St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1881-10-01
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

The claim of DR.. Hahn that he ha
discovered fossil animal organisms il
neteorites has excited much discussion
and an eager interest on the part o.
naturalists to get at the truth OF the
matter. 1t is asserted that those who
have examined his microscopic prepare
tons of these remains have become
convinced of the genuineness of this dis
covery. Charles Darwin, the greatest
of evolutionists, is said to have started
from histeat on viewing one of the finest
Of these specimens, exclaiming: cal
mighty God! What wonderful dis
covery! Wonderful And is it not
wonderful. These fossil remains, found
in bit OF stone, are message to us
from the regions of space, telling OF an
exploded world once peopled with these
very organisms in life, and proving,
moreover, that ours is not the only
world in which animal forms have
existed.
IL Is tSUluulcu UIldG d 1OlCC VI VII GO
million horse power might be obtained
from Niagara Falls if it were practi-
cable to make use of it.
Large forests of a peculiar tree called
the "grease tree ARE said to grow IN
China, and to have boen cultivated to
some extentin India. The grease forms
the source of considerable local trade.
1t is believed to be very valuable as a
lubricant, and DR.. Jameson, a chemist
in the Punjaub, has taken measures to
have its qualities thoroughly tested on
railway machinery especially exposed
to friction. The grease forms an ex
cellent tallow, and burns with clear
and brilliant white light, without emit
ting any unpleasant odor Of combustion.
The death-rate in Paris during the
hot period Of July from the 18th to the
21st rose so per cent. The average
number of deaths per day in the French
capital varies from 10 to 1875. During
the heat it rose to 1872. There was no
epidemic, but 500 people died in Paris
that week who would have survived if
the temperature had been normal.
At the Paris Electrical Exhibition a
great variety Of relics OF the instru-
ments used by Galvani, Volta, and
other pioneers in electrical science are
shown, including a magnet armed by
Calico. There is also included among
the relics an autograph letter from
Volta to Sir Joseph Banks, which con-
tains the first description Of the Voltaic
battery ever written by it's inventor.
The original source and formation
of coal-oil is a problem which has long
agitated the scientific world. Among
the many theories propounded, a recent
one by Prof. Mendeljetf has attracted
some attention. He believes that vast
reservoirs OF inorganic iron and carbon
were formed in the interior of the earth |
IN its earliest stages OF development.
These were reached in time by the
water which condensed on the newlyx
formed land and percolated beneath its
surface. The heat decomposed the
water into it's component clements
oxygen and hydrogen-the first uniting
with the iron to form oxide, and the
hydrogen combining with the carbon to
produce petroleum and other hydro
Vast oceans of petroleum
must yet exist at the centre Of the earth
if this theory be the true one.
Not only are the Chinese becoming
greatly interested in modern scientific
Development but Chinese scholars are
into original research.
1t was recently stated by DR.. Leidy
hat the dreaded tricllina was first dis
covered by an English surgeon in 1888,
but its presence in pork was first de-
'ected by DR.. Leidy himself in 1910.
He reminds the public for their comfort:
hat all food animals are liable to have
PARASITES, and that the tape-worm has
'een conveyed in rare beef; that only
bout one hog in ten thousand is in
ected with trichin8; that thorough
cooking will kill all such parasites and
ender them harmless. He thinks it
'robable that the Mosaic prohibition of
'ork was due to the danger of trichi-
osis, in country where fuel was scarce,
nd, as consequence, the food of the
he people seldom well cooked. Mil