26 Dr. Harems Laboratory, ^c, 



of the slale rock, which embraces the bituminous coal of Tioga ; 

 being the third coal formation. It is about eighty feet higher than the 

 surface of the waters of Lake Erie ; one hundred and forty feet high- 

 er than the saliferous rock at Gasport. If the bituminous coal beds of 

 Tioga extend to this place in considerable thickness, the gas may issue 

 from them. Such beds might be perforated by boring to about one 

 hundred feet. But if the gas issues from the carboniferous slate be- 

 neath the saliferous rock, the borings must extend to the depth of at 

 least seven hundred feet. 



I confess that these conclusions amount to nothing more than prob- 

 able hypothesis. I consider the risk of loss too great to be hazar- 

 ded by any one individual, and that it is a proper subject for legis- 

 lative aid. And it may be stated, that if coal is not found beneath 

 the saliferous rock, which is more than two hundred miles in extent, 

 it will be truly a geological curiosity which has no parallel on the eas- 

 tern continent. But we find many deviations in America from the 

 geological maxims which seem to be established in Europe. 



Art. III. — Description of the Laboratory and Lecture Room in the 

 Medical Department of the University of Pennsylvania, (With 

 a plate.) 



The hearth, behind the table, is thirty six feet wide, and twenty 

 feet deep. On the left, which is to the south, is a scullery supplied 

 with river water by a communication with the pipes proceeding from 

 the public water works, and furnished with a sink and a boiler. 

 Over the scullery is a small room of about twelve feet square, used 

 as a study. In front of the scullery and study are glass cases for 

 apparatus. On the right of the hearth two other similar cases, one 

 above the other, may be observed. Behind the lower one of these 

 is the forge room, about twelve feet square ; and north of the forge 

 room, are two fire proof rooms communicating with each other, elev- 

 en feet square each ; the one for a lathe, the other for a carpenter's 

 bench, and a vice bench. The two last mentioned rooms, are sur- 

 mounted by groined arches, in order to render them secure against 

 fire ; and the whole suite of rooms which I have described, together 

 with the hearth, are supported by seven arches of masonry, about 

 twelve feet each in span. Over the forge room is a store room, and 

 over the lathe and bench rooms, is one room of about twenty by 

 twelve feet. In this room there is a fine ladic, and tools. 



