Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

this great attempt, and they have candidly expressed that the loss of his assistance is irreparable.

Mr. Eddy was the author of a number of essays which appeared in the newspapers, on botany and other branches of natural history; on geography and the internal improvement of this state. An essay on geography which he intended for publication in this magazine, will probably shortly appear. He was a member of the New-York Historical Society, and, in 1816, was elected to a similar honour in the Literary and Philosophical Society of New-York. To this latter association he communicated an interesting memoir on the geography of Africa. That unfortunate mariner, Capt. James Riley, the narrative of whose sufferings has awakened so large a portion of public attention, had applied to Mr. Eddy to draw for him a map of part of Africa. This gave Mr. Eddy the occasion of examining the different accounts that had been published by different travellers on African geography; and, without passing sentence of condemnation on any writer for wilful misrepresntations, he gives due credit to the statement of Capt. Riley. Capt. Riley has indeed been pronounced a loose writer by an anonymous reviewer,* but the testimonies to his worth and veracity are most respectable, and, besides, he is subject to the evidence of living witnesses. It cannot be denied that his work contains most important views of interior Africa; and it is gratifying to observe, that a gentleman possessed of the talents and learning of Hugh Murray, Esq. should, in his enlarged edition of Leyden's Historical Account of Discoveries and Travels in Africa, pay the tribute of high regard to our American narrator.

Enough has been said to show that the strongest principle of action in John H. Eddy, was the laudable desire to be useful: that he was superior to making a trade of liberal pursuits, and generous in

* Vide Quarterly Review, No. xxxiv. "Capt. Riley, it would appear, however competent as a mariner, was far from being a good anatomist and physiologist. He has stated that the weight of some of his companions on their reaching Mogadore did not exceed forty pounds each; whereas he ought to have been aware that the weight of the skeleton of a common sized man would be 133 pounds; the usual weight of the brain 4 pounds; that of the circulating blood 27 pounds: so that there are 45 pounds without either muscles or intestines." Did the Quarterly Reviewer want more decisive proof of the general inaccuracy of Capt. Riley's whole statement of his shipwreck, sufferings and sojournevings?

pecuniary matters, is admitted by those to whom he was best known. To conIclude this hasty sketch: it is unfortunately too frequently our lot to lament the seemingly untimely departure of aspiring genius and worth; but it may confidently be said, seldom could our regret and lamentation be more feelingly bestowed than on the subject of this brief memorial. Time and talents have rarely been more constantly or more undeviatingly directed to objects of substantial importance; and it is painful to reflect that his fatal illness was prematurely induced in consequence of such exertions. Let the qualities of his heart and his moral excellence command our regard; for the services he has rendered let the debt of gratitude be paid to his memory.

W.

Three cases of Gun-shot Wounds, communicated by Wm. Thomas, of Poughkeep sie, Hospital Surgeon to the Division of the Army commanded by Gen. Brown, in the Campaign of 1814.

Major Benjamin Birdsal of the 4th Rifle Regt. was wounded by a musket ball at the storming of Fort Erie, August 15, 1814. The ball struck the base of the under jaw and raked it to the angle where it is articulated with the head. For three days there was no bleeding of importance and the wound was dressed in the usual manner. But on the 4th, when the wounded parts had recovered from the torpor produced by the ball, a violent hemorrhage began, which ceased before any medical aid could be procured (the major being half a mile from the general hospital.) I was at a loss for some time to know whether the blood came from the facial or lingual artery, until the third or fourth hemorrhage, when it proved to be the facial artery that was wounded. The tongue was much injured and the frenum wounded, which, as at first, induced a belief that the lingual artery was the injured one. larged, and the wounded artery, to the parts became greatly inflamed and enfinger, was twice its natural size and beat violently. Compresses of sponge were used, but the involuntary motion of the jaw and the formation of matter crowded the sponge from the artery, and, after repeated trials, they were discontinued. The swelling of the head and the integuments covering the external carotid artery, forbade searching for that artery from whence the facial branches, else it would have been tied, and the only alternative was a compress that would press immova

