The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1902-11-06
,kylnssSCienCe'
e slIlvention

mosouitoes of the world, prepared to
aid medical men In identifying the
kinds suspected of spreading disease,
describes 800 species, 1875 being new.
Most of these species are found In ana
around towns, or are pests known TO
travellers and traders.
The so-called "waltzing mice" OF
China and Japan have been supposed
to owe their dancing popularity to a
disease of the inner ear. After thorough
examination of the ears or these re-
markable animals, DR.. X. kishi reaches
the conclusion that the organs are per-
fectly healthy, and that the dancing Is
an effect Of centuries of confinement or
the race In small cages.
1t would seem to be very simple
matter to dry potatoes, but in Ger
many, where potatoes are now extern
sively used for making alcohol and for
feeding cattle. q prize of 10000 marks.
about $1,000, has been offered to the In
yentor Of the best method OF drying
potatoes on large scale. The cost of
transportation is enormously reduced
by drying, as may be seen from the fact
that three and half tons Of fresh po-
tatoes yield only one ton or dried ones.
In consequence of the recent develop
ments in the use of potatoes, German
farmers have gone extensively into the
raising Of them.
When persons slumbers so soundly
that he can with difficulty be awaken
ed. we are accustomed to say he Is in
deep Sleep" An attempt to measure
the depth Of sleep, in his sense, has re-
Gently been made by DR.. Sante de Sane
tbs, In Rome, with the aid Of specially
designed instrument which prods the
sleeper with more or less sharp point.
The doctor has drawn curves showing
the relative depth Of sleep in different
subjects, and In the same subject after
being allowed to sleep for different
lengths Of time. 1t appears that there
are certain times during sleep when
waking becomes easier, and practical
application Of this result of the expert
ments Is suggested in the adjustment
Of the time of morning rising to natu-
raj period of minimum in the depth Of
each sleeper's sleep.
Surra, an animal disease of the Phil
ippines, is pointed out by DR.. G. w.
Stiles as a matter of great military Inn
portance. 1t seems to have been quite
recently introduced from India, and is
due to a microscopic parasite, which
lives In the blood and is probably trans
mitted by biting flies. 1t Is a wet
weather disease, reported to be invari-
ably fatal to horses and mules. 1t Oc-
ours also in camels, elephants, dogs and
cats, and more rarely in ruminants, but
is not yet known in birds. 1t is closely
allied to the tsetse-fiy disease Of Africa,
and to dreaded maladies of Europe and
South America. The chief symptoms
are, intermittent or relapsing fever,
eruption, anemia, emaciation, ravenous
appetite, great thirst and more or less
paralysis. The introduction of the dis
ease into new localities is to be guarded
against as a serious calamity.
Since the Krakatoa eruption Of 1888,
when the enormous mass of dust
thrown into the air was noticed to fall
over a radius of more than LOO miles,
increasing attention has been given to
falls Of dust. From study of the great
dust storm of March to II Of last
year, Professors Hellmann and Meinar-
dus have concluded that the fine sand
was swept by the gale from the desert
region of southern Algeria, and fell in
succession In Algeirs, Tunis, Sicily,
Italy, the Alps, Austro-H Hungary, Ger
many, Denmark and European Russia.
In Sicily and Italy the dry dust was
seen, elsewhere 1t was made perceptible
by rain. 1t is estimated that 100000
tons of dust was transported by the
wind, and that two-thirds of 1t fell to
the south Of the Alps. A sandstone of
the present year in the British Isles is
supposed to have had its origin in the
Sahara.