The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-03-02
Scientific Gossin,

The New York State Medical Society
condemns the use of the so-called
foods for infants. These foods are
sold in large quantities, although moth
ing is known of their composition, or
whether they are not worse than useless
A prize of $3.50 is offered by the
Royal Italian Scientific Institution, at
Venice, for q statement OF the hy-
potheses recently advanced by physi-
cists on the causes Of the phenomena
of light, heat, electricity and magnet
ism"
Prof. Palmicri, of the Mount VesuviuS
Observatory, has in the course of his
spectro-analytical examinations of lava
Just discovered new line which CORE
spends exactly with that of helium, the
famous element hitherto seen in the solar
spectrum only.
Messrs. Howard and Hodgllin have
extracted from the bark of China
supraa an alkaloid resembling quinine
in its general properties: 1t differs
from quinine in the solubility of its salts
and in the readiness with which the
alkaloid crvstallzes from ether. This
new substance has been named homo
quinine.
The Sanitary Engineer gives this
valuable piece of advice to housekeep-
ers: Beware of disused ''conveniences,
and don't trust to the memory Of any
one for filling the visible trap with
water. Better remove the whole fixture
and seal up its outlet if not wanted for
frequent use. Moreover, don't you put
such an antiquated device as q pan
! closet in Il first-class house anywhere.
Even if its receiver be ventilated, the
i vent-pipe may work the wrong way and
! deceive you.
1t is recommended by VI. Duboscq that
the carbons i'll the electric arc lamps
should not be placed exactly i'll the same
; line. When they are 50 arranged he
says that the positive carbon is formed
into depression, at the bottom of which
and masked by its edges, is found tho
most intense light.
At the meeting of the Academy o.
Sciences, Paris, NJ. Faye criticized tht
proposal to establish meteorological sta
tions in high ATTITUDES. He does no
think that much is to be learned at these
places in the cause of science. 1t i
simply matter of conjecture whethe
the ice of the polar regions is the regu
lator of climates of the temperate zones
Modern science shows the regulator t.
be rather in the vast equatorial zone
whence storms travel over the two hem
ispheres Instead of organizing a me
Theological station at Cape Horn til
French Government would do better t
found one in the Azores. The NdtaT
. attempts to ridicule Nj. Taye.
, From the Scientific AnlericG91 w
learn that Mr.. l.. G. White, of Jasper
. Jasper county, Tex, claims that after
, very protracted period OF study and e2
pertinent he has obtained a worm-proC
{ specimen of cotton, giving more an
larger bolls to the stock also than an
, other variety, besides maturing earle
r and exceLing in the quality of its lin
I Before permitting this cotton to be use
, by planters generally he asks q rewar
= for his labors of 100000 from th
: Government. Our contemporary wisel
2 says that if the new ''double-hybri
cotton really does possess these qua
: tiles Mr.. White should be able to max
a $1,OOO,O0O, selling seed to planteI
o much. quicker than he is likely to O.
, such a sum from the Department of Agr
culture.
In Il very interesting article on II
telegraphs in China, the Nature sag
s'It is worse than useless to thrust OF
p improvements by force or threats ontl
: Chinese. When left themselves to Il
: results of their own experience and slo
S methods. of thought, their advance
h though occasionally tardy, are suror al
n more satisfactory. 1t can hardly be
Il matter for wonder that people wi
$ have been taught to revere the teachin,
l. of their sages for nearly 5000 years
: the highest products of human wisdol
G andwhose minds have been cast in Il
n same mold from q period long anteri
u to our era, should look askance at Il
d inventions of the modern man of scien
who knows nothing of the system
: ethics and politics of Contucius al
IS Mencius, and the other sages OF an
e guilty.. s-ass.----s-s-. ,,'->-s--~-