228 Figure of the Earth — Mineralogy. — Lithotomy, — IVarts. 



resin, but in small quantity, and coloured. — A. Extractive prin- 

 ciple similar to that found in leguminous plants. — 6. Saline sub- 

 stances. 



FIGURE OF THE EARTH — MINERALOGY. 



Dr. MacCulloch is now in the island of Balta, engaged in veri- 

 fying the experiments of Col. Mudge, M. Biot, Dr. Gregory, 

 and Captain Kater, on the figure of the earth, and in correcting 

 the errors arising from local attraction. We are also informed, 

 that he is occupied, under the direction of the Right Hon. Board 

 of Ordnance, in adding to the mineralogical map of Scotland, 

 which is now nearly completed, a survey of these islands, and 

 that the whole will shortly be published under their auspices. 



LITHOTOMY. 



Two very considerable improvements have been lately made 

 in the severe operation of cutting for the stone. — The high ope- 

 ration, as it is called, in such repute in France, will probably be 

 revived, in consequence of Mr. Carpue's meritorious exertions 

 to introduce it into this country, after making himself master of 

 the evidence for the practice by several visits purposely to Paris, 

 as set forth in his publication, as well as by actual practice. 

 Further, Sir Everard Home, with great candour, has performed 

 the operation several times at St. George's Hospital, with suc- 

 cess, and has made an improvement, which will probably be de- 

 cisive in favour of the high operation as recorded in the next 

 coming volume of the Philosophical Transactions. On the other 

 hand, Mr. Earl has made considerable improvements in the in- 

 strument for breaking the stone in the lateral operation, in those 

 cases in which it is too large for any opening for extraction to 

 be made with safety. By these improvements, the surgical 

 world must feel highly gratified, and they will now have the 

 option of determining by experience the advantages and disad- 

 vantages of the two modes in question. 



SPONTANEOUS SEPARATION OF WARTS. 



In the New (French) Journal of Medicine, Dr. Cheneau re- 

 lates the following singular case : 



" Numerous warty excrescences had long occupied the hands 

 of a hysterical, higniy susceptible lady aged forty-four. On the 

 night following the decease of her husband, an event by which 

 she was deeply affected, they all separated, leaving the spots which 

 they had occupied wrinkled, but without induration." 



This fact reminds me of a case that came to my own know- 

 ledge many years ago in Scotland. Some silver spoons having 

 been mislaid, were supposed to have been stolen, and some ex- 

 pression 



