Dr. G. Meissner un the Genus Menu is. 421 



obtaining these saline ingredients for the manufacture of the 

 artificial sea water, as many of them, not being usually kept for 

 sale, w ould have to be made for the purpose. There cannot be a 

 question that by far the simplest plan would consist in the eva- 

 poration of the sea water itself in large quantities at the source, 

 preserving the resulting salt in closely stopped vessels to prevent 

 the absorption of moisture, and vending it in this form to the 

 consumer ; the proportion of this dry saline matter being 

 56| oz. to the 10 gallons of w r ater, less the 3 pints. This plan 

 was suggested by Dr. E. Schweitzer himself for the extempora- 

 neous formation of sea water for medicinal baths, and, on in- 

 quiry since writing the above, I find that such a preparation is 

 manufactured by Messrs. Brew and Schweitzer of No. 71 East 

 Street, Brighton, under the title of " Marine Salts for the instan- 

 taneous production of sea water." Mr. H. Schweitzer writes me, 

 that he has for many years made this compound in accordance 

 with his cousin's analysis. The proportion ordered to be used 

 is 6 oz. to the gallon of water aud stirred well until dissolved. 



Apothecaries' Hall, Nov. 1, 1854. 



XLI. — On the Genus Mermis*. By Dr. G. Meissner. 

 Analysis by Dr. W. I. Burnett - ]-. 



A memoir of great value has recently appeared upon these sin- 

 gular parasites, which has the double importance of quite clear- 

 ing up the history of these animals in all their stages, and of 

 furnishing a contribution to the histology of the lower animals 

 of a most valuable character. This memoir has been prepared 

 by G. Meissner of Munich, under the directions of Siebold, who 

 furnished him with specimens and other opportunities for its 

 successful prosecution. Seldom have we met with a paper of 

 more careful and extended detail, and which leaves so little be- 

 hind for investigators in the same direction. Added to this 

 textual detail, every anatomical point is illustrated by admirably 

 executed figures. With our limited space we can at best notice 

 only a few of the more prominent points of this paper. 



In the first place it should be remarked that the natural 

 history of the Gordiacei was for a long time quite obscure and 

 little understood, and many detached observations not of a 

 parallel character did not improve the subject. To the sagacity 



* Beitrage zur Anatomic imd Physiologic von Mermis albicans. Von 

 Dr. Georg Meissner. In Siebohl mid Kolliker's Zeitschrift fur wissen- 

 schaftliche Zoologie, v. \$53, p. 207-285. 



t From Silliman's American Journal of Science and Arts for July 1851. 



