The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1883-02-02
@eehlp Corvallis 6azette
FRIDAY MORNING, FEB. ?, 1883.
Scientific Miscellany,


the time of death of any individual t.
differ by several hours, which differ
ence has given rise to some very un
satisfactory evidence at inquests il
Hong Kong, the Chinese idea havin:
been unknown to Europeans unit
very recently.
The suicide of the scorpion ha
been a much-discussed topic. Th'
statement is well attested that .
scorpion enclosed in ring of red no
embers will, after futile attempts te
escape, kill itself by thrusting its
sting into its own head. In spite o
corroborating testimony this assertion
is often doubted, but recent obser-
vation by Prot. Sankester seems to
establish its probability. Having
occasion to chloroform a scorpion he
noticed that as soon as 1t began to
feel the elects of the supplying va
por it made repeated thrusts with its
sting in straightforward direction,
but these blows became gradually so
iIl-directed and uncertain that at last
one caused the tip of the sting to
touch the insects body. In this case
the skin was not penetrated, but it is
easy to believe that occasionally
such misdirected blow on the part
of a half-suffocated scorpion may
have been seen to infict a mortal
wound upon the scorpion itself.
The researches of Messrs. Richet
and Rondeau Indicate that artificial
respiration may be valuable agent
it the resuscitation of persons who
have been exposed to cold until life
is nearly extinct.
1t is asserted by DR.. Merkel that a
PERSONS height after nights rest is
two inches greater that in the eve
sNng, measured standing. On first
rising, sudden shortening takes
place at the joints of the legs. The
sinking at the ankle is one-third of
an inch; at the knee, one-twelfth to
one.eight of an inch; at the hip, two
fifths of an inch. The contraction in
height is continued through the day
by the gradual yielding OF the
arches of the feet and of the discs of
the spine.
Mons. Spring, of the Belgian Ac-
ademy Of Sciences, takes exception
to the generally received view that
the seat of the electricity of storms
is in the moist region of the atmos-
phere, and concludes that it exists in
the cold and dry super-stratum.
DR.. Franzius finds that the tooth
most often affected by decay is the
third molar, such cases forming one
half of the total number. The teeth
begin to decay in a certain successive
order, the lower third molar being
first attacked, then the upper, then
he lower fourth molar, and so on, the
ncisors and the canine teeth of the
over jaw being the last reached. |
Cbe upper teeth are more durable
han the lower in the proportion of E
hree to two. The right teeth show /
) greater vitality than the left. The
durability of teeth is less in light per- {
ons than in dark, and less in tall f
han in short persons. These results r.
we're obtained by an examination of a
$50 Russian soldiers, of whom 25s ]
ad unsound teeth. a
The tide records of government |
urveyors of British India, covering u
period of twenty-three years, indi-it
ate the existence OF a fortnightly I
ide under the influence OF the moon. a
Mons. Pasteur has gained fresh y
lurels by an investigation Of a di- {
ease of pigs known as rouget or NAL +
ouge, which in one valley of the "
hone has been fatal to 10000 Of the y
nimals within year. The investi: a a,
ators has reported to the French =, ~
academy of Science to be a minute -
rganism, somewhat like that of '
lieken cholera. 1t is different, how =
yer, in its physiological properties =
nee it produces no effect upon fowls
ut is quickly fatal to rabbits and "
gs. Experiments have satisfied ID
-ons. Pasteur that one attack affords v
,otection against another, and by g
oculatiug pigs with organism weak ca
led by culture SO as to give rise to &c
mild form OF the disease he has sue. e'
eded in rendering the animals Sc al
ire from further liability to the con. pi
lgion. &C
Middle-aged prejudice is severe ia
,ainst plum-pudding, but the Lon te
On Lancet pronounces it a highly
hcient tood, and declares that a M
edge of cold plum pudding is not W
unwholesome lunch for young and Gu