St. Landry democrat., 1882-05-27
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.


in European markets against American
meats, due to belief that such supplies
are largely infected with trichina. NJ
Colin recently assured the Paris Ac.
ademy OF Sciences that American salt
meat, as now imported into France
may transmit trichjnosis only in very
rare cases or imperfect sailing.
By causing finely divided alkaline
earths to percolate through gas fame.
Mr.. w. S. Scott has succeeded in gain
ing considerable increase of light.
The general belief that the joints OF
animals have always synovial fluid
serving as a lubricant is, according to
DIR. Lambert, an error. The elephant,
with his relatively moderate motions
and great weight, has admirable cartil-
ages but absolutely no fabrication
therefor.
The ancient inhabitants of India
were remarkably advanced in the art OF
iron-working. The famous iron pillar
at the Kuntab, near Delhi, indicates a
skill in the manipulation of large
mass of wrought iron which could
hardly be surpassed by modern foun-
dries. The pillar is 80 feet, eight inches
in length, with circumference OF
about fifty feet at the base, tapering to
about four feet just below its capital.
Its total weight is over six tons. 1t is
supposed by Mr.. Furguson to date from
the year 400 of our era; and il so, has
stood exposed to wind and weather for
nearly fifteen centuries without show
ing signs of russian enduring monu-
ment to the skill Of the old Indian IRON
workers.
In 1862 DR.. McGillivray mentioned
having seen skulls of children at Cape
York altered into quite conical shape by
q constantly applied manual compress
sion of their mothers; but this was be-
lieved to be impossible by the celebra-
ted anatomist X. E. Won Baer, who
fancied that there must be some mis-
take in the information given by the
Scotch naturalist. In 1880, however,
DIR. Miklucho Maclay, had an opportu-
nifty OF witnessing this strange opera
ton, at Mabiak in the islands of Forces
Straits, where he saw it performed dali
ly Oh many children, and fully convin-
ced himself that the deformity seen in
the adults is the result of this manual
reformation only. The mothers are
accustomed to spend many hours of
each day, during the first weeks of the
child's life, In COMPRISING the heads of
their infants to give them the conical
shape. At Mabiack the reformation is
designed, but DR.. Maclay observed on
the east side of New Guinea numerous
cases of non-intentional distortion of
the skulls OF adult females, arising from
their practice of carrying heavy bur
dens suspended by bands resting across
the head-causing a permanent de-
preston, often quite marked. DR.. Ma
clay's testimony seems to prove cOnclu-
sively that the human skull may be
greatly altered in shape by artificial
means.
Experiments upon the action of the
electric light on plants, at the Palace of
industry, Paris, have resulted less fa-
vorably than was expected. The naked
rays from the electric arc were found to
be injurious; after passing through
glass they ceased to have any hurtful
action upon plants, but their efficacy
was not great. Illumination at night is
not fatal to plants, but no proof has
been obtained that it is really benef-
cial.
DR.. Koch, of Berlin, claims to have
discovered the nature of the parasite
which causes consumption. He has
it artifcially, and killed an
imals with the parasites thus produced
The approximations from the lungs of
individuals are found to
be swarming with the highly infective
organisms. By working out the sug-
gestion offered by Pasteur's recent
achievements, DR.. Koch hopes to pro
duce through artificial culture harm
less form of the parasite which by inoc-
ulatlon may prevent consumtion.
It has been observed that when LIQUID
are too much diluted trees are |
injured thereby on account of being I
in seeking nourishment, to |
take up more water than is needed ; but |
Oh the other hand, too strong solutions |
cause a decay of the roots.
Messrs. E. and II Becquerel find that
contrary to the general belief, thick /
covering OF snow does not protect the |
soil, as efectually as does turf from the
severest cold and frost.
The London Lancet says, in COM
mentlng on an article on the medico-
features Of Guiteau's per-
1T is remarkable for the sin
gular circumstance that the author, DIR.
Allan McLane Hamilton, seems to claim
The fact that the head Of the assassin
reveals no special asymmetry' as evil
lence of his sanity, whereas asymetry
s we'll known to be one of the common
,st characteristics of heads of the best
md most intellectual type. It would
,e difficult, probably, to find head be-
onging to any man of mark or preemi-
renee in science or literature which was
lot asymmetric.n To be asymetric is
imply to lack symmetry.
DIR. Luys is credited with the state
nent that Brown-Sequard once injected
nto the head Of a dog, after being, sep
rated from the body, with defibrinated
nd oxygenated blood, and at the mo-
nent when the injection of this blood