On MollusccB. 223 



I was not able to find the least trace of uric acul. 



Finding the substance to consist almost wholly of carbonate 

 of lime, I suggested the (Mobability there might be of dissolving 

 the calculus in the bladder by the action of (hlute muriatic acid. 

 Accordingly this was had recourse to ; and I am happy to add, 

 that bv the injection of two drachms of muriatic acid diluted 

 with eight ounces of water, heated to about 100°, every day, the 

 whole of it has been removed, and that in eleven days. The 

 acid during almost the whole period came away nearly neutral. 

 I think it not improbable that in time a solvent for urinary cal- 

 culi of every description may be discovered, and render cutting 

 for the stone, that most dreadful of all operations, perfectly urn- 

 necessary. 



I remain, sir. 



Yours, &:c. &c. 

 7t5, Drury-Lane, Sept. 14, 181(3, JoH>; ThoMAS CooFER. 



XL VI, Extract from a Memoir read to the Institnie on the 

 loth of May ISIG, on ike Possibility of viaking the Molluscfe 

 of Fresh IValer live in Suit iVater, and vice versa. By 

 F. S. Beudant*. 



Jl HE experiments which form the object of this memou- have 

 been undertaken chiefly with a view to account for some re- 

 markable geological circumstances, and particularly for the 

 mixture cf sea- and fresh-water shells in the same rock, which 

 M, Beudant discovered in 180S, at Beauchamp near Pierrelaye, 

 hi the department of tlie Seine and Oise, and more recently' iu 

 the valley of Vaucluse. 



Experiments on Fresh-water MoUiiscce. 



Towards th.e end of summer ISOS, M. Beudant first at- 

 tempted to convey suddenly fresh-water molluj^cce into water 

 charged with 0-04 parts of muriate of soda, as sea-water ge- 

 nerally is. These animals could not withstand the change; for 

 their shtlls contracted, and they died in a few seconds. The 

 bivalve moiluscae merely resisted the salt-water a little longer, in 

 consequence of shutting their shells : in a few days, however, they 

 died also. 



Being desirous of accounting for the almost total absence of 

 fossil shells in the beds of gypsum, M. Beudant tried the action 

 of water charged with sulphate of lime on the mollusc;* ; and 

 with thi"i view he plunged some lymnaei suddenly into this niix- 



• Anntilei (UChimkct P/ii/siijuc, tome ii, p, 33. 



turr. 



