412 NOTICES OF THE MEETINGS (March 17, 
credit for, is the having introduced them into his closed cases, and 
depended for success entirely upon the counterbalancing actions of 
animal and vegetable life. The individual to whom is due the merit 
of having introduced marine vivaria into London is Mrs. Thynne. 
Having procured some living madrepores when at Torquay in the 
autumn of 1846, she placed them in some sea-water in a bottle 
covered with a bladder, and brought them safely to town. They 
were then transferred to two glass bowls, the sea-water being kept 
aerated by being daily poured backwards and forwards, and being, 
moreover, periodically renewed by a fresh supply from the coast. 
In the spring of 1847, Mrs. Thynne sent for some pieces of rock, 
shells, &c. to which living sea-weeds were attached, and subsequently 
depended upon the action of these for the purification of the water. 
For the removal of the conferve which cover fresh-water aquatic 
plants, fresh-water snails are very serviceable. They are recom- 
mended to be introduced into vivaria for this purpose, in the number 
of the Microscopical Journal for Sept. 2, 1841, and, prior to that 
time, were used by Mr. Cornelius Varley. 
By considerably increasing the volume of air, and introducing 
plants of high purifying action, there can be little doubt that these 
cases may be applied to the higher animals and even to man. 
Medical men have long felt the want of buildings, in which they 
might imitate the climate of any country, and adapt it to the neces- 
sities of the patient. In the early part of the present century, one 
or two physicians paid particular attention to the maintenance of 
equable temperature in the rooms of consumptive patients, through 
the aid of German stoves and what was then known of the prin- 
ciples of ventilation; and Dr. Arnott, in his Elements of Physics 
published more than twenty years back, describes a contrivance for 
the same purpose. From Mr. Ward, however, emanated the sug- 
gestion for the construction of a Sanatorium upon philosophical 
principles. His views were first brought before the public in the 
lecture delivered by Professor Faraday in April, 1838, and are clearly 
laid down in the first edition of his work, ‘‘ The Growth of Plants, 
&c.” published in 1842. Those who are acquainted with the means 
by which M. Payerne and his crew contrived to remain for twenty- 
four hours in a submarine vessel under the Seine, will feel, that, 
whatever may be the difficulties in the erection and renewal of air 
of such a building, they are not insurmountable. Sir J. Paxton’s 
design for a Sanatorium in connexion with the Hospital for Con- 
sumption at Victoria Park, would seem to realize the sort of edifice 
proposed by Mr. Ward. 
[S. H. W.] 
