The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1883-04-13
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.


Written expressly for the GAZETTE by celebrated |
astern Scientist
Excavations have been commenced at
Tel-el- Maskhuta, in Egypt, on the supposed
site of Raamses, one of the two cities speei-
fed in the first chapter of Exodus as built
by the forced labor of the. Hebrews. 1t is
hoped that inscriptions may be discovered
at this place which will enable Egypt
oloeists to identify the Pharaoh OF Moses
to assign dynastic date to the period Oh
the oppression, and to settle the mach-ois-
puted question regarding the route OF the
Exodus. Funds are being raised IN Eng
land for prosecuting this important expo
ration.
The plan of disposing of the sewage OF
Berlin by applying it as fertilizer TO iarii'S
near the city has proven much less sa''s-
factory than was expected. Not only nave
the farming operations been unproftaoie'
hut the health of the inhabitants has been
endangered by noxious vapors arising from
sewage-saturated land.
Prof Koch has severely criticised the
lexueriments of Pasteur on anthrax olsease'
and contends that the value of the process
of protective vaccination which has been 50
extensively introduced in France has been
greatly over-estlmated by hasty and un-
scientific conclusions.
A small balloon, having capacity OF
about two gallons. is reported to have trav-
eled from Bercy, France, to Grodno IN Po'
land-a distance of more than 1900 miles.
This is the longest air trip ou record for so
small an object.
The Belgian Academy offers prize of
5000 for the best treatise on the destruction
of fish by the pollution of rivers sent in be,
fore Oct. !, 1885.
From three stations in northern Europe
! systematic observations and measurements
of the aurora borealis have been made
throughout the winter, and one OF the OBJ
servers at least-Prof. Tromholt-cont-
Identity expects that the comparison OF the
results which will soon be made Will estao-
Ilish with considerable exactness the height
above the earth at which this phenomenon
occurs, thus solving another perplexlng
problem of science. Prof. Tromholt has
attempted several times to photograph the
aurora, but has failed to get a trace OF an
image upon even the most sensitive plates.
Prof. Graber, of Czernowitz, Austria, has
made long series Of experiments concern
ing the '.sl1in-vision" of animals, and has
proven that certain species having no visual
organs proper such as the earth-worm
are not cnly able to distinguish between
different quantities of light, but also mani
fest a decided preference for light of certain
: colors.
: Among the objects of the Swedish Arctic
!. expedition are the exploration of the interior
of Greenland, and a search for remains ol
the Nors emen whose settlements existed III
, that country from about the year 1000 te
the end of the fourteenth century, and O.
whose ultimate fate little or nothing l:
> known. 1t is expected that the expedition
$ will start in May, under the command O
r. Baron Nordenksjold.
At the age of 81, Mons. Chevreu', th'
eminent French chemist. can look bact
4 over an active scientific career of probabl,
S greater length than has fallen to the lot
: any other man; and in late address to th
y French Academy he had occasion to refer t.
a communication he had made to that bod.
nearly II years before.
DR.. William Thomson, of Melbourne
l shows by statistics that the mortality from
S cosumrtien is increasing in Victoria, tn
i deaths having been IL. .49 to each 10000 IN
habitants in 1871 and 1890 in 1881. IL
;, believes that the disease was imported int
the colony from abroad, and contends tina
consumption is never induced by condition
!, of the atmosphere or soil, but IS due to
: specific parasitic poison. Cunsumptlves de
i rive benefit from sea-voyages because the
, are constantly exposed to an atmospher
:, unfavorable to the development of the par
asites.
The attention of several observers ha
been drawn to the prevalence of partls
deafness among pupils in schools. The re
II searches of Dr. Gelle, who has had excel
d lent opportunities for studying the ear /
young persons and who has met with l4O
J. cases of deafness among scholars, lndicat
that the hearing of twenty or twenty-fV
per cent of the children is weakened SO ia
u as to effect their understanding OF lessons
This infirmity has not been understood, an
e the afflicted ones appear dull and backward
v while their proper education suffers.
overcome as far as possible the effects
imperfect hearing, DR.. Gelle suggests. tns
= the teacher should keep well in sight an
c speak slowly and distinctly; that school
d room should be away from disturbing sound
n while stoves or hot-air currents should nc
be placed in the centre of classes; and ths
pupils should be seated with reference
= their hearing power, the deafest bein
Z placed nearest the teacher.
In one particular instance which he ha
e investigated, Herr Kultzleb has found tha
t the failure of a clover crop was caused by
deficiency of easily soluble potash in tn
e soil, and not by parasites or Elack OF nj
trogen or of water.
e For Sale.