The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1897-03-26
written for the Citizen.)

was ulscoNeIeu tnaU an eplue nc nau
set in among them. DIR. H. Schimer
first discovered this disease in 1867,
and several years later practical use
was made of it in destroying these
pests on large scale. 1t was found
that the spores of the fungus Sporotyi
gtobutJeruna, could he propogated on
gelatine or other any organic matter.
1t was only necessary to transfer colo
MES of the spores to the corn fields,
and these under favorable ciTcumstan-
ces would come in contact with the
chinch bug. cause infectious disease,
and eXtermiuate the pest in "a few days.
Infected bugs We're supplied from an
experiment station in Kansas, and it
is estimated that in 1891 the 444 far
mers who tried the remedy were saved
$4,000. A serious drawback to the
general adoption of this plan has since
been found in the fact that a certain
amount OF moisture in the air is neces-
sary to insure the spread of the dis
ease.
The use of alcohol for motor-car-
riages is attracting much attention in
France and Germany. NJ. Lucien
Levy finds that it cannot compete
with petroleum, as the same weight
of petroleum spirit Yields more than
twice the power, and the same value
of petroleum spirit will give nearly
twice the power. In Germany sum
of money has been raised for making
practical comparison of alcohol mo-
tors with engines using petroleum,
benZlne or gas.
The sciara, a worm-like insect of the
forests of Hungary and Norway, is
only tenth of all inch long, vet in
migrating in July or early in August,
the creatures are said to stick them
selves together in serpent.like mass
often 40 to 30 feet long and several
inches thick. a French naturalist
states that if the ends of the mass be
placed together the insects will travel
for hours in the circle formed.
Two French biologists find evidence
that fasting lessons the effects of diph-
liberia and other microbial poisons.
What has proven a very valuable
life-saving apparatus has been used in
Paris hospitals since 1880. 1t is DIR.
Tarnler's incubator for rearing delicate
children, which as lately improved,
consists of wooden box % by II by
Yro,i inches in size. with glass shutter
covering four-tlfths of the top, and a
shell inside for the infant. The reuuir-
ed temperature of IS degrees to 80 de.
grees Fahrenheit is maintained by
four or five twelve-ounce bottles of hot
water IN the compartment under the
shell. thermometer is placed so as
to be seen through the glass. Air is
admitted under the shelf, warmed by
the heated bottles. takes up moisture
from a spoieSe, passes above the shelf
and escapes through hole in the
board OF the cover, a rotating helix
over this hole showing whether the
circulation of air is being properly kept
up. The child usually remains in the
incubator from to IA days, but some
times as long as five weeks. 1t is care
fully taken out every two hours to be
fed, and if too weak to take food itself
has milk passed into the stomach
through a probe gently pushed down
the throat. The usual mortality of
infants under four pounds is Sc per
cent, which the incubator reduces to
35 per cent.
The benefits expected to result from
"nitragen,n or pure cultures of various
bacteria for inoculating plant-roots and
thus enabling them to take up greatly
increased amount of nitrogen. seem
not yet to have been realized. Prof
w. Somerville reports to tie Edin-
burgh Botanical Society that no GER
tain influence could be observed last
season on peas, broad beans, lucerne
and broad red clover experimental
with in garden of the Durham
Science College. Perhaps sowing broad
cast over the soil is not the best method
of application.
1t appears that immunity from dam
ger of second poisoning is conferred
by blessings as well as by snake ven
ON. Mr.. T. A. Gerald Strickland mem
tons the case of a bee-keeper, who sew
eral years ago was so badly stung by
bees as TO be laid up for several weeks.
and who has since then been indiffer-
ent to stings although formerly very
sensitive to them.
Electric light meters with penny-in-
the-slut attachments promise 10 be-
come popular in some places. A Lon
don company supplies current Tor an
eight candle-power incandescent light
six hours for penny dropped into the
box, and allows the customer to take
his six hours light at once or 10 small
daily instailments as he chooses to
turn his switch.
Hunchbacks are being cured in
France in an original Inanuer by DR..
Calot, an Italion surgeon, who has had
remarkable success in treating curva-
ture of the spine due to Potts disease.
or spinal carries. The disease is gener-
ally of tubercular origin, often follow
ing injury in young children. The
patient is placed under the inflence of
chloroform and held by four assistants,
When the vertebrae are successfully
forced into their proper place 10y strong
pressure with the hands, the operation
recurring about two minutes. The
great difficulty then is that the loosened
spinal column may be displaced, rup-
turing the spinal cord and causing
death. To remove this danger, plas-
ter of Paris bandage-requiring twenty
minutes for applying and selting-is
placed over The spinal column, and
this is allowed to remain for three or
four months. 1t is followed by sec
ond and perhaps a third bandage,