1863.] 611 



This view of the condition of intensely inflamed parts is exactly 

 that to which I was led some years ago hy a microscopic investiga- 

 tion, the results of which were detailed in a paper* that received the 

 honour of a place in the Philosophical Transactions. It was there 

 shown, as I think I may venture to say, that the tissues generally are 

 capable of being reduced under the action of irritants to a state quite 

 distinct from death, but in which they are nevertheless temporarily 

 deprived of all vital power, and that inflammatory congestion is due 

 to the blood-corpuscles acquiring adhesiveness such as they have 

 outside the body, in consequence of the irritated tissues acting to- 

 wards them like ordinary solids. 



I cannot avoid expressing my satisfaction that this inquiry into the 

 coagulation of the blood has furnished independent confirmation of 

 my previous conclusions regarding the nature of inflammation. 



June 18, 1863. 



Major-General SABINE, President, in the Chair. 



E. W. Cooke, Esq., James Fergusson, Esq., The Rev. R. Harley, 

 W. Pengelly, Esq., and H. E. Roscoe, Esq., were admitted into the 

 Society. 



Pursuant to notice given at the last Meeting, Professor Ernst 

 Edward Kummer, of Berlin, and Professor Johannes Japetus Smith 

 Steenstrup, of Copenhagen, were balloted for and elected Foreign 

 Members of the Society. 



The following communications were read : 



I. "On the Molecular Mobility of Gases." By THOMAS GRA- 

 HAM, F.R.S., Master of the Mint. Received May 7, 1863. 

 (Abstract) . 



The molecular mobility of gases is here considered in reference 

 chiefly to the passage'of gases, under pressure, through a thin porous 

 plate or septum, and to the partial separation of mixed gases which 

 can be effected, as will be shown, by such means. The investigation 



* " On the Early Stages of Inflammation," Phil. Trans, for 1858. 