The

bly on the wounded artery until its walls should unite. The finger was the only compress that could be relied on, and that was employed for thirteen days by relieves every three hours. Perhaps it was not necessary to continue the application of so laborious a compress for so long a time, but the life of a gallant officer was in jeopardy, and it was preserved by the only practicable mode of destroying the wounded artery. Major B. remained with the army until the succeeding winter; and when the inflammation subsided, the discharge from the wound was very great, and the left side of the jawbone, from the centre of the chin to the angle of its union with the head, came off in splinters with the pus; the destruction of the softer parts was great, and presented a large gaping appearance. Major B. has been advised to have the edges scarified and brought together similar to the hair-lip operation— success is doubtful. The duct of the parotid gland has been wounded, and there is a continual leaking from it. The submaxillary has been injured and the small glands on the general surface of the wound continually moisten the parts which will oppose the adhesive process.

der the sartorius muscle. The lymphatic vessels were inflamed up to the inguinal glands and the leg somewhat swollen, it was evident that twenty-four hours longer delay must have placed it beyond the amputating period—and the lieutenant was in imminent danger from the delay which had occurred; but it was thought better to take off the thigh in its present situation than risk further delay; after tying the femoral artery and the profunda, the torniquet was loosened, and the surface of the stump appeared to be crowded with leaking arteries, and before the patient could be removed from the table, seventeen arteries were tied. There were several peculiarities attending this case, but the object of making it public is to show the importance of early amputations, when the character of the injury clearly makes it necessary. Had the limb been amputated on the field, not more than five or six arteries would have required the ligature, and the experience of the campaign proved that primitive operations were the most successful. The system will not remain tranquil beyond a day; and delay after that period endangers the lives of the wounded, and I do not recollect a fatal case during the campaign of 1814, where amputation was performed within thirty hours after the wound was received; on the contrary, a large proportion of the deferred operations of the campaign were fatal.

Capt. James M'Intosh of the 1st Rifle Regt. was wounded by a musket ball in the action at Conjocita creek, it struck him on the left side of his neck, near the 4th coraical vertebre. It wounded the spine and entered the esophagus, and was swallowed without the patient's being conscious of it, and was discharged in a few days afterwards. The concussion of the Second Memoir on the Genus APHIS, conspine produced a great degree of torpor taining the Description of 24 new Amefor many months, particularly of the left rican Species. By C. S. Rafinesque. arm, (probably one of the coraical nerves I shall now add 24 new species, which I was wounded,) and the discharge of spi- observed in 1817, to the 12 already deculari of bone in the pus proved the spine scribed in my first memoir on this genus, to have been injured. A portion of the (Amer. Monthly Magazine, vol. i. p. 360.} liquid food which the captain attempted to I mean to proceed every year in the inswallow, passed out the orifice made by vestigation of this interesting genus, which the ball for several weeks. Capt. M'In- may properly be called the cattle of the tosh left the army the succeeding winter, ants. I have ascertained by actual obhis wound being nearly healed, but there servation the truth of Hubert's discovery was a stiffness of his neck. The ball was respecting this singular fact, having deragged from its collision with the spine, tected the ants in their management of and somewhat diminished in weight. these animals: I have seen them carrying their eggs and young on the plants adapted for their food, surveying their growth and progress, feeding on their honey, walking and rambling over them without disturbing them in the least, &c. It appears that several species are raised by each species of ants; but the same species is not raised by different ants, and each herd or colony belongs to a peculiar tribe of ants, which does not suffer other tribes of the same species to come and invade

Lieutenant Jonathan Kearsley of the 4th Rifle Regt. was wounded at Fort Erie on the 15th August, 1814. A musket ball struck his left leg about four inches below the knee, and fractured both bones of the leg badly. The lieutenant was anxious to save his leg, and the operation of amputation was delayed four days longer than was prudent. On the fifth day from the time he was wounded it was taken off, just where the femoral artery passes un

their property; and if any dares to do it, a war often ensues. These wonderful facts are not the most astonishing among those belonging to the natural history of the ants; a genus of insects which has claimed my most constant attention, and which I hope to illustrate shortly by describing the American species thereof; their policy exceeds that of many human societies!

