The interior journal., 1872-07-26
Answers to Correspondents.


the first one TO undertake an expedition
to the North Pole over Arctic Seas? Our
first information is that Sir John Frank.
lin was, although we have heard Of sew
efal small expeditions prior to his, but
which are Of no particular consequence.
You ask If Sir John Franklin's remains
were ever found. DIR. Kane's men found
some remains which we doubt not were
those Of Franklin and his men. Kane
went in search Of him, at the instance,
we believe, of Mr.. Grinnell, of New
York. Sir Johns wife, an English lady
Of wealth, has expended thousands Of
dollars in having her husband searched
for. She is monomaniac on the sub
ject-caused, doubtless, by the great wo-
manly love she bore her daring husband.
All such scientific expeditions are, 10
our thinking, the result Of chronic de-
sire to discover something which no one
else ever saw. The discovery of America
by Columbus, fostered this spirit Of en-
terprise O but then we ask ourselves
why do men, in this advanced age, try
to discover wonders which seem to be
impossible' In the days of Ferdinanp
and Isabella, ships we're mere sailing
boats.
"STuDENT OF MEDTcTNE"-Asks who
Iippocrates was. From history we note
that he was celebrated physician Of
Cos. His grandfather, Nebrus, was also
an eminent meiical man. Hippocrates
once delivered Athens from dreadful
pestilence, by his skill as physician.
He did not, as the charlatan of to-day
does, keep his remedies n secret, but
openly declared them to all. He tried
many experiments on the human frame,
which greatly added to his store of in
formation. He died in his 99th year,
about 36l years before Christ, sound in
mind and body, so far as human disorders
are concerned.
ARBoR-Asks when is the best time
to trim treesY We answer, that any
time after active vegetation begins; from
April to July 25th. During these weeks
the exudation of sap will heal the wounds
made, and the tree will never rot. A
tree shoula never be prIncd when tho
leaves are of. Mark this, and act ac-
cordingly.
CURIoUs-Wants to know two things,
namely; Why DIR. Livingston, the AZ
rican explorer, has spent so many years
of toll and danger, and so much money,
in order to ascertain the "Source of the
Nile. Now we should like to know why
ourselves. Science says, "for my bene-
ft'-common sense says, lit would bene-
ft you but little"
End. Why did DIR. Kane and his pre-
decessors and followers, and this country
and Great Britain, expend so much
money, time and toll, and why did those
daring men do so much IN sailing over
Arctic ice-bound seas, to find passage
to the North PoleY
Wehave a similar curiosity and should
like to have some oneopen our unscientifd
eyes on the subject. Science lays down
the same claim in this case as in the
other, and common sense makes the same
response. If that passage could be found,
who in the thunder would undertake, or
even desire to undertake, a passage
through fields of icebergs in climate
where night is half the year, and where
the weather is so cold that mercury and
alcohol freeze. Science indeedl Better
come nearer home and spend your time,
talent and money in something tangible
and useful to science, man, and the age
in which we live.