Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-12-13
Scientific English.

Like the voices Of children at play.
Scientific English.
How many Of the eighty-odd thousand |
words of Webster's Unabridged are under
stood, as to their meaning, by the ordinary
graduate OF even our best public schools Z |
What is the extent of the word knowledge |
in his own language, Of the average me-
chamic, business man, or GARNER As a
writer for the general. unscientifc reader,
one whose work has mainly been to render
the record of the discoveries and theories of
the scientific world into the common
tongue" this has been question Of prac-
teal interest to us. Without having car
ried the inquiry very far into the region OF
exactness, we have yet satisfied ourself that
the average American citizen, whose educa-
ton has been received in the much be-
praised common schools Of the day, does not
understand more than four or five per cent
of the words of bis own language, as repre-
scented in its standard dictionaries. This
knowledge includes very few of the vast num-
Der of words, mostly derived from the Latin
and Greek which have been, for the sake OF
uniformity and exactness, imported into our
language by writers upon the natural sci
ences. As to the necessity for this addi-
ton to our language, there may well be
difference of opinion; aud there can be lit
tie doubt that, but for the early classical
training of most of our emmett naturalsts,
simple nomenclature, yet sufficient ex-
ac.ness, might have been constructed out Of
the elements Of our common Anglo-Norma
speech
1t is, however, now useless TO regret the
introduction of scientific English" into
our literature. II is there, and there to stay.
Many of the ideas expressed in il are diff
cult, and some are impossible OF conveyance
in the common tongue. Yet so little atten-
ton is given to the natural sciences in our
schools that the bulk of this new English is
as unintellgible to the ordinary reader as
its classic originals would be. In fact it
consists of a mass of slightly modified Latin
and Greek words, strung upon slender
thread of the easy words of our mother
tongue. The provoked reader who tries in
vain to gather some ideas from its perusal
Indignantly denounces it as "jargon and
"gibberish."
As an illustration OF the subject, we here
give an extract from an address recently
delivered by gentleman who is a good prac-
teal farmer aud dairyman, but who, through
an early and thorough scientific training
naturally seeks expression of his ideas in
the technical language of his instructors.
This gentleman, lecturing upon Milk says
"Milk is complex fluid; it has structural and
chemical afhnities, and partakes in its reactions,
after withdrawal from the udder, Of those quail
ties which its constitution aud history have i'm
pressed upon it. Its structural element is NOR
biological one; that is, it has a form. This form
element is mechanically mixed with the milk and
is subject In its relations TO the rest Of the milk
10 the physical laws attending mechanical mix
ture. lts chemical elements are compounds
formed from elements in high combining mum
Der, and which readily changed from slight
causes which tend to disturb their equilibrium.
One, the sugar Of milk, is n crystioid, while the
heterogeneous materials are cooids; that is to say,
that these two classes Of bodies are acted on diff
ferently by animal membranes. The bulk Of milk
is composed Of water, substance rather inert in
its chemical relations, transudative In it, relation
to membranes, and Influential as media for the
proper distribution and dutlon of the more sought
ior elements"
An indignant agricultural editor com
ments upon this extract as follows
The above scientific aud eminently lucid de-
scription of milk was recently given 10 a meeting
Of dairymen. Now that we know precisely what
milk is, we do not wonder that we have wrestled
with II 80 frequently or unavailingly in the
churn, nor that the average dairyman should be
30 pestered with its tricks; nor that the milkmau
should be astonished beyond measure at its dis
turbed equilibrium In his cans: nor, seeing that
Z" its bnlk Is water" that the honsekeeper should
be able 80 easily to discover in daily practice tn,
absolute truth OF the scientific discovery, and
should look yainly for =" the more sought fol
elements" in their high combining number d
which change so readily as to eyade detection
Seriously, we notice this 10 protest upon the par
OF darymen against such neomprehensibe jargor
as this being offered To them as science. Sucl
efforts as this to popularize secneeare thar
useless.
That those numerous readers who will
agree with this critic may see that thil
"jareon is but the statement of well-knowr
facts in unaccustomed terms, (and also Incl
dentally to show how favorable to compact
ness and accuracy this scientific speech is)
we will endeavor TO give it plain transla
ton, thus
Milk is not simple liquid, like water, but i
made up Of a considerable number of materials
Some Of these are dissolved, while others ar
mixed and floating. After milking, these mater
ials are subject, therefore, TO chemical and me
chanical changes The mixed, OF floating portion
Of fresh milk (creaml has a definite form that
when enlarged by the microscope may be seen
These cream "globules," being lighter than tn
rest Of the milk, tend TO obey the law OF gravity
which forces them to the surface Of the liquid
Those portions Of the milk which are dissolve
are, like other animal substances subject 10 rap
change. One OF them, sugar, when separated,
seen TO take the form OF crystals; Others tn
casein or eheesy matter for instance do moi crys
taze The sugar while dissolved passes easil
through the thin animal tissues called membrane,
while the casein does not The bulk OF milk
water, substance not very subject to chang,
and which passes easily through membranes. II
use in the milk IL 10 give il auidity and to hol
dissolved, or suspended, the more solid parts us.
fnl for food.
Perhaps better translation might b
made tnan this hasty one of ours, but LET
be as good as 1t might, the scientifcall
trained mind would not find it as satisfa.
tory as the original, which is almost mod,
OF scientific conciseness and accuracy. BIZ
in this form it ia utterly useless to the O
binary, or even the well-educated farlns
who has had his early training in the con
mon school and academy. Only the grad,
ate OF the scientific school is accustomed |