550 
ON  THE  ETUA  TREE  (kIGLIA  AFRICANA.) 
captain,  who  was  similarly  engaged  at  some  distance,  to  come 
and  release  him  of  his  disgusting  assailant.  The  captain  quickly 
came,  and  taking  him  down  to  the  boat,  during  which  time  Mr. 
Beale  was  employed  in  keeping  the  beak  of  the  Octopus  away 
from  his  hand,  soon  released  him  by  destroying  his  tormentor 
with  the  boat-knife,  when  he  disengaged  it  by  portions  at  a  time. 
This  Cephalopod  measured  across  its  expanded  arms  about  four 
feet,  while  its  body  was  not  larger  than  a  man's  fist. — London 
Pharm.  Journ.^  from  Grosses  Romance  of  Natural  History. 
ON  THE  USE  OF  PHENIC  ACID  FOR  DISINFECTING  PURPOSES, 
AND  ITS  MODE  OF  ACTION. 
By  M.  J.  Lemaire. 
Since  MM.  Corne  and  Demeaux's  paper  on  <'  Coal-tar  "  was 
presented  to  the  Academy,  M.  Dumas  has  stated  that  the  dis- 
infecting properties  of  this  body  are  due  to  phenic  acid.  M. 
Lemaire's  experiments  prove  this  opinion  correct.  He  has  wit- 
nessed the  efficacy  of  phenic  acid  dissolved  or  made  into  emul- 
sion in  the  preservation  of  animal  matters.  Phenic  acid  made 
into  an  emulsion  and  injected  into  the  bodies  of  animals  will 
preserve  them  unaltered  in  contact  with  the  air;  a  human  adult 
body  can  be  preserved  with  less  than  50  centimes. 
The  author  has  already  indicated  an  important  application  of 
phenic  acid  to  the  destruction  of  parasites.  An  aqueous  solution 
of  one  per  cent,  of  this  acid,  and  40  per  cent,  of  acetic  acid, 
removes  tinea  in  30  or  40  days,  and  cures  itch  speedily.  Acetic 
acid  is  added  to  the  preparation,  to  enable  the  medicament  to 
penetrate  the  epidermis,  so  as  to  reach  the  bulbs  of  the  hair.  I 
am  of  opinion  that  the  same  solution  would  serve  to  destroy 
domestic  insects  ;  the  powders  used  for  this  purpose  are  efiective, 
but  the  solution  would  penetrate  better  into  the  crevices  of  fur- 
niture.— London  Ohem,  News,  Aug.  3,  1861. 
OBSERVATIONS  ON  THE  ETUA-TREE  (KIGLIA  AFRICANA.) 
The  tree  called  by  the  Fantees  "  Etna  "  is  found  growing  in 
several  districts  of  the  Gold  Coast.  It  attains  a  height  of 
eighteen  feet  or  more.    The  fruit,  which  is,  in  its  transverse 
