their clothes taking fire. Desirous of ascertaining how far persons in that horrible situation are likely to be relieved by the judgment and exertions of those who might casually be near them, I have for some time past made a point of turning the conversation to this subject, among friends, acquaintance, and strangers; and regularly inquired of the men, how they would act, supposing themselves tête à tête with a lady whose clothes had caught fire. I found them generally slow to reply ;-that not one of them appeared at all prepared against such an event; and that their resources were few and shockingly defective. Some thought they must be guided by circumstances: forgetting that coolness and decision, which are essentially requisite in such trying predicaments, do not attend all men in the moment of alarm and danger. Others would pull off their coat to put over the flames and smother them :-but the greater number were for rolling her in a carpet. None ever mentioned any thing preferable: This last expedient appeared to be thought the best that could be devised-the ne plus ultra.— It had not however occurred to them that the apartment might not be furnished with a carpet. This sad experience leads me to fear, that whoever will take the trouble to repeat the experiment among his friends and acquaintance, will not obtain any more satisfactory results.

Although the insufficiency of these means must on a moment's reflection be obvious to the humblest capacity, still a kind of infatuation has made them be persevered in without further thought-No rational plan is formed-All is in fact left to chance; the consequence of which must necessarily prove fatal in nine instances out of ten.

In circumstances of this nature, relief itself would be extreme torture, unless it be prompt: not an instant must be lost but while chairs, tables, and other incumbrances are to be removed off the carpet; and before the sufferer can be laid down in it, or that it can be drawn over her, the flames will make rapid progress; and until she is entirely wrapped up in it, the flames are fanned and urged by the operation, which moreover takes up too much time.

Considering the multitude of valuable lives which have

perished

perished in this miserable way-many of which it is probable might have been saved, had better means been employed —and that families of every rank, without exception, are equally liable to this sudden and dreadful visitation, it might naturally be expected that something more adequate, to mitigate its effects, would ere now have been made known and adopted.

In the belief that nothing of the kind has yet been done, I think it a duty incumbent on me to suggest, through your medium, what will be found an infallible method instantly to extinguish the flames which have caught a female's dress-which is as follows:

The hands of any assistant must be passed under all the clothes, to the sufferer's shift; and then the whole clothes are to be raised up all together, and closed above her head. The flames will thus most certainly be extinguished. This" may be done in five or six seconds-in the time that a person can stoop to the ground and rise up again, and no other method can be so ready, expeditious, and effectual.

The sufferer will facilitate the business by folding her arms close before her. Should it happen that no person is at hand to assist the sufferer, if she has presence of mind, she may in most cases relieve herself by throwing her clothes over her head and rolling or laying upon them.

This method was always communicated to those with whom I conversed on this subject, who all expressed the greatest satisfaction at the probability, and confidence it gave them, of being thereby, better than hitherto, enabled to rescue fellow-creatures from agonizing premature death; and esteemed it a valuable addition to their small stock of expedients.

The extending this communication to your readers may be productive of the happiest consequences to them and the community at large, and materially reduce the list of human afflictions. I am, sir,

March 22, 1808.

your very humble servant,

E. V.

XXXVI. Let

XXXVI. Letter from Sir H. C. ENGLEFIELD, respecting his Mountain Barometer.

SIR,

To Mr. Tilloch:

In a note at the bottom of page 19 of your last number, I

preferred having the lower part of the tube only a twentietht of an inch in the bore, something on the principle of the marine barometer. Upon a more minute investigation, I do not find that this would answer the purpose so well as I then thought, nor is it so good as the simple tube. I therefore beg your insertion of this for the information of your numerous readers. I am, sir, &c.

March 21, 1808.

H. C. ENGLEField.

XXXVII. Report of Surgical Cases in the City and Finsbury Dispensaries, for October 1807; with some Remarks on the Dissection of the Brain of a Person who died insane. By JOHN TAUNTON, Esq.

