The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-02 00:00:00

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ACADEMY OF scIEN
SITTING OF /TUNE 22.—M. Pelouze, E. recently
communicated to the Academy his experi is for the
purpose of ascertaining with greater cele ItOoer-
tainty the component parts of mixed metals, '
larly the quantity of copper contained in anjtispitistam s.
of which it forms part, this day made a
.communication'
on the subject of the copper, bronze, and bell metal
coins in circulation in France, and the amount of copper
that is represented by them. The nominal value of this
circulating medium is estimated at thirty millions taf
francs. Of the total weight, the sous, according to M.
Felouze, amount to 6,191,100 kilogrammes, and as his
analysis gives him for copper coin 929 of copper to the
1,000, he estimates the total weight of copper at
5,732,750 kilogrammes. M. Pelouze divides the copper
or mixed coin, of which copper forms the base, into three
classes. The first comprises the red sous of the reigns of
Louis XV. and Louis XVI. They contain 995 ut pare
copper to tha 1,000. In the second class he ranges the
two-sous pieces of bell-metal, copper, and tin. His esti-
mate of the copper is 860 to the 1,000. They contain
also a very small portion of zinc, lead, and antimony,
and sometimes traces of iron and arsenic are found in
them. The third class consists of the red sous and
double sous, with the effigy of Liberty. These contain
960 parts copper to the 1,000. The information given by
M. Pelouze, although not of much apparent use now,
may subsequently be very useful to the Government
when it shall call in the various copper and mixed
money in circulation, for the purpose of replacing it by a
uniform coinage. As to the calculations about the total
nominal value and r: al weight of the copper coinage in
France, it must be out of the power of M. relouze, or
any other man, to estimate it correctly. It is easy, by
consulting the public records, to ascertain what quanti-
ties were issued from the Mints at different periods ; but
nobody can guess at the amount which has disappeared
from circulation.

The defendant Wag unprovided wi
and was locked up.

A very pretty model of a turbine, stated to be the
invention of M. Fouval, but manufactured by Messrs.
Keechlin and Co., was presented to the academy at this
sitting, and an account was given of the effetts of the
machine, by the scientific persons appointed to witness
the experiments. This was favourable to the inventor,
for it appears that he has made many important im-
provements upon the turbine hitherto in use, but which
was nevertheless marvellously powerful as a means of
raising water. The turbine, however, will be eclipsed,
if half that is said of another and very recent invention
by aM. Letellier be true. This gentleman has, accord-
ing to the report of two commissions of scientific bodies,
made improvements upon the screw of Archimedes as
an instrument for raising water, which increases its
power at least one-fourtb, with the same degree of
manual labour.

Another and very curious invention by an Italian en-
gineer was also spoken of at the Academy. It is a
water-mill of from five to fifty-horse power, worked by
an artificial waterfall, and which can be placed up as a
motive power in any manufactory, occupying a small
space, requiring little labour, and, of course, producing
vast economy as compared with the steam-engine, as
it requires no combustible. By the description given
of this machine, a large model of which is, we learn,
in operation, we find that it consists of eight pumps
worked with great ease by a single man (it is said
that two men would suffice for an eight-horse power
machine), by means of an admirably disposed coun-
terbalance system. The pumps supply a reservoir
placed at a proper height above the water-wheel, as in
the case of a natural fall, and the water falling
upon the wheel to which the strap of the machinery of
the manufactory is affixed, the whole goes round, and
puts the machinery in motion. The paradox of this in-
vention is the return of the water to the fountain head
in such a way as to keep up a continuous fall. If we
had not been assured by scientific men who saw the mo-
del at work for nearly two hours that this was accom-
plished we should say that it was impossible. There is
no difficulty in creating a waterfall by artificial means,
and making it a motive power, but we do not understand
how when the force has been supplied to work the ma-
chinery of a factory, and when it would appear to be ex-
pended, the water should by the same action be forced
back to the reservoir to renew the operation, without
the necessity of employing further manual labour.
A paper was received from M. Bonjean, a chemist, of
Chambery, on the medical properties of the ergot of
rye, particularly as a remedy in the case of external
hemorrhage. M. Bonjean does not pretend to have
made the discovery of this application of the ergot. It
was in fact discovered long since, and tried by Dr.
Wright and M. Muller. M. Bonjean, however, claims
credit for having carried his experiments to a greater
extent than either of those gentlemen, and gives a num-
ber of cases which scarcely leave a doubt of the efficacy
of the remedy. We give one of his cases :
"On the sth instant (says M. Bonjean), a strong
woman, aged 40, in uncorking a bottle, which broke in
her hands, received a dreadful wound in the palm of the
left hand. A portion of the artery was cut, and the
blood rushed out with such force as to cause a jet
of nearly four inches in height. After all the
ordinary means of Stopping the effusion of blood had
been tried without effect, the wound was tightly ban-
daged, and the woman proceeded to the house of a
physician, who immediately sent for M. Bonjean to ad-
minister his remedy. The latter gentleman uncovered
the wound and laid upon it a piece of lint saturated
with a solution of the ergot of rye,. at the same time
using only gentle pressure. In two minutes the blood
ceased to flow ; in five minutes the pressure was re-
moved. and the lint left upon the wound, and in twelve
minutes even that was removed. The wound was now
found to be self-closed by a mass of coagulated blood,
and another piece of saturated lint being laid over it
and the hand gently bound up, in two days the wound
had cicatrised.

