The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-12-14
SCIENTIFIC MATTERS.

SCIENTIFIC MATTERS.
y Neapolitan gardener, after years
of experiment, has produced a camelia
with delicate perfume, and he thinks
it probable that these flowers may in
the near future be SO cultivated as to
rival the rose in the fragrance of its
odOr.
y new theory of the so-called fasci-
nation of birds by snakes is that the
bird mistakes the snakes tongue,
which keeps in rapid and constant
motion, for lively worm, and watches
it intently with the anticipation of
devouring it.
Two Leipsic chemists have devised
process for obtaining sugar in a per-
manently liquid form. This result is
said to be effected by adding to a
purified sugar solution a small quanti-
ty OF citric acid, which combines with
the sugar and deprives it of its ten
dency to crystalline.
Some experiments by NJ. Gautier
appear to prove that human saliva
possesses, in nilder degree, the same
poisonous property rs that of serpents.
The human saliva injected under the
skin of a bird caused death, with
symptoms very closely resembling
those resulting from serpent bites.
Late Investigations of German
scientists have shown that the electric
light is not only healthier than other
methods of illumination in leaving
the air purer, but that it increases the
power of vision IN some respects, es
pecially in distinguishing colors. Red,
blue, green and yellow are much more
distinct under this light than by day
light.
The college of music, of Cincinnati,
| has announced the third Cincinnati
opera festival, to be held in the great
music hall. There will be eight per-
| formances, beginning January 20.
The college of music and Col. Maple
son announce that the third opera fes-
tival will exceed even the brilliancy
and perfectness of the preceding festi-
walls in the number and distinction of
its lyric and dramatic artists, in spec
tacular display, in its grand orchestra
and chorus.
NJ. Pasteur has resolved to extend
1 his studies in vaccination to yellow
| fever, with a view of determining
| whether or not the disease is due to
parasites and can be guarded against
| by incubation. A broad field of in
veStigation is open to PaSteur, as it is
suggested by his discoveries thus far
| that all contagious maladieS may be
due to parasitic growths, the virulence
| of which may be so reduced by his
| method of incubation as to render
this class of diseases no longer mat
ter of dread.
An establishment has been opened
in London called the Health home y
| by a DR.. Quentin, who proposes to
cure all diseases by dietary system.
The patient is handed by servant in
black and gold, card specially pre-
pared, Oh which he will find his soup,
if soup is allowed; his fish, if it is per-
mitted; his joint, if it suits his cOndi-
ton, and SO on to the coffee. There
also he will find inscribed the mineral
water suitable to the state of his liver
with directions respecting the dessert
which will consist of digestive pill
or two, pepSin sandwich, or some
equally attractive novelty.
Mr.. C. Shaler Smith has given the
results of extensive observations in
relation to the pressure eXerted by the
wind. The most violent gale recorded
by him was at East st. Louis in 1871
when the wind overturned locomo-
tive, the force developed in so doing
being no less than ninety-three pounds
per square foot. At st. Charles a Jail
was destroyed in 1877, the pressure
required being eighty-four pounds per
square foot. AT Marshfield, in 1880, a
brick mansion was leveled, the force
necessary being fifty-eight pounds pei
square foot. Below these extraordi-
nary presSures, Mr. Smith instances
numerous cases of trains blown off
rails, and bridges, ETC., blown down by
gales of twenty-fOur to thirty-one
per square foot. In all the examples
the lowest force required to do the
observed damage has been taken
as the maximum power OF
the wind, although, of course,
it may have been higher.
Enthusiasts who make special
study of sun spots and attendant phe-
nomena believe that the cornerstone
of a new science is being laid by dis
coveries pointing to an intimate con-
nection between solar and terrestrial
meteorology. Just what the connec-
ton is they are not yet able to clearly
define, although electricity is suspect
ed of being the agent through which
| the effects are manifested upon our
plane. 1t is known that the gaseous
envelope of the sun is affected by
eruptions of such prodigious magni-
tude as to be utterly beyond our pow
er of conception, these disturbances
appearing to us in the form of rapidly
changing spots and protuberances.
The eras of the spots, or sun-storms, oc-
cur at remarkably regular intervals, a
complete cycle of the various stages of
activity from maximum to minimum
and again to maximum being per-
formed in about eleven yeaTs-the So
called "sun-spot period" The sun-spot
physicists claim a coincidence of the
periods of maximum spots and years
of great atmospheric and physical dis
turbance in the earth. The present
has been year of great solar distur-
Dances, while it has been marked by
violent storms and earthquakes upon
our globe. Further than this, these
scientists claim to have recently de-
tected by simultaneous observation
minor atmospheric changes as the re-
suit of corresponding movements in
the sun. Many difficulties attend these
observations, but the Astronomer
Royal for Scotland and others believe
that the state of the sun will some
day become an important factor in
weather forecasts and like calcula-
tiOnS.