New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-03-23
SCIENCE FOR THE PEOPLE.

op,non OF the Nutta Orithoogical Cub "a tho elect
that the EngiIah sparrow is becoming nuisance ia s
country hends Of the bird have been 'h"
society with bitterness and misrepresentation rf"'er
sor j. A. Allen feels called upon TO say something !" "o
fence OF the Nuttal Cub&n general ANA OF lis action o
the sparrow question In particular the ueio"'o 10 ""
needed by readers who are familiar Win inc ha'oS a"
reputation OF the menhers Of the society ""' az ''"
knowledge Ia not universal, Professor Aliens s'"te
ments will bo of interest lie says OF the eiub i
resident membership includes all OF the orhthoiog's vi
the Immediate vicinity Of Boston II tho resident mem
beers are not all entitled the rank OF leading hshts
IN science IL the fault OF the locality rather .ha Vi
the club for the few archaeological Humhdn Vi lHiS
region are it's founders aud leading members specas~
of high standing any department Of science are not
over numerous anywhere, but the Nutall CiuD mas M
,,r,e sharo IA can be In other limited local
ity of the United States unless possibly, Washington
the great scientific centre OF the Nation pe eAcepe"
(2) Its corresponding membership embraces MI .he
ornhologisls throughout the country 'oJ Inc
ub publishes quarterly journal of ornithoogy which
ia the recognized medium Of publication for the orn
biologists OF North America and there Is not an orh-
tnoorst Of emnence the United states who Is not
associated with t. either editorialy or as contributor
The magazine although only IN the third year OF us
istence has already for itself high reputatio TOT
value and thoroughncss, not only with the highest
authorities such matters In this country. p aproau
"a The testimony in reference To the sparrow question,
which has aroused the anmosity OF certain Boston
parties mainly from persons OF recoynSea s,nu
nnhiisbej staisinenis i'm the matter and through per
sonal spondenee with thenl tue views ., INC grea
Allen further teSties that the sparrows friends had
fair hearing and that all the opponents oi tue ph" were
not called Oh for testimony.
Cost OF OCEAN TRANsPORTATIoN.-lm
ents in the capacity Of steamships and In the con-
stuc,ion of their machinery have diminished the cost
of carrying cargoes to greater extent Than II com
monty supposed. comparison has been recently made
between two Atlantic steamers Of the year $40, the
other of to-day. The modern steamship carries fifteen
times "a much freight the old did AT nearly twice
the speed; the consumption OF coal per ton OF cargo
transported in 1910 nearly eleven times AZ great as
al present The reduction Ia the price oi ifelgh' anu
passage the Atlantic Is scarcely 80 great as the
dmnutiOu of cost would seem 10 justify
Az ANTIDOTE FOR STRYCHNISE.-An instance
OF the prompt and successful of antidoe In case
of strychnine poisoning is Enthusiastically narrated in
Nature avorite skye terrier had accidentally obtained
aud eaten the poison which was intended for nice lhe
amount taken by the dog probably about sixth OF
n grain When found the animal was rigid and appar-
endy lfecss, except having an occasional spasIn Ihe
ownef consulted authorities and found that dose OF
chlora hylrate was the antidotc prescribed IN such
cases To Kill rabbit twenty grains Of the choral
is sufficient; the dog twice the weight Of rabbit,
and the owner If the terrier therefore proceeded 10
iect fortyvc grains o choral Tn soutinnl under It's
skin About fifteen minutes afterward, snpposng the
dog dead the applied his boot L. II, probably
feeling a little ,isgustcd with the result of his expert
mcut. To ms great surprise tho terrier struggled Ia IT,
feet. Shortly Hftcrward II took MIX, ana -uh
ently though not for while very lively. n seemed
none the for rs experience. The csscha point IN
tins treatment Is that the dose Of choral shoni he
strong enough to KILL otherwise II may not be sufficient
20 overcome the elects oi the stGycuninc.
An EARLY SPRING.-Dr. Englcmann stated on
the 10th init this spring at II louis was the CARL
est in respect vegetation that lac had observed there
IlIe ia I'm
1892 He found peach trees in bloom the l0ih inst.
Professor Riley said however, that he hid made sinh
lar Obscry IN 1865 during February, aud Dr. EnSt-
mann admitted his record FOR that year blank
he was then absent from 81 Louis. Dr. Epglemann IL en-
gagged making careful obsorya ons on the order IN
which trees blossom and cereals rpen hoping Icy iahu-
lang and comparing such facts 10 arrive AT more gen
cral laws.
CHEMISTRY A PoOR MISUNDERSTANDING the
period u few years ago, when Parliament was c"nsd T
ing Tor cop usDIy chemical examination OF
articles OF food in which adueration suspected,
hint. thrown out that Government patronage was
much needed TO give livelihood TO analytical chemists.
The impress yc1 that time that the field
of occupation for such professional men n Great Britain
Is narrow and few o them could depend upOn their
occupation for support. Ths view Is confirmed In re-
cent article IN Tie Chtmicdi Rcr,er. II young
men not indulge hopes of earning living hy the pfac-
tice OF chemistry Ii states that the emolumenis of
the profession are Insignificant. a. compared with
those OF physician engineer IN moderate stand
Ine. Circulars have been received from analytical ard
consulting chemists offering do the wo'k Of analysis
NJ prices which rdiculonsy low. and that would. II
the processes honestly conducted result IN mere
starvation To the performer scirnnc pursuits are not
specially profitable N this country but onr chemists are
no on than IN other professions aud certainly
not So unfortunate as ther methrth III England II the
foregoing accounts are correct
RIFLE T.EGrTs.-Thc Crccdmoor target, ac-
iections To speak scientifically " is not an instrument
OF precision It's record OF shots If appro
ton 10 facts: the finer dis, r.nnations lost
Hence sOcaled ties in rihr-sbootng frequent,
whereas according 10 the laws Of chances they should
be very rare The ring target composed Of large num-
Der Oi conccnric circles, would certainly give much
more accurate standard for comparing marksmens
skill IL is however. somewhat doubtful whether
elaborate target than the now used Mt treedmoor.
would stand heavy firing and genera! rough usage.
equally well.
THE CHOLERA ~ ARAB!A.-The deaths by
cholera III the city oi Mecca between December and
January - numbered 7sJ and the total OF deaths in
that period 13s2 The great mortality IT, OF course,
chiefly due 20 the privaons and physical weakness OF
the pilgrims bn IL also shows that the material was ai
hand for much greater spread OF the epidemic. AT
Jeddah nearly 100 persons died ot cholera in week,
about The first this year. Tire disease has also made
ita appearance spOraicaily among the land
great distances II should get start IN Turkey. there
would be danger of lis rapid progress the
ing and dcsue populations that have been driven out
of their homes by The ravaees OF war With regard 10
the possibility Of spread Of cholera In Europe
be considered that hitherto II has always fOllo"ed the
main lines of travel ana the overland commerce between
Turkey and her European holders j. large as
TO on. probable path FOR the disease while the quar-
anne Of the MriItrrrar'a nations VIII lie
likely 20 prevent Its approach 10y water routes.
COMPLIMENTS TO AN EXPLoRER.-At q re-
cent session. ST. Louis Academy Of Science passed
series Of resolutions recognizing IN terms OF unstintc
praise the service. OF Dr. Ohlfs, the traveller Vest
crn Africa liz newly projected tour in the northeast