138 



never having been found in that organ, and shows that the veins are 

 supplied with valves, and perform the office of absorbents, carrying 

 their contents into the superior longitudinal sinus, which appears 

 rather to be a reservoir than a vein, for the fluid that passes through 

 it is not simply circulating blood, but contains the colouring matter 

 in a decomposed state, and is black as ink. 



There can be little doubt, says Sir Everard, that the communica- 

 tion of sensation and volition is more or less dependent upon the 

 viscid mucus which links the globules of the brain and nerves toge- 

 ther ; he then proceeds to show its existence in the blood, and that 

 it is the medium by which the colouring matter is attached to the 

 surface of the red globules. It would appear therefore, continues the 

 author, that the principal materials of which the body is composed 

 are found in the blood, with the exception of fat ; fat, however, is 

 found in the blood of the skate and salmon, and perhaps is united 

 with the alkali in human blood. 



Sir Everard next details the result of his examination of the veins 

 of the coats of the stomach, and of the vasa brevia, which are also 

 supplied with valves, and which act the part of absorbents. In tracing 

 these veins towards the cavity of the stomach, they became indistinct 

 just as they entered the villi. 



This paper concludes with some observations respecting the struc- 

 ture and uses of the spleen, from which Sir Everard concludes that it 

 is a reservoir to receive the superabundant serum carried into the 

 circulation from the stomach into the splenic vein ; and not only of 

 the serum, but of the coagulable lymph, globules, soluble mucus, 

 and colouring matter, which are carried to the thoracic duct when 

 wanted. 



On Two New Compounds of Chlorine and Carbon, and on a New Com- 

 pound of Iodine, Carbon, and Hydrogen. By Mr. Faraday, Chemical 

 Assistant in the Royal Institution. Communicated by W. T. Brande, 

 Esq. Sec. R.S. and Prof. Chem. R.I. Read December 21, 1820. 

 [Phil. Trans. 1821, p. 47.] 



After some general observations respecting the action of chlorine 

 upon compounds containing carbon, and more especially upon car- 

 buretted hydrogen gas, Mr. Faraday details the processes by which 

 he succeeded in obtaining two binary compounds of carbon and chlo- 

 rine ; the first, which he calls perchloride of carbon, was formed by 

 exposing the triple compound of carbon, hydrogen, and chlorine, 

 with excess of chlorine, to the agency of the direct solar rays ; mu- 

 riatic acid was formed, and a white crystalline compound at the same 

 time generated. The author next describes the method of purifying 

 this compound, and details its properties, which are briefly these : it 

 forms crystals, which appear to result from a primitive octahedron ; it 

 does not conduct electricity ; it is slowly volatile, like camphor, at 

 common temperatures, fusing at 320, and boiling at 360. It is not 

 easily combustible ; but when retained in the flame of the lamp, 



