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cooling, deposits a substance crystallizing in large brilliantneedles, which is a new compound.By analysis, the numbers obtained gave the following

formula-CIs H6 No

which shows that these crystals are formed simply by an ex-change of the sulphur of the former compound with the oxygenof the potassa.Other oxides produce the same effect as potassa. On boiling

sulphocarbanilide with oxide of mercury, the red colour soondisappears, black sulphide of mercury being formed.According to the above formula, this new substance, which

is also an indifferent body, may be considered as aniline whichhas lost one equivalent of hydrogen, and assumed the elementsof carbonic oxide.

Aniline . C12 II. NCarbanilide. C,, H. N C 0

and this view suggested to me at once another experiment,which was successful.

If the above given formula expresses the true compositionof this substance, if it be indeed carbanilide, it was extremelyprobable, if not certain, that it might be produced by thedirect action of chlorocarbonic acid (phosgene gas) uponaniline.

C,, H, N + C 0 Cl = C12 H. N CO + H ClAuiline. Phosgene. Carbanilide.

On introducing aniline into a balloon filled with chlorocar-bonic acid, the glass became so hot that it burst. On cooling,the liquid solidified into a white crystalline mass, which, bythe action of water, was resolved into hydrochlorate of anilineand carbanilide.

This is, indeed, a far easier way of obtaining this substancein the state of purity.On mixing aniline with oil of mustard, at first no change

was observed. After the lapse of some months, however, thesolution had deposited splendid four-sided tables, constitutingevidently the compound corresponding to thios-innamine.When brought in contact with tritochloride of phosphorus,

or chloride of silicon, aniline is likewise converted into crys-talline compounds.

* * Aniline, our readers will probably recollect, is a basicbody obtained from coal. Formed, as it evidently is, in thetransformations which the constituents of vegetables have

undergone, it is very probable that the study of its relationsand properties may throw some light upon the constitution ofvegetable alkaloids, and the changes they undergo in the

living economy.-ED.

BRITISH AND AMERICAN MEDICALJOURNALS.

GUXSHOT WOUND OF THE HEART, WITHOUT PERFORATIONOF THE PERICARDIUM.

Professor HoniES records, in the British American Journal,a case which seems to show the possibility of such an occur-rence. An individual had received a gun-shot wound of theleft side of the chest, and died soon after. On removing theanterior walls of this cavity,

" The appearances presented were, a bloody ecclymosedcondition of the anterior part of the left lung, as it laps overthe pericardium, a bloody and infiltrated state of the cellularsubstance lying on the pericardium, and an ecchymosis of theextent of about an inch and a half, filling the anterior edge ofthe right lung, where it lies in contact with the pericardium,The pericardium evidently contained a large quantity of fluid,the nature of which was denoted by the colour of the membrane."

The lead which had caused the injury was found in theright pleural cavity, but its course could not be traced. Nc (]

perforation of the pericardium, which was filled with bloodand serum, could be found; but on its being laid open,

" There was seen on the anterior wall of the heart, pene.trating the right ventricle, a transverse linear opening withoutlaceration at the margins, which were smooth, and ratherturned inwards, and sufficiently large to admit the finger."

I The difficulty of explaining this occurrence is considered bythe writer; and he first argues that this injury was not likelyto be the result of a spontaneous rupture. He refers to casesrecorded by writers on military surgery, which show thatpieces of linen and other clothes have been sometimes drivenwithout being torn, into wounds; and thus that balls havebeen withdrawn inclosed in a kind of purse. Somewhat simi-lar is the author’s explanation of the present occurrence :-

" Entertaining," he says, " no doubt that the wound waacaused by the direct contact of the ball, driving the pericar-dium before it, I think the manner of its formation may bemore readily understood by supposing that at the instant ofbeing struck, the heart was in the act of contraction, its fibreshard and rigid from their muscular action. In this state theball suddenly impinging produced an effect similar to whathappens to an over-braced harp-string when struck. Thefibres snapped across.

ABSCESSES IN THE LIVER ; ULCERATION OF THE INTESTINES.

Mr. R. W. SsiiTH presented a specimen of abscesses of theliver, which were not indicated by symptoms during life, at leastso far as the history of the case was known. The subject was aman who had been a patient at the Talbot Dispensary, wasafterwards in Jervis-street Hospital, and lastly in the Whit-worth Hospital. During the last three months he was con-stantly suffering from gastritis and gastro-enteritis. He hadincontrollable dysentery, but voided no blood ; frequent vomit-ing, pain in the epigastrium, but never complained of pain inthe hypochondrium, nor in the shoulder; had no jaundice, norigors, nothing which could lead to the belief that hepatic dis-ease existed. The dysentery resisted all remedial means. Hegradually became worse ; singultus came on, and death tookplace. On examining the abdominal viscera it was found thatthe great intestine was ulcerated extensively. The ulcerswere of various sizes, and occupied the mucous coat in thewhole extent of the periphery of the canal. Some had anerysipelatous aspect, some an ash-coloured surface. In thestomach there were signs of chronic gastritis. The mucousmembrane was vascular and softened. The liver was full ofabscesses ; a very large one was in the right lobe. This waslined with a strong dense membrane, forming the sac of theabscess. In the left lobe were three abscesses. The first ofthese that was cut into had no sac, but was surrounded by thesubstance of the liver, with which the purulent matter was incontact. The second also was without a distinct sac. The

third, which might be termed a dissecting abscess, was boundedby the diaphragm anteriorly, and by the stomach posteriorly,and had separated the peritoneal from the other coats of thestomach. The formation of abscesses in the liver, withoutsymptoms of hepatic disease, has been lately noticed in casesof dysentery."—Dublin Pathological Society, April, 1844.

A VETERINARIAN’S IDEAS OF EXCLUSIVE KNOWLEDGE.

The Veterinarian has for some time contained interestingmonthly reports from Professor DICK of the Edinburgh Vete-rinary College. We regret, at the conclusion of one of thelatest, to find the following observations :—

" I have observed the letter from Mr. Fisher in your lastnumber, with reference to some cases of broken wind, men-tioned as cured in the monthly report of the cases which havebeen sent you ; but I regret that I do not feel myself at libertyto comply with his request to communicate to the public thetreatment necessary for the cure of that disease. From theposition I occupy, it is my duty to communicate all the know-ledge I possess to the students who have placed themselvesunder my tuition. I have for some years taught them boththe principles and practice by which they might cure that dis-ease, and I have the satisfaction of knowing that some of themhave been as successful in curing it as I have been ; but myknowledge being, as I conceive, in some measure the propertyof my pupils, I feel that I am compelled, even at the risk(which I believe is a small one) of being charged withquackery, to refuse so reasonable a request as that of Mr.Fisher."

This language, and the practice which it indicates, are im-professional, and quite unworthy the position of Professor Dick.He undervalues the risk of a quackish designation in not com-plying with a request so just-so reasonable.