Miscellanies. y 161 
states that he had speedily cured a man who, by falling on some 
stones, had received a severe contusion of the face, a corner of one 
of the stones having penetrated and torn the flesh. 
Obstinate scrofulous ulcers have been treated in the same manner, 
with no less success. 
“I cite these facts, (observes Dr. Peschier,) only to demonstrate 
that cotton is applicable, indiscriminately, to all kinds of wounds and 
ulcers, and that far from being, (as it is unjustly regarded,) poison- 
ous, that is to say, irritating, it furnishes, on the contrary, a mate- 
rial for dressing wounds, of the softest and most pleasant kind. But, . 
Trepeat, it is indispensable to success, that the dressings be rare, and 
that the threads be never pulled or torn from the wound, a practice 
Which cannot fail to increase either its extent or aggravation. The 
scissors, lightly handled, must be used to Separate from the adhering 
res, the mass, which may be safely detached. 
“I would be the first to admit that there is very litle scientific 
merit in substituting cotton for lint; but I deem it to be rendering an 
"nportant service to the wounded, to their connections, and especially 
to the attendants at civil and military "hospitals, to convince them that 
they need not be uneasy at the difficulty of procuring lint, a substance 
nor always easy to preserve,—which becomes easily infected with 
masmata, and which cannot be kept in large masses without some 
danger. Carded cotton is found every where ; it is of trifling value, 
_ that the rich will at no time refuse to buy it for the poor, and hos- 
Pitals can be at all times well provided with it. 
“The same remarks apply to cotton cloth. It is of trifling cost, 
“ven When of the finest kind ; it has precisely the degree of supple- 
hess which fits it for bandages and compresses ; it occupies vastly 
S$ space in travelling chests than linen or hemp, and it may be any 
Where abundantly obtained.” — Bib. Univ. Mars, 1831. 
NATURAL HISTORY. 
!. To blow eges for preservation in cabinets.—A ready method 
of effecting this purpose, is to take a tube either of glass or metal, one 
end of which is drawn out, or fashioned toa point, (the tube being large 
nough to hold the contents of the egg,) and having made a pin hole 
at the side of the egg, large enough to admit the point of the pipe, 
one sixth part of an inch) apply the mouth to the large end, and 
= as hard as possible. The contents of the egg will immediately 
"se into the tube, Having blown them out into a basin, suck a little 
OL. XXT.—No. 1. 21 
