192 



OBSERVATIONS ON THE COLOURING MATTERS OP FLOWERS. 



[1855. 



Ordered to have beef-tea, and brandy and egg. 



July 14th. — Improving, although very weak; has^liad occasional 

 vomiting of bile, and has had several bilious evacuations. She was 

 carefully watched, allowed to have nothing but beef-tea and brandy 

 and egg occasionally, and was finally discharged convalesing on the 

 17th July. 



Two other cases were transfused by myself, both immediately after 

 being brought into hospital, and when in ariiculo mortis ; the one 

 a man named James Pickles, and the other a female. In the last case 

 it was quite evident that life was ebbing fast ; and to complicate her 

 difficulties, the veins were so empty and small, that I was for some time 

 foiled in my endeavours to find one ; after some difficulty, I succeeded 

 in getting a pipe into the vein of the arm, and injected two syringes 

 full, equal to 8 oz ; the effect was to recall the pulse at the wrist, to en- 

 liven the countenance, and restore strength and fulness to the voice 

 From the lateness of the period at which the operation was performed, 

 and from the disease having nearly done its work ere she was brought 

 into Hospital, her rally was only temporary; for four or five hours 

 she gave promise of amendment, and seemed greatly relieved ; but 

 afterwards she again began to sink, without, however, any renewal of 

 the diarrhsea or vomiting, and finally died on the following morning. 

 In reference to this case, I think it right to state that I intended to 

 transfuse a second time, but, being seized with alarming illness, neither 

 in it nor in any case was the operation repeated. 



The next cases are kindly furnished rae by one of our most industri- 

 ous medical pupils, Mr. John Mackenzie, whose devotion to the sick 

 during the whole of the cholera visitation was truly praiseworthy, and 

 deserved to be honourably rewarded by the Board of Health. When 

 others refused to lay hands on the dead, this gentleman removed them 

 without any hesitation, to make room for the living. 



TKANSFnSED. 



1. — Wm. Fraser, admitted July 16th, was a very athletic young man, 

 in the employ of Mr. Tuminey, was a carpenter by trade, formerly 

 lived in country, had had Diarrhoea for several days, on Saturday, 

 15th inst., eat a great many cherries ; on Sunday morning early, or 

 on Saturday night, he was taken ivith violent vomiting and purging ; 

 on admission he had violent vomiting of Rice water, together with 

 cramps. Nitrate of silver was tried, together wiih calomel, brandy 

 and water, beef tea, &c. 



On Monday, 17th, pulse scarcely to be felt, cramps less frequent, 

 but vomiting continues; evidently sinking fast; at 10 A.M., median 

 basilic opened, and tube introduced without difficulty; about 10 oz. 

 of milk thrown up. Pulse in 10 minutes could be felt, and voice, 

 which before was scarcely audible, could now be heard ; the patient 

 expressed himself far stronger ; and though he was greatly revived by 

 transfusion, yet vomiting continued in spite of everything, and he died 

 at about 2 P.M. 



2. — James Conway^ admitted July 12th, an able-bodied labourer, 

 brought to hospital in state of collapse ; pulse scai-cely perceptible, 

 eyes sunken ; mouth open, with that peculiar dropping of jaw ; tongue 

 cold as ice. Saw him a few minutes after he was laid on bed. I then 

 thought the man would die before the tube could be introduced, and 

 as his wife was piteously imploring something to be done, I determined 

 to attempt it alone. Introduced the tube, and transfused about 8 oz. 

 milk. Went and got brandy, and made his wife give it to him, and 

 though he remained insensible during the time I was introducing 

 tube, yet he so far recovered as to be able to speak to his wife, but 

 died about 1 P.M. 



This man had no vomiting latterly, though his wife stated he had 

 vomited during night. Was taken during previous night. 



3. — Dutch woman, admitted July 18th, unable to speak English, came 

 in state of collapse ; pulse absent, tongue cold ; eyes sunken, the 

 fingers wrinkled, and nails blue, having the appearance as if wrinkled 

 by cold, — evidently dying. Brandy and water was given. Trans- 

 fused about 11 P. M., rallied a little, but died in afternoon, about 2 

 P.M. 



