St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1881-06-18
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

~'~~~S
1889, is awaited with much interest by
astronomers, for it is hoped that then
the question of the existence OF large
planet within the orbit of mercury may
be settled. Prof. Watson believed that
he saw such body during the eclipse
of July 81. 1878. The search is attended
by great difficulty and liability to error,
as it can only be conducted during the
exceedingly brief interval Of totality,
which in the case of the next eclipse
amounts to less than two minutes at any
point on the earth's surface while in
localities accessible to scientific expedi-
tons it is scarcely more than one min
ute.
The new Municipal Laboratory Of
Paris. for testing food and all articles
having a bearing on health, is already
accomplishing good results. A large
number of samples Of wine have been
found to he adulterated. Watered milk
has been so often found that a panic
among the milkmen has resulted.
French chocolate has been found to be
adulterated with great variety of sub
stances. The laboratory is in charge OF
an able chemist with competent assist
ants. The articles examined are those
sent in by the inhabitants Of the city,
and whenever authorizations are dis
covered the matter is Immediately
placed in the hands of the police for in
vestigation and prosecution. A depart
ment of the laboratory is specially
fitted up for tile examination Of pork
for trichinae.
DR.. Ricoux maintains that while Span
iards, Italians and French can be ac-
climatized in Algeria, people from the
North of Europe cannot. This result,
if we'll established, may have very
important bearing upon the colonization
of Africa in the near future.
The story of John Duncan, of Afford,
England, the weaver botanist,' has
been received with the warmest sympa-
thy by scientists and scientific societies
the world over. Although only poor
weaver, toiling at the loom for his daily
bread, he has, by life time of industry
and earnest devotion to science, added
very materially to the botanical knowl-
edge of his country and quite recently
presented his large and very valuable
herbarium to the University of Aber-
deem. His Scientific labor, however,
brought him no pecuniary reward, and
extreme old age found him dependent
for his daily necessities upon parochial
relief. But during the past few months
the worthy old botanist's needs have
attracted much attention, and q fund
now being raised for his relief by volun-
tary subscriptions has reached the res
pectable proportions of about f325. Her
Majesty the Queen presented G10.. The
money subscribed is to be placed in the
hands of board of trustees, who will
make ample provision for Mr.. Duncan
during the remainder of his life, and on
his death will devote any sum remain
ing to the promotion of science. The
weaver botanist is now in his eighty
seventh year, and in feeble health.
The attitude of Carlyle towards the
teachings of modern science is matter
in which considerable interest is natu-
rally felt. 1t is known that he was for
long time decidedly hostile to the
theories of Darwin, but according to
late statements of Prof. Tyndall, his
views were considerably modified du-
ring the last few years of his life, Sc
that he even approved cordially of GER
tain writings advocating Darwin's ideas,
while a personal interview with the
great naturalist caused him to say that
Charles Darwin was the most charming
of men.
The Italian Government proposes ex-
ploripg the depths of the Mediterranean
this summer.
NJ. Grehaut has proven in recent ex.
periments that the quantity of carbonit
acid exhaled by any one individual OF
an animal species varies but little. Ir.
ritations and inflammations Of the res.
piratory mucuous membrane decrease
the exhalation of carbopic acid, which
then tends to accumulate in the blood
A certain Count Hugo Won Engenberg
of Tratzberg, in the Tyrol, is making
use Of microphones-sunk in the ground
on the declivity of a hill, and connected
separately with single telephone and
battery-to discover a source of watel
for his castle. He intends to conduct
the experiment by night, when disturb.
ing sounds and vibrations of the ground
are less frequent than by day. If q
stream of water flows near the appar-
atus, it will pass the sound to the tele-
phone, and thus reveal the spring.
At the Paris Observatory Thollon is
carefully studying the suns surface
and has described number of interest
ing hydrogen explosions, appearing
like gigantic displays Of fireworks, and
sometimes remaining visible for two
days. One of them sent forth stream OF
fire to a height Of more than 20O,O 900 miles
distance nearly equal to that of the
moon from the earth-while explosions
reaching q height Of $4,000 to 10000
miles are by no means infrequent.
Herr Tromholt thinks he can trace a
connection between the frequency OF