Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1884-04-10
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

bad, while 2o3 were positively dangerous
OF 1907 samples Of milk and cream,
$40 proved to be bad; and of : | samples
of fruit preserves, no less than - were
pronounced dangerous. OF % samples
of water, 62 we're condemned as danger
Gus.
DR.. Emin Bey has made some meas
uremcnts of the Akkas, the small people
discovered in Africa and first described
by Schweinfurth, and fluids that when
full-grown their heights range from four
70 four and half feet The skin of the
Akkas varies in color FROM clear yellow
to glistening red, and their bodies are
entirely covered with thick, stiff and
filthy growth of hair They live in num-
erous distinct tribes, have no fixed abodes
and are hurting people, skilled in the
use Of the bow and arrow.
A diseased parasite has been found in
the common onion by Mons. Joanues
Chatin. 1t has been examined by Mons.
Pasteur, who finds it to be similar 10 the
parasite Of mildcw in wheat. Plants
which are attacked should be pulled up
and burned.
A committee has been appointed by
the Royal Society Of London to collect
the various accounts Of the krakatoa vol
canic eruption and attendant phenomena
This committee may be able to prove or
dsprove the theory that the red sunriscs
and sunsets have been caused BY volcanic
dust
According to Joshlin, fishes have been
caught at depths where they must have
sustained = pressure Of 50 tons to each
square foot Of their bodies.
DR.. Sophus Tromholt thinks that the
long-mooted question Of the height above
the earth at which the aurora borcalus
appers will soon cease to be one Of the
unsolved problems Of nature. 1t is evil
dent that aurorae, like clouds, float through
4 certain thickness Of the atmosphere,
and only approximate estimates can be
made Of their usual altitude DR.. from
holt has calculated the h.ights Of the
lower edges Of eighteen aurorae from
measurements Of their position made sim
ultaneously At two stations Of Northern
Europe about 66 miles apart. His re-
sults range from Al to little over 100
miles. the average being 20 miles. lie
admits the possibility that aurorae may
sometimes very closely approach the
earth's surface, but states that he has
never seen any portion Of one below the
clouds, although he has long watched for
such an appearance.
An observatory provided with instru-
msnis for studying earthquake phenomena
has been established in japanese coal
mine by Prof. Milne Of Toxic. As the
mine runs under the sea, the influence Of
the tides in depressing the ground will be
Included among the observations, az well
Also the conditions attending escapes OF
Aredamp.
Mr.. W. Spring has found that the
permanent compression Of solids by pres
sure Of 10000 atmospheres is slight, aud
some substances even retain their original
volume after having been subjected TO
that tremendous pressure.
A French scientist, Mons. Duchatre,
has shown that moonlight ~ we'll as sun
light may have an innaence upon plan.
growth. Seedlings Of lentils, veschcs,
ETC., which had been kept in dark place,
At once began to bend towards the moon
when exposed to its light, and continued
to move with it.
A geological exploration Of the Holy
Land has just been completed by an Eng
hsh party under Prof. Hull. The ancient
margins Of the Cults of Suez aud Akaba
were traced to height Of 200 feet above
their present level, showing that much Of
the country was once submerged and has
been gradually rising. This rise Of land
must have caused the separation of the
Red Sea from the Mediterranean, and
Prof. Hull believes that those two bodies
Of water were connected at the time of
the Exodus. He thinks he has also dis
covered that the Dead Sea, whose remark
able depression gives especial interest to
The geology Of Palestine, formerly stood
It an elevation Of l,400 feet above its
present level, or at $50 feet above the
evel Of the Mediterranean. The survey
. said to have furnished materials for the
construction Of much more satisfactory
geological map Of the Holy Land than
~ hitherto been possible.