OG 
rorULAU SCIEAX'B REVIEW. 
in its mean annual fall, ninth in the average number of wet days, and 
twelfth in its mean daily Ml. Compared with the entire country, its rain- 
fall is 23 per cent, ; its wet days G per cent., and its daily fall 15 per cent, 
above the average. 
Liebtff's Extract of Meat. — Baron Liebig has forwarded to us some samples 
of his improved “ extract,” prepared by the Fray-Bentos Company. These 
we have not yet satisfactorily examined, but there is reason to believe that 
this extract is in point of flavour a great improvement on the previous pre- 
paration. We may, in passing, call attention to the fact, that the experiments 
recently made by Herr Kemmerich, and held by some to prove that the 
extract is in large doses injurious, have been of so inexact a character, and 
made in such a peculiar manner, that they must be regarded as inconclusive. 
The Practitioner was the first journal to call attention to them in this 
country, and it by no means concurred in Kemmerich’s expressed opinions, 
but, on the contrar}", stated that they required confirmation. Journals like 
Once a Week and others, which make a sort of ill-digested meal of the 
thoroughly scientific periodicals, copied part of the paragraph in the Prac- 
titioner, but not all, and occasioned a good deal of mischief, through leading 
the public to believe that the extract of meat is poison. As the first journal 
which drew attention to the Extractam carnis in this country, we may be 
allowed to express our protest against crude experiments and hasty conclu- 
sions like those of Dr. Kemmerich. For a complete exposee of Kemmerich’s 
opinions, our readers should refer to a letter by Baron Liebig, which ap- 
peared recently in the Lancet (November). 
Spontwieous generation. — In reference to this questioned phenomenon, a 
paper of M. Tr^cuFs has lately been laid before the French Academy. The 
author's conclusions relate especially to the formation of yeast in beer, and 
are as follow: 1. Yeast cells maybe formed in the must of beer without 
.spores being previously sown. 2. Cells of the same form as those of 
yeast, but with difterent contents, arise spontaneously in plain solution of 
sugar, or to which a little tartrate of ammonia has been added, and these 
cells are capable of producing fermentation in certain liquids under favour- 
able conditions. 3. The cells thus formed produce Penicillmjn, like the 
cells of yeast. 4. On the other hand, the spores of Pcnicillium are capable 
of being transformed into yeast. Finally, he states that spontaneous gene- 
ration is the great obstacle to satisfactory observation.^, because it mixes its 
own products with those placed by the observer for experiment. — Vide 
JMnditut, December 23, 18G8. 
The Phg biological Action of Cganogcn Gas. — Ilerr Dr. Laschkewitsch, 
from his experiments with cyanogen on blood, and on frogs and other cold- 
blooded animals, and birds, guineapig.s, &c., draws the following conclu- 
sions : 1. Cyanogen does not enter into chemical combination with 
hnemnglobin, although it changes it as it does other albuminoid bodies. 
2. The ciliary motions of tho epithelium are increa.sed by a weak solution 
of cyanogen, and arrested by a concentrated solution, cyanogen in this 
respect agreeing with ammonia. 3. The strong tetanic cramps are caused 
by the action of the cyanogen on tho central nervous system. 4. Tho 
stoppage of tho heart arises from irritation of the vagus nerves. 5. On the 
p.Tipheral nerves cyanogen acts ns a powerful irritant. G. The blood 
