288 Facts relative to the Diseases, £sV. 



birth, in almost all the classes of animals, is connected 

 with more or less of pain and difficulty. We even ob- 

 serve something of this kind in the vast class of Vege- 

 tables : a fact which deserves to be kept in view in an 

 investigation of the many Analogies which subsist be- 

 tween animals and vegetables. 



As having some relation to the question which I 

 have been examining, I may observe, that extra uterine 

 conceptions, and monstrous births, occur in some of the 

 classes of animals, but especially in that of the mammalia. 



With these observations, I shall close my remarks 

 on one of the most curious sections in Mr. Blumen- 

 bach's work. I must confess, however, that, in my 

 opinion, the Professor has treated the subject with less 

 ability than many other questions in his work. 



X. Experiments and Observations on Cutaneous Ab- 

 sorption. By Reuben D. Mussey, M. D., of 

 Massachusetts. Communicated by him to the Edi- 

 tor. 



THE analogy of structure between man and 

 other animals, and the great number of absorbent ves- 

 sels found running along the cellular substance under 

 the skin, seem strongly to favour the doctrine of Cuta- 

 neous Absorption. For what purpose, it is natural 

 isk, Were absorbents thrown in such profusion under 

 the cutis vera, if some of their extremities do not open 

 externally, and occasionally take in substances applied 



