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what I would term non-essential asymmetry, in the immediate neighbour- 
hood of the left fissure of Rolando, and next to this part in the right parietal 
lobule. There are certain secondary essential asymmetrical conditions which 
may be pointed out, and besides this many non-essential and very variable 
ones. Evidence can be given in support of these propositions from the ex- 
aminations of foetal brains and the brains of idiots, the former of which 
exhibit a remarkable, early , and special tendency to deviations in symmetry 
in the neighbourhood of the left fissure of Rolando. 
Chloral a Substitute for Spirits in Preserving Anatomical Specimens.— The 
u Philadelphia American Times ” contains an article by Dr. W. W. Keen 
upon the anatomical, pathological, and surgical uses of chloral, in which he 
recommends this substance very strongly for the preservation of objects of 
comparative anatomy arid natural history. It is used by injection into the 
blood-vessels, or by immersion, and in his opinion it is likely to supersede 
many of the preparations now in use. Its special advantage is that the 
colour of the object is preserved perfectly, and all the parts have a natural 
consistency, while there is nothing either poisonous or corrosive to affect 
the general health of the experimenter or to injure instruments. For 
preserving a subject for dissection, half a pound of chloral will suffice, at a cost 
of a dollar or less. A solution for preserving specimens of natural history 
of ten or twelve grains to the ounce of water is quite sufficient, is much 
cheaper than alcohol, and the bottles instead of being hermetically sealed 
are closed by glass stoppers, or even ordinary corks. Dr. Keen has thus 
kept pus from various substances, and diseased growths of various kinds of 
other specimens, for months, and found no change whatever in their 
character. Chloral is extremely antagonistic to fungi and infusoria, a very 
weak solution of it killing them instantly. The deodorizing as well as the 
antiseptic properties of chloral are equal, in Dr. Keen’s opinion, to those of 
any substance now known. 
The Alkaloids contained in the Aconites. — Dr. Wright, of St. Mary’s 
Hospital, has been investigating this important subject. In a paper read 
before the Chemical Society he says that the material for this investi- 
gation was furnished by Mr. T. B. Groves, who prepared it in the manner 
described in the 11 Year-Book of Pharmacy,” 1873 and 1874. The authors 
describe several bases which they have isolated from this mixture, one 
of which, having the composition C 31 H 46 NO 10 , appears to be compara- 
tively inert, whilst another, of the composition C 33 H 45 NQ 4 , has a powerful 
physiological action. A pseudaconitine, C 36 H 49 NO n , which forms in- 
distinctly crystalline masses, was also obtained. The authors consider that 
either the roots of the aconites contain several alkaloids capable of crystal- 
lising or of giving crystalline salts, or else that the alkaloid originally 
present is readily alterable and gives rise to numerous altered products 
during the processes of extraction and purification. 
An American View of British Rivers . — The New York “Graphic” tells us 
some very extraordinary facts ! ! It says that “ the pollution of rivers is 
a topic that taxes the attention of British sanitarians to the utmost. The 
extent of the difficulty is certainly alarming. Nor is it caused solely by the 
sewage of cities and towns, bad as that is. The rivers are lined with manu- 
factories of all sorts, chemical works, machine shops, and dye-houses, all of 
