ページの画像
PDF
ePub

researches of Milly, Jurine, Ingenhouss, Spallanzani, Abernethy, Barruel, Collard de Martigny, and others. Lehmann's summary of the experiments of Abernethy, Brunner, and Valentin states the amount of nitrogen exhaled per day, under ordinary circumstances, by the insensible perspiration alone, as equal to that contained in a pound and a half of living muscle.

This amount is greatly increased when such work as named by Sir H. E. Roscoe is done, producing an outflow of sensible perspiration and that exfoliation of epithelium which is rendered familiar to athletes by their baths and rub-downs after violent efforts. A robust man taking violent exercise in hot weather may give off as much as 5 lbs. of sensible perspiration in an hour. Seguin's daily average in repose was under 3 lbs. per day.

In spite of all these well-known facts, and of the demonstrations by Simon and Berzelius of the existence of a salt of ammonia in sweat; of Favre's discovery of a special nitrogenous acid (hydrotic or sudoric acid), of the abundance of nitrogenous matter commercially extracted from suint (the residuum of the sweat of sheep which is washed out of crude wool)-in spite of all these, the nitrogen and nitrogenous compound excreted by the perspiration was omitted in the careful experiments upon which Sir H. E. Roscoe bases his conclusions.

I know of nothing else in modern science that is comparable to this omission of the prime factor of a research, and the extent to which the theories based upon it have been adopted and expounded by such men as Sir H. E. Roscoe.

For further details and authorities, I must refer my readers to Chapter XIX. of "The Chemistry of Cookery."

TH

CHLOROPHYLL.

HE opening address to the chemical section of the British Association by Dr. Schunck, is well worth attentive perusal. It has the primary merit of being at the same time philosophical and simple; readable, intelligible, and interesting to anybody having an elementary acquaintance with the subjects discussed. Among these 18. Dr. Schunck's own theory of the constitution and action of the liteblood of the vegetable world, chlorophyll.

His experiments lead him to the conclusion that the green substance of chlorophyll is compounded of three constituents, each of which is essential to its constitution, one being a basic nitrogenous colouring matter, the second a metal or metallic oxide, the third an

acid. The basic colouring matter is the phyllocyanin of Fremy, the metal may be iron or zinc, and the acid carbonic acid.

This compound is very unstable ; it easily parts with its carbonic acid, giving it up for the nutriment of the plant. The carbonic acid thus disposed of, the other two constituents are in a state to take up fresh carbonic acid, and so on, a continual giving and taking may occur according to the influence of light and other surroundings. Chlorophyll thus acts as the carbonic acid carrier of the plant, just as the red matter, the hæmoglobin of blood, gives and takes and carries oxygen in the animal economy.

Dr. Schunck modestly states that he only throws this out as a tentative explanation. So far as my own study of the subject goes, it appears the best I have met with, and the number of these is considerable. It is especially interesting as showing a close analogy between the modes of action of animal and vegetable nutrition.

I say "modes of action," and should explain that, although the modes thus resemble, the actions are curiously different, diametrically opposite when the higher animals and higher plants are compared.

Much has been written in exposition of the contrasted complementary actions of animal and vegetable life. The contrasts have been tabulated in corresponding columns, showing how one is a reducing, the other an oxidising agent, one generates heat, the other produces cold, &c., but there is a curious fact connected with these complementary contrasts which I appear to have discovered, having never seen noted in any work on the subject. It is that the colours of the vital fluids are similarly contrasted and complementary, viz., green and red, the particular tints of each being just those demanded for complete contrast.

The full contrast of functions is most distinctly observable in the higher and well defined animals and plants, so with these colours. As we approach the inner boundary between animal and vegetable life, when we come to zoophytes (animal plants), properly so-called, the vital fluid is neither green nor red, but white or greyish, just that neutral tint which we obtain, when with a sufficient supply of light we rotate a disc painted with stripes of the colour of arterial blood, and alternating stripes of the colour of exposed and active chlorophyll.

ERRATA. A correspondent has kindly directed my attention to some errors in one of my September notes which escaped correction. On page 306, last line, for £3. 175. 10дd., read £1. Page 307, 6th line, for grain, reaa 160 ounce; and for 140 halfpence, read 160 halfpence. On the 9th line, for grains, read ounces, and on the 18th line, for 001, read o‘01.

1869

1869

W. MATTIEU WILLIAMS.

TABLE TALK.

A COMMISSION ON MODERN SPIRITUALISM.

