Medical Statistics. 257 



found in a sample of bittern, received from Mr. James Patton, 

 consisting of a small cask that 24 lbs. of a compound salt, con- 

 sisting of muriate of magnesia and soda had formed in the 

 bottom of the vessel. This salt is transparent and deliques- 

 cent if exposed to the air ; it requires to be dissolved in 

 water, and decomposed with carbonate of potash, which is to 

 be added as long as magnesia is precipitated, after which, the 

 water is to be decanted off, and the magnesia dried. The 

 magnesia procured in this way, is the heavy carbonate, such 

 as that imported from Europe. 



Since the publication by Dr. Henry of the process already 

 referred to, for the manufacture of Epsom salt from bittern, 

 nothing has been made known. Indeed it is impossible that 

 the process employed at Lymington would answer here, 

 since there really appears to be no sulphate of magnesia 

 in the bittern of this place. The existence of that salt 

 in sea-water, in the proportion which the results of Dr. 

 Henry's observations on the Lymington brines would sug- 

 gest, still may perhaps be regarded as doubtful. 



Medical Statistics. 



In favouring us with the annexed Tables for insertion in 

 the Calcutta Journal of Natural History, Dr. Murray re- 

 marks, that while Medical Journals and Transactions are 

 mostly limited to the history, symptoms, causes, pathology, 

 and treatment of diseases, Medical Statistics may be regard- 

 ed as a branch sufficiently distinct, to be treated with advan- 

 tage in works of a more popular character. For ourselves 

 we can judge of the great value of Medical Statistics from 

 one or two points which we have investigated. On these 

 occasions, we found the importance of the subject to depend 

 on, and result from, investigations in themselves not at all 

 intimately connected with medicine. 



T 

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