Natural History. 413 



the pomegranate-root In two pints of water, and evaporate to twelve 

 ounces ; two ounces are to be given every half hour ; the worm 

 (taenia) is often expelled in twelve hours after the first bottle of de- 

 coction. If this does nothappen on the first or second day, the same 

 means are continued for four or five days in succession, but must 

 be discontinued as soon as giddiness is felt by the patient, A dose 

 of castor oil is generally given after the fourth bottle of the infusion, 

 even though the worm should have been expelled. 



The powdered bark of the root may also be u^ed in doses of a 

 Scruple per day, for infants, and twice that quantity for adults, the 

 powder being given in small portions, at intervals of half anhour. — 

 Jour, de Phar. x. 502. 



16. Power of Vegetable Life. — A branch of the cotyledon coccinea 

 was presented by Professor Gazzari to the Accademia del Georfiles, 

 in Jan. 1824. Although it had been separated from the mother 

 branch more than sixteen months, during which time it had beea 

 wrapped up in paper and set aside by accident in a dark dry place, 

 yet it was in full vegetation, affording a strong illustration of the 

 vital power of some plants. — Revue. Encydop. xxiii. 757, 



17. Note on a singular Psycho-physiological Phenomenon, by 

 M. F. Chavannes, — The note of which the following is an abstract, 

 was sent to the Society of Natural Sciences of Switzerland, and is 

 inserted in the Bibliotheque Universelle, xxvii. 160. M. Chavannes, 

 whilst residing during last summer at Wuarrens, near Echallens, had 

 occasion to hear some account of a man, who, without any uncer- 

 tainty or mistake, could indicate the precise hour by day or night, 

 and even the minutes and seconds; and this, it was said, he did by 

 consulting his pulse. Induced by these reports to make close 

 inquiry as to their foundation, he visited the man and obtained 

 the following results. 



His name is Jean Daniel Chevalley, age 67 years. In his youth, 

 the ringing of bells and vibrations of pendulums constantly at- 

 tracted his attention; and he gradually contracted a habit of 

 counting isochronous vibrations, and displayed considerable ability 

 in calculations. When strong enough, he took pleasure in sounding 

 the bells at school and church ; and in his attention to town and 

 church clocks, observed that the beats were 20 or 23 per minute, 

 but more particularly 20, counting from the moment of departure 

 to that of return. After this, he endeavoured to force his attention 

 to the preservation as long as possible of an internal movement, 

 similar as to the extent of time and number of vibrations. " At 

 first," he says, " by adding 20 vibrations to other 20, or minute 

 minute, he could easily arrive at the conclusion of an hour, and 

 mark all the sub-divisions which he wished, and that without con- 

 ^fusion; but the thoughts and corporeal occupations suflered by 

 this attention. By degrees, I was able to count whilst thinking 



