Page 209 - Reading Mercury

has kindly allowed his name to be included amongst the patrons of our prospering
Institution. We again most heartily wish it success.

SUCCESSFUL APPLICATION OF ETHER TO SURGICAL OPERATIONS
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--On Friday, the 26 ultima, Mr. Weight of Wokingham, performed two operations on
patients who had inhaled the vapour of Ether. The first one was that of a man who had
a tumour in the forehead. He was etherised in about five minutes by means of Mr
Smee’s apparatus, as constructed by Ferguson, the Imperial Cutler to St.
Bartholomew’s Hospital. Mr. Weight began his incisions about four minutes after the
commencement of the inhalation, and the patient’s sensibility though deadened was
not completely annihilated, for he felt the knife, but in another minute he was
completely narcotised and unconscious. During the process the pulse became very
small, frequent and irregular, and for some time after his restoration to sensibility the
patient trembled in every fibre, but a glass of wine perfectly restored him.

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Sat 24 April
MECHANICS AND SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTION
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On Friday evening, the 16 instant, Mr. W.C. Beechy favoured the members of this
institution with a lecture on Phonography. The object of the lecturer was to expose the
many defects in our present elementary system of reading, writing and spelling; and
showed that, by adopting phonography (a method of writing by or according to sound)
the acquirement of these now difficult branches of education would be facilitated in a
truly surprising degree.
We think that Mr. B., by his lucid and interesting exposition of his subject, with
which he evinced an intimate acquaintance, succeeded in enlisting the sympathies of
his audience on the side of Phonography.

Our sessions were holden in the Town Hall on Friday last, before H. Jeremy, esq.,
the recorder, and a full bench of the members of the Corporation, when J.L. Roberts,
esq, was elected Alderman for the year ensuing; and in consequence of the death of T.
Creaker and T. Quentery, esqrs., the vacancies in the corporation were filled by our
respected neighbours Mr. F. Soames and Mr. E. Dalley, both of whom we sincerely
hope may live many years to enjoy that share of honor and dignity they so justly
deserve.

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Sat 8 May
MECHANICS INSTITUTION
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On Friday, the 23 April, Mr. H.J. Lance, gave an interesting lecture upon
Chemistry, in the course of which, he lucidly explained the Chemical and Mineral
Structure of Soils, Rocks, and Plants, which gave very great satisfaction. The Hon.
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Secretary, on the 30 , gave his third lecture upon the Properties of Matter, which
elicited the warm applause of the audience; and we are glad to see he announced his
intention to address the inhabitants on Tuesday next, upon the propriety of
establishing a society upon a very comprehensive scale, to be called the Wokingham
General Provident and Benevolent Society; and from the features exhibited in the
circulars we are induced to predict its ultimate success, and we can but hope that if
proof be adduced of the soundness of the principles upon which it is professed to be
based, that not only very many of our townsmen, but others from neighbouring places
will immediately become members.

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