The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-09-06
Scientific Miscellany.

The Australian bluc-gun tree (Euca-
lyytus glOJuluS) does not thrive in Ire
land, and severe weather has lately
killed trees which were eXperimentally
introduced thirteen years ago, and
which had reached a height of sixty
feet.
Mons. Daubrcc believes that all the
phenomena of earthquakes may be
satisfactorily explained on the assump-
ton that they result from the action Of
superheated steam. He gives many
objections to the theory of falling
rocks in internal chasms.
Manganese is found by Mons f. j.
Maumene to exist in all wines, but in
quantities too small to have any effect,
In the cereals it is much more plenti-
ful, and this chemist thinks that it may
play more important part in the life
of animals than does iron.
A member of the London Anthrop D
logical society lately discovered \
primitive stone axe IN actual use by a
Londoner, who was chopping up fire.
wood with it. The axe, whose keenly
sharpcncd blade was large piece of
the stone known as banded ebert, was
brought by a sailor from the Andaman
Islands, in the bay Of Bengal
For many years Prot. II. w. Vogel
has conducted researches on means of
photographing colored objects in their
natural shades 1t is known generally
that certain colors-such as blue, green
and rcd-givc very unnatural pictures,
but Prof. Vogel has at last succeeded
in obtaining photographs satisfactorily
showing color objccts-without, of
course, reproducing the colors them
selves.
A new and brilliant ring round the
planet Saturn has been discovered by
two French astronomers, Messrs. Paul
Henry and Prosper Henry, who express
surprise that it has not been observed
before. 1t is suggested that the over
sight confirms the suspicion that Sa-
turns rings are in state of constant
change, as it appears most probable
that the reason why the new ring was
not earlier seen is that it was formerly
much less distinct than now.
Cases of remarkable intimacy be-
tween animals of different species are
not rare, although they have only re-
Gently attracted particular attention.
A writer in China mentions the shoot
ing of a snake under conditions which
make it appear that the creature was
crossing q river on the back of a
tortoise, and this circumstance gives
some color of probability to an asser-
ton often made among the Chinese
that the greatest affection exists be-
tween these two animals.
DR.. Albrecht, of Neuchatel, has been
experimenting to determine the effect
of methodic inhalations of oxygen gas
upon the development of tubercular
consumption. Loss of weight was
checked in the consumptves. difficulty
of breathing was DIMINISHED, and an
apparent decrease was caused in the
number of the bacteria which always
accompany the disease. 1t was his
hope that the oxygen might totally
destroy the bacteria, or supposed cause
of the malady, and thus effect a cure.
The Effects of High Mountain Air
"Nountain sickness" is not an newt
able consequence of travelling in ele-
waited places. With two guides, Mr..
w. w. Graham has climbed LOO feet
higher than any other human beings,
reaching point in the llimalayas 23,-
100 feet above sea level OF the expe-
rience of his party, Mr.. Graham says,
in an account given to the Royal Geo
graphical Society of London: Meth
err in this nor in any other ascent did
we feel any Inconvenience in breathing
other than the ordinary painting insepa-
rable from any muscular eXertion.
Nausea, bleeding at the nose, temper
airy loss of sight and hearing, were con-
spicuous only 10y their absence, and the
only organ perceptibly affected was
the heart, whose beaiings became very
perceptibIe, quite audible, while the
pace was decidedly increased.