Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1883-12-12
SCIENTIFIC SCRAPS.

During his late journey in Central
Asia, DR.. Venukoff discovered the
horse, the camel and the goose in their
wild state They showed no fear of
man even after some of their number
had been shot.
Recently some valuable experiments
in photographing the larynx and soft
palate at the instant of singing have
been made. A powerful electric light
was thrown into the throat the sub
ject than sang note, and the actual
position of the vocal ligaments, uvula,
etc, was photographed instantaneously.
The finding of a small piece of
gold-bearing quartz, in the gizzard of
lyre-bird which he was preparing to
stuff, has led an Australian taxider-
mist to infer that the precious metal
exists near the spot, in the Blue
Mountains, where the bird was killed.
The region will probably be explored
for gold.
The Duke of Argyll considers that
the fact that some Scotch hills have
gravel and no earth on their SUBMITS
shows that Scotland during the deluge
was 1000 feet under water. Darwin
considered the same fact to be due to
earthworms. Between these two opin
ions there is plenty of room for
discussion.
A correspondent of London Electri-
clan gives the following as an instant
remedy for toothache: With small
piece of zinc and bit of silver (any
silver coin will do), the zinc placed on
one side of the afflicted gum, and the
silver on the other, by bringing the
edges together, the small current of
electricity is generated Immediately
and painlessly stops the toothache,
Preserving fresh meat by means of
a mixture of carbonic oxide and car
bonic acid is Il recent English patent.
The former gas alone is highly inham-
mable and very explosive when mixed
with air, while the carbonic acid itself
discolors fresh meat and gives it an
acid taste. When used together, in
proportions of not less than fifty
five per cent nor more than seventy
five per cent. of carbonic acid to not
more than forty-ive per cent. nor less
than twenty-five per cent, Of carbonic
oxide, the mixture preserves meat un-
changed, and cannot be set on fire.
Signor Baldacci, who was detailed
by the Royal Corps of Engineers to
investigate the causes that may have
led to the late catastrophe on the island
of Ischia, finds, contrary to the views
expressed by Professor Palmieri, that
the destruction was the result, not of
a subsistence of the crust as induced
by aqueous solution, but of true vol
canic activity which is still resident in
the island. and which at intervals
manifests itself in the form of seismic
movements and otherwise. The town
of Casamiciola stood over the intersec-
lion of the two principal lines of
seismic activity, and consequently at
its focus.
From the latest reports regarding
The cholera in Egypt, which became
epidemic last Summer, it appears that
the germs Of the disease are always
present in the Nile delta, and only
wait the circumstances which 90 to
their development to make a pestilence
at any time. The disease does not
seem to be imported, 1t has an abid-
ing-place in the country. Now that
Egypt is so closely connected with the
great distributing centres of commerce
of the world the final report of the
Scientific Commissioners will be looked
for with interest and given an attention
worthy of the subject.