Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1883-03-08
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

its position mdrniog and evening. The
tree iselaven fee, /. / height, ond in the
afternoon is in lined so near the ground
that children may pluck its fruit from
branches which in the morning 4re far
above their reach.
Mons. Vallin has made some expert
meuts upon the virus of tuberculosis
to determine he action Of various dis
infectants. with The tubercular sub
stance he obtained, disease could he
readily producFd in animals, but expos
ure to sulphur fumes, boiling water or
a solution of corrosive subllmate de- |
stroyed the power Of the virus to pro
duce such an elect. The result Of the
experiments Mons. Valln to sugg st
that it would be wise precauiion to
give prisons, larracks, hospitals and
schools yearly purifying by sulphur
Gus funigatian.
The Desert cf Sahara, according to
an address by Prof. Guido Cora to the
Italian Geographical Society, has
total area Of 100000 square miles,
not more thp an one eth of which is
covered by sand The mean elevation
of the desert is from 1900 to l,G50
feet above sta level, but it's mountain
chains attain "a height of from 6, 800 to
5000 feet In some parts rains occur
only once in some twenty years, while.
in Others there is a regular rainy season.
While the TEN perature rises 10 l22 de
grees, it som etimes falls below 20 de
grees, and snpw and ice cover the high
est mountain SUBMITS during several
months Of the year. The animals and
plants are Of much interest and impor
lance. The h uman population numbers
some 5000, 900, and the desert contains
towns Of from 5000 to 10000 iphab-
itants.
If the assumption that pitcher plants
cat the insects caught by their leaves
is correct, there is no reason why the
plants should not, like meat eating ani-
mails, experience i'll effects from over
gorging themselves; and by an exhi
bition OF Sarracenias before the London
Royal horticultural Society, Mr.
Veitch has shown that moderate eating
seemed to benefit them, while injury
resulted when dead insects accumulated
on the leaves.
Mons. lie Bel has discovered small
organism in the urine of persons hav
in: measles, aud peculiar to that dis
ease. Herr Tschamer had previsusly
found all organism which he believed
to belong not only to measles but to
scarlatina and liphthcria Also
Mons. nacle's investigations have
convinced him that changes Of temper
AZURE have little eIectupon the strength
of railway ties. Ii accidents to tires
are more frequent in cold weather than
at other tues, it is due probably to
the increase Of rigidity and irregularity
of the road which adds to the violence
Of the shocks received by the tires.
Tho advantage of Planting trees il
the streets and open spaces of towns
has been d recent topic of discussion
among Swiss scientists. In the opinion
OF DR.. Piaehaud, the trees impede thu
circulation CT the air to such an inju
ious extent as to more than counter
balance any good effects they may pro
duce. To this view Prof. Goret reptile,
that trees temper the heat and serve a.
protection from dust, while the evap
Grafton from their leaves helps to keel
the air cool and moist. He contends
also that the roots of trees absorb mucl
filth which would otherwise render tt,
subsoil Of streets dangerous breedin:
places Of / seaso.
DR.. Ale *. Mayer proposes the use 0
burial cas- is CT g.ss in place Of tn
ordinary wooden collins. Such cases
when Dramatically sealed, would effect
ualiy prevent the escape Of unwhole
some gases to pollaie the air Of csme
teries. by replacing the air in Ii
cases With an anti putrid gas, the bodie
might be indefinitely preserved iron
. decomposition, all the advantages ,
embaimius being xpensively secured
Hermetiefl lily sealed caskets are mucl
more likely 10 meet with widely extend
ed approF val thaa are erema'ory fgra
aces.
Noticios that the little spiders whicl
live in assers and prey upon sariou