The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1880-04-16
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

Accurate measurements made by
Russian authorities have proved that
level of Baltic sea Is nearly two feet
higher at Cronsttdt than at Reval, and
that the height decreases regularly from
north to south. This conclusion is full
Iy supported by Prussian measurements
at Memel and at Kiel.
The electric light is not without its
dangers. Some time ago bit Of red
hot carbon dropped from one of the
lamps of the British Museum to table
usually occupied by readers; and
repetition of the accident few days
later set fire TO some loose paper on a
table in the same room. Ii is conceiva-
BILE that single spark might do irremed-
liable damage to some unique manuscript
or other literary treasure. TO intercept
such stray pieces of carbon as may fall
in the future, transparent saucers have
been hung under the lamps of the read
ing room; and it has even been pro-
posed to ensure greater security by
lighting the room from the outside.
While it has long been known that
fishes retnrn each year to about the
same place 10 spawn, recent observa-
tiOns of their habits show that they 90
up the left hand side of tho stream and
come down Oh the opposite side.
A Norwegian, Ernest Frolich, thinks
he has found in the Indian rice of
American swamps living proof of the
truth of Snorre Sturleson's history of
Left Ericsson's visits 10 this country
nearly nine hundred years ago. The
voyagcrs reported finding in Vinleand
not only an abundance of wild grapes
but also kind of grain which Mr..
Florich believes to have been the In
dian rice, or wild rye. 1t grows plen-
tifully in swampy localities, as did the
grain described by Ericsson.
In recent lecture in London, Prof.
Graham advised all who must smoke
to do 30 on the German plan-that is.
without expcctoration. This becomes
easy when the tobacco used is thorough
ly dried, as then only comparatively
small quantity of creosote and the tarry
products of combustion collect in the
mouth. Saliva performs an important
part in digestive processes, and its sup
ply should be husbanded.
Herr Fischer thinks the extensive
planting of forests in the countries Of
North Africa would prove much more
etlectual in restoring those desert re-
gions to their ancient fertility than the
proposed inland sea in Algeria.
at is singular" says Mr.. Proctor,
chow strongly some errors retain their
hold on mems minds. When Maedler
announced his belief that Alcyone, the
chief star of the Pleiades, is the central
star of the universe, mems minds were
attracted by the thought that the stellar
system, like the solar system, revolves
around a centre. Yet astronomers
know perfectly we'll that the evidence
on which Maedler based his theory was
exceedingly feeble l
believe that no astronomer of repute
would now venture to maintain the
theory that Alcyonc is the central sun
of the stellar system, while scarce any,
if any, would maintain that there is any
central sun at all. Yet find that moi
only is the belief still widely spread
among the general public that Alcyone
is the central sun, but that this theory
excitcs far more interest than most Of
the real discoveries, interesting though
they arc, which have been made during
the last half-century."
1t has been found that larger
amount of ammonia exists in the atmos-
phere when an epidemic of yellow fever
is at its height than at other times, de-
creasing as the disease lessons.
The researches of DR.. Bollinger show
that the milk of cows suffering from
tubercular disease may communicate
the affection to human beings. As five
per cent of cows advanced in life suffer
from this disease, the doctor believes
the danger to be considerable. Boiling
the milk is not safeguard.
DIR. G. W. Siemens finds by expert
ment that the electric light and sun
light produce practically the same eff.
feet upon plant-growth. He shows,
furthermore, that remarkable increase
of growth may be effected by exposing
plants growing i'm daylight to the addi-
tional actinic energy of the electric light
at night-his Investigations seeming 10
indicate that plants require no period
of rest during the twenty-four hours Of
the dav. The heat radiated from pow
erful electric arcs can be turned to ac-
count as protection against night frosts.
Electricity may be produced at moder-
ate expense where waterfalls are avail
able as motive power, and it may prove
a valuable ally to future horticultarists.
Mr.. llanncys's diamonds are pro-
duced by the freeing of carbon from
a hydroearbon--by means of the affinl-
ty of the hydrogen for certain metals al
high remperaiurc-in presence of a
stable nitrogen compound, under the
conditions of rcd heat and great pres
sure. The action of the nitrogen COM
pound causes the carbon to crystalline.
The pressure required is enormous, and
forms the great difficulty of manufac-
turing carbon crystals by this process.
Tubes constructed on the gun-barrel
principle, of only half an inch bore and
an external diameter of four inches, are
torn open in nine cases ont Of ten.