836 yielded that mineral in 1841 to the amount 

 of 160,769 tons. The total quantity of coal raised in 1841 in France was 3,410,200 

 tons; in 1814 the produce of all the coal mines in France was only 665,610 tons. 

 This quatitity was aboufrdouhle in 1826, the produce of that year having been 1,301,045 

 tons. In the following ten years this increased quantity was nearly doubled, the 

 quantity raised in 1836 having been 2,544,835 tons. The increase during the last 

 five years, to which the statements reach, has, therefore, been 34 per cent.; but, if com- 



