Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1882-03-16
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

References to the mic obes-or mi
croscopic organisms Of fermentation
and diseasc--have become so frequent
that This classification Ct their varieties
by Mr.. w. Hamlet may be of interest
l. Microbes which appear as points are
called mondds, monera or micrococca
They are motionless, and may be regard
cd AZ the spores Of other microbes. 2
Motionless linear microbes bacter.
idians and the baciNi. To them belongs
Bacillns anthracis, which produces the
dreaded splcnic fever of cattle and
sheep. 3. Cylindrical mobile microbes,
having rounded ends or contracted in
tho middle so as to form an s, are the
bacteria proper. Among them is Ba-
cterium termo Of putrefaction, the com
monest of all. 4. Flexuous mobile
microbes. They look and act like cells,
and differ but little from the equally
active bacteria. They are the rtbrios.
B. Spiral microbes, resembling cork
screw, and mobile; Spirilla spirochetoe.
Their presence in human blood appears
to be connected with intermittent fever.
6. Microbes with heads, very active,
having globules larger and more refrac-
tive than the rest of the body at one or
both ends. These globules are appar-
emily spores ready to be detached from
. Observation-Disclosures capitatum.
Besides these six principal states, the
microbes form agglomerations in which
their appearance is somewhat changed,
these masses receiving distinctive names.
There seems to be no way at present
Of Distinguishing between disease
producing bacterium and a harmless
one BY sight.
1t has lately been proven, expert
mentally, that calomel may be decom-
posed in tho human system with the
formation of corrosive sublimate-a
powerful poison.
Several interesting archae illogical
''inds" IN Europe are reported. Near
Oaltenisetta, Sicily, several cavcrns
have been found, which are evidently
burial places dating from the period
when the ancient Sicilians had
already been ousted by the Italian
tribes, but before tbs Greek colonial
ton had begun. At Nordrup, Den
mark, the remains Of seven human bod
iss have been found under few feet
Of pumice stone, numerous bronze
objects, gold rings, roman glasses, mo-
saics, glass beads, etc, being also dis.
covered among the remains.
Astronomers knowledge of the re-
markable ring Of small planets travel
ling between the orbits Of Mars and
Jupiter commenced with the first day
Of the present century, when Piazzi
discovered the first of those objects,
which be named Ceres. Other discov
cries followed at irregular intervals
until, 10 1915, the number of these
small planets-or asteroids, as they are
usually called-was Increased to five
aince that year the list has extended
very rapidly, and 22O have now been
discovered No estimate can be form.
cd Of the total number Of the asteroids.
They are very small, and Leverrier has
that their combined mass is
probably less than one fourth of the
earth's mass From the size of Vesta,
which il estimated to be 3l9 miles in
diameter, they dwindle to an unknown
minuteness. Herr Hornstin has COM |
inundated to the Vienna Academy the
result OF recent researches, which ap
pesr TO provo that the number of as
Eeroids with diameter of over % miles
= extremely small, and that probably
" such were discovered before 1859. |
The number with diameter less than
i've miles seems also to be very small, |
i least in the inner parts of the aster |
I'D zone next Mars; in the outer re-
gions next Jupiter there may be more
considerable number Of these very small
,odiss. Most asteroids seem to have
between Eve and fifteen miles.
The average number with diameter
t Eve to ten miles discovered during
hs last twenty years is about three
'ach year; the yearly number of ton to
fifteen miles diameter is about one and
hres-ffths. Herr Hornsiein believes.
therefore,, that unless much more pow.
rtnl telescopes are used future discov-
ries OF asteroids will be chiefly confined
Q those measuring five to fifteen miles !
q diameter.