1814.] ( 147 ) PATENTS LATELY ENROLLED. PETER NOUAILLE, of Greatness, near Sevenoaks, in the County of Kent, esq. for a Method of saving Water in mechanical and hydraulic Purposes. October 5, 1812. HIS invention consists in a new Tmethod of applying water to water wheels, by causing it to commence its action upon a point of the wheel's circumference, which is about fifty-three degrees distant from the vertex, instead of applying it at the top of the wheel, as commonly practised for over-shot wheels. By this means he has the advantage of a larger wheel, in situations where the fall would only allow of a smaller when the water is applied at the top; thus, if there be a perpendicular of twelve feet, a wheel of fifteen feet diameter is used, and of course the water must be made to act upon it at a height of twelve feet, which is three feet perpendicular below the top of the wheel, or at about fiftythree degrees from the top. The pentrough which brings the water to the wheel, is made of such a form that it delivers the water from the bottom of it through the floor, and is directed at such an angle as to fall into the buckets nearly in the direction of the wheel's motion, which will be at an angle of seventy-five degrees with the horizon; the shuttle or gate slides upon the floor of the trough, so as to cover the aperture, and determine the quantity of water to be let out upon the wheel. MR. G. KNELLER'S, Chemist, for the Ma. nufacture of French Verdegris. Copper sheets from twelve to fifteen inches diameter, each sheet weighing about one pound and a half, are taken, and having prepared them by dipping them in a solution of verdegris, the pro cess is as follows; 1st. A body is given for the copper to rest upon. 2d. By its acid quality exerting its influence on the copper. The following artificial mode of substituting the grape is then taken; sponge is used, and having cut it into small pieces so as to resemble the size of the grape, they are wetted with a sufficient quantity of the acetic acid, which is obtained from the grains of beer after the first brewing, for the sake of economy; but it is to be understood, that any other means by which the acetic acid can be obtained will answer the same purposes. After having wetted a sufficient quantity of these pieces of sponge, which ought to be performed in a large stone pan, the subsequent steps are as follow: The copper sheets are then brought near the pan, and a sufficient quantity of these wetted materials are placed stratum super stratum, so that they may bear equal in all their parts; care being taken the sponge between the sheets are not too close, as they would prevent the action of the air passing between them, which so much facilitates their oxydation. From twelve to fifteen sheets are placed on each other, and put intó а stone pan and covered with a slight canvas or straw covering, placed in an under-ground apartment, there to remain five or six days, when a sufficient quantity will have generated. The verdegris, when made, is capable of crystallization by dissolving it in distilled vinegar, and pursuing the same means as in the French. JAMES THOMPSON's, of Primrose Hill, near Clithero, Calico-printer; for a Method of producing Patterns on Cloth previously dyed Turkey red. This invention consists in the following process: First, mix or combine with the acid called oxymuriatic acid (or dephlogisticated acid of sea salt), and water, some of the alkaline salts or, earths hereafter named, which shall weaken or suspend the power of the said acid in such proportion that it shall not, in such mixed or combined state, of itself, and without any farther operation, be able to remove the Turkey red colour from the cloth, or materially to impair it, within the moderate space of time taken up in the performance of the process. Secondly. Print, stamp, pencil, or otherwise apply to those parts of the said cloth which are intended to be either wholly or in a greater or less degree deprived of their red colour, some other acid or metallic oxyd, or calx, which has a greater affinity or attraction for the alkaline salt or earth with which the oxymuriatic acid is mixed or combined than that acid itself possesses; and if any one of the stronger or more powerful acids be employed, which is either of a corrosive nature, and cannot be safely used, or of a volatile nature, and cannot be used conveniently, such acid must be combined with alkalies, earths, metals, or metallic oxyds, or calces, so as to form neutral salts, acid salts, or metallic salts, which shall not be too corrosive or too volatile, and such alkalies, earths, metals, or metallic oxyds, or calces only, must be employed, as