Local Intelligence 463 



In Ihe instance which gave rise te-his investigation, the master of a family 

 purchased a ham-pie at a pastry-cook's in Paris; and the whole family ate 

 the meat of the pie the same day, and the crust on the following day. 

 Three hours after dinner the master of the house was seized with general 

 uneasiness, followed by cold sweats> shivering, violent pain in the stomach, 

 and frequent vomiting, then with burning thirst, extreme tenderness of the 

 belly, so that the weight of the bed-clothes could scarcely be borne, profuse 

 purging-, and cholic of extreme violence. His daughter, twenty-seven years 

 'if age, and a child nine years old, were similarly attacked. A physician, 

 who was called to their assistance soon after they were taken ill, drew a 

 minute report of the symptoms in each of his patients, and declared that 

 they had a violent inflamation of the stomach, which he was inclined to 

 ascribe to natural verdigris, or the carbonate of copper having been com- 

 municated by the pastry-cook's moulds. In a few days all three indivi- 

 duals recovered under an antiphlogistic treatment. About the same period 

 several accidents of the like nature occurred among the Customers of this 

 pastry-cook; and in consequence a judicial investigation was ordered. The 

 shop "being properly inspected, it was found that every operation was con- 

 ducted with due attention to cleanliuess. MM. Olivier and Barruel were 

 appointed to analize the remains of the meat which poduced the cases first 

 mentioned, as well as the alvine discharges of the child. The alvine dis- 

 charges had a leek-green colour, and were not foetid, neither was any 

 change of colour produced by the same reagent after the fluid was filtered . 

 The remains of the pie had become mouldy. The meat and paste were se- 

 parately examined. The contact of sulphurettet'-hydrogen did not pro- 

 duce any change of colour in either. When they were incinerated in a cru- 

 cible, and the residue treated with diluted nitric acid, the filtered liquid on 

 being neutralized with ammonia, did not give any precipitate with ferrocy- 

 anate of potass, or with sulphurretted-hydrogen, and did not become blue 

 with ammonia. Another portion of the remains of the pic was treated with 

 alcohol and a few drops of acetic acid, and the alcoholic solutions were 

 : vaporated to the volume of half-a-drachm. The residue was agitated with 

 ■'"our times its volume of distilled water, filtered and evaporated, and dis- 

 solved again in water. This solution was not affected by sulphuretted- 

 hydrogen or by nitric acid. These experiments furnish ample proof that 

 the pie did not contain a trace of r.rsenic, copper, antimony, or lead. The 

 only conclusion, therefore, which M. Olivier conceived it possible to draw, 

 was, that the ham had in some way or another acquired the poisonous pro- 

 perties sometimes remarked in German sausages, cheese, and nam. 



SOUTH AFRICAN INSTITUTION. 



At the Monthly Meeting of the South African Institution ('24th Aug.) 

 Messrs. Nisbet and Borcherds, and Dr. Bailey, of Cape Town, were elected 

 < )rdinary Members, and Lieut. Biddulpb, R.N., Bathurst, was elected a 

 Corresponding Member of the Institution. 



There were read:— 1. A contiuation of" Remarks on the Geology of South 



Africa," by the Rev. Dr. Thorn, of Tulbagh. 2. A continuation of the 



" History of the Cape Colony," by the Rev. M. Borcherds, of Stellenbosch, 

 describing the second year of Van Riebeck's government. Printed in Nos. Ill . 

 and IV. of the S A. Journal. 



There were laid on the table:— A Register of the Weather at AlgoaBay, 

 during; the year 1826, and six months of 1823, transmitted by Capt. Evatt, 

 Commandant of Algoa Bay : and also a Chart of the Harbour at Port Natal, 

 forwarded by Mr. Frances, Port Captain, Algoa Bay. 



On Wednesday, the 1st Sept. (he Ordinary Monthly Meeting of the South 

 African Institution was hold in the Rooms,-F Watenneycr,Esq. in 

 the Chair There was admitted a Member, Mr. J. Gie, Ms. of Cape Town. 



There was read.— 1. A continuation of "Remarks on the Culture of 

 Bxotic Vegetables," by Mr. Bowie.— 2. Extracts from the Journal of Mr 

 Andrew Bain, kept during a visit to some of the interior tribes. Botli 

 printed in this Number of the Journal. 



