peoceedings of societies. 281 



Brighton and Sussex Natural History Society.* 



February 8tli. — Ordinary Meeting. Mr. HoUis, President, in 

 the chair. 



A very pleasing diversion to the business of the evening took place 

 in the shape of the presentation to Mr. J. Colbatch Onions, one of the 

 Honorary Secretaries, of a handsome dining-room clock, with visible 

 escapement, striking the lioiu' and half-hoiu-, furnished with perpetual 

 calendar, and bearing the following inscription : — " Presented to 

 J. Colbatch Onions, Esq., by the Members of the Brighton and Sussex 

 Natural History Society, as a mark of their esteem and gratitude for 

 his services." 



Messrs. C. Carpenter, F. Smith, F. W. Salzmann, and J. Schweitzer, 

 were elected ordinary members. 



Mr. Wonfor announced the receipt, for the library, of the ' Proceed- 

 ings of the Linnean Society,' 1871-72, and No. 54 of the Linnean 

 Society's Joui-nal, from Dr. Addison ; ' Observations on the Climate of 

 Brighton,' by Mr. F. E. Sawyer, from the Author, and the ' Fauna of 

 Devon ; ' Crustacea, Podothalmata,' the ' Parasitism of Orohanche major,' 

 'Experiments on Spontaneous Generation ;' and the ' Boring of MoUusks, 

 Annelids, and Sponges into Eocks, Wood, and Shells,' by ]VIi\ E. 

 Parfitt, from the Author. 



Votes of thanks were given to the donors ; to the Dispensary 

 Committee, for the use of the Board-room for the soiree ; and to Messrs. 

 E. Glaisyer, Penley, G. Scott, C. P. Smith, Saunders, Walsh, and 

 Wonfor, for their valuable services in arranging and caiTying out the 

 soiree. 



Dr. Addison, F.E.S., then read a paper " On the Natural History 

 of Ciu'es and Healing." 



The inquiry, " What is healing ?" involved u^ in others. What 

 is growth ? especially as respects the first formation of blood-vessels 

 in the embryo. What is inflammation ? If dust entered the eye, 

 inflammation arose ; if a thorn pierced the finger, and, breaking, left a 

 piece behind, there would be inflammation and suppuration ; if a dead 

 part had to be thrown ofl', the phenomena were inflammation, suj)pura- 

 tion, and granulation. Granulations were characteristic of healing. 

 They consisted of myriads of newly-formed blood-vessels, and the 

 coats of the stomach were composed of globules or cells, not distinguish- 

 able from the colourless cells of blood. It was in a vast assemblage 

 of such globules or cells, that new vascular tissue, new blood-vessels, 

 were formed. Exactly the same materials and phenomena as might be 

 seen at the earliest period of growth. 



Some years ago an American gentleman exhibited a Hydro- 

 incubator, in London, and allowed him. Dr. Addison, to purchase eggs 

 at every period of incubation, and to examine them. On one occasion 

 an egg was opened after seventy hours, when the parts were seen 

 covered by innumerable embryonic vessels, which had nothing but 

 globules in their structure. Witliout any other distm-bance, a watch- 

 glass was placed over the broken part of the shell, and the egg 



* Report by Blr. T. W. Woufor. 



