936 



and having the records in a form common to all the observers, so 

 as to admit of rigid comparisons : — when this is done, not only in 

 India but in Europe, meteorologists will be in a better condition 

 to generalize and propound normal conditions, than the state of our 

 knowledge at present would justify. 



The author states that he is indebted to that very able and zeal- 

 ous meteorologist, Dr. Buist of Bombay, for the protracted curves 

 of pressure of the barometer appended to his paper. 



A paper was also read, entitled ^' On the Structure and Use of the 

 Ligamentum rotundum Uteri, with some observations upon the 

 change which takes place in the structure of the Uterus during 

 Utero-gestation." By G. Kainey, Esq., M.R.C.S.E., Demonstrator 

 of Anatomy, St. Thomas's Hospital. Communicated by Joseph H. 

 Green, Esq., F.R.S. 



The author first refers to the discovery of the difference which 

 exists between the two classes of muscles; the voluntary, or those 

 with striped fibres, and the involuntary, or those with unstriped 

 fibres. He then notices that the opinion which is entertained re- 

 specting the round ligaments being composed of the unstriped variety 

 of muscular fibre is incorrect, these organs consisting chiefly of the 

 striped muscular fibre 



In support of the accuracy of this assertion, the author alleges 

 the following facts : — 



First, that the round ligament arises by three tendinous and fleshy 

 fasciculi ; one, from the tendon of the internal oblique, near the 

 symphysis pubis, a middle one from the superior column of the 

 external abdominal ring, the third from the inferior column of the 

 same : from these points the fibres pass backwards and outwards, 

 and uniting form a rounded cord — the round ligament ; after which, 

 traversing the broad ligament, they go to be inserted into the angle 

 of the uterus. 



The striped fibres are principally situated in its centre, and extend 

 from its origin to within an inch or two of the fundus uteri ; as they 

 approach which, the fibres gradually lose the striated character and 

 degenerate into fasciculi of granular fibres of the same kind as those 

 of the Dartos muscle ; both these fibres presenting similar micro- 

 scopic characters when acted upon by glycerine. 



The author then states that the round ligament does not pass 

 through the external ring to be lost in the labia and mons veneris ; 

 and argues from the fact of their consisting mainly of striped fibres, 

 &c., that their use cannot be merely mechanical or subservient to 

 the process of utero-gestation, and therefore he concludes that its 

 function must be connected in some way with the process of copula- 

 tion. 



He also adverts to the necessity of examining the round ligament 

 by the microscope in glycerine in preference to any other fluid ; as 

 this substance renders the cellular tissue mixed Avith" the fibres more 

 transparent without diminishing the distinctness of their character- 

 istic markings. The author next states his views on the changes 



