36 RECENT DISCOVERIES OF METEORIC STONES & MINERAL WATERS. 
the necessity for concealment at all. In the 
next, we cannot understand the danger of 
fearlessly expressing our opinions on sub- 
jects properly open to discussion, especially 
if we divest ourselves of rancour in the mode 
of expressing them. In the field of criti- 
cism there are very few who do not find out 
their “ fallibility,” and probably none, who 
in advancing speculative judgments, can 
hope to escape from controversy. This, hovv- 
ever, should not be of force to deter us. 
Though our attempts may prove short of in- 
fallibility, there is yet this use in urging them, 
that we thereby draw forth the opinions of 
others, and we have been told by our great 
moralist, that it is only by “ much emenda- 
tion that the truth is elicited.” 
The Contents of the January No . are — 
1. Analysis of a Tibetan Medicine, by M. 
Alexander Csoma de Kbrbs. 
2. Journal of a Tour through Rambree, 
with a geological sketch of the country, and 
brief account of the customs, &c. of its Inha- 
bitanls. By Lieut. Wm. Foley. 
3. Description of the (so called ) mountain 
Trout. By Dr. J. McClelland, Assistant 
Surgeon 30th N. 1 . 
4. Discovery of the genuine Tea Plant in 
upper Assam. 
5. Abs : meteorol. Observations Nasi- 
rabad, by Lieut. -Col. Thos. Oliver. 
6. Longitude of Nasirabad, by Lunar- 
transits and by Observers, of Moon, culmi- 
nating Stars. By Lieut. -Col. I . Oliver, 
7. Pi’oceedingsof the Assiatic Society. 
8. Miscellaneous. 
1. Explanation of the diffei-ences in the 
quantity of rain at different elevations. 
2. An unusual sea monster in the Bay. 
3. Suspension of the Brahmaputra River. 
9. Meteorological Register. 
From which we propose to make our re- 
view and selections in our next publication. 
ON RECENT IMPROVEMENTS AND 
DISCOVERIES IN SCIENCE. 
METEORIC SrONF.S. 
According to HoA'ath Stromeyer, copper 
exists in all meteoric mas=ses. He examined 
specimens from Agram, Lenarto, Elbogen, 
Bitburgh, Gotha, Siberia, Louisana, Brazil, 
Buenos Ayres, and the Cape of Good Hope, 
and found'inallof them an appreciable quanti- 
ty of copper, varying from O’l to ()’‘2 per cent., 
and he came to the conclusion that the presence 
of this metal must be considered as constant 
a character of these substances as are the 
nickel and cobalt, which are found in greaL 
er proportion, (Ann. der Physik, xxvii. 689.) 
Berzelius appears to have entirely overlook- 
ed this metal, in meteoric stones, for. in the 
analysis of a mass from Macedonia, he found 
Silica 39'5G, Protoxide of iron 13-83, Pero- 
xide of iron 5'00, 18-83, Alumina 2-70, Oxide 
of chromiuni O'SO, Lime 1-86, Magnesia 26 30, 
Oxide of Nickel O' 10, Oxide of manganese 2. 
40, Potash 2.08, Soda 1.2N Total 95-53. 
{Kongal. Vetensk, A'cad. Hand. 1828, 1.56.) 
H. Stromeyer e famined a mass found at 
Magdebourg in 1831, the specific gravity of 
which was 7.3^b ard its constituents. 
Iron 74-6.5, Molybdenum 10-19, Copper4-32, 
Cobalt 3-07, Nickel 1-23, Manganese O-Ol, 
Arsenic 247, Phosphorus 2 27, Sulphur 92, 
Silicon 39, Carbon 48, Total 10 OOO, 
Another body found near the Iron Works 
of Rothehutte, in the Hartz, afforded. Iron 81* 
14, Molybdenum LOS, Copper 7-69, Cobalt 
Nickel 2-40, Manganese O'll, Arsenic 1-82, 
Phosphorus '81, Sulphur *62, Silicon 194, 
Carbon -69, Calcium -29, Total 98,62. 
(Ann. des Mines, v. 568.) 
EAINE. — Hermann,* of Moscow, examin- 
ed a substance termed inflammable snow, 
which fell on the 11th April 1832, thirteen 
versts from Wolokalraask, and covered a 
considerable space of ground, to the depth of 
1 to 2 inches. Colour, wine-yellow, transpa- 
rent ; soft and elastic, like gum ; sp.gr, I’l ; 
smelling like ranced oil; burns with a blue 
flame, without smoke; insoluble in cold 
water ; soluble in boiling water, upon which 
it swims ; soluble in boiling alcohol ; dissolves 
also in carbonate of soda, and acids separate 
from the solution a yellow viscid substance, 
soluble in cold alcohol, and which contains a 
peculiar acid. Analyzed by oxide of copper, 
it gave Carbon 61-.5, Hydrogen 7'0, Oxygen 
31 -5, Total lOifO 
Hermann calls it Eaine, signifying oil of 
heaven. 
MINERAL— WATERS. 
1. SALINE SP RINGS. -Boussingault has 
observed numerous springs of this nature 
among the Andes, with iodine in solution, and 
has remarked that the inhabitants who em- 
ployed the water of such springs for domestic 
purposes were free from goitre, a disease ex- 
tremely prevalent in the elevated parts of 
South America. They appear indiscriminate- 
ly in the ancient and modern strata. The 
most remarkable are those of Guaca, near 
Medellia, in Antioquia, where the water pro- 
ceeds from a micacious syenite, covered oc- 
casionally by quartzose sandstone, contain- 
ing layers of pyritic lignite. At the village 
of Samson, on the Rio Negro, there is a 
spring which contains so much glauber salt 
thatit is little used. It consists of Chloride 
of sodium 43, Sulphate of soda 53, Carbonate 
of soda 10, Carbonate of lime 3-0, Jodine a 
trace 1. 
The district of Vega de Supia contains 
many saline springs. The principal rock is 
syenitic porphyry, which possesses traces of 
iodine. Five wells hold in solution the fol- 
lowing substances : — 
* Poog. Ann. xxviii. 568. 
