SCIENTIFIC SUMMARY. 
97 
tained "be so different from tliat of man as the views of Helmholtz would 
lead us to suppose, if we believe the ciliary muscle of birds to operate as I 
have suggested ? ” 
The transmissibility of Tuberculosis. — So much has been said on the 
affirmative side of this question, that the views of M. Dubuisson, published 
in the Gazette medicate, are deserving attention. After describing numerous 
experiments, this young physiologist lays down the following conclusions: 
1. The inoculated materials are generally harmless whatever may be the 
nature of the substances employed. 2. They occasionally produce rapidly 
fatal symptoms — death being apparently caused by a sort of poisoning. 
3. In a few cases lobular pneumonia is observed, and should probably be 
regarded as the result of the inoculation ; here the hepatized tissue might 
be mistaken for tubercles. 4. Tubercular tissue given as an aliment may 
occasion death, as would similar septic products. 5. Generally, however, 
the animals that eat of tuberculous lung experience some malaise from this 
improper alimentation, but do not become tuberculous. These conclusions, 
confirmed by other observers, demonstrate that tuberculosis is neither viru- 
lent nor contagious for the animals experimented upon. 
The Life of Emanuel Swedenborg , by Dr. H. Maudsley, is concluded in 
the October number of the Journal of Mental Science. 
A Vaccinating Machine for vaccinating babies while asleep has been 
invented by an ingenious American. 
Have Copper-workers an immunity from Cholera ? — At the meeting of 
the French Academy (Sept. 27), M. Burq read a curious paper on this 
subject. He has examined all the police statistics on this point, and he has 
found as a result that during the last two severe epidemics the mortality 
among copper-workers was only 3 in 10,000. But M. Burq has found that 
all copper- workers are not similarly protected, and hence he has classified 
artisans of this description under four distinct categories : — (1) Preservation 
in the first degree : opticians, dry polishers, stampers, turners, makers of 
musical instruments, &c. Population, 5,650 ; cases of cholera, 0. (2) Pre- 
servation in the second degree : founders, lampmakers, chasers, mounters, 
and turners in bronze. Population, 14,000 ; cases, 7. (3) Preservation in 
the third degree : gravers in copper, &c. Population, 6,000 ; cases, 6. (4) 
Preservation in the fourth degree: jewellers and clockmakers, &c. Popu- 
lation, 11,500; cases, 16. The workers in steel and iron, who were 28,000 
in number, had 202 cases of cholera ; among others the proportion was 10, 
20, or 40 times higher. There is, he said, a 11 society for mutual assistance,” 
which only admits turners, mounters, and gravers in bronze, including 
about 300 members, and during the epidemics of 1832, 1849, 1853-4, 1865, 
and 1866, there was only one fatal case, and that was a man who had given 
up his trade two years before. 
Mechanical Vibration as a Mode of Cure. — Dr. G. H. Taylor has constructed 
a machine which is intended to send a series of vibrations through any part 
of the body. He has found it of great benefit in the treatment of various 
diseases.— Vide New York Medical Journal , November. 
Causes of Irregularity in the Effect of Chloral. — At the meeting of the 
French Academy on November 2, M. Bouchut attempted to explain some of 
the irregularities observed in the employment of chloral in therapeutics. 
YOL. IX. NO. XXXIV* H 
