Dr. Burnett on the Blood-corpuscle-holding Cells. 375 
a few moments into carbonate of soda, not, however, without some 
trace of the chlorid being present. Itis not my object to point to 
any special application of this decomposition, but it is one that 
may come into play in certain operations in analytical chemistry. 
Experiments were made with the sulphate of the alkalies, to 
see if the oxalic acid had any decomposing action on them, ex- 
pecting to test for free sulphuric acid, by the action of the solu- 
tion of the mass on zinc or iron, taking for granted that the pres- 
ence of oxalic acid alone would not cause the evolution of 
hydrogen gas. Experiment, however, showed that this manner of 
testing the question was fallacious, and no other method suggest- 
ing itself, it was impossible to decide the question positively ; suf- 
ficient was ascertained to show that if the sulphate was decom- 
gas being evolved ; the action ceases in a short time, from the 
formation of insoluble oxalate of zinc; with iron, the action is 
very feeble even when the solution is heated. 
The decomposing action of oxalic acid on the nitrates and 
chlorids of alkalies, appears to be due simply to the fact of a 
more stable acid being able to replace a more volatile one, and in 
no way measures the relative strengths of the acids; it being a 
well established fact that the physical as well as chemical pro- 
perties of acids have much to do with their capability of replacing 
each other ; a mere change of circumstances often reversing their 
relative action. 
Arr. XL.—On the Blood-corpuscle-holding Cells, and ther 
relation to the Spleen; by W. I. Burner, M.D., Boston. 
Tue history of the spleen is a remarkable one in physiological 
science. From the earliest times to the present day, it has been 
the opprobium of investigators, and the dignified old Haller, after 
searching in vain for its functional relations, concluded that it was 
an unimportant and unworthy part in the economy. No less than 
fifteen theories as to its use have been advanced and defended up to 
the present time ; these embrace every ostensible view of its func- 
tion, having any ground of plausibility. It can be easily conceived, 
then, that modern physiologists might conclude, when at last from 
emical and microscopical research, the true function of this 
