The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1869-08-23


The second days proceedings of this body,
now in session at Salem, Mass were very in
teresting. Among the papers read was one by
Prof. johnson on the
GEOLOGY OF THE COAST OF MAINE.
The coast of Maine, he said, may be called a
coast of denudation, and takes its present con-
formation from the rocks underlying the soil,
the waves of the Atlantic having long since
removed everything that is movable. The rocks
of this region are metamorphic and lie in i'm
mense folds, nearly parallel with each of the
rivers, Kennebec, Sheepscot and others furth-
er east, occupying the synclinal axes between
the folds Most OF the island lying off this
coast are only combinations of the promonto-
ries constituting these folds. Monhegan is an
exception to this, being, as the Professor be-
lleves, part of an immense trap uplift of the
same age as the trap dixie at White Head Is
land, and other places further north. He spoke
also of the markings on a rock on Monomah
Island, which lies by the side of Monhegan.
These markings, he was disposed 10 consider
not artificial characters, but produced by the
action of the atmosphere upon the partially
crystalline rock.
THE SEXES OF PLANTS.
Another interesting paper was one read by
Prof Meehan, on the above theme. The Pro-
lessor referred to some discoveries published
by him last year, showing that in plants of the
pine family the greater the vigor of the axis or
stem growth the greater was the adhesion of
the leaves with the stem. Norway spruces
only produced cones on the very strong
branches. As they grew weaker they ceased
to produce these, and only male ones followed.
In the larch there was the same phenomenon
When the tree came to q bearing age the most
vigorous shoots had the leaves adherent to the
stems. only (oomn,ou1xy 4
leaves) appeared from the apices. AS the shoots
weakened they lost power of axial develop
ment, and the leaves the power of producing
acorns, and true leaves grew in verticils OF
spurs. AS these gradually grew weaker, they
produced female flowers, and ultimately, when
they became much weakened by shade or by a
diversion of food into other channels, they pro-
duced male flowers. The conclusion the speak
er arrived at was that it is the highest types of
vitality only which take on the female form.
and suggested that probably the same laws
prevail in the animal world, but contented
himself with the bare suggestion. The essay
ist merely presented great number of facts,
Offering them not as an established theory, but
as one of great probability, and inviting furth-
or Investigation.
FEELING THE PULSE BEAT BY TELEGRAPH
But the most interesting feature of the ex-
ercises of the second day was the experiments
in the evening at Lyceum Hall. Dr. j. Bax-
ter Upham described the peculiar features of
the case of DR.. Groux, native of Hamburg.
but now a practicng physician in Williams
burg, N. Y, who has no breast-bone.
The case has been often reported in medical
journals, but is now for the first time present.
ed before scientific association. Several cases
Of somewhat similar malformation have been
reported, but the present is the only instance
III which the absence of the sternum was con-
genital and complete, and the patient so intel
lgent as to be able and DESTROYS to make his
position as valuable as possible to science.
Dr. Groux proceeded to try some expert
ments on himself removing his coat and ex-
posing his breast, so that it could be readily
seen that there was nothing but muscular in
teguments between the skin and heart. He
exhibited photographs and drawings to explain
the peculiarities of his malformation, and bv
placing feathers on various portions of his
breast he made each beat of his pulse visible
to the entire audience. Galvanic wires. con-
nected with bells, were then substituted for the
feathers and the pulsations were made audible
as well as visible.
Two physicians were invited from the audi
ence, one of whom applied stethoscope to the
breast, while the other held his finger on the
pulse of the right hand. DR.. Groux then took
deep inspiration, and COMPRISING his lungs,
the motions of the heart were made to cease
for several seconds. by slow inspiration the
flow of blood was partially arrested, and the
auricles filled with blood, SO as to appear swol-
len. India rubber tubes, with glass extremi-
ties, filled with different colored fluids, were
also applied in such manner as to show the
successive portions of each pulsation.
After explaining the improvements in the
diagnosis of aneurisms which the case had
suggested, DR.. Upham proceeded, with the aid
OF the telegraph and magnesium light, to rem
der audible and visible the pulsatons of patients
in the City Hospital in Boston Mr.. Farmer
having charge of the telegraph instruments in
the lecture room, Mr. Stearns at the City Hos
pital and Or. Knight, assisted By the internes
OF the hospital, taking the Medical direction.
The Franklin Telegraph Company placed their
entire line between Salem and New York al
t1e disposal of the Association, and every
pulse-click of the magnet was heard simulta-
neously at every station on the entire line. DR..
Flint in New York and DIR. Ives in New Haven.
will probably report the receipt of the informa-
ton at those stations.
OTHER INTERESTING MATTERS.
On the third day DR.. N. 7. True OF Bethel,