VARIETIES. 
179 
much in want of facilities corresponding to those enjoyed in the United States 
and at the same charges. — Journal of Franklin Institute, Jan. 1850, from Lon- 
don Mining Journal, No. 787. 
Chloroform and Ether. — Dr. Marshall Hall stated to the Medico-Chirurgi- 
cal Society, Dec. 10 ; 1850, that he divided the effects of chloroform into 
three stages : in the first of which voluntary motion is diminished; the 
second, in which respiration fails; the third, in which circulation fails: — 
and from the quickness of its fatality in experiments on animals, consider- 
ed it a most fearful poison. He feared many of its fatal results in private 
practice had not been made known, and considered, if its influence is car- 
ried beyond its effects on the cerebrum, its application was certainly danger- 
ous. In cases of asphyxia there are more efforts of expiration than of in- 
spiration. He thought it was ill-judged to have changed from ether to chlo- 
roform, as the former is less dangerous, and as capable of producing anaes- 
thesia. — Med. News, March, 1850, from Lon. Med. Gaz., Dec. 1840. 
Cypripedium pubescens, spectabile and humile. Ladies' slipper. Moccason 
plant. By Dr. E. Ives. — The pubescens is called the yellow spider plant. 
To me they appear identical in their effect on the constitution. I consider 
the pubescens the most powerful. I have used the three species in a variety 
of nervous diseases, and have known them to remove epilesy. A hypo- 
chondriacal patient, who could not sleep, and was not benefitted by any pre- 
paration of opium, never failed of sound rest after taking twelve grains of 
the powdered root of the Cypripedium pubescens. In certain neuralgic 
affections, with morbid sensibility of the whole nervous system, it has pro- 
duced a beneficial effect. A lady, from close application to very delicate 
painting, became so much effected in her eyes that she could not fix them 
on any object without excruciating pain. The whole nervous system was 
at the same time morbidly sensitive. She took the various narcotics, as 
strychnos, stramonium and hyoscyamus, without any material benefit, but 
was very much relieved by taking fifteen grains of this cypripedium three 
times a-day. The remedy was continued for months. The health of this 
patient was restored after a period of two years by the use of this remedy 
and a voyage across the Atlantic. — N. Y. Reg. of Med. and Pharm.,from 
Trans. Amer. Med. Association. 
Comparative Examination of English and Russian Rhubarb. By Dr. 
Michaelis. — Dr. Michaelis, of Hohnstein. has made a comparative exami- 
nation of English and Russian rhubarb, with respect to the proportion of 
rhein, bitter and astringent extractive, resin, oxalate of lime, and woody 
fibre contained in them. He first determined the sp. gr. of six pieces of each 
kind. 
Russian (half and wholly trimmed 
pieces) 0.918 0,893 0.891 0.857 0.798 0.743 
English 0.826 0.801 0.787 0.739 0.694 0.617 
