EFFECTS OF LIME AS APPLIED TO DIFFERENT SOILS. 
545 
Dr. Riley and Mr. Yarrell took part 
concerning those principles of develop- 
ment, by which monstrosities of the 
above description were reducible to the 
operation of general laws. Mr. Yarrell 
particularly noticed the occurrence of 
both male and female organs, on oppo- 
site sides of various hermaphrodites, in 
lobsters, and birds, which he had dis- 
sected, and stated that he had met with 
an instance of a fish, which had a hard 
roe on one side, and a soft one on the 
other. He had met with a very extra- 
ordinary example of double sex in a 
fowl, which he had not yet made public 
and of which he now detailed some of 
the more interesting particulars. 
Mr. Hope read a communication, 
expressive of the probability that some 
of the early notions of antiquity were 
derived from the observation of insects. 
In attempting to account for the appa- 
rently spontaneous generation of those in- 
sects, which rise in myriads from the 
mud left by the waters of the Nile, the 
philosophers of antiquity turned their 
earliest attention to the operation of the 
external influence of the elements, and 
Mr. Hope, supporting his opinion by 
numerous quotations, showed that they 
considered the sun as the chief and 
efficacious power in producing this 
efiect. The opinion of spontaneous 
generation was universally adopted, and 
in full force till the middle of the six- 
teenth century, and is still retained in 
the greater part of Asia and Africa, and 
even held by certain eminent naturalists 
in Europe. The origin of the doctrine 
of a metempsychosis, he considered, 
might be deduced from their actual ob- 
servation of the metamorphosis of cer- 
tain insects. This doctrine is now con- 
fined to the Gawrs of Persia, and some 
other idolatrous nations of the Asiatic 
continent. 
Mr. P. Duncan offered a few re- 
marks upon the subject of Mr. Hope’s 
speculations. 
M- G. Webb Hall commented on 
the effects of lime as variously applied 
to different soils, and considered the 
general effects of this substance, with 
respect to its value as calcareous earth, 
and its septic qualities as facilitating 
the decay of vegetable matter. In the 
latter capacity it was found to be most 
beneficial in a humid climate like that 
of Devonshire. He pointed to the ne- 
cessity of a scientific inquiry for the 
purpose of obtaining more precise in- 
formation than we yet possessed, as to 
the requisite proportions in which lime 
should be furnished to land of different 
qualities. He had found that less was 
required, and a greater benefit pro- 
duced by employing lime fresh from 
the kiln, and ploughing it, into the 
ground within twelve hours of its being 
laid on the surface. He bore testimony 
to the value of gypsum as a manure for 
lucerne. Mr. Rootsey was sceptical 
as to the ill effects so universally attri- 
buted to magnesian limestone, and 
which had been alluded to by Mr. Hall, 
as he knew an instance where very 
large crops were obtained from a dis- 
trict, where this rock prevailed. 
Section E.— ANATOMY AND ME- 
DICINE. 
Dr. Roget in the chair — The first 
paper read was entitled, ‘ Observations 
on Remedies for Diseases of the Brain, ^ 
by Dr. Prichard, of Bristol. — Dr. Pri- 
chard remarked, that perhaps all cura- 
tive attempts in cases of disease affect- 
ing the brain resolve themselves into 
the modifications which medical art is 
capable of effecting in the vascular 
state, of parts within the skull. We 
can promote by various means either 
fulness or inanition of the blood-vessels 
in the brain : whether anything beyond 
this is in our power, is very uncertain. 
Besides general and local bleeding, all 
those means belong to the same class, 
which act by refrigerating or heating the 
surfaces either of the head or of other 
parts. Refrigerant applications to the 
head have the effect of contracting the 
calibre of the arteries, and thereby di- 
minishing the quantity of their contents. 
Pediluvia, or other means of applying 
warmth to the lower extremities, pro- 
duce a similar result by augmenting 
the capacity of vessels remote from the 
head, and causing a greater quantity 
of blood to be determined into them. 
All these means plainly owe their effi- 
cacy to the modification which they 
bring about in the state of the vascular 
system of the brain. The only class of 
remedies respecting the modus operandi 
of which any question can be raised, 
are those which produce what is termed 
counter-irritation ; and perhaps the doubt 
which exists in this instance arises from 
the obscurity of the subject. It is very 
generally supposed, and perhaps cor- 
