St. Landry democrat., 1881-02-12
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

land, the types OF insanity nave changed
with modern times. Acute delrious
mania, for example, is comparatively
rare. but mental enfeeblenent, attended
with paralysis, is becoming more and
more common, as a result of the over
work and worry of the struggle for ex-
istence at the present day,
1t is generally supposed that the col
ors of flowers are due to SO many differ
ent materials, each color being chem
ical combination entirely distinct from
the others. Prof. Schuetzler, however,
now advances the theory that the chic
rophyl (the green coloring matter of
leaves is The only coloring matter Which
plants possess, and that the varying COL
ors aud shades arc produced by the ac-
ton of the acids and alkaiies of the
plants upon the chloryphyl. Expert
ments confirm this view, to which fur
ther support is given by the quite well
established fact that the changes in col
or Of leaves in autumn are due to tie
action of their tannin upon the chloro-
phyl.
Chemists have discovered that the
presence of very minute quantities of
certain substances in certain liquids
may be detected by means of the cleo
trio spark and Photographic appa-
ratus. If the coloring matter known as
anthracenc is mixed with fifty million
times it's weight of alcohol the presence
of the coloring is shown by photograph,
which will show the characteristic bands
of the absorbed rays pertaining to an
thracene.
Fresh charcoal has been found to alb
sorb ninety times it's volume of ammo
Mia gas.
The changes in level of the earth's
surface, which must have been rapid
and vast in early geographical ages, are
yet in progress. Aside from paroxysmal
changes, such as the volcanic upheavai
of an island now and then, great areas
of land in different parts of the globe
are undergoing slow process of ele-
walton or subsistence. In Greenland, a
subsistence is taking place. For six
hundred miles, from Disco Bay to the
Firth Of Igaliko, the coast has been
sinking for four centuries past. Old
buildings and islands have been sub
merged; and the Morayian settlers
have had to put down new poles for
their boats, the old ones standing, Lyell
observes "as silent Witnesses of the
change" On the North American coast
south of Greenland, from Labrador to
New Jersey, it is supposed that SINH
lar changes are going on. G. II. Cook
concludes that o slow subsistence is in
process along the coasts of Now Jersey,
Long Island and Martha's Vineyard
and according to A. Gesner, the land is
rising at st. John, in New Brunswick F.;
sinking at the Island of Grand Menan
rising at the coast opposite, at Bathurst;
sinking about the Bay of Fundy, where
there are regions of stumps submerged
thirty-fve feet at high tide; and rising
atPrince Edwards Island. 1t is believed
that, in the Pacific ocean, the region of
the Coral Islands has, in some portions,
sunk not less than six thousand feet du-
ring comparatively recent geologic
times. Surveys made in Northern swe-
den have shown according to Lyell, that
the coast at that point is rising at the
rate Of four feet in a century.
1t has been found by Gustave Hansen
that the antennB Of insects serve as Or
gans of smell. On their removal when
coated with paraffine, the insects be-
come Indifferent to the most odorous
ubstances-fies. for instance taking no
further notice of tainted meat.
It is asserted that If person exposes
himself to the electric light for some
time in a close inspection of the same,
his hands and cheeks will show-if he
be of fair complexion-all the symp-
toms Of "sunburn,n even in midwinter,
and he will develop freckles on his
countenance as quickly as when he goes
about unprotected by sun umbrella in
midsummer.
A prize of $500 in gold has been Of
fered by Mr.. II. III. Warner, of Roches-
tor, N. Y, for the discovery ofany COM
ct during 1881. The comet must be un-
expected with the exception of the
comet of 1879 and telesspic, and Prof.
Lewis Swift, of Rochester must be i'm
mediately notified of its discovery.
The digestive process ola mosquitoes
stomach is SO slowly performed that
when the insect has dined on a human
being it continues for forty-eight hours
to exhibit blood corpuscles.
An old sportsman has carefully pre-
served in his house a spiders web,
which serves as very novel and deli
cate barometer. When the insect finds
it necessary to shorten the threads
which suspended the web, rain and
wind may be expected if reels be let
out, fine weather is certain if the spi-
der remains inert, rain will probably
follow within short time.
We regret that Prof. A. Albert's is
going to leave US shortly. Ii You need
any photographs call at once. A word
to the wise.
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