The New York herald., 1869-02-22
sclsNTlrc ITEMS.

some bones nave recently been discovered al
Neufchatel, Switzerland. that belonged to an ante
diluvian mamifer Professor Rutimeyer believes
that it formed part OF mammoth (elephas prisi0e-
nit1sj, similar to those whose remains have been
discovered In Siberia. The animal was q contem-
porary OF the men OF the worked stone PERIOD pre-
viously to the glacial era which seems to have put
an end to Its existence.
At Windischgarsten, in Upper Austria, a number
Of houses have been discovered that formerly be-
longed to the Roman settlers the Middle Danube.
Numerous household implements have been found,
besides several coins ranging from Marcus, A. d.,
16l-lS0 TO Lcinius, A. d. 307, and one coin OF the
reign Of Adrian, A. d. 119.
A curious leaden coin was lately found at Hamp-
stead, in England 1t Is about an inch and half in
diameter ard on inspection it turns out to be a
"bull' Of Pope Innocent w., one OF the well known
family OF Fiesco, who sat In the chair OF ST. Peter
from A. d. 124s to 1854. The "bulln bears on the
the figures OF ST. Peter and st. Paul, and IS
IN toerable state OF preservation and Is likely to
be secured for the British Museum.
King John OF Saxony, one Of the few monarchs who
have cultivated science and distinguished themselves
in legal lore and in the study Of Dante has lately been
nominated by King William as knight Of the Order
OF Merit for arts and sciences. This decoration
which, according to its statutes granted to but
thirty OF the most scientific lumlnares IN Germany,
has hitherto counted no royal scion among its MEM
numerous applications In behalf OF princely aspi-
rants were made, but invariably politely declined by
him.
Mr.. Richard writes to state that in November last
he visited the high table land of Southern Algeria
and the outskirts OF the Great Desert On approach.
ing the oasis OF Aln-el-Assafia name which means
lmpld spring, Mr. Richard told his fellow travellers
that II the Desert was inhabited before the historical
times there must be lint implements in that oasis.
Tne event confirmed his words; upwards OF sixty
specimens were found there Then he got others
near the springs OF Aln-el-Ibe and at Mecta-e-
Quest and near the monastery OF La Trappe at
Staweli.
The Academy of Sciences of Paris has received
letter from Mr.. Jansen dated Simla lHmalaya),
December 25 In which he stated that the purity OF
the Indian sun had enabled him to continue his OBJ
servati0ns on the circums0lar regions and that he
had ascertained the existence OF a very low atmo-
sphere around the sun, but intimately connected
With the prOtuberances and observes that this at
mosphere explains the phenomena OF refraction re-
marked on the solar surface In examining the spots
He adds that 1t plays an important part In all the
luminous phenomena manifested by the visible en-
yope ., n 5na solar GoS and ~ n as
calorihc, Photographic or luminous, so often ascer
tanned on the SUMS limb is chiefly owing to this at
Or. Davaine recently read paper at the Academy
OF Science in Paris on septicenia-a name given to
those pathological phenomena which are caused by
the Introduction OF putreed matter into the
my. On the 22d OF July last he sent for the heart Of
a newly-slaughtered OK in perfect health and kept
the blood 1t contained in phiaI Tor future expert
the time between twenty.eight and thirty-two de-
grees centigrade. Rabbits and guinea pigs were
used for the purpose On the oath OF July, only two
days later, four drops OF this blood, which had
turned exceedingly fetid, were in0culated On q
guinea pig by injection into the abdominal coat;
on the 18th two drops were injected into
another guinea pig, and one drop only on u
third. Three more received one drop each on the
30th Of July and the 7h and 3lst OF August. They
all died with the same symptoms and in the course
OF from fourteen to thrty-two hours. How was the
mortal disease thus produced by inoculation con-
tagi0usf This was the next question TO be decided.
DIR. Dayaine introduced two drops Of the blood OF
one OF the former victims, taken the heart i'm
mediately after DEATH into healthy guinea pig,
which died ut the expiration Of twentyseven hours.
The vrllence OF the disorder thus caused Is there
fore ascertained beyond q doubt, and II certainly
bears great analogy to carbunce. 1t can be propa-
gated by the inoculation OF the liquid blood and
causes death very rapidly; nevertheless, It
differs from pustula In many points. First,
f there are bacteria In the blood OF animals
that have died OF septicemia Its dlaments move
spontaneously, which Is never the case with the
blood OF carbuncle. Second, again, In the latter,
viewed through the microscope, the red corpuscles
form islands IN the midst OF a OF serum, which
does not occur In septicemia. Third, the spleen,
which undergoes no change In the latter, is always
larger than In the normal state In the OF
buncle. Fourth. the flesh and viscera OF an animal
that has died Of septicemia may be eaten with i'm
punity.