The Sun.
London, England, 1851-08-05 00:00:00

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

A monthly meeting of the members of this society,
instituted last year for the purpose of investigating the
causes and conditions which influence the origin, propa-
gation, prevention, and treatment of epidemic diseases,
was held at the house of the Royal Medical and Chi-
rurgical Society, 53, Berners-street; Dr. B. Guy Babiug-
ton in the chair. The proceedings of the previous meet-
ing having been read and approved, Mr. Tucker, one of
the honorary secretaries to the society, proceeded to
read a paper by Mr. Grove upon epidemical diseases.
Mr. Grove argued that the poisons inducing epidemic,
endemic, and infectious diseases must be ranked among
the things endowed with life. The faculty of reproduction
was a distinctive characteristicof animation as contrasted
with mechanism or inanimate matter. It was during the
reproductive period of existence, he said, that the most
energetic operations of the vital force were manifested,
and it was during the reproduction of the poison germs
within the body that the force of diseased action called
for special attention. Whether they examined an epidemiz
or infectious disease of plants, of animals, or of man,
it would be found that the essence of the affection was a
something which had the power of reproducing its spe-
cies. Taking this faculty of reproduction as indicative
of the existence of a germ, he classed the agents of dis-
ease among living things, and regarded reproduction as
the primary law. To account for epidemics and infec-
tion upon the chemical basis he held to be impossible,
seeing that in no purely chemical process was there any
multiplication of the agents, and that, as far as the phy-
sical forces were concerned, one always increased at the
expense of the other, as the heat increased by the che-
mical change taking place in combustible bodies. The
lecture concluded, a conversation arose upon the subject.
in which Dr. Silvester, Dr. Snow, Mr. Charles Cochrane,
Dr. M‘William, and Mr. Tucker took part. A vote of
thanks was then accorded to Mr. Grove for his able paper.
In consequence of the lateness of the season, the society
adjourned till the mouth of November, when, it was an-
nounced, Dr. R. Gordon Latham will read a paper upon
epidemical diseases in Iceland. The committees of the
society will continue their operations during the recess.

SEABORNE MAILS.
[N signifies that the mails are sent from the General Post-obles
by the night—and M by the morning—dispatch.]

When made up in I From what When
PLACES. General Post-office; port dis- due.
London: patched.
America (by Brit. pkt.)NAug. 8 .• •• Liverpool Aug. 11
America (by U.S. pkt.) NlAug. 5 .. • • Liverpool .. Aug. 12
America (by U.S. pkt.) 13 Southampt. Aug. 7
Africa (West coast).. N 14th of the month !Plymouth Aug. 3
Alexandria* • • ...... N 19th & 30th of mo.lDover .. Aug. 18
Belgium • • .. • • NiDaily .• Dover .. Daily
Brazil .. Ml9th of the month Southampt. Aug. 12
Buenos Ayres • • .. M 9th of the month Southampt. Aug. 12
California(viaChagres)M ld & 17th of month Southampt. Aug. 5
Cape of Good Hope Nil4th of month Plymouth.. Aug. 3
Constantinople* .. •• N 7th 17th 27th of mo Dover .. Aug. 10
Central America .. M2d & 17th of mon. ,Southampt. Aug. 5
Channel Isles • • • • N Mon., Wed., &FrLlSouthampt. Tn. Th.Sa
Chin •. M 17th of the month (Southampt. Aug 5
France .. M& N Twice daily .. Dover .-
Greece* • • •• •• Nl7thl7th27thef mo !Dover .. Aug. 10
Hamburgh N Tuesday & Friday I London .. Tues. Sat.
Holland .• M Wednes. & Satur.' London .. Mms.Thcr
Honduras .• . N 17th of the month ;Southampt. Aug. 5
Ireland „ M & NlTwice daily .. I Holyhead .. Iwieedaily
India (via Southamp.) *2oth of the month Southampt. Aug. 23
India (via Marseilles) N 7th& 24th efmonthlDover At 4. 15
Mediterranean (via
Southampton) • • 3~i.20th of the month Southampt. Aug. 23
Mediterranean (via
Marseilles) • .• N 7thBz24tk ofmonth Dover .. Aug. 15
.
Mexico .• 11112 d of the month.. Southampt. Aug. 5
madeira .• .• M 9th of the month Southampt. Aug. 12
Malta. f 7th,17th,19th,27th
Dover Aug. 10
& 30th of month
Naples* •• N sth 15th 25th ofmo Dover .. Aug. 12
Papal States* •• N .Ith 15th25th ofmo Dover .. Aug. 13
reithisalar
„, • • .. M 7th 17th 27th of me Southampt. Aug. 15
pew „ 17th of the month Southampt. ,Aug. 5
Tuscany* ,„ N sth 15th 25th of mo Dover .. !Aug. 12
West Indies . • .. 17th of the month Southampt. (Aug. 20
West Indies (except
Havanna & Nassau) hi 2d of the month .. Southampt. Aug. 5

12d of the month ..
ountries thus mar]

ISouthanlipt. lAug. 5
:ed (*) are conveyed by

.0 The mails to those c
French packet viA. Maned
CALITOBNIA.—MaiIs to
are now despatched and d

and from Californi
lue by every Amer

via the United states
Ln packet.

BLACK WALL REGATTA.

The annual regatta, " to commemorate the day on
which the first meeting was held at Blackwall for the
establishment of that valuable institution, the Free
Watermen's and Lightermen's Asylum," came off yes-
terday at Blackwall, for a new boat and other prices
subscribed by the residents of the vicinity. The race
was in five heats, with six scullers, well contested, and
most numerously attended.