The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1897-09-10
written for the CitIzen.l


sons in the West. says DR.. K Mitsu-
kuri of the Imperial University OF To-
kyo. that early in the eighth century oil
the Christian era there was already
established in Japan an Imperial Uni
versitv with four depsrtments-Ethlcs,
History, Jurisprudence and Maine
matics-and with the prescribed num-
her of 400 students. There were also,
at the same time, bureau devoted to
Astronomy, Astrology, Calendar-com-
piIation and Meteorology, and Medi-
| cal College with professors of Medicine,
/ Surgery, Acupuncture, Necromancy
/ the art OF healing by charmsl, and
! Pharmacology. The last named branch
of study included the collection, culti-
walton and investigation of medicinal
plants. Towards the end of the ninth
century, when a catalogue OF books IN
japan was compiled by order of the
Fmperor, the Imperial library was
found to contain 1870 volumes, in 40
northumberland this in spite OF dis
astrous fire some years before. In more
modern times, the long peace Of $50
wears witnessed great progress in natu-
raj history, as well as in literature, the
arts. and all peaceful industries. Tine
nresent botanical garden of the Impe-
rial University was established in 1881,
and the mastery of the Dutch language
in the middle of the eighteenth CELL
tury gave a great impetus to botanical
science as well as to japanese civiliza-
ton generally. Zoology was more back
ward. seeming to have been compar
able to that of Europe in the Middle
Ages. But one of the results Of the
restoration of the Emperor to his full
power in 1868, which is being followed
by such social revolution as has been
seldom witnessed, has been the estab-
lishment of the modern school of zool-
ogy, which dates from the appoint
ment, in 1877, of Prof E. 5. Morse, of
Salem, Mass, to the chair of Zoology
at the University of Tokyo.
The first use of the phonopraph in
telegraphy seems to have been in
SPAN, where receiving operators were
unable to take down rapidly enough
messages received by telephone, and
repeated the messages into a phono-
graph This repetition, being heard at
the sending end, serves also as a con-
troll for the correctness Of the message.
Fumigation with corrosive subli-
mate was once suggested to Prof. Ko-
mig, of Gottingen, as a means of freeing
his room from bugs. Finding the rem
edy most effective, all kinds of insects
being killed, ke inferred that the same
process would destroy the microbes of
scarlet fever, measles, and other con-
tagious diseases. He now states that,
since adopting this method, he has
never seen a second case of CONTAGIOUS
disease that could be attributed to in
lection left in the room in which the
patient had been confined. The fumi-
cation is a simple matter, from an
onnce and half to two ounces of cor
rosive sublimate being put on plate
over chafing-dish, and the doors and
windows being closed for three or four
hours. The person entering the room
takes the precaution of holding q
sponge over the mouth and nose to
prevent inhaling the poisonous va
|
aired, and the next day sulphur is
burned to neutralize any mercurial
fumes that may still linger. After an
other airing, the room is then ready
for occupancy.
A new laboratory turbine, claiming
great steadiness, noiselessness and
economy OF water, has been designed
by German chemist, and is to be
made in Berlin by Koehler and Mar.
TIM. A circular piece of wire gauze,
rotating in thin cylindrical space, is
attached to the axle. The water.jet
strikes the edge of the gauge at tam
gent, escaping by pipe in the center
opposite the axle, and may readily be
made to give speed of 1000 revolu.
tions per minute.
Prof Eschenhagen, of Potsdam, has
continued his researches on the small
variations of the earth's magnetism
first announced by him last year. The
most important oscillations have pc.
Rod of about thirty seconds, and occur
chiefly between 6 A. NJ. and 6 p. NJ,
but on two days since last October
November 7th, 1896, and February 4th,
lS37-shorter waves, lasting twelve OF
fifteen seconds, were observed. Groups
of waves have been noticed on several
occasions. The cause of the phenom.
enon is uncertain, but it is believed to
be atmospheric.
At the beginning of recent thun.
der-shOwer after a warm and MINDLESS
day, M. Maurice Despres, of Cordova.
Spain, noticed electrified drops that
cracked family on touching the ground
and emitted sparks. The phenomenon
lasted several seconds, ceasing as the
air became moistened.
The interesting example of cold light
and low temperature combustion made
known by NJ. Marlus Otto, through a
report to the French Academy by M.
Friedel, opens new field for research.
A peculiar luminescence was first OBJ.
served during the aspiration of oZon-
lied air by means of a water aspirator.
AS the water issued from the aspirator,
1t became luminous, and continued Sc
for five or six seconds, flask filled
with it being distinctly luminous in
the dark. The experiments were made
with ozonized oxygen, containing
about half grain to the quart. The
luminosity thus produced by the con.
tact OF ozone and water appears to be
due to the presence in the latter of or
ganic matter of animal or vegetable
origin, which is consumed with the eff
feet stated.