St. Landry democrat., 1882-11-11
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY,

Herr Rodas, surveyor to the Fin
government, has carefully measl
the height Of a hole which, accort
TO authentic records. was bored
inches above sea-level on the coast
Osterbotten on June %, 1866, and Fl
that the coast at that point has II
six and one-t third feet in the 1877 We
or more than half an inch year.
Among Sir John Lubbock's ants
some workers which must between
and seven years OF age, and que
which are certainly more than Sc
years old and probably more Il
eight.
A native assistant surgeon to
British troops stationed in Afghan
tan has found the diluted juice of '
low leaves to be an effective substit
for quinine in the treatment of int
mlttent fever.
A non n-exhilarating tonic of the /
habitants of Central Africa is the X
nut, which is found to contain caffein
the essential principle of cotfee-s
glucose, which sWeeteDs it. 1t '
treshen and sweeten the foulest
stagnant water. E
a new explosive called "dynamog,
VI lts
Vienna, to be superior in nearly ey,
respect to gunpowder-it is chea,
safer and more effective, while it CT
talns no substance which can injure
guns. In view of the announceme,
of so many new and greatly superior {
plosives it seems a little singular th
the old-fashioned gunpowder-til
used at a period SO remote that its Of
gin cannot be traced-shOuld be Il
chief dependence of modern artiller
1t has been shown by Prof, Loom
that more rain falls on the eastern tn,
on the western side OF the continent, Tt
is true everywhere except in the hig
.er latitudes. Thus the average raj;
fall at San Francisco is only from
half to third as great in quantity |.
on the coast OF Pennsylvania and tr
same or even more striking different
may be found by comparing Morroc,
with the Chinese coast, and the we
with the east costs of South Afric
Australia and South America-the con
parlsOn being in each case made b.
tween points having the same latituf
The proportion of salt in the oces
varies greatly in different localitie
NJ. de la Grye has made series of Of
servatiOns ION the subject, in which.
among many interesting results-It
has found that the saltness diminish
rapidly as coast is approached, dl
probably to the freshening by rive.
discharging into the sea. The salt a.
so lessons on the approach of iceberg
These facts would seem to have an in
.pOrtant bearing on navigation, as
bad weather tests of the sadness of II
sea water might enable the mariner
avoid running into unseen coasts
icebergs.
Since 1874 the French GovernmeI
has authorized the organization of 8
scientific missions, of which 1853 were
operate in Europe, 81 in Africa, 4S
Asia, SO in America and "a in Oceanic
Most OF these missions are still at wor
and accomplishing important seienti1
results. NH
At Oxford University observatory /
survey Is IN progress OF the relati,
OF all stars visible to ii
naked a, eye in the northern hemisphe1
The work thus far accomplished ind
Gates that this part of the heavens colGe]
aims about five hundred stars bright,
han the fifth magnitude. AM
1t is stated, according to Mr.. Loci
-er, the English astronomer, that tt
Egyptians have recorded 1878 solar al
80 lunar eclipses. Mr.. Lockyer thinl
he statement correct, as the propo -
ions are exact, and the eclipses of tt
un and moon would reach the re =
ectlve mum bers given in period -
welve or thirteen centuries.
Philosophers have told us that
nergy upon the earth must have be- 10
rought into existence by solar actio
rof. Milne, however, has called til
ttention Of the Seismolonical socie1
Japan to the fact that one vast mil
energy. quite independent Of I'll
H.. has been overlooked, viz, I'll
arth's internal heat. The surface ou
,oppings of this inexhaustible suppl
force found in volcanoes, hot sprin,
Id the like--may be readily employe
generate electricity, which may
to neighboring cities an
1t to practical service.
During total eclipse of it's surfa,
e moon assumes a copper-red colo
aich gradually fades away as til i
lipse progresses. Mr.. Mattieu Will il.
ms accounts for this curious phenon
on by supposing that the illuminate
rtion Of the lunar surface, lackin
, protection Of an atmosphere, mu'
made red hot by the SUMS rays. OF -
a thin layer of the moons substant 49,
20 heated and when the suns raj
withdrawn it rapidly cools, causin
fading away of the red color whe !
the shadow Of the earth. If his hl
hesis is correct, Mr.. Williams bt sh(
res that the surface temperature [
bright side of the moon must Ine
'ut 600 degrees. Of course the dar r
} must be intensely cold, so quickl T
s the heat pass into space after tb ly,
disappears. On the whole, tb - -
IN must be an uncomfortable Worl. EXl
Orc
x pills at once. What dose to en-
/ delicate stomach Nonsense. Then
0 use in cramming your stomac
l such disgusting medicines. Dis