The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1880-01-16
SCIENCE AND PROGRESS.


ANNUAL meetings of the stock
holders of q number of Southern rail-
roads have been held recently, and all
of them report gratifying financial prog
resS.
THE Commissioner of Agriculture of
Georgia anticipates q considerable
profit to the State from the inspection
of fertilizers during The present year.
A VEIN of platinum has just been dis
covered in South Granville, Washington
County, N. Y. The discovery will prob.
ably exercise some influence on the
price of this expensive but necessary
article.
A NosTRUM named malco," much
Wanted in some parts of Europe as
prophylactic against the plague and all
infectious diseases, consists Of little
carbonate of ammonium, scented with
oil of roses, and carbolic acid. 1t is put
up in small leathern case, and is worn
suspended from the neck.
PROF. BEcHI has detected traces of
boron in the marls and limestones of
Montecantini, in Carrara marble, in
basalts and lavas from Etna, and in
Trachytes from Tuscany. He has also
discovered it in the ashes of plants, and
in albumen from the blood of oxen. He
has found vanadium in argillaceous
imestones, in shales, sands, and the
ashes of plants.
A TELEGRAPH operator named May,
at Valencia, discovered singular prop
erty possessed by the new metal
selenium, through which no electricity
would pass until the metal was exposed
to the light. Siemens, of Germany, con-
structed what he calls silenium eye, a
hollow ball with lens and cornea, the
metal forming the retina, which was
connected with galvanic current. The
pupil would contract and the eye-lids
wink under flood of light.
PROF. COPE has made communica-
ton to the Philadelphia Academy of
Science showing grounds for a belief
that the physical structure of man is
changing, so that at a future time it will
be possible to distinguish two "species''
based upon the character of the teeth.
He refers to the frequently observed
dentition of man. This consists in the
absence of the third molars and exter-
nal superior incisors. From a study Of
dentition in recent fossil vertebrate ami.
mails Prof. Cope finds that a similar
change in dentition has characterized
successive forms in the lower animals,
and conceives that they will be attended
with similar results in man.
Mr.. r. BELL states that on the east
coast of Hudson Bay there is ''abundant
evidence that the sea-level is falling at
a comparatively rapid rate,'' that since
the posts of the Hudson Bay Company
were established at the mouths of the
various rivers there has been an increas-
ing difficulty in approaching them with
large crafts; that it amounts to proba-
bly, between five and ten feet century.
Mr.. Bell states that this sinking is ap-
parent also on the west coast of the bay
at the mouth of Nelson and Hayes
Rivers; that an island, emile Lands,'
now several feet above the high tide,
was "within the recollection of the gen.
Grafton preceding the present one, SUBJ
merged at high tide.''
THE last year was marked by re-
vival of railroad building, and greater
number of miles of road were laid down
than in any year since 1878. The
total mileage built was 3,738-Kansas
leading with 1913 miles, Minnesota follow
ing with 1874, Iowa with 81, Dakota with
22O, Ohio with 213, Missouri with 1873,
Texas with 1877, Tennessee with 176,
Utah with 127, Nebraska with 125, New
Mexico with 125, and other States and
Territories with smaller numbers. Of
the whole number of miles laid 1928 were
of narrow-gauge. It is observable that
the heaviest part of railroad building is
in the West. The Eastern States seem
to have their equipments of railroads
complete; but the West is still to be
ironed, and the work of doing this must
tax our energies and our credit, too, for
many years to come.
In the Botanical Gazette Prof. Gray
draws attention to Poisson's account of
the beheading of flies by Menizelia
ornata, the victims being caught in the
barbs of this plant. The flies, attracted
by the viscid matter in certain of the