Scientific Intelligence. '^Anthropology. 191 
experiments upon the head of the last decapitated, we exposed 
the pectoralis major and minor of a body which was brought in. 
The large pectoral muscle alone contracted under the influence 
of the galvanic fluid, the muscles of the abdomen no longer 
contracted ; contraction took place only in the right triceps mus- 
cle and in the sartorius ; they ceased always in the latter half 
an hour sooner than in the other. Irritation applied to the 
transverse muscle of this body no longer produced contraction, 
which we attributed to the circumstance that the body had been 
opened at the place of execution, after the first experiment. In 
another body which had been opened at the same time, the ap- 
plication of galvanism also produced some motions, as well as a 
feeble contraction, which was not renewed : mechanical irrita* 
tion produced none. An hour and a half after execution, the 
natural motion of the heart had ceased in the bodies already 
carried to the theatre. We were still, however, in hopes to 
produce contraction by means of irritation, not being able to get 
at the heart of the body which had been first opened, we pro- 
ceeded to that of a body which had been newly opened. This 
last had also retained its heat, principally in the internal parts ’; 
the heart still contained a little blood, of a deep colour, in the 
left ventricle, which was partly fluid and partly coagulated ; 
but we could not, either mechanically, or by means of galvan- 
ism, excite any contraction of the muscular fibres of the heart. 
— Schriften der Gesell der Gesammt Naturwiss zu Marhur^.. 
vol. i. 1823. 
ANTHROPOLOGY. 
26. Hereditary supernumerary Finger s.-'^'Dy Willigins of 
Kirchberg, gives the following curious history : A man had 
born to him by his wife children, most of which had six fingers 
on each hand ; and the same was the case v^^ith most of the child- 
ren he had by a second wife. A daughter by the first wife mar- 
ried, and bore two children with six fingers on each hand. 
ARTS. 
27. Spiritoiis Liquors derived from trees ^ or from fruits 
of trees. -—Among the trees of India, we observe the Moxvah or 
Bossia hutyracea. It attains the height of an English oak ; the 
