MANGANESE.

375

madder used in printing, of which he apprised the RoyalSociety , detailing the process and giving the result; whopublished his letter in their Transactions for the year 1736.Hence all naturalists soon became informed; several ofwhom made new experiments, the result of which not onlyproclaimed the utility of. the plant in commerce, &c. but alsoserved to apprise them of a new secret in nature, whichcommunicated many useful truths to the physiologist.

Besides the roots of madder, there is galium, or “ ladies’yellow bed-straw,” and other plants, which have a likeaffinity to madder in producing similar effects. It is, how-ever, remarked, that such is not the case with saffron, orwood, nor with many other vegetable substances used indyeing. The colouring takes place the soonest in younganimals; it is also observed, that it is strongest where thebones are hardest and thickest. However, it does not attachitself to the softer parts; and appears to affect the milk andother juices but little.

Those ancient physicians, Galen and Dioscorides , haveobserved nearly the same effects, from certain roots theyprescribed to their patients, in urine and other excrements.This effect has been also remarked by Cordon, in De Sub-tilitate, lib. xviii. p. 669. Thurueisser, in Von Kalten,warmen und metallischen wassern. Strasburg, 1612, fol. iv.6, p. 78. Porta, Magi a Natural. Frankf. 1591, 8vo. viii.13, p. 355. Castor Durantes, Herbarium novum. Venet.1617, fol. p. 400; and in the works of subsequent physi-cians.

The oldest of modern authors who observed this effect isLemnius, a physician and native of Zealand, where theplant grows in abundance. See his treatise De Miraculisoccidtis Natures.

MANGANESE.

It has been observed by a recent writer, 1 that the termglass-making announces more than that art really performs.Though this may appear to some to be true, who considerthat this, as in most other arts, where materials are easy ofaccess, the term making may not probably be the bestselected, which might have been found; most likely thosewho consider it in this light, would prefer that of manufac-turing, which does not appear quite so objectionable. To us

* Beckmann.