413 



from its commencement now almost to its close ; but this, in the 

 course of nature, can only be available for a few years to come. 



The Colonial establishments were instituted at the instance of the 

 Royal Society and British Association, with a more general concur- 

 rence and approval on the part of the cultivators of science in all 

 parts of the globe than, it is believed, were ever before manifested in 

 regard to any purely scientific undertaking ; and with such a cordial 

 and effective cooperation of the public authorities as is well deserving 

 of being held in remembrance. It is for those two great scientific 

 bodies to consider whether any, and what, steps should now be taken 

 to procure the continuance of the researches. 



March 12, 1857. 



Major-General SABINE, Treas. and V.P., in the Chair. 

 The following communications were read : 



I. "On the Immediate Principles of Human Excrements in 

 the Healthy State." By W. MARCET, M.D., F.C.S., As- 

 sistant Physician to the Westminster Hospital. Commu- 

 nicated by H. BENCE JONES, M.D., F.R.S. Received 

 February 23, 1857. 



(Abstract.) 



In a previous paper I had the honour of communicating to the 

 Royal Society the results of a first series of investigations on the 

 immediate principles of the faeces of man and animals ; since then I 

 have continued my researches on human excrements, being most 

 ably seconded by my assistant, Mr. Frederick Dupre, Ph.D. 



The new results obtained were the following : 



1 . Margarate of lime, phosphate of lime, and margarate of mag- 

 nesia were discovered to be immediate principles of human evacua- 

 tions. 



2. I found a new method for obtaining excretine, and its chemical 

 formula has been established. 



2i 2 



