The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-12-27
CoHfiAed /or Zz< ArAaasasv 7revexey.
 SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

U
 lamps now made that one of the Swan tyne
 has sustained $500 hours ofuse. Many have
 lasted 1000 hours.
 Tn France symptoms of poisoning have
 followed the eating of vegetables grown on
 soil which had been treated with chemical
 poisons to destroy the phylloxera insect of
 the grape-vines.
 Hydrochlorate of cocaine, a new local
 anaesthetc discovered accidently by A
 Vienna student, is now being tried in dent
 istry. It has already been very successfully
 used in pre- ducing insensibility of the eye.
 rendering operations upon that organ pain less or nearly so.
 The plan of making charts of the stars
 by photographic means is rapidly gaining
 favor among astronomers. A photograph
 exhibited the other day to the royal Dublin
 society showed seve- en stars in a part of the heavens to which the best published star maps assign but i've
 Late Belgian experiments have had the object of preserving wood by exbausting the air from the pores and causing liquid gutta percha to take its place. The gutta percha is liquefed by being heated with par afhnc, and it hardens on cooling after being
 introduced into the wood
 Snails are possessed of remarkable vitality. Mir. R. E. C. Stearns has mentioned one-of the species Helix Veatchii--which lived without food from 1859 to 1865; and another-Bulimus pallidior--which appeared to be in good health after fast of two years two months and sixteen days. Both of these species inhabit nearly rainless regions.
 It has been asserted that the common white lily (Silium candidum) grows in Pales- tine only as cultivated fewer and is not a native of the country, and that consequently the lilies of scripture must have been derived from some other plant A French botanist. however, states that many wild specimens of this lily have been obtained from the Leh- anon, one of which he possesses.
 Six Brains Year.-The novel compu- tation has been made by a German histolo- gist that the human brain is composed of no less than 3oo,ooo,ooo nerve cells, each an in- dependent body, organism and microscopic brain so far as concerns its vital relations. As each nerve cell is estimated to live about sixty days 5000 GOO must die every day, about 2oo,o 900 every hour, and nearly $500 every minute. The dying cells are replaced by an equal number of their progeny, and once in every sixty days mans brain is entirely re- newed.
 The Soils Inhabitants Were the human inhabitants of the globe as numerous as are the humblest of our servants the earthworms, every acre of land would have to sustain great city. In his memoir show ing the importance of the work done by the worms in fitting the soil for the use of plants. Darwin estimated that 26 886 of the creatures existed in an acre of old pasture land, while HeRsen gave the number for garden soil as s 7o7 per acre. Recent researches by MT. T. A. Urquhart indicate that these figures are much too low for some localities, as in a pasture near Auckland, New Zealand, he has found 34S+9o per acre, with an aggregate weight of more than ooo poundr
 Guesses at Human Antiquity. While the great antiquity of the human race has been established beyond doubt, it is inn possible 10 assign any accurate date to mans hrst appearance upon earth. :" In making soundings in tRe slmy soil of the Nile val ley," says Prof. N. Ioly, of the Science Fac ulty of Toulouse, 1.-two baked bricks w.-e discovered, one at depth of twenty, the other twenty-four yards. If we estimate the thickness of the annual deposit formed by the river at eight inches century, we must assign to the first of these bricks an age of F, 900 years, and to the second that of 14ooo.n By means of analogous calculations, Bur meister supposes 72coo years to have elapsed since the first appearance of man upon the soil of Egypt, and Draper attributes to the European man wSo witnessed the last glacial epoch an antiquity of more than a5oooo years.
 Siamese Medical Science.-The Siam- ese, according to an account lately given oy pr. E. A. Surge. regarded all nature as of four elements-earth, water. ire and wind. These same elements-are to make up the human body, which $ composed of twenty kinds oi earth, twelve <inds of water, six kinds of wind, and four iinds of fire. The body is divided into thirty NO parts, such as the skin, heart, lungs, etc. t is thought to be subject 10 ninety-six dis ,ases, due to the disarrangement of its eIe- nents. Too much fire causes levers, an excess 'f water produces dropsies, earth gives rise o disease by invisible and impalpable nists and vapors, and wind can cause all manner of complaints. While almost every hing is used as medicine, the bones and kins of various animals, and the gals of makes, tigers. lizards, etc, are favorite reme- lies. Burnt human bones, powdered and mixed with alum, are used on ulcers the ye-teeih of iSus animals-such as bears. igers and lions-ground up together, form he favorite curative for levers; and the shes of earth-worms and human hair, mixed 'ith cocoanutoil, are often employed for uts. The Siamese know little of anatomy. They are not aware that the heart is con-