50 Institute of France. 



for observing the origin and progress of the growth of bones, 

 began with a child or foetus onlv seven weeks crld, and continued 

 his observations at different times for several years. . He in- 

 spected the process by means of a powerful microscope, from 

 which he observed that the arteries seci'ete a mucilage which 

 forms cartilage: that the cartilage shortly becomes tubular, with 

 numerous spiculae aroinid it containing phosphate of lime ; that 

 in the course of time bony matter is coni]>letely deposited ; and 

 that, finally, the lamina; appear. Mr. H. described with great 

 minuteness the various forms which the matter assmned during 

 the entire process of ossification, and also the structure of the 

 most perfect Ijones, their nerves, blood-vessels, membranes, pe- 

 riosteum, ^'c. Cheivii>ts have long known that if a piece of 

 bone be digested in dihite nuiriatic or nitric acid, the gelatine 

 and earthy matter are dissolved, and there remains only a firm 

 cartilaginous substance retaining the figure of the bone : hence 

 it was known that cartilnge is a couNtituent of bone. Mr. H. 

 has now proved that it is the nidus or rudiments of bone. 



A paper was read on the Triple Salts called Prussiates. The 

 author derived his facts chiefly from Proust's experiments, and 

 after showing that these salts contain no prussic acid, proposed 

 to designate them by a more correct appellation, according as 

 they were the result, \\\i\\ a particular base, of the peculiar 

 compound w^hich he denominated cnrhyoxic acid, taking the 

 first syllable of the names of its elementary principles, carbon, 

 livdrogen, and oxygen, to which lie added the termination ic. 



The Society then adjourned till Thursday the 10th of No- 

 vember next. 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE FRENCH INSTITUTE FOR THE YEAR 1813. 

 BY M. CUVIER. 



[Continued from vol. xliii. p. 4C1.] 



After detailing the discovery of iode by M. Courtois, and 

 the subsequent experiments of Messrs. Clement and Desormes 

 and Sir Humphry Davy, with which the readers of the Philoso- 

 phical Magazine are already acquainted, the report proceeds: 



Another mani;facturer like M. Courtois, enlightened by che- 

 mical science, has made an observation which may become im- 

 portant to tlie arts. M. Tassaert having for some time con- 

 structed the floors of his soda furnaces with stone, he observed 

 on taking them down a blue substance which is not to be found 

 when bricks are used, and in which M. Vauquelin found almost 

 all the principles and all the properties of ultramarine: it is to 

 be hoped therefo.e that, by following up this indication, we may 

 some day or other succeed in imitating nature in the formation 



of 



