856 
the education of children. | Its principle 
civeily consists in the fit application of 
the magnet, and on account of the simple 
connective mechanism, it is denominated 
the Mechanico-magnetic Toy. It is de- 
Signed to facilitate the instruction of 
children in reading, the first rudiments of 
- €yphering and music, and any language, 
so that they may he acquired with ease to 
the teacher, delight to the learner, and 
pr) portionate expedition. * 
The same ingenious gentleman has 
also completed a contrivance, or rather 
certain naval improvements, which sur- 
pass all former attempts, both in simpli- 
city and efect. This apparatus is prin- 
cipally applicable at sea, to move ships in 
a calm by the power of the crews; also 
to assist 2 ship’s company in clearing her 
water should she spring dangerous leaks, 
by the action of the men at the capstern, 
who may relieve each other, and bring 
the vessel through a voyage of almost any 
duration, 
FRANCE. 
One of the public journals has pub- 
lished the following method of employ- 
ing the horse-chesnut, imstead of soap. 
Whien it is ripe and drops from the tree, 
take of the brown husk, and pound the 
fruit in a large mortar; apply the farina 
thes obtained to the spots on the linen, 
and wash it. All the spots will disap- 
pear, and more readily than by means of 
soap. The experience of several house- 
wives, who have tried this process, con- 
firms its efficacy. 
M. Brun. a pupil of the Polytechnie 
schoo!, residing at Chambery, has re- 
solved, ina highly satisfactory manner, the 
following problem: “ To find the means 
of giving to telegraphic correspondence, 
the same certainty as to correspondence 
by couriers, without requiring of the per- 
sons so corresponding more labor and 
time than is necessary for writing dis- 
patches, while at the same time the 
nerely mechanical agents shall know 
syothing of the purport of it.” He pro- 
poses a copper wheel, with one hun- 
dred teeth. Each of these teeth is the 
type not only of a letier of the alphabet, 
but also of a numerical siyn. This 
wheel, which the correspondent causes 
to turn in 4 vertical direction round its 
exis, has two supperts with springs, by 
yseans of which he presses at pleasure a 
‘tangent point, which will stamp the letter 
he wants upon different papers rotied one 
over the other, round acylinder. As 
there are not a huiidred letters in the 
alphabet, it is augmented by giving se- 
s 
Literary and Philosophical Intelligence. 
[ Nov. 1, 
veral numbers to those which have se- 
veral pronunciations, and evei to whole 
syllables that frequently oceur in conver- — 
sation, such as pronouns, &c. ‘Thus 
the telegraph will exInbit the printed 
numbers, one after another, and the last 
person to whom the dispatch is confided, 
and who is supposed to be only a mecha- 
nical agent, will unrol the words by an 
operation, the reverse of the first. He 
will there find nothing but detached 
signs, to which the officer alone to whom 
the dispatch is addressed, must possess 
the key; since several of the represen- 
tative numbers introduced auong those 
whish have the usual signification, will 
be real hieroglyphics to the mechanical 
agents. M. Brun himself proposes very 
serious objections, which he answers in 
the clearest manner; and if his process, 
fails short of all the perfection which 
might be desired, still it may be asserted, 
tha: it is capable of engendering the most 
ingenious ideas in those who would de. 
voie their attention to so important a 
subject. , 
A remedy for the gout, invented by 
M. Praprer, who has hitherto kept its 
compesition secret, has engaged a consi- 
derabie share of public attention. It 
consists of a linseed mea! poultice, very 
thick and very hot, on the surface of 
which he pours a liquid of a vellow color, 
and having the smeli of spirits mixed with 
that of saffron. With this poultice, M. 
Pradier covers, to a considerable extent, 
the members to which he applies it. 
These are commonly the legs, be the 
part. affected what it will. The liquid 
contains no substance, which from its 
nature can possibly produce a pernicious 
effect, nor any opium. Its general 
effects are of four different kinds. It 
moistens and softens the skin, .and even 
produces ‘fuids in that which covers the 
soles cf the feet, and the palms of the 
hands, bat without doing the least injury, 
to its texture. Its natural color is pre- 
served, and the epidermies remains eng. 
tire. 
whitish exsudation, more or less abun- 
dant, which partly adheres to the surface 
of the skin, and partly to the surface of 
the poultice, when removed. Thirdly, 
it oceasi’ ns a pain resembling the sensa- 
tion of a burning beat, which is particus 
larly felt in the sole of the foot and the 
heel, is unattended with redness, or any 
apparent sign of inflammation; and, 
though sometimes slight, 
violent as to become insupportable, 
Lastly, it induces a weakness and ema- 
e1allany 
Secondly, it provokes a hamid,- 
is often so- 
