, 1877-01-06
SPARKS OF SCIENCE.


elr G. Wyvillc Thompson recently gave a
lecture Ia Glasgow upon tho pccularittcs IN tho
physical conditions Of tho Antarctic regions.
In tho months Of January and February, 1915,
tho Challenger sas cruising Ia Antarctic winters,
and the observations made at that time fur
nIshcd the speaker with the materials for Ills
address. Tho peculiar conformation Of the Ice
bcrgs filling tho sca south u IT, 70 deg. was tho
subject OF particular discussion. The bcrgs en-
countcrcd by the Challenger wcrc universally
tab,e-topped and perfcrti. fat, with covering
Of dazzfngly-wh!tc snow. Some Of the larger
ones were ono or two miles In length, and lad
evidently preserved thcle original position.
The average height Of thcsa bcrgs WIS about no
feet. Their sldcs we're blue the pale lint Ut the
upper part deepening gradually to tic basc.
Viewed closely, the facc of the berg WIS seen to
l,o traycrscd with delicate ruling ii falnt-blnc
lines, separatcd moro widely as they nearcu the
top.
Sir Wyyillc deems the evidence nearly ton
elusive that these iccbcrEs hare their origin Ut,
bortefel for considerable distance by shallow
water. II conccIrc," lie ssys, tthat The upper
part Of one Of these tccbcFgs, including by fur
The greater mart Q, Its bulk, md cul,niratag In
ses @ was fornad y tho piIlngup % II Successive e. i've
layers Of hnow during tic pcrful. amounting
perhaps to centuries, during wlirh the lcc-enp
was slowly forcing Itself oYcr tho low land anil
ot oa ressba s1tefs 81 o GinS top
yond 200 fathoms. Tic lower specific weight ef
tho Ice thcn cAusel an upwarl strain, which at
length oycfcanle the cohesion OF tho mass, un.l
portions wcro rent oil aud loate4 away. II
this 1c the tfuc history VI the formation o:
thcse lcebc7gs, the Rbtctce of all lai,a-ichrs
In tho portion exposed above the slrtacu Ut the
sea Is readily unslcrstopt. II any such exist, it
must be confined tn the lower parl of tho berg,
I,k, 5,nS
OF tho tcc-sleet."
HOW TO TREAT 1NsECT-sTINGS.
A writer in the Londun Garden giyes tho fol-
lowing hints on this subject: "The pain causctl
by tho sting of plant or insect Is the result OF
a certain smount Of a:il poison injected into
tho blood. The first thing to be doacls to prcss
tho tube of = small key firmly on tho wound,
moving tho key from side to side to facilitate
tho expulsion Of the sting and Its accompanying
poison. The sting, II left lu the wound, sl,oul
iucrcase tue loeal irritation. The poisoll ri stnCB
being acid, co!lalOn sense points to the olkacB
as the proper mems Of tslrc. Among the most
ea.ily-procure'l remedies may be mentioned
soda, quic1iilmc made intn paste
with water, lsmc-water, the juice Of an unIon,
tobncco-luirc. clscwcd tobacco, bruised tlork-
IL
and carbonate vi soda. II TIM stin, be ecycrc,
rest and coo1ncsa shond bc added to tic Other
remedies, more especially In the ca.o of nervous
subjects. Nothing ID 30 apt to make the poison
active as heat, and nothing farorH its nctfyIty
less than cold. Let the body he 1scpt cuul mil
at rest, md tho activity Of the pnlso1 will be r-
durcl u a minimum. Any nctlyc cxcrtlon,
whereby tho circulation Is quickrnc.i, will tn-
crease Both pain antt swelling. II the swelling
be severe, tho rart may ho rubbed With sweet
oil, or drop Or two of lausanun. StnKs In
tho eye, ear, mouth, rr throat sometimes lead
to serious consequences; In such rasca nlct!lcnl
advicc should always bc sought AZ soon as posi-
blr.n
POVERTY OF RUSSIAN STUDENTS.
4 1arEo portion OF the students Of illu Nns-
sian universities arc young men without means,
who support themselves, during their tern, at
school, by giving lessons. Many attending tho
University at Moscow urc In Il particularly dcs-
ttntc condition, especially among tllosc tu the
medical department. 4 good many scholar
ships, Of the amount Of from s95 IL s..s0 yearly,
have been founded by Government aid b. lfI-
yato persons; and still there nru itinny fcss
than arr, needed by indiCcnt students. It is
proposed to ralae thcfe scholarships to the
amount Of SIS annuity. From i5i0 to ls7:
the University registers shnw TINT i,.4t3l STU
dents had ltnlshcl their course, md 11,Jl1 had
been Obliged To discontinue fur lurL Uf means
Of support. This want nf RESOURCES IL ,tccrcas-
Ing tho attendance At. a!1 tho Russian untver-
eltlcs. III 1870 tho students nt 81. Petersburg,
Moscow, kasA'I, Klarlo.l, ani Odessa, num-
bcreu Bb9l; III 1871 they were b,J0l; but in
1880 there were only s,iH.
P%1try1