896 Transactions of the American Institute. 



other kinds of earth material, and is, after all, only an illustration 

 of the well established law that the co-efficient of the friction of 

 repose is in all cases essentially greater than that of motion. 



SYRACUSE SALT WORKS. 



Mr. K. G. Overton gave a very interesting account of the various 

 salt works at Syracuse and in that vicinity, which he had lately 

 visited. The whole amount of salt produced since the year 1797 

 is 80,000,000 bushels. Six pounds of salt are obtained from 100 

 pounds of brine, which is pumped up from a depth of 300 to 350 

 feet. Last year about 7,000,000 pounds of salt were made, which 

 is about one-third of all used in the country. Before 1862, con- 

 siderable impurities were found in the salt, but since that time 

 chemists have introduced improvements for purifying it, and now 

 the salt is of the highest character. 



Dr. Vanderweyde remarked that as high as fifteen per cent is 

 sometimes obtained of pure salt. Sea water contains considerable 

 chloride of calcium, which absorbs moisture; this was also an 

 objection to Syracuse salt, but this with other impurities are now 

 abstracted, and pure chloride of sodium (common salt) is produced. 



Dr. John F. Bojmton corroborated the statement regarding the 

 purity of the Syracuse salt. It is now even better than the best 

 qualities of foreign salt. Adjourned. 



February 27, 1868 

 Professor S. D. Tillman in the chair. 



The following items of scientific news were presented by the 

 Chairman. 



THE NERVE OF NERVES. 



It was lately announced at the French Academy of Science, that 

 M. Sapey, had discovered the nei-vi nei'vorum, known to exist, but 

 which had not been before distinctly traced. On examining the 

 mucous membrane with the microscope, he found around each nerve 

 minute fibrous nerves, inclosing a canal in which the nervous pulp 

 was lodged. 



HOTTINA. 



This powder, invented by M. Hottin, of Paris, will make linen 

 fire-proof without impairing its whiteness, when mixed with equal 