have a weaker affinity or attraction for the same acid, than that acid has for the alkaline salt or earth with which the oxymuriatic acid has been mixed or combined. Thirdly. Immerse the cloth in the solution of the said oxymuriatic acid, so mixed or combined with some of the alkaline salts or earths hereinafter named as aforesaid. When the acid or oxyd which either in its simple or combined state has been applied to parts of the cloth, immediately seizes upon, and combines with alkaline salt or earth, with which the oxymuriatic acid has been mixed or combined, and disengages that acid, which almost instantaneously deprives of their colour those parts of the cloth to which the said acids or oxyds which, in their simple, or combined state, have been printed, &c. have been so applied. Lastly. The alkaline salts or earth which are mixed or combined with the oxymuriatic acid, in order to suspend or prevent its action on those parts of the red cloth which are intended to retain their colour, are the alkaline salts of potash and soda, or the calcareous, magnesian, barytic, or strontitic earths, of which the calcareous earth is preferred. The acids which are applied to the parts intended to be made white, or to those places on the cloth intended to be deprived of their red colour, in a great er or less degree, are any of the vegetable, mineral, or animal acids which have a stronger attraction for the alkaline salt or earth with which the oxymuriatic acid has been mixed or combined, than that acid itself has. The combinations which are preferred as uniting the greatest number of advantages upon the whole the are, super sulphate of potash, (or acid vitriolated tartar) the sulphate of copper or blue vitriol, the muriate of tin or sal jovis, the nitrate of copper, and the muriate of copper. But a mixture of the supersulphate of potash with the tartaric or citric acids, is preferred to any single combination. The invention whereof the sole and exclusive use is claimed consists in print. ing, stamping, pencilling, or otherwise applying to those parts of the cloth which are intended to be either wholly, or in a greater or less degree deprived of their red colour, an acid, oxyd, neu tral salt, acid salt, or metallic salt, such as is hereinbefore for that purpose directed, and immersing the whole cloth in such mixture or combination of oxymuriate acid and water, with some of the alkaline salts or earths, as is herein directed for that purpose. Other Patents lately granted, of which we solicit the Specifications. THOMAS WRIGHT, of Great St. Helen's, in the city of London, broker; for a method of making a composition or mixture for dyeing scarlet and other colours.- Dated December 9, 1813. JOSEPH WHITE, of Leeds, in the county of York, millwright; for improvements in steam-engines.-Dated December 14,1813. WILLIAM ALLAMUS DAY, of Poplar, in the county of Middlesex; for a method of extracting all the gross or mucilaginous matter from inks or Greenland blubber, produced from whales when boiled into oil; which method not only renders the oil so boiled more free from its usual rancid smell and taste, but in a great degree adds to its burning and inflammable qualities.-Dated December 20, 1813. WILLIAM SPRATLEY, of the Strand, in the county of Middlesex, coal-merchant; for an improvement upon the axletree of wheels for carriages of different descriptions.-Dated December 20, 1813. JOHN SUTHERLAND, of Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, copper-smith; for an improvement in the construction of copper and iron sugar pans and sugar boilers, and a new method of hanging the same; and also an improvement in the in which such pans and boilers ought to be construction of the furnaces or fire-places placed.-Dated December 20, 1813. SIR THOMAS COCHRANE, Knt. commonly called LORD COCHRANE; for methods of regulating the atmospheric pres sure in lamps, globes, and other transparent cases for supplying combustible matter to flames, and preserving uniform intensity of light.-Dated December 24, 1813. RALPH SUTTON, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, brass-founder; for an effectual security to prevent the accidental discharge of fowling-pieces; which invention is unconnected with the lock, and applicable to all kind of fire-arms.