1829.] 
Scientific Intelligence. 
343 
A case of Fracture of the Cranium, successfully treated by Mr. Cameron. 
A case of Traumatic Tetanus, with observations, by Mr. Grant. 
An account of the production and effects of Malaria, in the valley of tdayapur, 
by Dr. Hardie, and a paper on occlusion of the biliary ducts, by Mr. Twining. 
A copy of Brook’s History of St. Helena, was presented on the part of Mr. 
M. Ritchie. 
Mr. R. M. Martin presented a collection of Crania. 
Dr. Stewart’s case of Delirium Tremens, Mr. Grant’s of Traumatic Tetanus, 
and Mr. Piddington’s Observations on Guluncku and Cat Caringa, formerly pre- 
sented, were then read and discussed. 
XIII . — Scientific Intelligence. 
1. Novelties in Science. 
1. Figure of the Earth. 
In a paper inserted in the Philosophical Magazine and Annals of Philosophy for 
Feby. 1829. Mr. Ivory finds, that out of forty experiments on the length of the 'pen- 
dulum made in different parts of the world, 34 are represented tolerably by an el- 
lipticity between 3 l 0 and That is too great for the 34, and does not even 
represent the remaining (i.— The great discrepancy is in the tropical observations ; 
thus the length of the equatorial pendulum by a mean of 6 experiments 
is 39,01230 
By a mean of, 9 ,01330 
Ditto, ditto, 15 ,01605 
This irregularity is particularly remarkable near the Equator, as the following 
comparison will show. 
Long . 
Maranliain, ... .. 39,01173 44. 21 W. 
Rawak, •• •• ,01479 131. IE. 
Galapagos, .. .. ,01717 90. 0 W. 
St. Thomas, .. .. ,02074 6. 45 
These places are all so near the Equator that they may be reckoned to be upon it. 
These irregularities do not extend beyond the tropics ; and even within them, there 
are only a few that do not belong to the same surface. Of the other observations Mr. 
Ivory seems to think, that the first step should be to scrutinize these observations, 
before coming to the conclusion that the eurth is really different from a solid of re- 
volution. 
In a former communication he had shown, that the best measurements of arcs of 
the meridian in different countries were (within the limits of error) accordant with 
such an ellipticity. In the number for March he returns to the subject, and at- 
tempts to show that the few measurements of perpendicular arcs yet made, also sup- 
port an ellipticity of about s ; thus he finds the difference of longitude between 
Dover and Portsmouth to be, 
m. s. 
Geodesically, . • 9 42,4 
By Chronometers, .. 9 42,9 
m. s. 
The latter result would be 9 42,1 if two observations that appear irregular 
are rejected. Again, the result of the recent measurements made on the continent 
to determine the value of a perpendicular degree, have shown the difference of 
longitude (on an ellipticity of a t 5 ) between Marennes and Geneva, and Marcnnes 
and Padua, *”* »■ »'■ s. 
To be Geodesically .. .. -9 2,2 and 51 57,3 
By Astronomical observation, they are 29 1,1 and 51 56,1 
Difference, .. 1>1 1,2 
A difference, which as he observes, is certainly within the limits of error. He 
thinks that we have then, as yet, no warrant from the results of observation, to 
call in question the opinion which has been so generally received, till lately, viz. 
that the earth is a solid of revolution, and consequently the meridians regular 
ellipses. We may also conclude with perfect safety, that the ellipticity is very near- 
ly, if not exactly 3 i s . 
