Society of Jnt'iquaries. 183 



watic and fluoric acids, all of which .tended to prove that 

 oxygen is one of their constituent principles. The earths 

 ©f barytes and strontites, as beiiig most analogous to the al- 

 kalis, were likewise examined, and both yielded considerable 

 quantities of oxygen. Mr. D. concluded by remarking the 

 impropriety of limiting the term oxygen to a specific cha- 

 racter, as opposed to that of alkali, observed the necessity of 

 improving the nomenclature in consequence of the new facts 

 now discovered, and the influence of this '^ metallary 

 base, as it might be called," on other bodies; and suggested 

 the importance and extent of the new field these facts 

 opened to geology, as likely to lead to numerous discoveries 

 relative to the formation of various stones, s<rata, and 

 mountains. 



A paper by E. Home, Esq. on the Fvinctions of the Spleen, 

 was also partly read. Mr. Home, having had some reason to 

 believe that the pylorus is not the only organ by which the 

 nutriment, taken into the stomach, is appropriated by the 

 system, but that the spleen also performs an important part in 

 the process of animalizing th-e food, took a dog, fixed a li- 

 gature on the pylorus, and injected five ounces of a 

 liquid, coloured with indigo, into the stomach : two 

 ounces of this fluid were ejected, and, two hours after, the 

 do"^ was killed ; when only one ounce was found in his sto- 

 mach, while two had been absorbed by the spleen, as the 

 pylorus wasfoundentirelyempty. ThclKiuid was decomposed, 

 and the indigo deposited on the cardiac portion of ihe sto- 

 mach. 



SOCIETV OF ANTiaUARIES, ' 



This Society assembled, as usual, on the 5th of Novem- 

 ber, which was occtpied with receiving presents, and pro- 

 posing or balloting for members. On the 12th, Sir H C. 

 Englefield, bart., vice-president, in the chair. Mr. Caitcr 

 exhibited some exquisite drawings of Waltham Abbev, in the 

 true Saxon style of architecture, built before the Conquest, 

 and supposed about tlie vear 10G2. Several Roman coins, 

 and copper basons, the latter most proba!)ly used ibr divina- 

 Uon, were also cxhiliilcd. Mr. ^\''cBton presented to the 

 M 4 society 



