236 Scientific Intelligence. [Skpt. 



Mr. Thomas Shute will commence his Winter Course of 

 Lectures on Anatomy, Physiology, and the Principles of, and 

 Operations in, Surgery, at the Anatomical Theatre, Bristol, on 

 the morning of Friday, October 1st, at eight o'clock. 



Trinity College, Dublin. — Lectures upon Anatomy, Physio- 

 logy, and Surgery; by James Macartney, M.D. F.R.S. 

 M. R.I. A. Professor of Anatomy and Surgery in the Univer- 

 sity, and late Lecturer upon Comparative Anatomy and Phy- 

 siology at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London. 



These Lectures will be divided into three courses : — 1st. A 

 preliminary Lecture of General Physiology, which will be open 

 to the public. 2d. A strict course of Anatomy and Physiology, 

 as applicable to Medical Science. 3d. A Course of Surgical 

 Anatomy and Operative Surgery. 



The Lectures will commence on the first Monday in No- 

 vember, and terminate at the end of the following April. 



Demonstrations will be given daily in the Dissecting Room by 

 Mr. Cross, Memberof the Royal CollegeofSurgeonsin London. 



It is intended to establish regular examinations in the Anato- 

 mical Class, and to grant Certificates and Premiums according 

 to merit. 



II. Vinegar from Wood. 



It is well known that when wood is distilled, an acid liquor is 

 obtained, having a strong empyreumatic taste and smell. To 

 this liquor the French chemists gave the name of pyrolignous 

 acid ; and Fourcroy and Vauquelin, having examined it about 

 twelve years ago, determined that it was not a peculiar acid, but 

 merely vinegar impregnated with an empyreumatic oil. This 

 discovery was not so new as the French chemists conceived. 

 Glauber, in his AUraculum Mundi, describes a method of 

 making charcoal and preserving this acid liquid, quite similar 

 to that nowpractised by several of our gunpowder manufacturers, 

 who were probably obliged to that old chemical writer for the 

 first hint of that improvement. Glauber expressly calls the 

 liquor obtained by distilling wood vinegar. (See Glauber's 

 Works, p. 188, English Translation.) This opinion prevailed 

 universally among chemists till it was rejected by the French 

 chemists, without any reason. The experiments of Fourcroy 

 r.nd Vauquelin, instead of being a new discovery, merely cor- 

 rected the mistake of their countryman, and restored the old 

 and true opinion respecting the acid from wood, which had for- 

 merly been universally prevalent. 



III. Matrix of the Diamond. 

 Diamonds have hitherto been found only in India and Brazil. 

 They usually occur in an alluvial soil, from which they are sepa- 

 rated by washing and picking. Hence mineralogists have been 