All the species of the genus Aphis have many enemies, such as birds, reptiles, and the larva of several species of the genera Syrphus, Hemerobius, &c. which destroy them sometimes by thousands, else they would often propagate to an incredible extent; yet they are very hurtful to many plants, which they disease, reduce to inanition, and sometimes kill, by depriving them of their sap or juice. When they attack garden plants, they may be destroyed by rubbing a wet feather on those plants, they are easily detached and killed by it; they may also be easily killed by the smoke of tobacco or brimstone.

About 60 European species are known. I have detected already 36 species in the United States, where I suspect that many hundreds exist. I shall proceed to enumerate those observed last year in the state of New-York, mostly near Fishkill, and conclude by a synoptical division of the species already observed.

13. Aphis rosa-suaveolens. Body oboval oblong, green, brown or blackish, with two pale stripes on the back; antens nearly as long as the body and brownish, appendages very short, legs black at the base and tip, white in the middle; wings, with a brown spot in the males. The young ones are green, the old ones are blackish.

14. Aphis diplepha. Body oboval, pale green, with two rows of bristles on the sides of the back, eyes black, antens rufous as long as the body, legs rufous, appendages longer than the vent, which is acute. This species is found on many garden roses, the specific name means doble ciliated.

15. Aphis rhodryas. Body oboval oblong, pale green, antens two-thirds of the length of the body, brown as well as the legs, appendages short.-On many wild roses, which the specific name indicates.

16. Aphis viburnum-opulus. Body oboval, slate colour, antens black, white at the base, very short, only one-fourth of the body's length, appendages black and very short, vent black, legs black, white at the

base.

The young ones are of a greenish gray. This species feeds on the leaves instead of the stems; as usual with most of

the species, it deforms the leaves and rolls them over its nest.

17. Aphis viburnum-acerifolium. Body oboval, olivaceous brown, head black truncated, antens two-thirds of body's length brown, black at the top, as well as the legs, appendages shorter than the vent, which is acute. The young ones are olivaceous rufous; the males are entirely blackish or black, with a black oblong spot on the wings This species is raised by the formica melanogaster, or the black belly ant with red breast, head and feet, and it is upon it that I have observed many of the facts noticed in the introduction.

18. Aphis crategus-coccinea. Body oboval, pale green, with two dark stripes on the back of a brownish green; antens green half of body's length, appendages very short, vent acute. Feeds on the leaves of the crategus coccinea.

19. Aphis cornus-stricta. Body oboval, black, head squared truncated; antens two-thirds of body's length with a white base, legs white at the top, appendages very short, vent nearly acute. The males have the wings double the body's length, with a large black oblong spot underneath. Covering the branches (rarely the leaves) of the cornus stricta.

20. Aphis populus-grandidentata. Body oboval obtuse, reddish black, head truncated, back annulated, antens one-third of body's length, appendages obtuse, exceedingly short, vent obtuse. Male with many oblong blackish spots on the wings. This species is found on a very high tree, and often on the upper leaves and branches. Length one line. It is remarkable by the many spots on the wings of the male, while most of the species have only one large spot on the lower side of each wing, and a few species have unspotted wings.

21. Aphis populus-trepida. Body oboval, pale green, with two dark or brown stripes on the back, which is annulated, head truncated, antens whitish two-thirds of body's length, feet whitish, appendages elongated, as long as the vent, which is acute. I have not seen the male of this

[blocks in formation]

obtuse behind, and smooth or scarcely annulated.

