Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-09-02
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.
[Compiled for the SPECTATOR.

IHE FLANTS OF THE GUTTER.-AICer
a study of eleven months, DR.. Hugo Win
hacker, of Gottingen, has found that the
vegetation of the stones of street CUTTERS
consists of green algae and fungoids. The
algae are harmless and even beneficial, for
they grow oyer the fungoids and at their
expense, and help to keep them down.
Most of the fungoids appear to be harmless,
but some of them may be dangerous disease
germs, to be freely distributed by the wind
when dry; and as it is difficult to distinguish
their qualities, the growth of this class of
plants should be prevented as far as posi-
Bile. The character of the gutter vege-
tation may be differenti in different cities
A PHENOMENON IN QUARTz.-Some
silicious pebbles which are quite numerous
in the quarternary gravels of the Loing
valley, France, have been described by
Meunier. These stones-about an inch and
half in diameter-are remarkable for
being hollow and enclosing liquid water,
together frequently with loose stony nu-
cleus. Meunier supposes that the water
must have penetrated the pebbles through
their minute pores, for not a sign Of q crack
can be seen even by the aid Of strong
glass.
For the observation of all kinds of sub
terranean phenomena, j. j. Martinez sug-
gests the boring into the earth of q hole so
by $50 feet in diameter, the expense of the
undertaking to be met by a universal SUBJ
scription.
The value of vaccination is illustrated by
the registers of an old hospital in Prague,
where the mortality from small pox from
1910 to 1815-that is, in the prevaccination
period-was 81 per cent, while from 1915 to
1885 it has been only 45S per cent.
A recent earthquake in France affected
only the chalk-formations at the earth's
surface, and was neither heard nor felt by
men at work in the coal mines beneath.
CHEMICAL ACTION OF LIeHT.-Prof. A.
Vogel observes that the hemlock plant
which yields coniine in Bavaria contains
none in Scotland, and he concludes that
sunlight plays part in the generation of
alkaloids IN plants. This view is confirmed
by the circumstance that the tropical
Cinchonas, if cultivated in feebly-lighted
northern lighthouses, yield no quinins. The
formation Of tannin seems to be influenced
by exposure of the growing bark to the
light, the proportion of tannin in the bark
of the beech or of the larch having been
found to increase from the less illuminated
to the more illuminated parts.
In countries having marked winter sea-
sons, earthquakes are found to be more fie-
quent in winter than in summer. DR..
Knott, of the Seismological Society of
Japan finds only two possible meteorological
seasons for this-one being the stress of ac-
cumulated snow, and the other that of high
barometric pressure during the cold season.
A geological commission has been ap-
pointed by the Spanish Government to inyes-
tigate the Philippines. The geography and
topography to the archipelago will be
studied, as well as the geology, and map
will be prepared to complete and correct
existing ones.
From statistics collected in the abattoirs
Of Munich and Augsburg, Strauss has found
that not more than one calf in 100000 is
consumptive. The danger of conveying
consumption with vaccine obtained from
these animals is therefore slight.
A microscope having a bent body tube is
recent scientific instrument. tits intend
ed to combine the advantages of keeping the
stage horizontal and enabling the observer
to keep his body in a convenient position.
EARLY ANAETHETIcs.-A French ply
sician, Lagneau, has been making research
es into the anaesthetics which were I'M
doubtedly used in early times. He finds
mention by Pliny of a stone which was
treated with vinegar and used to create
local insensibility to pain. Decoctions of
mandragora and of plant called "morion''
were mixed with the food of patients and
employed by surgeons for producing sleep
down to the thirteenth and fourteenth
centuries. Opium was also used before op-
erations, and in the Hast the anaesthetic
properties of hemp have been known from
the earliest times. Even anaesthesia by
inhalation is no new thing, two different
preparations-both prepared from opium,
henbane, mandragora, hemlock, and many
other plants, and inhaled from sponge
having been discovered in the thirteenth
century. Sufferings from the tortures ap-
piled by the judicial tribunals of the Middle
Ages were diminished by allowing the un-
fortunate victim to inhale a liquid contain
ing all the Ingredients required for chloro.
form.
The NEW ELEMlNT.-The new metal
gallium melts at S1.1 degrees Fahrenheit,
becoming liquid when held in the hand
Its specific gravity is a little less than 6, or
about half that of lead. 1t furnishes but
slightly in the air. 1t adheres readily to
glass when fused, forming beautiful mir
ror. In chemical characteristics the rare
element gallium most resembles the abun-
dant element aluminium.
DIR. Percy F. Frankland's experiments
have shown that the best filters for thinking
water are made of greensand, coke, animal
charcoal, or spongy iron, but in every case
the filter loses its power to remove all Or
ganic particles after being used month.
Mr.. Serene Watson classifies the North
American roses into eighteen species.
At an English courthouse at luncheon,
after morning service, the popular young
curate was accosted by venerable devine-
elbow long, sir" said he, ibid it take you
to write that sermon that you gave us this