The Baltimore County union., 1885-04-11
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.
LUNG DISEASES IN WILD ANIMALS.

LUNG DISEASES IN WILD ANIMALS.
In the period from October, 1881, to the close
of 1884, there died in the gardens of the London
Geological Society 5S3 mammals, ,40S birds, and
7ss reptiles. Mr.. ]. Bland Sutton states, in re-
port to the Pathological Society," that of the deaths
among mammals only five were from genuine pull
monary tuberculosis or consumption, showing
that the general notion that wild animals in cap
tivity especially liable to that disease is er-
roneous. Of the mammals 303 were quadrumana,
and of them thirty per cent had other forms of
pulmonary affection. Bronchitic attacks q very
great variety of animals. but other well known
chest diseases appear to be chiefly confined
to certain groups. The car-nivora, for instance,
are very liable to double peurisies and pneumonia,
while ruminantia have the peculiar disease known
as "Perlsucht"-the socalled bovine tuberculosis.
In birds is noticed liability to Inflammation of
the airsacs, which gives rise to peculiar exuda-
tions in which mould develops and spreads through
the lung.
BALLOONS IN THE soUDAN CAMPAIGN.
The first attempts at British military balloon
ing are to be made in Africa, three balloons hav-
ing heen sent out for the purpose of making cap
tive ascents for watching the enemy's movements.
A hundred or moreiron cylinders containing COM
pressed hydrogen for initiating the balloons form
part of the equipment, and a gas-factOry and
pumping station will be established at Suakin for
reflling the reservoirs. Telephone communica-
tion will be maintained between the balloons and
the ground.
THE POLAR LIGHT.
Following up small experiments made in 1871,
Prof. Selim Lemstrom, of the Finnish Meteorolo-
gical Station at Sodankyla, Lapland, attempted
in 1882 to produce an aurora on large scale from
the electricity supposed to be flowing from the air
to the earth, the means employed being "dis-
charging apparatus" consisting of network of
pointed wire conductors spread over the top of a
mountain, insulated and connected with gava-
nometer and the earth at the foot of the mountain.
diffuse light, which the spectroscope showed to
be identical with the aurora borealis, was often
seen lowering over the wires, and on some oc-
casions rays become visible. Continuing his re-
search in 1883 and 1884, Prof. Lemstrom now
finds himself able to assert very positively that
the aurora borealis, which has long been dis
puted enigma, is the result of an atmospheric
electric current, and that this current can be
measured and studied by means of his "discharg
ing-apparatus." The zone of frequent auroras
in the northern hemisphere is a narrow belt en-
circing the magnetic pole, and crossing the meri-
dian of Washington in latitude $50 and that of st.
Petersburg in 10. Prof. Lemstrom finds the
istence of belt of terrestrial currents similar to
the belt of auroral currents to be very probable.
AN AGE OF HORN.
variety of prehistoric objects in horn-such
as amuets, cups, knives, daggers, rings, buttons,
bracelets, etc.-have been found in stratum
existing at depth of about five feet in the mud
of Lake Neuenburg, in Switzerland. The finder,
Herr G. Kaiser, believes them to be older than
the stone and bronze implements of the same local
ity, and he proposes to call the period to which
they belong 'the age of horn" 1t may we'll be
doubted, however, whether the ancient lake people
ever experienced epoch for which such name
would be justified, as it is evident that some i'm
plement- probably of stone or bronze-must have
been used in cutting the horn.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The parasitic character of diphtheria has been
established by two investigators-Klebs and
Lofler-who have independently found organisms
which have been proven by experiments on guinea
pigs and birds to be the specific germs of the
diseae.
An interesting exhibition of whale skeletons
and products has been held in Hamburg. The
most imposing exhibit the skeleton of the
blue whale the greatest animal on earth. 1t
measured rs feet in length, and was mounted in
its natural position.
According to Herve- -Mangon, the system of
telegraphic weather warnings in France was crea-
ted by Leverrier in 1855. In 1878 central
meteorological bureau was established, and numer-
GUS observatories had been erected all over the
country, while Paris was in telegraphic connec-
ton with 1,500 stations.
In the opinion of Sir John Lawes greater
profit may be returned from sewage if cast into
the sea than if applied to the land, for the reason
that sewage will supply the enormous quantities
of phosphate of lime, potash, and nitrogen which
fishes require. As much, at least, of these sub
stances should be returned to the sea as our fish,
cries take from it.
A specimen of ancient dentistry, in the form of
dental bridge-work made by the Etruscans in the
fifth century before Christ, has been discovered
in an old burial place near Ciyita Vecchia by DR..
J. G.. Van Marter, of Rome.
Experiments recently made with wet and dry
coal in the evaporation of water have shown that
loss of from fifteen to twenty five per cent.
suits when coal is used while wet-that is, the
heating value of coal is that much less when water
is added.
- The Emperor of Germany has conferred an
der of knighthood upon Sir Joseph Lister, the
eminent British surgeon, whose antiseptic method
of surgery has done so much for suffering human
ity.