New-York tribune., 1879-12-12

The witty mathematician who turned 10 the
Calculus for a simile aud described woman as the
independent variable" might have difficulty in
finding some fit epthet for the prescut extraor-
binary weather In Europe the Winter seems to
have set in with unusual promptness and severity.
Frost and snow have generally prevailed since
October and the scientific papers are bnsy just now
pointing out how the setting in of the cold season
was actually predicted more than year ago by
Piazzi Smyth the Scottish astronomer. In Paris.
the Seine Yesterday was frozen for the first
time since 1861. Tne mercurial people of Vienna
have not been CONCEALED and pinched
since 1888. There an arctic tempera-
ture in Berlin; Sicily and Calabria were buried
under heaps of snow. And here in New-fork we
were wondering whether we should wear overcoats.
and trying to keep our fires down to a minimum.
and opening windows and straightway shutting
them again, and altogether in such n condition of
meteorological peTpexity that 1t was necessary to
go to the almanac to find ont the month. 20 mild
in fact has been the season. that the very trees
seem TO have lost their reckoning and to imagine
that the Spring is at hand An intelligent corre-
spondent finds that the naples. horse-chestnuts.
lnacs and several Of the small shrubs in
Central Park are actually budding. and incloses
specimen of their unreasonable activity. How do
the savans explain this difference between the
sons of the two COniinentsf Is the climate of New
York changingf Do mild and severe seasons occur
in regular cycles Dr. Daniel DRAPER. of the Central
Park Observatory. throws some light upon these
interesting topics his latest report, but they are
still likely to remain for time longer among the
unsolved problems of natural science.
The people of Detroit are. ought to be. in great
distress. chemist has been examining the water
there, and has made report upon it which Is
enough almost to make the temperance men break
their pledges. For the scientific gentleman finds in
tine fluid furnished for general drinking various in
sects with tremendous and most unhealthy-Sound-
ING names. Think of taking down at gup specl-
mems of the Nitzschia Curvua, of the Cymato-
pleura Soles. of the Cymatopleura Elliptlca of
the Stausoneis Punctata, of the Pleurosigna Spen-
ceri and last. but by means least. OF the Rhzo-
solenia Erlensisl To be snre. most of these little fell
lows could dance in great numbers the point of a
cambrc needle but for all that there is suggestion
of stomachic complications in tie jaw-fracturing
names. However, 'tis but notion. So these ami
macules do not become visible to the naked eye, let
Us drink and be thankful
There Is now pending before the South Carolina
Legislature bill prohibi ing the sale as medl-
ciner of any dose whose ingredients not known,
and which is not labelled with the formula of
its composition. The bill is primarily aimed
at so-called patent medicines But suppose
n citizen should desire to take a little
something for his stomach's sake; IL might
discourage the accomplished bartender If he felt
under legal constrant TO furnish a chemical analy-
sis of his alleged whiskey Here is n hint TO local
Temperance advocates. An array Of accurately
labelled decanters might be relied upon to appal the
thirsty