St. Landry democrat., 1882-11-18
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

I1eal mas reported numerous cases i
which rhumatism has been cured b.
fasting from four to ten days. The pa
tlents were allowed to drink freely o
water and lemonade, but no medicine
Were given. DIR. Wood is inclined t.
believe that rheumatism is simply
phase OF indigestion, to be cured b.
giving rest to all the viscera.
NJ. Toussaint has shown experiment
ally the serious dangers of eating mea
nearly raw as is now so generally done
1t the meat is unsound the germs OF TIN
disease must pass into the system. Tn
most frequent and dangerous malad.
with which animals slaughtered TO
even it the animal is only slightly at
meat are liable to infection. The raw
Juice pressed from a slightly affected
cows lung was used to inOculcate rab
bits and young pigs, and all the sub
jects died in short time from the di
sease. The experiment was repeated
with portion of the juice which haC
been partially cooked, and the result
was the same. Thorough cooking OF
the meat at temperature of $50 or 16(
degrees is recommended as precau-
ton unsafe to neglect.
It is reported that in graphing for a
cable in the Pacific off the Central
American coast great masses of trunks
roots and branches of trees were drawn
up from depth Of eight hundred faith
Oms. 1t the report proves true the dis
covery is an interesting one. Neither
history nor Indian tradition refers to
any great CONFUSION or submergence
OF land which could account for the
presence of the trees at the place where
they We're found.
Prof. E. S. Larkin has demonstrated
automatically that the fall OF the
largest comet to the sun could only be
observed by the most powerful tells
cOpes and spectrOscOpes, while only the
most delicate heat-measuring apparatus
could detect any decrease Of tempera-
ture upon the earth as an effect Of the
collision. Far from fastening our des-
truction, what ever heat may be added
to the sun by the continued fall OF com
etary matter from space must tend to
prolong mans existence upon an ex-
piring planet whose poles are already
frozen in death.
1t is quite commonly believed that in
running a man descends at each stride
upon the ball of the foot, SO that the
arch OF the foot may serve as q spring
to break the shock. In his instanta-
neous photographs, however, Mr.. Muy-
bridge shows that either in walking,
running or jumping, man-like all 9th
er animals SO far Observation-Disclosures up-
on the heel.
Besides the transit of Venus observa-
tions in December efforts will be made
to determine the SUMS paralax by other
methods Arrangements have already
been made for observations Of the mi
nor planets Victoria and Sappho when at
opposition on August Gath and Septem-
Der Gath respectively.
House flies are found to be very fire.
nuently infested by parasitic worms.
which suggests the possibility that they
may also carry about the germs of in
fictitious diseases.
De Vries believes that the true func-
ton of the resinous juices of plants ia
to serve as balm for wounds, and that
the resins are not, therefore excremen-
titious matter as some have thought.
The celebrated rose-busll at Hide
shin, in Hanover, reputed to have been
planted by Charlemagne and therefore |
to be more than thousand years old.
has borne more blossoms this season
than ever before, and is an object Of
much curiosity. The branches of the
bush extend to about three feet and
eight inches in height and three feet
and four inches in width. @
From observations with the spectre
scope and pOlariscope since 1858. NJ.
PrazmOwski concludes that comets are
formed Of condensed portion. which
the nucleus, surrounded by
an lncandescent gaseous atmosphere.
which contains carbon and reflects the
light OF the sun, and of swarm of
loose material which is not controlled
by the comet but moves in Obedience
to universal attractions.
A paper in the London Medical Rec
ord on the polsnons properties OF aui-
nine mentions case in which compiete
temporary blindness and permanent in
ury OF the eyesighG were caused by
'aklng sixty eight grains Of quinine in
sbOut twenty -one hours to relieve an
attack OF pneumonia. In another case
he death OF the patient is attributed III
ne action OF only twenty-eight grains
+ qulnlne taken IN two days, but ia
his instance it seems to be quite nroh.
bile that the fatal result NAV have been
aused by the intermittent fever with
which the patient was suffering rather
han by the drug. g. .4a'''''''
The microscope shows that CRYSTALS
f minerals frequently contain air or
guild bubbles. Quarts crystals have
cen found 80 completely full Of mi
ute cavities. partly filed will, LIQUID.
lat the astounding number Of 1000
10 has been estimated to exist in q
lbe one-twenty-fith of an inch
lnare. @G .t