348 
ON THE FORMATION AND GROWTH OF CRYSTALS. 
celebrated Mutis, of Santa-Fe, first made known its medical pro- 
perties as an antidote against the bite of certain serpents. Hum- 
boldt and M. Bonplandt have confirmed the powerful virtues of the 
plant. 
The whole plant exhales a strong penetrating and nauseous 
odor. The bruised leaves are applied exteriorly to wounds. M. 
Mutis was desirous of ascertaining if inoculation with the guaco 
would render a person obnoxious to the bite of serpents for a length- 
ened period, but was prevented from completing his experiments 
by the refusal of the Grand Court of Justice at Santa-Fe to allow 
him to make them on criminals condemned to death. The negroes 
who wish to protect themselves against snake bites take the follow- 
ing precautions : — They make two incisions on the feet, two on 
the hands, and one on each side of the chest. They express the 
juice of the leaves of the guaco, which they pour on the incisions, 
as if inoculating. Before the operation they make the patient 
drink two spoonfuls of the juice, and they recommend his doing 
the same five or six times a month, to continue the virtues : one 
of the leaves of the plant is usually carried about the person, and 
the odor is said to have a stupifying effect on the reptiles. — Aliberfs 
New Elements of Therapeutics, p. 500. 
SOME PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS UPON THE FORMATION AND 
GROWTH OF CRYSTALS. 
By Mr. Wm.Copney. 
In the following paper it is not contemplated to indicate or ex- 
plain the methods by which these substances are prepared upon 
the large scale, but to offer to the chemical and pharmaceutical stu- 
dent some suggestions, whereby, when the subject of crystallogra- 
phy comes under his notice, he may be enabled to prepare for him- 
self the great majority of those salts whose forms he is called upon 
to understand. 
It may not, therefore, be out of place, to introduce the subject 
