The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-04-25
Scientific Miscellany.
(Discurridged.)

An Australian naturalist has dis
covered the nervous system of the
Sponges.
Electrical fOOtWarmers for use in
railroad carriages are undergoing ex-
periments by NJ. de Meritens at his
works in the Rue Boursal, Paris.
LjQUetied oxygen is lighter than
water, and little heavier than alco-
hoI, according to french chemist,
who has calculated specific gravity
/ as 0.8SS.
The quinquennial prize of the Bel
gian Government has been awarded
to Prof. La Paige, of the University
of Liege, for his researches in mathe,
MATES and physics.
/ II. NJ. Leply has from analysis of
masses Of boiled beetrOot obtained an
average Of 131 grains Of nitrate of pO-
tassium and l43 grains of chloride Of
potassium in every 100 Kilograms.
Cows are said to eat horse chestnuts
very rapidly; but these nuts do not
/ appear to do so we'll with other ami
mails Of the stock raiser. Meal made
from horse chestnutS contain 10 per
cent. of altuminoids.
/ Aseptol is said TO be a better anti.
septic than either salicyic or picnic
acid. 1t is a syrup liquid of an amber
color, and it has peculiar disagreea-
bic 3dor, It boils at 2G6 dgr. Fahren.
heit and cry-talIizes at 46 dgr.
! DR.. NJ. Rubner says that, while the
experiments Of Chossat, RegnauIt,
/ and others seem to show that small
animals consume relatively more nu-
triment than large ones, he is unable
himself to confirm this conclusion.
In Cape Colony the extensive plant
ing Of the common tomato is recon-
mended, as it is alleged that insects
shun the land on which it is grown
The suggestion is made, however,
that the same effect may not be pro-
duled in cooler countries.
Mons. Onimus has reported to the
French Academy of Sciences that the
cholera epidemics Of Paris and Mar
settles were attended by a low pro-
portion of ozone in the atmosphere,
and that the administration of ozone
1 produced favorable results in cases of
the disease.
a French arch8ologist, Mons. Sail
lard, has discovered the workshop of
q prehistoric armorer in a steep rock
on the coast Of Brittany. The work
man lived in stone age, and his
skeleton was found among the yari-
Gus stone weapons and implements
upon which he hau been working.
A German mining engineer. Herr
J. Muller, brings light coins up to the
standard weight by the eIectrO-depo-
8iti0n of metal upon them. Unless it
| is necessary to add considerable to the
/ weight, this professionally forming
a thin and uniform contingencies not
deface the characters upon the coin.
Pasteur, the great French chemist,
deVOtes his entire time to original
research, although he receives equiv
alcnt to $1,000 a year as scientific di-
rector of the Superior Normal school
Of Paris. Koch, the eminent German
| psychologist, is pros ided with labor
/ atOry by the government, and is paid
a sum equal to 81 800 per annum.
Most experiments with hydrochlO-
rate Of cocaine have been confined to
mucous surfaces, like the eye and the
mouth. BY applying it under the
skin, however, Mons. j. Grasset has
! found that the new an9Sthetic may
be made to produce local insensibility
in any part Of the body, the duration
| being sufficient for various surgical
! operations.
An English observer has reached
the conclusion that the musk beetle
| (Aromia moschata) has the power of
emitting or SURPRISING its odor at
! pleasure, but that when dying the
scent is continuous and very power
! lul. He mentions case in which
scent of roses has been known to pre-
coed from the human body in fatigue
and weakness. Similar instances are
given by another writer.