-Dated December 24, 1813. JAMES CAVANAH MURPHY, of Edwardstreet, Cavendish-square, in the county of Middlesex, architect; for an Arabian method of preserving timber, and various other substances, from corruption and decay.Dated December 24, 1813. **We invite Patentees to favour us with copies of their Specifications. * SOCIETIES, 1814.] [149 PROCEEDINGS OF PUBLIC SOCIETIES. THE COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS, LONDON. On the MORTALITY of LONDON; by HE Bills of Mortality in London have often been objected to, as imperfect and erroneous sources of information, and unworthy of credit. And the charge is certainly not without foundation, though by no means to be admitted in its full extent. One of the most obvious, and most remarkable changes that have taken place in the Bills of Mortality, is the alteration in the relative numbers of the christenings and burials. During the first fifty years of the eighteenth century, the burials exceeded the christenings in the proportion of three to two: during the last fifty years of the same century, the excess of the burials was constantly grow ing less, and, taken on an average, they have borne to the christenings a proportion of about five to four. But since the year 1800, the burials have actually fallen short of the christenings in the proportion of twelve to thirteen. This effect appears to have been produced by the joint operation of an increasing number of baptisms, and a diminished mortality. Many attempts have been made to investigate what proportion of the inhabitants annually die in London. This has been done principally with the view of discovering the population, and the probabilities of life; but it has besides been considered as affording the fairest test of the healthiness of the metropolis. Several judicious corrections of the London bills have been pointed out, particularly by Dr. Price, as necessary previous to drawing any conclusions that can be depended upon. From the result of his calculations it appeared, that in the year 1768, not less than a twenty-first part of the whole number of inhabitants died every year; or, which comes to the same thing, that the annual deaths reported in the Bills of Mortality, augmented by the omissions, which he estimated at six thousand, and the sum multiplied by 21, would give nearly the true number of the living. The same author has corroborated his statements by a variety of accounts collected from different parts, which it would be out of MONTHLY MAG, No. 252. mya place here to detail. I shall content my self with giving in his own words a brief representation of the general result. "It may be stated in general, that whereas in great towns the proportion of inhabitants dying annually, is from 1 in 19 to 1 in 22 or 23, and in moderate towns from 1 in 24, to 1 in 28; in country parishes and villages, on the contrary, this proportion seldom exceeds 1 in 40 or 50. The proofs of this are numerous and unexceptionable." Here then is afforded a rule, by which we may at once form some judgment of the healthiness of any place, if we can only find the proportion which the yearly deaths bear to the whole number of the inhabitants. But we are enabled at this time, with much greater accuracy than ever before, to ascertain this with regard to London. For by the returns made to parliament in consequence of the Population Act we are furnished with. an actual enumeration of the people in the year 1801; which, in those parishes that are included in the bills of mortality, amounted to 745,000. The mean number of burials reported at the same time was 19,000. And if to this number we add 6000 for the omissions, agreeably to Dr. Price's estimate (and I know no rea son that is likely to have made any material alteration in them since his time) we shall then have 25,000 for the true number of annual deaths; which upon computation will be found to bear to the whole number of inhabitants a proportion little exceeding one to thirty. If then we adopt Dr. Price's calculations as approaching at all to the truth, we shall see how much the city is advanced in healthiness since the time of their formation. Or if we reject his rea soning altogether, and only compare the present mortality of London with that of other great towns, we shall still be led to the conclusion, that London is to be reckoned among the most healthy. I find that while the number dying under two years of age is so considerably diminished, as I have already noticed, the numbers in the two next periods, viz. from two till ten years, are very much increased; which confirms my former conclusion of there being a greater num ber of children saved in early infancy. For it is obvious that the number of deaths must in general follow the same course as the number of the living amongst whom X they they occur. Again, between the ages of ten and forty years, very nearly the same proportion died formerly as now; or where there is any difference it may be ascribed to the introduction of a greater or smaller number of new settlers, who in that active season are never