IC4 Learned Societies. 



increafe and diminution, as the caufc of a great number of 

 difeafes? And he mentioned chlorofis as one of thofe moft 

 likely to conducl to a fatisfaclory remit. 



He mentioned the new fyftcm (quoting Dr. Ro'lo), which 

 holds that the greater or lefs quantity of oxygen in the blood 

 is the caufe of various difeafes. Without denying this prin- 

 ciple, he combated the application made of it by Dr. Rollo 

 to certain difeafes, particularly chlorofis, which lie imputes 

 to a privation of oxygen ; to re-ftore which, he recommends 

 metallic oxyds as being proper to furnim oxygen. C. Man- 

 del afferts that this difeafe is deflroyed by medicines capable 

 of carrying off oxygen, inftead of introducing it into the 

 fyft m : that it is cured by iron which has undergone no other 

 preparation than a great di virion of its parts ; from which 

 be concludes, that not difoxygenation, but rather dtferrugi- 

 nalion, ought to be affigncd as the determining caufe. 



The author next pointed out the different medical cafes in 

 which iron, or preparations of it, ought to be adminiftered; 

 and then examined the queftion whether the magnet ought 

 to be admitted among the means of medical cure, or entirely 

 rejected. He gave an account of the different fyftems of 

 the partifans and antagonifts of this mineral : he combated 

 from experience the opinion of the latter, and fhewed that 

 there was nothing lefs doubtful than that the iron contained 

 in the blood, though in a ftate of oxyd, cannot be attracted 

 by the loadfione. In the laft place, he concluded, without 

 admitting all the wonders afcribed to it, that this mineral 

 Ought to be retained among the curative means. 



C. Salmon, profeffor of the materia medica, communi- 

 cated two observations which tended to fupport the laft af- 

 fertion. 



C. Willemrt, profeffor of botany, read fome fragments in 

 regard to the natural and literary hiftory of feveral kinds of 

 laurel — a plant held in great veneration by the ancients. 

 This valuable tree was employed in all their religious cere- 

 monies, 