In the month of October there were admitted on the books of the City and Finsbury Dispensaries 211 surgical patients, Cured or relieved

Died

Under cure

193.

2

16

211

Since which time there have been admitted 989.

A few days since, I was requested to examine the head of a person who had been insane for some months preceding death, which took place suddenly, ætat. about 35.

The general appearance of the body, which was robust, indicated a high degree of health and strength.

On removing the upper part of the scull, the dura mater formed a considerable projection over the posterior and superior part of the left hemisphere of the cerebrum, near the course of the longitudinal sinus. Ou cutting through the ex

ternal

ternal lamina of that membrane, a granulated substance appeared, like a great number of small tumours adhering to the dura mater, tunica arachnoidea, pia mater, and even to the cortical substance of the brain, about two inches in length, half an inch in breadth, and nearly half an inch thick. The other part of the dura mater was of the natural appearance. The arachnoid membrane was more opake than usual, arising partly from lymph deposited on its under surface, and partly from an effusion of a serous fluid between that membrane and the pia mater.

The cerebrum and cerebellum appeared natural, but the lateral ventricles contained about four ounces of a straw-coloured fluid; the surface of these cavities was every where covered with a layer of coagulable lymph, having that asperated appearance peculiar to recent inflammation. Many small hydatids were attached to different parts of the choroid plexus.

Is it not highly probable that the symptoms of insanity took place in consequence of the pressure produced by the tumour upon the brain? and also that the inflammation was excited by the same cause? If these positions be admitted, Would not the antiphlogistic mode of treatment, carried to an extent agreeable to the apparent stamina and strength of body, which have been rarely exceeded, have produced a more favourable termination?

Since I examined this case, I have heard from the medical gentlemen who dissected the body of Simmons, the murderer, that half an ounce of water was found in the lateral ventricles of the head. I believe it was never doubted that this unhappy person laboured under a brutal and ferocious insanity from his infancy.

XXXVIII. Report upon a Memoir read at the French Institute, by M.THENARD, upon the Nitrous Ether. By Messrs. GUYTON, VAUQUELIN, and BERTHOLLET*.

DIFFERENT kinds of ether have been formed by the action of some acids upon alcohol. Volatility, inflammability, * Ann. de Chimie, tom. lxi. p. 22.

Vol. 30, No. 118. March 1808.' M

ard

and a specific smell, give to ethers a decided character, which does not admit of their being confounded with other substances. We know but imperfectly, however, the differences which distinguish them from each other; and in particular, we have but an imperfect theory upon their production. Messrs. Fourcroy and Vauquelin have indeed thrown a great deal of light upon the production of the sulphuric ether; but their explanation cannot be extended to that of some other ethers. It was therefore important to resume the subject, in order to treat it in a general manner. This is what M. Thenard undertook ;-In the first memoir presented to the Institute, he treats of the nitric ether. He will afterwards proceed to the others; and will examine why some acids have the property of producing ethers, while others are deprived of it.

M. Thenard first brings under review the processes recommended by chemists for producing the nitric ether. These are very discordant, and only have for their object the etherized liquor, which we may obtain without any analysis of the gaseous products, nor any consideration of the circumstances of the operation, unless we except the Dutch chemists, in a memoir which has particularly occupied M. Thenard's attention, at the end of his own.

M. Thenard began by distilling a mixture of equal weight of alcohol and nitric acid, both being of a determinate concentration, in an apparatus proper for separating the liquid products from the gaseous; a slight heat is sufficient, and even the action becomes so brisk that it is soon necessary to check it. He afterwards examined the residue of the retort, the liquid produce, and the gases. The residue was composed of nitrous acid, acetic acid, alcohol, water, and a little of a matter the nature of which is not determined, but which chars easily. The proportions of these substances are established by ingenious and precise means. But we are obliged to pass over the details necessary for a clear idea of the numerous operations M. Thenard's experiments require if we push the distillation to dryness, the viscous residue contains oxalic acid, and probably malic acid. The liquor distilled, which has been regarded in laboratories

as