ve alluded
to. I find, however, that Gehlen, a celebrated French chemist, fell a
victim to it in the year 1815. His death is thus announced in the
"Philosophical Magazine" for that year. "We lament to have to announce
the death of Gehlen, many years the editor of an excellent Journal on
Chemistry and other sciences, and a profound chemist. He fell a victim
to his ardent desire to promote the advancement of chemical knowledge.
He was preparing, in company with Mr. Rehland, his colleague, some
arsenated hydrogen gas, and while watching for the full development of
this air from its acid solution, trying every moment to judge from its
particular smell when that operation would be completed, he inhaled the
fatal poison which has robbed science of his valuable services." Vide
Tillock's Phil. Mag., vol. 46, p. 316. Some further notice is taken of
his death in a paper extracted from the "Annales de Chimie et de
Physique," and published in a subsequent volume of the same Magazine.
Vide vol. 49, p. 280, in which are given his last experiments on that
subject, by M. Gay Lussac. I regret that no account is given in the same
work of the symptoms arising from the poison in his case. I presume,
however, they are on record.

In the subject of the case I mention, the general and prominent symptoms
were an immediate and great diminution of muscular strength, with pallor
of countenance and constant febricula, the arteries of the head beating
with violence, particularly when lying down at night, the pulse always
moderately increased in frequency, and full, but not tense; and
digestion for the most part good. This state continued for about three
months, during which time he was attending to his usual business,
although not able to take as much exercise as before. At the end of this
time he began to recover slowly, but it was six months before he was
restored entirely.

Yours, etc.,
JOHN M. B. HARDEN.

LETTER III.--FROM DR. JOSHUA PORTER.

NORTH BROOKFIELD, Oct. 26, 1827.

Though I would by no means favor the propensity for book-making, so
prevalent in our day, yet I have been long of the opinion that a work on
vegetable diet for general readers was greatly needed. I need it in my
family; and there are many others in this vicinity who would be
materially benefited by such a work.

I have had no means of ascertaining the good or bad effects of a "diet
exclusively vegetable in cases of phthisis, scrofula, and dyspepsia,