1032 TliAySACTIOXS OF THE AMERICAN IXSTITITE. 



resided at an early day in Ohio and western Illinois, and he conceived 

 the theory many years ago by which he had been able to account for 

 the various phenomena of malaria better than by any other. The 

 theory is, that the ordinary diseases ascribed to malaria are not 

 produced by tlie country or the decomposition of vegetable sub- 

 stances, but that they generally arise from the failure of the animal 

 economy to depurate itself. The formation of new tissues requires 

 the decomposition of old tissues, and in the defection of that matter 

 the material is changed and converted into matter to be again 

 excreted, and if the system fails to carry off this effete matter, it is 

 returned to the system and is the cause of the poisoning. In new 

 countries the system does not seem to have full power to throw off 

 this matter. Animals have been inclosed in air-tight clothing, so as 

 to exclude excretion, and they have died sometimes within an hour, 

 lie recently conversed with a traveler who visited the Pontine 

 marshes near Rome, Italy, who told him that now they have stoves 

 in the stages by wliicli the air is warmed, and no ill effects of the 

 malarious air is experienced. 



On motion of Dr. Joseph "W. Richards a vote of thanks was 

 tendered to Professor Darby, for his able paper on malaria. 



Sewing Machine. 



Mr, George G. Needhani exhibited his improvement in the pedal- 

 motion of the sewing machine, which relieves the operator from the 

 trouble of using the hand to start the fly-wheel when the crank is on 

 the dead center. It. consists of a spring so arranged that the crank 

 always comes at a right angle with the connecting rod. The cost of 

 this improvement is about five dollars. It can be applied to any 

 machine. This device has been used on the various popular machines 

 with much success. 



* Adjourned. 



April 21, 1870. 



Prof. S. D. Tii^LMAx in the cliair; Robert Weir, Esq., Secretary. 



New Elevated Railkoad. 

 Mr. Robert A. Chesebrougli presented a new plan for an elevated 

 irailroad. It consists of a series of inclined planes, resting on pillars. 

 The main feature of the plan is the mode of applying the power, 