23. Aphis oreaster. Body oblong, of a brownish or dark bronze colour; head truncated; antens brown, as long as the body, legs brown; appendages longer than the vent, which is appendiculated; males with unspotted wings. Found on several species of aster on the highlands, particulaly the aster simplex ; the specific name means mountain-asters.

24. Aphis erigeron-strigosum. Body oboval oblong, reddish; antens as long as the body, blackish as well as the legs; appendages longer than the vent which is mucronute. In the old ones the body becomes flattened, of a reddish brown, and the appendage of the vent becomes longer. 25. Aphis gibbosa. Body oboval, reddish fulvous, head truncated, thorax yellowish and gibbous, abdomen acute slightly annulated; antens longer than the body, brown, base gray; legs gray, knees and feet black; appendages brown, longer than the vent, which is appendiculated; males with unspotted wings. Found near Newburgh, on several species of solidago, particularly the S. odora, S. altissima, &c.

26. Aphis xanthelis. Body oblong cuneate, of a dark brown bronze colour, head truncated, abdomen slightly annulated; antens as long as the body, blackish as well as the legs; vent acute, appendages elongated erect: males blackish, with a linear yellowish spot on the wings. Noticed on the solidago nemoralis; size very unequal, from half a line to two lines long the specific name means yellow spotted.

27. Aphis annulipes. Body oboval, reddish brown, head truncated; antens twothirds of body's length; legs with pale rings; vent obtuse, appendages very short divergent. Observed in September near Oysterbay, Long-Island, on the Hieracium gronovi and H. paniculatum, length one line.

28. Aphis hieracium-paniculatum. Body oblong, of a shining reddish brown, abdomen a little curved or depressed above, and annulated; antens as long as the body, whitish at the base as well as the legs; vent acute, appendages elongated horizontal: male with vertical appendages, mucronute vent, and wings with a greenish brown spot. Found on the hieracium paniculatum only, in October, near Flatbush, Long-Island, a very singular species, the hind part of the body is raised; the males are much larger than the females.

29. Aphis verbena-hastata. Body pale green annulated oboval; antens as long VOL. III.-No. 1.

3

as the body, head truncated, appendages short. Length of the body one line, vent mutic.

30. Aphis polanisia-graveolens. Body black oblong oboval slightly annulated; antens as long as the body, base and top gray; legs with the base and a ring in the middle gray; appendages longer than the vent, which is acute; males with a brownish spot on the wings. Found near Newburgh, in June, on the leaves and flowers of the polanisia graveolens or cleome dodecandra L. where it is singular that they should be raised, since the vicidity of this plant must be some impediment: length of the body one line.

31. Aphis arabis-mollis. Body oboval oblong glaucous green, a row of black dots on each side; antens brown nearly as long as the body, appendages short, vent acute. A small species, less than one line in length.

32. Aphis polygala-senega. Body oboval brown; antens longer than the body, with pale rings, as well as the legs; appendages short, vent nearly obtuse. Noticed in June; length about one line.

33. Aphis brassica-napus. Body elliptic, pale greenish, covered with a white dust, a blackish spot on each side; head narrow truncated; antens half body's length, blackish as well as the legs; vent acute, appendages short, dentiform. Found in gardens, sometimes also on the brassica.

34. Aphis erigeron-canadense. Body oboval green; antens brown, shorter than the body; appendages brown, elongated one third of total length, oviduct elongated. The body is about one line long, the oviduct appears as a third appendage. Found on Long-Island.

35. Aphis ambrosia. Body oboval, yellow, acute behind; head truncated; antens half the length of the body, a little brownish, feet tipped with brownish; appendages brown elongated upright: very small, body only half a line long. Found on Long-Island on several species of the genus ambrosia: they are raised and bred by a new species of ants, which I have called formica fasciata.

