Preparations of Gold lately emphyed medicinally. 99 



loaCs way to he entirely lost, to get true soundings, which 

 enabled me to sound the river in less than half the time, 

 and with mme accuracy." But as this letter only relates to 

 the survey of a river, it will be proper to add the following 

 extract from a letter of Mr. Nath. Denham, master of the 

 Daphne, October 10, iSOi). "Having been on a survey 

 between the islands of Jersey and the rocks to the south- 

 ward called the Minquies, as also ranging round the island 

 of Jersey, and along the French coast, he. by order of 

 Rear-admiral D'Auvergne, &,c. T used your valuable ma- 

 chine for soundings while running on rhumb lines from 

 one head land to another on the opposite shore, such as 

 from La Corberre Jersey, to the Isle of Brahat; from La 

 Rociitport to Choseys ; from thence to Cape Frehel, 8cc. &c. 

 by which means I was able to make a direct course, and 

 get perpendicular soundings ivithout heaving to, so essential 

 to surveys, but saving also much time and trouble, &c." 



Thus has the prt)gress of the sounding machine been 

 followed through all its stages; a machine calculated to 

 preserve the lives and properties of thousands, to give ease 

 and comfort to tho.-.e heroes who devote themselves to the 

 defence of their country. May it prove a source of 

 emolument to the inventor ! for, if his labours are to 

 avert desolation from the families of Britons not only 

 in the present but in future ages, his own family can 

 never he negleclod by a liberal and grateful nation. 



The inventor has presented one of the machines to the 

 Royal Institution, w hich is preserved in their repository by 

 order of a General Meeting. 



XIX. On the Preparations of Gold lately employed me- 

 dicinally. By A. S. Duportal, M.D. &c. and Th, 

 Pklletier, Apothecary * . 



After having enjoyed some reputation as a medicine, 

 gold had ceased to be administered to the patient, and 

 taken an opposite direction. Lately, however, Dr. Chres- 

 tien, of Montpellier, a physician of great reputation and 

 successful practice, has revived its use. He has employed 

 it in siphyliiic and lymphatic afl'ections, and cliiefly in 

 Clark's mode. The preparations he uses are metallic gold 

 in a stale of minute division, oxide of gold piecipitaled by 

 potash, the oxide precijiitated by tin, and the triple muriate 



■ Ana. de C'lim. vol. Kzviii. p. 38. 



G2 of 



