ROYAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES.

279 a free acid, which fonrth stomach of the ruminating aniPROUT has mistaken for the hydro- mals, in the ventricnle succenturic of chloric acid.- The existence of this birds, and in the lesser cnrvature of acid is essential to digestion in atl the the stomach toward the pylorns, .in vertebrated animals, and without it such of the ver tebrated animals as have not that organ divided. the globules of the chyme could be formed. We have endeavoured, say MM. PREVOST aud ROYER, to discover in ROYAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. what part of the stomach this acid is in or formed animals secreted, having Distribution of Prizes. enlv one stomach. After having empAt the last sitting of the Academy tied the stomach of a rabbit, and havin June, the following papers ing several times injected a solution held of soda to neutralize whatever acid and essays were honoured with the distributed by the might have been there, we intro- ! prizes annualiy duced a bit of linen, made blue by a Academy :vegetable solution. After allowing it The prize for Experimental Phyto remain there for six hours, it was founded by Baron Montyon, siology, found more red toward the lesser or was a warded to M. CHOSSAT, of Gepyloric extremity of the stomach thani neva, the anthor of a memoir on the any other. We know that the struc- analysis of the urinary functions. The tore of this part of the stomach is Mork of Dr. FLOURENS, entitled Exvery different from the cardiac, an !? periments on the Encephalon of Fishes, of the Cicatrization of this experiment being often repeated. on showed clearly it was at this part o- Brain, and on the Regeneration of its the stomach that the acid secretion integumentai parts ; also on the diffetook place. The same thin:; has been rent causes of deafness, would have shown analogically in the fourth s to- shared the prize with the work of mach of the sheep, and in birds the M. Chossat, had it not been consilittle stomach, or the " ventricule dered by the Academy, that although succenturic," exercises a similar func- the facts were new, the treatise was tinn. the continuation of a subject on which Jt became then an interesting point !i the prizes of the Societyhad been to khow, what influence the before bestowed. The Academy adjudged, for the first pairot nerves exerted over the cretionot this acid ; they were divi- time, the prize founded by Baron ded, the b!ne linen was still red- Montyon, which, according to the dened, bnt to a less degree than be- generous intention of the testator, is fore, whih showed that the influence °o be annually given to sneli as may of the nerves was trifling only. In have particniarty distinguished themrecapitulation it will be observed, selves, in advancing the perfection of 1st, That the process of digestion is medicine and surgery, or who have an alteration in the state of the ali-! furnished any new means for the preof the diminution of the iusamentary matter purely chemicat, in which the vitality of the organs does Inbrity of certain professions. In connot have any immediate influence. with the design of the fonnder, it has been shown also, that the pro- the Academy deemed it right to give cess may be artificially imitated by gold medal of the value of 3000 fltiids similar to those furnished by the francs (1501.) to M. Roux, for having. excletory vessel, namely, soda and invented* and performed an operation the acids. 2dly, Soda is the agent to which the gastric juice owes its solventproThis point is still disputed by perties, which so much astonished Professor GRAEFE, of Berlin. In proof SPALLANZANI, HUNTER, and othe rs. of having performed the operation beThe albumincus globules, the fore M. ROUX, GHAT.FE refers to a 3dly, Teunion of which forms the chyme, paragraph of Hufeland’s Journal der are precipitated by the hydrochloric Practischen Heilbunde, of January acid; this secretion takes place in the 1817, page 116, where it is said that

stomach, exhibits

net

,

(

the

eighth

se-

vention formity

the

Wounds

280

the aid of which the divided pa- other muscles of the neck. I take the late may be united, the difficulty if lilierty of saying, that I have treated deglutition obviated, and above all, simitarcases with success, by drawing the disagreeable sound of the voice and electric sparks every day, by means imperfect pronunciation removed ’* ; of a powerful machine, from the cor2,000 francs to M. Lassis, who has zea- responding muscles on the other side. lously devoted himself to researches The fibres in these muscles being, on epidemic diseases ; honourable much relaxed and elongated, it ws mention of MM. Amusate and Civiale, pteasing to see, during the different whose works have had for theirobject operations, their effoi ts to counteract the description of an operation which the increased action of their antagoconsists in breaking down and de- nists. stroying stones in the bladder; 3,000 This modus modend will not anfrancs to ill. Labarrague, for having swer, unless the sparks are strong discovered the disinfecting properties enoughto blister the skin. Such paof the chlorate of lime; 2,000 francs tients shonld assist the action of the to M. Masuyer. of Strasburgh, who relaxed muscles, by passing parts ot’ has for some time proposed to sub- the day on a bed or sofa, with the stitute the chlorate, of time for chlo. head npotiahard pillow, and bysitrine, as a destroyer of infection. tiug sometimes on a proper chair, The Academy proposes, as the sub- having a top sufficiently high* to fasject of a prize which will be decided ten a piece of tape or ribbon to, in 1826, the following question:- joined at the other end to another " To compare, anatomicaily,the struc- piece going round the head. This ture of a fish and that of a reptile, in contrivance enables them to make all or in part: the two species left to tnany efforts during the day to assist the choice of the competitors." The the action of the relaxed muscles in prize to consist of a gold medal of the drawing the head to the opposite value of 400 francs. side, and keeping it upright. It may be needless to add, thatpatients thus Professor GRAEFE read a paper in afflicted should lie on the side where contraction is as much as possi. December 1816, to the Medico-Chia, by so doing, resistance will rnrgical Society, respecting a case in ble, which lie had succeeded in procuring be made to the contracted muscles, the union of an uicerated palate by and some assistance given to those ligature, and touching the edges ot which are relaxed, to regain their lost the opening with muriatic acid. Roux power ot action. T he first case I had, was of many performed his first operation in 1819. months’ but the operation was so different and continuance, and not thinkso much more complete, that there ing of electricity, I corresponded with does not exist any proof of the lattei the late Dr. Monro, and Mr. John been a copyist.—ED. L. Hunter, the latter thought worms having * For a more particular account of the cause of the disease, and recomM. Roux’s operation, see THE LAN. mended me to treat it accordingly. CET, Vol. VII. p. 401. I am, Sir, This method will be also fonnd Yours, very respectfnlly, described in p. 15 of the present voW. GILBY, M.D. lume. 1825. Ciifton, Aug.

by

the

EFFICACY OF ELECTRICITY IN CONTRACTION OF TRE’MUSA bar of wood may be joined to CLES OF THE NECK. three or four strips of inch or threequarter-inch deal, which are screwed To the Editor of THELANCET. to the side of a common chair. The SIR,—I have read your account of bar should of course be as Irigh as the Mary Preston, suffering in the Mid- head of the patient when sitting. dlesex Hospital from a contraction of the steruo-cleido mastoideus, and