Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-01-13
SCIENTIFIC SCRAPS.

| THE Congress of Americanists. composed oi
some of the most distinguished scientists OF
| Europe engaged in the study of the prehistoric
| nations of America, which recently completed
| very important and successful session in Ber-
lin, voted to meet in Washington in 1890.
In several cities in Germany, notably Berlin
and Hamburg the experiment is being made
Of compound for paving purposes, the princi.
pal ingredient of which is India rubber. AS
| far as heard from, this paving is very satisfac-
tory, although no facts are given as to cost.
| The India rubber combines some elasticity
| with durability is not affected by heat or cold
\ and in particular does not become slippery
when wet, as does asphalt The roadway over
| the Goethe bridge in Hanover is also said to
| have been paved with this compound, and to
have been found very satisfactory.
THE Export Society of Germany has decided
to build the FLOATING Exhibition Palace of
Germany" having raised 5,00O 900 marks for
the purpose 1t proposes to build ship to be
called the Kaiser Wilhelm, which will be the
work of German shipyards. According to
plans, the ship will be 564 feet long. 651S feet
wide and 46 feet deep. 1t will have four en-
gines propelling as many screws. The material
will be principally German steel. The cost of
two years tour is estimated at s. 15O, 900 marks
The income from the rented space, 600 to
LOO marks for each booth-and from sales will
be, 1t is thought at least 1920 800 marks, leav-
ing a balance of 4, 800, or over 1000 COO
marks annually pretty sum on the page OF
the ledger. Emperor William, it is said. has
promised his aid to the enterprise, and it is
hoped that the vessel will sail from Hamburg
on her trst voyage in the spring of $780,
Scientific american.
HYPNoTIsM thrives in Washington. Two
gentlemen interested in psychological studies,
Mr. w. A. Croffut, executive. officer of the
Geological Survey, and Governor N. ]. Cole
man, Commissioner of Agriculture. give oc-
-Ns- III
hypnotize numbers Of "sensitives." During
some recent experiments by Mr.. Croffut, two
young ladies, temporary victims of the hypnotic
halluciDation, were taken into an imaginary
picture gallery and there left, while the
operator turned his attention to a young man
who was engaged in the dangerous pastime of
catching crocodiles On returning to the
ladies, Mr.. Croffut found that he could not
make them cogn1zant of his presence. They
did not appear to see him, or hear his voice,
and when he stood directly in front of them
they took no notice of him whatever It was
quarter of an hour passed before the hypnotiZer
re-establshed his domination and brought
them back from the land of dreams.-Scfence.
DR.. c. YARosHEvsKI contributes to the
RuSskdyu Medftsina long article on the state
of the medical profession in Russia. He points
out that there are only 5000 doctors for pop
ulation of 100, 900, OF one medical man to
every ooOO persons. Inls number OF doctors In
proportion to the population is very much less
than in other European countries, yet the des-
titution among members of the profession is
alarming. Of late there have been numbers of
suicides of medical men who were without the
bare necessaries of life. The fees for medical
attendance are very low. Still, in Odessa, 40
per cent of the whole population and "a per
cent of the very poor died without having had
medical attendance. A similar state of affairs
exists at Kostrome DR.. Yaroshevski attributes
this deplorable condition of things to the ignor
ance of the Russian people, who prefer to con-
suit soothsayers and magicians rather than
educated medical men. to the monopoly en-
joyed by the pharmacists, and to the large num-
Der of Feldshers who are allowed to practice.
The Feldshers are men who have some rough
knowledge of surgery and the use of few
drugs. They are generally men who have
served in the ambulance corps or have been
hospital attendants. and on the strength of this