HE late Mr. Henry Seybert, an American, and an enthusiastic

believer in modern Spiritualism, has, with the best intentions,

dealt what ought to be a death-blow to the creed to which he pinned his faith. Presenting before his death to the University of Pennsylvania a sum of money sufficient to found a Chair of Philosophy, he appended to the gift a condition, that the university should appoint a commission to investigate "all systems of morals, religion, or philosophy which assume to represent the Truth, and particularly of modern Spiritualism." In conformity with this condition, a commission has been appointed. Dr. William Pepper, as provost of the university, was evo chairman; Dr. Horace Howard Furness, the eminent Shakespearean scholar, the editor of the American Variorum "Shakespeare," the acting chairman; and Professor George S. Fullerton, the secretary. Thanks to the kindness of the acting chairman, I have been supplied with the preliminary report addressed by the commission to the trustees of the university. Treating the matter with seriousness, the more commendable in consequence of the difficulty there must have been at times in maintaining gravity, the commission announces that with regard to slate-writing, the medium for which was Dr. Henry Slade, the character of the manifestation which passed under its observation was "fraudulent" throughout. There was really no need of any elaborate method of investigation; close observation was all that was required. No more satisfactory result attended the investigations into spirit-rapping, and the various cessory phenomena, the whole of which are obviously mere tricks legendemain. Tenderly as sincere believers in what, according de words of the commission "has from the first assumed a ¿ous tone and now claims to be ranked among the denominational is of the day," are treated, there is no question that in the esti«e of the commission the whole is blank and frivolous imposture.

W

THREE CLAIMANTS FOR A SKULL.

HEN we come to the experiments that were made, the result is sufficiently amusing to overcome the sadness begotten of human credulity, and the indignation inspired by professional knavery. As a person who was assured that he was endowed by nature with mediumistic power (the vile adjective is none of mine), Dr. Furness enjoyed exceptional opportunities. It is fair to Dr. Furness to say that he failed to turn this gift to any account. It is not easy

to summarise the results he obtained. Beginning with one form of Spiritualistic pretence, the answer to sealed letters, Dr. Furness chose as subject a skull which had for fifty to sixty years been used as a property in "Hamlet," at the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia, and as such has been handled by a score of actors, from Edmund Kean to Henry Irving. The question written upon a small sheet of paper was as follows:-"What was the name, age, sex, color, or condition in life of the owner when alive of the skull in my library? February 28, 1885." This was enclosed in an envelope, sealed with five different seals, and sent to different mediums. It is impossible to give the various responses elicited by those, who, as Dr. Furness shows, opened the envelope without breaking the seal. Suffice it to say that according to one it was the skull of Dinah Mellish, a coloured woman; a second decided it was that of Sister Belle, a lady with golden hair three feet in length, and dark eyes; and a third that it was that of Marie St. Clair, a lady of French extraction. Armed with this curious information, Dr. Furness had some high revels in the spirit world. The three owners of the skull were known to each other, and their intercommunications are marvellous. Exquisitely amusing is the account Dr. Furness gives of this correspondence.

[ocr errors]

SPIRITUAL MATERIALISATION.

HE final experiments deserve a paragraph to themselves. The last form of observation of Dr. Furness was not made as a member of the commission but as a private observer. It dealt with what is called Materialisation. Into the mysteries of this I cannot enter farther than to say that according to this form of imposture the spirit takes tangible and visible shape, and is capable of accepting and communicating a caress. In one of the two cases in which the spirits thus manifesting themselves claimed to belong to the family of Dr. Furness, the member whose ghost came forward was alive and in robust health; and in the second, the relationship

[ocr errors]

camed-cut of here—was icntious, as Dr. Furness had none. In acer use the st answered to the name of Olivia, and Dr. Famess ed her of mrough the incidents of Tennyson's "Talking Cha' every me of which she recalled and appropriated. Yet mimer år ørt emerged from the cabinet in towing white robe, i parvath mga be the feeble incertitude of a first TELSEL r, f an elderly person was asked for, might be a Here Dt. Fumess may speak for himself. "I arose as I approached and asked. Is this Rosamund ?' 'Yes' replied the gut, si voooling a lime, and in doubt whether to assume the tue of youm or of age Whit: Fair Rosamund!' I exclaimed, throwing a mole al the joy and buoyancy I could master. The him to the spot was enough All trace of senility vanished, and with eya oyousness she responded. Yes, it's indeed Rosamund!' Then I went on: "Dearest Rosamund, there's something I want so moth to ask you Do you remember who gave you that bowl just before you died?' Here für Rosamund nodded her head gaily and pointed her anger at me. 102, nɔ, nɔ, nɔ,' I said; you forget. Far Rosamond I wasn't there then. It was at Woodstock.' 'Oh, yes, yes she hasty reloned, so it was; it was at Woodstock.' And was Eleanor who offered you that bowl' To be sure; I remember it now perfectly; it was Eleanor.' But, Rosamund, fair Rosamund, what made you drink that bow?? Had you no suspicions?' Na. I had no suspicion, and here she shook her head very sadly. Didn't you see what Eleanor had in her other hand?' 'No.' 'Ah, fair Rosamund. I'm afraid she was a bad lot. Indeed she was!' (with great emphasis What cruel eyes she had!' 'Hadn't she though!' • How did she find you out?' 'I haven't an idea. "Ah, fair Rosamund, do you remember how beautiful you were [here the spirit simpered a little] 'after you were dead, and how the people came from far and near to look at you?' Yes,' said fair Rosamund, 'I looked down on them all the while.' And here she glided back into the cabinet." Deeply-rooted, indeed, must be human credulity if Spiritualism can survive so cruel and complete an exposure as has been afforded.

SYLVANUS URBAN.

« 前へ次へ »