232 Scientific Notices — Miscellaneous. [Sept. 



were observed several specimens of a broad foliated mineral 

 from Riddarhyttan, having a silver- white colour, and the me- 

 tallic lustre. Berzelius instantly recognized it as being iden- 

 tical in its external characters with the mineral first described 

 by Von Born, under the name of molybdenous silver, which 

 Klaproth considered as a sub-sulphuret of bismuth, but which 

 he himself ascertained a few years ago to be an alloy of bis- 

 muth and tellurium, mixed with some selenium. (The Use of 

 the Blowpipe, Eng. Tr. p. 152.) The mineral from Riddarhyt- 

 tan proved by a blowpipe examination to contain rather more 

 sulphur than Von Born's, but the other constituents appeared 

 to be exactly the same, and in exactly the same proportions in 

 both. It is remarkable as being the first instance in which this 

 rare metal has been found in Sweden. — (Kongl. Vet. Acad. 

 Handl. 1823, st. I.) 



Miscellaneous. 



6. Hydrophobia cured by Acetate of Lead. 



Dr. Fayerman, of Norwich, had a patient under his care, 

 labouring under the most dreadful symptoms of confirmed hy- 

 drophobia, in consequence of the bite of a mad dog upwards of 

 three months before he was taken ill. Having tried the usual 

 methods without success, Dr. Fayerman, to use his own ex- 

 pression, " took time to consider what was best to be done ; my 

 personal observations confirmed me in the previous idea which 

 I had entertained, that hydrophobia is a disease specifically of the 

 nervous system. 1 felt more strong in the belief, from the know- 

 ledge that local irritation from wounds in irritable habits, espe- 

 cially when conjoined with a perturbed state of the passions, and 

 also violent affections of the mind, independently of corporal, in- 

 jury in hysterical and hypochondriacal constitutions, have at times 

 produced all the pathognomic symptoms of canine madness.'' 

 " Having witnessed the powerful effects of lead on the nervous 

 system, I determined at once to give this mineral a trial in the 

 terrific disease before me." " At nine o'clock," (the patient 

 being in a state of comparative quiet, from exhaustion) " I 

 gave him 35 drops of the liquor plumbi superacetalis, vulgo 

 Goulard's extract of lead, on a lump of sugar ; the pulse at this 

 period was tremulous and irregular, and at 105 ; the power of 

 deglutition at this period was greatly impeded by the frequent 

 spasms affecting the glottis, and it was at least 15 minutes 

 before the medicated sugar had passed into the stomach. At 

 10 o'clock the dose was increased, and he took 40 drops of the 

 extract of lead, in the same manner as before, pulse 98. He 

 slept from half-past 10, to within a few minutes of 11. He 

 was awoke by severe pain about the scrobiculus cordis, great 

 thirst and heat about the fauces, but there was absence of 



