St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1872-11-22

I
long trails of flame behind.
Mcteorites are not always of Il gaseous
nature. Many are found of il solid form
and composed of metals, such as are
found on the earth. but never as vet.
has there been found metallic sub
stance that is foreign to the earth. Iron
is the metal that makes up the greater
part of meteorites. usually ranging from
- to % per cent nickel is next in fire.
qucncN of occurrence, and varies from
! to 20 per cent in different specimens.
The following minerals are also found
in great majority of instances. but in
small quantities. seldom more than ,
per cent: Cobalt, manganese, copper.
tin. magnesium, carbon, sulphur. phos-
phorIIs and chromium.
Iron mctcoritcS have been found
weighing as follows: .G;IJ lbs. in Yale
College cabinet. from Red river: 400
HIS. in Smithsonian Institution. from
Sonora - .OOO lbs. in Chaco -Gualam-
VA. ''pIlH -tHitlltd I-b'"' IDS. inc Nlbt-
riau mctcoritr. Others might hc men
toned of nearly the same weight. but
these instances are enough to show
their enormous size. while those of
small dimensions are innumcrabc.
The next question that arises is not
:" easily answered. From whence
comcth these bodies Here is il chance
for much scientific conjecture. Vet
some plausible theories have been set
forth in explanation of the source of
these metallic bodies
| will offer only one, hut in 81 doing
| will not attempt to explain the origin
nt matter in general. hut take the sub
stances of these mctcorS from space
and trace them tp the earth. believe
il is generally admitted that the sun is Il
body of metallic substances in an in
candcSc"mt state. 50 great is the tenn
pcraturc that those metals on the earth
that resist almost amy known heat. are
constantly in Il state of vapor similar
to the steam of water with lis. In this
condition ma>>,> of metallic NapuT may
II! explosion, he throw into imtcr-plam-
10y the earth OF ANY other one of the So
lar ~ stem. During the passage of such
bodies through space. they would he
come condensed into Il metallic solid
state. but when they approach the
earth. they meet the resistance of the
earth> atmosphere and this friction
again heats them t" Il very high tenn
pcraturc. hence many have been seen
with luminous flames and trails.
On the 18th of September l-7l. Prof.
&. y. loung of Dartmouth College. nh-
served an explosion on the suns eastern
limit, which sent >hr"Is of Hydrogen
clouds 2OO.MO miles in ten minutes
time. 1t is easy to conceive that mass
g. of other Napor> may he sent from the
sun with equal ease. These MASSES
may hc floating i'll inter planetary space
for hundreds of thousands of Years.
NlIho'lt ever Ita'hlilH ANY ol lht nca\-
cnly bodies.
DIR. Curirr remarked that he cnnSd-
cred the present prevailing disease
among horses WAS only an influenza or
acute catalrh of the air passages. He
had examined with the microscope the
>ccrrtion> of he mucous membrane. and
had observed nothing that WAS unusual
in common c;ttarIh.
The cau>c> of this epidemic i wholly
due to the peculiar conditions of the at
mo>phclc. hence very slightly contagi-
Gus. The recently advertised secret
remedies for this disease. had better he
n nihch by stock nM mrIS.