wanting to supply any deficiency of the natives. In all the subsequent periods of life till fourscore, the numbers at the present time are much greater than they were fifty years ago; and throughout these last fifty years they have been still sensibly increasing; which I impute entirely to the increased healthiness of the town, and the consequent extension of life. The very aspect of the city in every direction will suggest a reason for this in the widening of its streets, in the removal of nuisances, the opening of confined quarters, the erection of public squares, the construction of better drains, and that universal diffusion of waterpipes, which, like the vessels of a living body, being multiplied by innumerable brauches, convey away the impurities of life, and impart new health and animation to every district. It cannot be doubted that much of the poisonous atoms, whatever they be, whose accumulated influence render large communities unfavourable to human life, must be carried off by these open channels for their discharge, or at least softened and blunted by the free admission of a purer atmosphere. It is, however, remark able, that the proportion of persons who attain to the age of eighty years, has never undergone much variation; as if these extraordinary cases were to be attributed rather to some original conformation of the body, some greater strength of constitution (for nature observes a certain uniformity even in her irregularities) than to those causes which influence the preceding course of mortality. The truth however seems to be, that although the proportion who survive four score years, continues the same that it was fifty years ago, yet the number, out of whom these are supplied, being really much diminished, it follows that the true proportion estimated from among the natives of London, must be in an oppo. site ratio increased. For upon reflection, it appears that London, under the circumstances of its present diminished importation, is still able to furnish as great a proportion of aged persons, as it did when there was a large addition of inhabitants introduced from the country, after the mortality of childhood was 1814.1 New Publications in February: tion than we ought) still the aggregate number of insane persons of the year 1800, will only be, when contrasted with the census of England for that year, in about the ratio of 1 to 7500. In the ingenioas and excellent observations upon insanity, published by my friend Mr. Haslam, there is a statement drawn, from the admissions into Bethlem Hospital from 1748 to 1794, of the proportion which the male and female patients have borne to each other; from which it appears, that the ratio of the former has been to the latter nearly as 1000 to 1195. The London register B 151 was examined with a view to this point for five years, from 1804 to 1808, and it has yielded me a different result; for according to it, the male patients have on the contrary been, in respect to the females, nearly as 1128 to 1000. Number of Lunatics returned every fiveTM Years under the Act 14 Gen. III. NEW PUBLICATIONS IN FEBRUARY. Communications of New Books and Titles are solicited. BIBLIOGRAPHY. IBLIOTHECA Curiosa, Part I. for 1814. A Catalogue of curious, rare, and valuable Books, consisting of splendid illustrated Works, several Collections of Prints, from the first Masters, and a fine Collection of Works in Black Letter, enriched with a variety from the presses of Caxton, Wynkyn de Worde, Pynson, &c. Reports of Cases upon Appeals and Writs of Error in the House of Lords, during the first Session of the fifth Parliament of the United Kingdom, 1818; by P. Dow, esq. of Lincoln's Inn, Barrister at Law. Vol. I, 11. 2s. The Pocket Companion to the Law of Bills of Exchange, Promissory Notes, Checks, Drafts, &c. &c. To which are added, Tables of the Stamp Duties, &c.&c. By the Editor of the Legal and Literary Journal, and Independent Review. 2s. 6d. MEDICINE. Letters addressed to his Grace the cele brated Duke of Piccadilly; by an eminent Royal Physician. 2s. 6d. Accoucheur's Vade Mecum; by Joseph Hopkins, surgeon. 12mo. 6s. Observations on the distinguishing Symp. toms of three different Species of Pulmonary Consumption, the Catarrhal, the Apos tematous, and the Tuberculous; with some Remarks on the Remedies and Regimen best fitted for the Prevention, Removal, or Alleviarion of each Species; by Andrew Duncan, sen. M.D. 8vo. 6s. Facts and Observations relative to the Fever commonly called Puerperal; by J. Armstrong, M.D. 8s. 6d. The Medical Guide for Tropical Climates, particularly the British Settlements in the East and West Indies, and the Coast of Africa; by Richard Reece, M. D. |