St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1882-06-03
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

Tic pOlSOu Ill the liver us III Iu6 UFdIu.
He has concluded that in all cases the
liver absorbs more of the, poison than
any other organ, from Which it would
examine in cases OF criminal
poisoning.
In several instances, the last in Feb
ruary OF the present year, an extraor-
dinarily high death rate has been re-
corded In London during periods OF ex-
ceptionally dense fog.
Prof. III. E. Roscoe has obtained evil
dence disproving the existence of. the
supposed new metal phillippium.
The wrecks of vessels on British
coasts have shown steady reduction in
number from 1905 for the year ending
with June, 1877, to 691 for the year end
ing with June, 1880. A large share of
this gratifying result is believed to
be due to a gradual improve
ment in weather orecasting and to a
more intelligent attention to storm in
dications.
From Broca's tables, including a
large number of cranial measurements,
the average weight of the brain is
found TO be about AZ ounces in men and
40 ounces in women. The greatest
weight is attained between the ages Of
thirty and thirty-fve among men and a
little earlier among women. After the
age of ffty-tive the weight rapidly di-
Ininises, and at the age of eighty the
average decrease has amounted to
three and one-half ounces, although the
loss sometimes amounts to as much as
nine ounces. BrOca. considered form
to be of more Importance than weight
in 10
lectual capacity of individuals.
Dreams may be more capable of con-
troll than is usually supposed. 1t is
known that brain action causes a rise of
cranial temperature, and reciprocally,
NJ. Delaunay finds that an increase of
heat in the head stimulates the action of
the brain. Dreams are generally illog-
ical and absurd, but by covering his
forehead with layer of wadding, NJ
Delauny gets sane, intelligent Dreams
He has also experimental on modes of
lying in bed which favor the flow of
blood to certain parts, increasing the
activity of those portions of the BRAIN
He has observed that dreams while ly-
ing on the back are sensorial, variga-
ted, luxurious; those experienced
when ON the right side are mo-
to old matters; while those which oc-
cur when on the left side are reason
able and intelligent, and pertain to re-
cent matters-in which dreams one of
ten speaks. 1t is claimed that these
observations confirm the accepted
ideas of the funtions Of the different
parts of the brain.
The number of lions and panthers
Ri1laI II, 1onrio 30 ISn,ipich;rr
rapidly every year, and these animals
will probably soon disappear entirely
from that country.
In his tribute to the memory of Darwin,
Huxley says: Acute as were his reas-
oning powers, vast as was his knOwl-
edge, marvellous as was his tenacious
industry under difficulties which would
have converted nine men out of ten
into aimless invalids; it was not
the qualities, great as they were, which
those who were. admitted to
his intimacy with involuntary yenera-
ton, but certain intense and almost
passionate honesty by which all his
thoughts and actions were irradiated,
as by a central fire."
An Antarctic expedition to Cape Horn
1t will be furnished supplies
for eighteen months.
It is proposed to try novel expert
ment at Paris by producing series of |
scientific dramas at one of the theatres, |
with the object Of combining amuse-
ment with instruction. Three plays
have already been provided. and their
titles clearly indicate the direction in |
which the audience is to be instructed. |
The titles "Denis Pepin, or the men
ion of steam" "tKepler, or Astrono-
my and the Astrologer ]" and "Guten-
berg, or the Invention Of Printing"
The Photographic News suggests anoth-
er subject Talbot--or the Invention of
? photography" The number of such
themes capable of furnishing rare ma
rerials for the dramatist's art would
seem to be almost unlimited. The result |
IT this new dramatic venture will be |
awaited with interest. Its success may
be the inauguration of new era in |
science teaching.
For a number of years Prof. Milne
las made systematic study OF the |
earthquakes of Japan. By plan Of |
postal cards to important |
titles for weekly reports of shocks, he
las obtained record Of large num-
yer of earthquakes for very conside-
able extent of territory. These re-
,orts are of great value in enabling him
o compute the source and extent Of
earthquakes. His:catalogue for Hako-
late, in zero, shows 42 earthquakes.
n the period from 1876 to 1880. Com
arison with the catalogue for another
lace, showed that ten at least Of thel
IakOdate shocks were felt at Saporo,
lightly miles to the northeast in the
anne island and it was similarly shown
hat seven Of the shocks were felt at
'0kio, FIVE hundred miles to the
outh. One interesting result of these ,
observations is the discovery that
earthquakes seldom pass the barrier
{ mountain ranges. Mr.. Milne has es- ]
mated thata distribution of instrn- !