AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SCIENCE 47 



(6, 385, 1823). The voyage of the first Atlantic steam- 

 boat, the "Savannah," which crossed from Savannah 

 to Liverpool in 1819, is described (38, 155, 1840) ; men- 

 tion is also made of the "first iron boat" (3, 371, 1821; 

 5, 396, 1822). A number of interesting letters on 

 "Steam Navigation" are given in vol. 35, 160, 162, 332, 

 333, 336; some of the suggestions seem very quaint, 

 viewed in the light of the experience of to-day. 



A very early form of explosive engine is described at 

 length by Samuel Morey (11, 104, 1826) ; this is an article 

 that deserves mention in these days of gasolene motors. 

 Even more interesting is the description by Charles Gris- 

 wold (2, 94, 1820) of the first submarine invented by 

 David Bushnell and used in the Revolutionary War in 

 August, 1776. An account is also given of a dirigible 

 balloon that may be fairly regarded as the original ances- 

 tor of the Zeppelin (see 11, 346, 1826). The whole sub- 

 ject of aerial navigation is treated at length by H. Strait 

 (25, pp. 25, 26, 1834) and the expression of his hopes for 

 the future deserve quotation : 



"Conveyance by air can be easily rendered as safe as by 

 water or land, and more cheap and speedy, while the universal 

 and uniform diffusion of the air over every portion of the 

 earth, will render aerial navigation preferable to any other. To 

 carry it into effect, there needs only an immediate appeal on a 

 sufficiently large scale, to experiment ; reason has done her part, 

 when experiment does hers, nature will not refuse to sanction the 

 whole. Aerial navigation will present the works of nature in 

 all their charms; to commerce and the diffusion of knowledge, 

 it will bring the most efficient aid, and it can thus be rendered 

 serviceable to the whole human family." 



A subject of quite another character is the first discus- 

 sion of the properties of chloroform (chloric ether) and 

 its use as an anaesthetic (Guthrie, 21, 64, 405, 1832; 

 22, 105, 1832; Levi Ives, 21, 406). Further interesting 

 communications are given of the first analyses of the gas- 

 tric juice and the part played by it in the process of 

 digestion. Dr. William Beaumont of St. Louis took 

 advantage of a patient who through a gun-shot wound 

 was left with a permanent opening into his stomach 

 through which the gastric juice could be drawn off. The 



