176 
was only affected with that species of tor- 
por produced by the odour of saffron 
flowers. She happily succeeded in recall- 
ing the infant to lite, by means of vine- 
gar, gooseberry Water and the employ- 
ment of friction with flannel dipped in a 
hitle vinegar. M. Sage himself once suc- 
ceeded in relieving a person from a simt- 
Jar comatose state, who had been affected 
by remaining a long time in a garden 
» abounding with poppies. He also relates 
the following remarkabie circumstance 
which occurred in his residence on the 
fourth of the present month. About haif 
past one o’clock in the afternoon, the 
thunder was attracted by the paraion- 
merre, or conductor, crecied on the top 
of his study, at the Hoel de la Monnaie. 
On hearing a violent and rumbling noise, 
but very different from that produced by 
a thunder-clap, he observed to the person 
who was with him, “The thunder ap- 
proaches us.” At the same moment, a 
woman who was standing near the chim- 
ney, in the kitchen adjoining his appart- 
ment, was terrified by the-appearance of 
an extremely vivid light filling the whole 
funnel of the chimney, which is only ten 
or twelve feet distant from the paraton- 
merre. This kitchen is only lighted from 
the top roof, by four squares of glass. At 
the same instant, a violent shock was 
perceived not ouly in M. Sage’s study, 
but alsd in the kitchen. The rapid suc- 
cession of the noise and flashes of lght- 
ning excited in his mind an apprehension 
lest the paratonnerre might in some re- 
spect be defective; on examination, how- 
ever, its bars were found to be in a per- 
fect state, as well as the conductor, which 
terminates ina well. From these cir- 
cumstances M. Sage concludes that the 
paratonnerre must have been insufiicient 
to carry off all the electric fluid, and had 
allowed a part ofitto escape. It is much 
to be wished that simmlar observations 
could be obtained on this subject, as they 
would most probably enable us to ascer- 
tain whether several paratonnerres may 
not be necessary on the same building, or 
-whether some method might not be dis- 
covered to improve and render them more 
perfect. 
Our Paris correspondent informs us 
that the heat has been extremely intense 
during the whole of this summer, and that 
tempestuous weather has occurred less 
frequently than usual, Among the com- 
plaints at present most prevalent in Paris, 
-are catarrhal affections, which, however, 
have, im general, readily yielded to the use 
ef mild diluents, slightly acidulated, the 
Literary and Philosophical Inielligence. 
[Sept. ly 
occasional application of vesicatories and 
leeches to the pained parts of the chest, 
and similar means. Among young fe- 
males, chlorotic atfections probably occa~ 
sioned by the extreme heat of the wea- 
ther, have been also unusually frequent. 
In the treatment of this disease, medi- 
cines, instead of proving productive of 
benefit, have appeared rather to aggra- 
vate the complaint. The exeicise of 
dancing ina moderate degree, while care 
is at the same time taken not suddenly to 
check perspiration, the use of tepid and 
acescent drinks, &c. have been found 
more useful in alleviating it than the 
prescriptions of the apothecary. Owing 
to the state of the atmosphere, cohsump- 
tion appears likewise to have proved very 
destructive. Besides the use of lowered 
air, the employment of fumigations with 
fir-shoots, on the supposition that the tu- 
berculous affection did not extend beyond 
the bronchi, has tended greatly to re- 
lieve the patients, and retard the malady. 
As this disease has of late greatly in-— 
creased in frequency, it will, he hopes, 
attract the particular attention of the 
faculty. 
The quality of iron, it is well known, 
differs very materially according to the” 
mines whence it is drawn, aud the forges 
wherein it is prepared. M. VauQueELiIn 
has lately undertaken a series of interest- 
ing and important experiments in order 
to discover the causes of this difference. 
With this view, he not only analyzed the 
ores, and the melted metal, but also the 
fluxes which are added to it, and. the 
scoriz, or other refuse separated from it. 
In consequence of this examination, he 
discovered in the slimy won ore of Bar- 
gundy and of Franche-comteé, besides the 
oxide of iron, silica, alumine, lime, oxide 
of manganese, magnesia, and ‘chromic 
acid. M. Vauguelin ascribes the bad 
quality of certain kinds of iron to some re- 
maining mixture of the chrome, phospho- 
rus, anel magnesia; and he hence observes, — 
that it should be the first care of refiners 
to free this metal from such injurious sub- 
stances. Besides these valuable practi- 
cal remarks, this ingenious chemist, from 
finding that the composition of this mi- 
neral, but more especially of the sublimed — 
matter adhering to the furnaces, greatly 
resembles that of atmospheric stones, 
has taken occasion to suggest a new and 
plausible theory of this suprising pheno- — 
menon. The only difference, between 
the sublimed matter and these stones con- 
sists in nickel being found in the latter. 
As a considerable portion of this sublimed 
' matter, 
f 
aes; 
