The New York herald., 1869-03-08
FOREIGN SCIENTIFIC NOTES.

The library OF Timour has been disco vered In the
india House in don, In which are some extra
ordinary works relating to the biography OF Mo-
hammed.
The Journal des COmnlafssances Aedtca,es OF Paris
publishes interesting paper by the late Professor
SchGnbein, OF. Basel, on "Hydrocyanic Acid" COM
monty called prusic acid The presence or this acid
quantities by different tests, but Professor Sch9n-
bein's method will detect the milhonth
or voatilized IN the atmosphere. For this
purpose 2 test paper is prepared By dipping It
IN 100 N ecsa q asr
the paper has lost none Of its whiteness. Another
solution Is made separately OF ten centlgrams OF sui
phate OF copper In nifty Rrms OF distilled water.
When the operator wishes TO make an experiment
he cuts the paper into slips and mostens OF them
contact with the air tainted with the acid
upon which the paper VIII turn blue Immediately
Suppose one drop OF hydrocyanic acid be diluted
with 100 drops or water; take drop OF this mixture
and let II fall into an empty glass jar OF the capacity
Of twenty res; then hang up slip Of the test paper
Of minute or two the paper will have become blue
Now as twenty ltres are equivalent TO 10000 cubic
follows that one drop s TO twenty ltres unit to
100000. But the drop IN question only contained
revealed the existence Of fory-milIonth part OF
the substance And experience has shown that
Cd with only one 40 milllonth part. In water the
action Of the test Ia not quite rapid BY means Of
this test paper medicinal liquids syrups contain
Ing email quantities OF hydrocyanic acid may be
subjected to qualitative analysis. 1t Is enough to lay
bit OF this paper on the mouth OF an open vessel
the composition OF which there always Is bitter
almond or two--the blue color win invariably char
Baron Won Rciclenbach the celebrated cxperi.
mentalist on animal magnetism. died recently at
s e. the az age pnn, Of =
addressed q letter to the Academy OF sciences in
vitlng that learned body TO lend him It's cooperation
antipodes the passage OF Venus across the disc OF
the sun IN 1874, as would be free rom the errors
which had attended the account OF q similar phe-
nomenon IN I7c9. The government Il prepared to do
everything In its power to enable the savants who
propose 70 20 70 van Dieman's Lana 10 accomplish
and advantage to science, and the Emperor further
more. desires that the expedition should con1nc
question OF scientific interest IN these regions. NJ
Duruy, accordingly, submits queries:-1st. A TO the
number OF gentlemen It would be required to make
the observations; "a. Tho stations 10 which
they should be sent; 80. The nature OF tie nstru-
men.s 20 , ne enroyea 40. Inc praccanty OF
termine the position OF the stars In the southern
hemisphere; and, finally the ,propnc,y OF inviting
uniform mode OF research.
In the Journal dcs Conndfssances N6dicutcs Dr.
Cane shows that there are at present Paris 1867
Physicians, 2s5 onlciersde-sarte and o47 apotheca-
ries. To these must be added mldwives, unauthe-
rized foreign physicans and quacxs q every De.
law that instituted oilciers-dc-sante aud allowed
apoihecaries to exercise medicine did 80 with view
OF arordng cheap relief to poor districts, these
Classes on the contrary, seek out Tor their OF
action the very richest arrondisgenicnts OF the capt.
tai. Tho same journal compares the lartin dcs
Pantcs OF Paris with the Botanical Garden at Kew,
and finds the former decidedly inferior. bus
the Kew garden costs 500, ,0o0f. year,
while the cost OF that OF Paris docs not ex-
ceed 0s.soof, both for payment or salaries and
stock since 1888 the sum allotted TO the botanical
part has not been Increased In the Journal ud0rf-
culture Proftq1,t, NJ Gay announces that Nv nsanur-
ing ncd win mould resulting rom toe putrcac-
ground OF tho so-callcd wnite worm, the ary@ OF the
c0ckchnfer. In hts work La Science Baton, NJ do
Fonylele states tat during his hat ascent board
the balloon Neptune which started IRON tic uonser-
vatoirc des Arfsct-Metcrs he derived The greatest
advantage from the shadow OF the balloon which
aided him In determining, by means OF thC mariners
compass, tue angie Of his route with the meridian.
ibis shadow he observed at noon in place tho
latitude of which s known, the a,p,'s dernation
may be obtained with extraordinary precision.