Such is the brief acGount of the cholera cases which I 

 have the honor to submit to the Institute. In conclusion, I would 

 venture to express a hope that the Corporation of the city 

 will notagain permit themselves to be taken by surprise, as we 

 unquestionably were last summer. The pestilence came on us 

 suddenly, and cases poured into the sheds ere the fitting ac- 



commodation could be provided. In this way, wards became 

 overcrowded ; the sick had neither utensils nor proper bedding, 

 nor food for their accommodation ; and much distress arose. By 

 enlarging the Board of Health, and placing it on a better foot- 

 ing, much good would result. Why not empower the Mem- 

 bers of the Corporation for each ward to associate with them- 

 selves a medical man, resident in their own or in the nearest 

 ward, to act as a health committee. In May let these com- 

 mittees commence their work, visiting first the worst streets, 

 and ordering the removal of all nuisances and filth; and, in 

 case of disease, looking after the sick in their districts. There 

 are many old decaying wooden houses in our lanes and bye- 

 streets, which are not even good enough for kennels ; surely 

 the owners of such places ought to be compelled to remove 

 them, or, at all events, to cleanse and drain their premises. It 

 is well known that cholera delights in filth and moisture. No 

 allusion is made to the important question of water supply, as 

 the proper authorities have taken up the matter; it may, 

 therefore, be hoped that the detestable liquid quaffed last year, 

 and even at this time, will not be much longer supplied to us. 

 Money ought not to be the sole object when the health of a whole 

 city is concerned, and the guardians of the public health 

 ought to be entrusted with full powers to act for the good of 

 those placed vmder their care. 



I trust that these few remarks, uttered in no captious spirit, 

 but from an earnest desire to prevent a recurrence of perhaps 

 scenes then unavoidable, will not be misconstnied. 



Observations on tlie Colouring Matters o^ Flo^vers. 



BY E. FILHOL. 



Whitk flowebs. — If fiowers of Viburnum opulus, Fhiladelphus 

 coronarii, Chrysanthemum vulgare^ white roses, and a number of other 

 flowers, be exposed for a few moments to the action of ammonia, they 

 acquire a yellow tinge of greater or less intensity, which remains for 

 a considerable time. Flowers of Viburnum opulus by this treatment 

 acquire a yellow colour as fine as that of Cylisus laburnum. The 

 matter which thus becomes yellow under the influence of alkalies 

 appears to be present in all white flowers ; some flowers contain only 

 a small quantity of it, but these are rare. 



In variegated flowers of which the corolla is partially white, these 

 portions usually acquire a fine yellow tint under the influence of 

 ammonia. The stamina, the pistils, and in general all the white parts 

 of flowers, act in the same manner. The leaves themselves become 

 yellow when they are accidently deprived of chlorophylle. I ascertained 

 this fact with a plant of Convallaria polygonatum, of which the leaves 

 presented alternate green and white bands. The latter became bright 

 yellow from the action of ammonia, exactly like flowers. The tissue 

 of some fruits also becomes yellow, although less distinctly, under the 

 influence of alkalies. 



The most convenient mode of converting a white flower into a 

 yellow one is to introduce it into a wide-mouthed flask containing a 

 little liquid ammonia, and to expose it to the action of the alkaline 

 vapour. The change then takes place very rapidly. When the greatest 

 part of the flower has become yellow, it may be taken out of the flask 

 and exposed to the air, when the parts which still remained white will 

 gradually change until the flower acquires a uniform tint. The flower' 

 may also be dipped into water, alcohol or tether, mixed with a little 

 ammonia. The latter fluids should be prefen'ed when the flower is 

 covered with a fatty coating, which would prevent their being mois- 

 tened by a watery fluid. If a white flower that has been rendered 

 yellow be dipped into acidulated water, it gradually recovers its white 

 colour. 



These experiments remined one fhat when dyers wish to employ the 

 colour of woad in dyeing, they add a little carbonate of soda to their 

 vat, which gives considerable brightness to the tint. It is easy to prove 

 also that acids, even when very weak, cause the disappearance of the 

 greater part of the colour of a decoction of woad. From this it seems 

 not improbable that the substance which communicates to white 



