The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1869-06-06
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SCIENCES, ETC.

contains This ocean of mixed oxygen
and nitrogen, at the bottom OF which, we
mortals founder about, contains more
than is dreamed Of in their philosophy.
The old spelling book exercises, = BRIDE
live in the air,nI a Fish live in the scar
would be the substance of their replies, II
questioned as to the living things which
inhabit air and ocean. But the AIR .is the
home Of immense numbers of living things,
which the unaided eye cannot perceive, as
well as the efeathered and insect races.
This vital fluid, without which we. cannot T
ordinarily live five minutes, Is literally
crowded with lie; life in an embryotic
state, it is true, but none the less life on
that account. An egg is n living thing; If
you touch your tongue to the ends OF
newly-laid egg, You will find that one end |
is quito warm, while the other may be quite |
cold. So long as that heat remains, the egg |
is aIive-an organized photographic, |
under favorable circumstances, of develop
ment into bird of the species which
| deposited it. When that vital spark OF
heat is gone, the egg is dead, ana VIII
| Immediately decay. The seeds OF plants
are analogous to the eggs of birds, although,
after they are dead and incapable of
/ termination, TIL ey viii pot decay 50 rapidly.
| There is another class of germs of still
lower order than vegetable seeds. THESE
are minute granules, parts OF Howefiess
| plants, which perform the functions OF
seeds, called spores. A good example of
spores is to be found upon the under-sldes
I Of the fronts OF, ferns, at the proper season.
Spores are not 80 highly organized as the
seeds of lowering plants, but they contain
q vitality which, although of lower type,
is longer retained. In fact, it is not.im-
probable that some of them retain their
power of termination for ages, only waiting
! for favorable circumstances to become
developed into complete growth The air
has been ascribed to be full of such germs,
which, blown about by winds, lodged in
crevices of stones in high buildings and
} tall cliffs, taken into the stomachs of
animals with their food, or inhaled with
their breath, beaten to the earth with rains,
to rise again in the form OF lmpalpable
dust, at length finds q proper indus, In
which they speedily develop into maturity.
Some of these, when breathed OF otherwise
taken into the system, pass into the blood
and produce disease. A large class of
diseases now attributed to this cause.
| Among them is the Clever and-ague," the
| pestilence of new and low lands. This
disease has lately been attributed, by good
l authority, to the presence of microscopic
t algae in the blood. So plentiful are these
germs existing in innumerable forms and
D variety in the atm osphere, that DIR. Dancer,
4 of Manchester, England, found there was
t a quarter of million spores in q single
drop of distilled water which had been
: agitated in contact with the Common air of
t that locality, in n bottle. What myriads
d upon myriads of these tiny beiags must be
: Of rain. The microscope, that "wondertnl
9 eve which science has bestowed upon man
Q kind" reveals to us these curious facts
@ and what its ultimate effect upon the
sciences at large, and medicine IN particu-
O lar is to be, 1t is impossible to- predict
p The telescope is penetrating deeper and
d deeper into the celestial vault; Tndt corr
stautiy telling us new wonders oE-thf
l. starry universe. The microscope, on the
d contrary, is dragging to light minute ex-
| tk,o%-h o,y 10 hi16aD for a nF
e is tracing their influences upon the health
V of mankind. The army of workers, with
70 their most fascinating and instructive
instruments, is daily increasing, and q fooC
y of light is beginning to pour upon many
sr things hitherto most mysterious. d..
(, DedfResS.-E Ear aches and deafness arr
i sometimes connected with chro~ic ulcera
n ton in the internal or external part of thu
ear, when injections of warm water ant
!, soap are advisable. In this case, there !
le sometimes constant discharge, for which
IL the following mixture is recommended
i. Take of ox-gall, three drachms balsam o
w Peru, one drachm. Mix. A drop or TIVE
to be put into the ear with n little cotton
re- When deafness arises from deficient score
e. ton of wax, take oil of tHFpeRtine, half
Is drachm; olive oil, two drachms. Mix
ne Two drops to be introduced into the ear a
r bedtime When deafness arises from
&c collection of too much wax, and pain 1
Mt experienced on the drum of the ear, injec
d. warm water with gutta percha syring
:" made for the purpose, and which can b
ly purchased at any respectable chemists.
ID The CanneIliG IN Japdn--The growth c
TX the camellia tree in Japan is most wonder
IT. full. Let not the smile of incredulity ligh
to up the4face of the reader when we stat
re that we have seen some OF them attain tn
height of at least forty feet. Many such q
en- these we passed, and the appearance Z
ce them in full bloom may be imagineC
It. Before we had seen this ourselves, W
he should have thought it about as likely
ed circumstance that we should one day s
under the shade of our own mignonette 9
IA that we should ride for miles under camelli
r trees in full flower. Later in the season
he when the eameIlias have ceased to bloom
lat their place is supplied by the azalias, while
TO marks the hillsides with gaudy patches
m crimson, and the landscape becomes moi
rst gorgeous than ever,--Oletr Life IN JaIsd
.e-lr4 a4lg q So, q l.a - 3. -rHrs'z