36. Aphis acaroides. Body oboval redish, obtuse behind, antens very short, feet brown, appendages obtuse wart shaped. The smallest species observed, scarcely one-fourth of a line long, having much the appearance of an acarus; found also on Long-Island on the dileptium virginicum, (lepidium virginicum L.) raised likewise by the formica fasciata, which is itself

rather a small ant.

Whenever a genus becomes extensive in species, it is necessary to divide it in

[blocks in formation]

II. Division. Antens not bent. 3. Sub-genus. Dactynotus. Body or back annulated.

1. Section. Antens shorter than the body. Sp. 20, 21.

2. Section. Antens as long as the body. Sp. 22, 26, 28, 29, 30.

3. Section. Antens longer than the body. Sp. 25.

4. Sub-genus. Adactynus. Body not annulated.

1. Section. No appendages. Sp. 3.
2. Section. Usual appendages, antens
shorter than the body. Sp. 4, 5,
6, 7, 8, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 27, 33,
34, 35, 36.
3. Section. Usual appendages, antens
as long as the body. Sp. 10, 13,
14, 23, 24, 31.
4. Section. Usual appendages, antens
longer than the body. Sp. 2, 11, 23.

Memoir on the Crystallization of Snow; read before the Lyceum of Natural History, New-York, April 8th, 1817. By P. S. Townsend, M. D.

The doctrines of crystallization have long received the attention of chemical philosophers. Of late years, the elucidations of the Abbe Hauy, on this subject, have far outstripped the labours of others; and his discoveries, going to establish the identity of chemical laws and mathematical demonstration, have given a peculiar grandeur to this part of analytical philosohpy, and left little else to be done by those who follow him. Crystallography, however, where it applies to the evanescent forms of watery concretions, has not been much attended to. The observance of these forms, and the delineation of the varieties they assumed, was all that seemed necessary for the component parts of water were well known, and whatever

shape it might assume on crystallization, did not seem to have, as in salt and other substances, any particular relation to its chemical constitution. The practical utility of such investigation, therefore, was, in regard to water, no longer thought of, while its modes of congelation were from time to time expatiated upon, rather with the air of speculative relaxation than severe discrimination. Much, however, has even in this way been accumulated; and though much may remain to be known, I believe, in what I have to offer there will be found little if any originality.

Water, undergoing congelation in the heavens, and falling upon the earth, exhibits itself in the form either of snow or hail; that congealing upon the surface of of the earth is termed ice. "Hail is of the same nature as ice: snow is of the same nature as white frost. That snow may be formed, it is necessary that the aqueous particles diffused through the air should congeal before they have united into gross drops."* The causes producing solidification in bodies, may sometimes so operate, that the masses concreting shall assume certain regular and systematic figures. These, in chemistry, are termed crystals. In water, crystallization is ascribable only to abstraction of caloric; but in other substances it is effected also by evaporation. The crystals of snow, particularly, are distinguished from all others in another respect; viz. they consist of little, thin, smooth, and narrow bars of transparent ice, so disposed that they form planular or flattened hexagonal stellæ, or stars, rather than solid masses of a cuboidal, or pyramidal configuration. These stellæ, or stars, though of sufficient magnitude for occular inspection, are, however, of rare occurrence, "the flocculi being ordinarily of irregular and unequal figure."+ Hence they have been remarked upon by very few. When they do occur, therefore, they should be noted. I had the satisfac tion of witnessing these beautiful and singular configurations on Saturday afternoon, the 1st of March, 1817; and again a few days after that. The weather on the day that I first discovered them, was cloudy, with the wind at S. W. but so moderate as not to be perceptible. The temperature of the air was about 30° or 31°. These forms were assumed when the snow fell very gently, and in such

* M. De Ratte. Vide Art. Neige, Encyclopedie des Sciences et des Arts. Paris. 1774.

fol.

Vide Art. Neige, Encyclop. des Arts et des Sciences.

« AnteriorContinuar »