394 Scientific Intelligence, Sfc. 



a ragout with oil. About the same time she could eat certain fruits, 

 and not others of the same kind, although it was impossible to distin- 

 guish them by the eye, and she could give no reason for her dislike. 

 At this time her sense of touch was so delicate, that she could tell, by 

 merely touching food, whether or not it would agree with her. If 

 she could not relish it, a kind of convulsion affected her hand and 

 arm, which made -her retract it with great rapidity. If she at- 

 tempted to overcome this repugnance, and convey the food to her 

 mouth, the gullet was constricted, and convulsions commenced by a 

 violent and rapid motion of the head. Presently other movements 

 succeeded, and then the whole body became affected, to as to make 

 her fall from her seat upon the ground. The attack gradually sub- 

 sided ; but if any one touched her during the paroxysm, the convul- 

 sions set in with greater vigour. A remarkable instance of her acute 

 sense of touch was exhibited in the case of a dish of prunes — of the 

 same species — some of which, without her seeing them, produced 

 convulsions, while others had no effect. One of the attendants ap- 

 plied the former to her mouth, when violent convulsions were in- 

 stantly produced. After being subject to this disease for some years, 

 she had two attacks of fever, and recovered. However, vanilla al- 

 ways produced a slight spasm, and a kind of fainting. Bark was 

 given to her during her illness. Her physician found that she dis- 

 liked some kinds of bark and not others, always detecting the differ- 

 ence by the hand. 



VI. — Botanical Society of Edinburgh, 



We rejoice to observe that a Botanical Society has been established 

 in Edinburgh. At a meeting which was held an the 17th of M arch, 

 the Society was constituted under the title of the " Botanical So- 

 ciety of Edinburgh," the meetings to be held on the second Thurs- 

 day of every month, from November to July inclusive. 



Professor Graham has been elected President, and Drs. Grevillc 

 and Balfour Vice-presidents of the Society for the present year. 



The advancement of Botanical Science is the object of the Society. 

 Its operations will for some time be confined principally to the hold- 

 ing of periodical meetings, to correspondence, to the formation of an 

 herbarium, and the interchange of specimens. The last is a new 

 feature in the constitution of such a society, and will be conducted by 

 a committee, in accordance with certain rules embodied in the laws. 

 The desiderata of botanists in all parts of the kingdom will be sup- 

 plied, as far as possible, from the Society's duplicates ; and individuals 

 will secure the important advantage of exchanging the botanical pro- 

 ductions of their respective districts for those of others more remotely 

 situated. The benefits resulting to science, as well as individuals, by 

 this arrangement, will, it is hoped, be considerable ; especially in 

 regard to the geographical distribution of plants in the British 

 islands, and in the formation of local floras. The society, besides, 

 contemplates an extension of this plan by promoting an exchange of 

 specimens with botanists in other parts of the world. 