A letter was received from Dr. Blandet complaining
of the delays in getting rid of the odious establishment
oflMiceonatufdaudcaonng,
danger
rndof ptohientpinugtrioduetmtahneatsieorniosu:,hiinchcoanrviese-
niefrom it. The public ought really to be grateful to Dr.
Blandet for the energy with which he has taken up this
subject and the manner in which he treats it. The
inhabitants of the environs of Paris, in the direction
of Montfaucon, to even a considerable distance,
are dreadfully annoyed by the stench when the wind
sets towards them, and we may justly conclude that
in certain states of the atmosphere a portion of the
capital must also be affected, although insensibly so by
these putrid emanations. This, however, is not the
only evil of the kind of which we could complain. We
would direct the attention of the authorities to the
shameful way in which the poor are interred in some Qf
the cemeteries. The air is actually poisoned in libt
weather by the emanations from the pits in which the
bodies are heaped upon each other with only a few
inches of earth to cover those that are uppermost. In a
city where so much has been done for the public health,
wherelhe cleansing of the streets is so perfect, where
the supply of water is so great, where common sewers—
one of the greatest triumphs of the present peaceful
reign—have been made, where the authorities appear to
be laudably on the watch to ameliorate this dreadful
system of interment, is an anomaly which cannot too
soon be removed, if the persons who are charged with
the public salubrity would entitle themselves to our un-
mixed gratitude.
We shall conclude our report of this sitting with a
notice of a curious but really important paper, addressed
to the Academy by M. Busson de Maurier. We call
the paper important from the .subject, and the
evident care with which it is treated, although we
cannot bring ourselves to believe that the plan
suggested by the author is, under all circumstances,
practicable. M. Busson de Maurier complains of the
annoyances of the passport system ; who that has ever
had to take a passport has not ? Who is there that
has not fretted under the delays in procuring a pas-
. port, and the occasional pertness of the officials whose
duty it is to examine them ? Latterly, indeed, the
Government has done all in its power to render the
passport system as little vexatious as possible, and it
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habitual. We are quite of opinion, therefore, with
M. Busson, that it would be a delightful thing to do
away with the necessity of passports. He does not
pretend that this is to be accomplished without finding
a substitute for the passport system ; he would be very
foolish if he did. But is the substitute that he recom-
mends one which would give general satisfaction.
registered,
i sfa c tion lie
.
recommends that every person ld
that each registry should have a number (in series, of
course from the extent), and that the number on the
registry should be represented by a medal to be con-
stantly worn by the person who is registered. The
mere exhibition of this medal is to be the passport of the
individual. The registry, according to the plan pro-
posed by M. Busson, is not to be gratuitous; indeed, his
estimate of the revenue that even a very small registration
fee would yield is enormous, and thus far his plan must
be agreeable to governments. But is there not something
inquisitorial, in idea at least, in this compulsory regis-
tration ? And would it as means of police be quite
satisfactory? It would, we admit, be, notwithstanding
the infractions to which it would be subject, a great
check upon thieves, and even upon bad servants, who
introduce themselves into families with false characters
and assumed names. It would, however, require many
' years to reconcile the public at large to this registration
' system. Still, we must thank M. Bussen for having
written upon the subject, and devoted so much attention
L to it. Our opinion may be an erroneous one. We re-
commend him, therefore, to publish his plan, and ascer-
tain what is thought of it generally.

CORONER'S INQUEST. Yesterday forenoon, at nine
o'clock, an investigation adjourned from Monday last, was
resumed and concluded before Mr. Waklev, M.P., coroner
for the western division of Middlesex, an-cl a jury, at the
Rum Puncbcou, Cross-street, Drury-lane, with respect to the
death of Martha Grogan, aged three years, the daughter of
a greengrocer, residing at 29, Charles-street, alleged to have
died from the effects of mercurial pills administered to her
by a retired officer of the East India Company, residing in
Museum-street, Bloomsbury, and who, although an amateur
medical practitioner, went by the cognomen of " Dr. Lowe."
The inquiry excited a very great sensation, and a number of
distinguished members of the faculty were present. The in-
quiry was adjourned for the production of " Dr. Lowe," who
was stated to be 94 years of age. After a lengthened inquiry
the jury ultimately came to the folloWing verdict :—" We find
that the deceased died from natural causes, but at the same
time we strongly reprehend the practice adopted by Mr.
Lowe, of administering medicine proved to be of an injurious
character, and the more so he being totally ignorant of me-
dical practice."
The rumour referred to in our City article on Tuesday,
relative to the intentions of the new Ministry to bring in a
Bill, before the end of the session, to prohibit any calls being
made for twelve months on any railway scheme sanoctioonowed,
this session, is, we believe, quite correct. Thisawy _
eics
sup_
that its accuracy is vouched for by persons who om,_,aullinet.l2.
posed to be in the confidence of the embrY c
Advertiser.