The Savannah morning news., 1903-07-16
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

small BlODe. Inc glow was caused
by chemical which the inventor keeps
secret. Magrady enlarged the glow
and perfected the light by placing it
in an alright glass. He says there
is no reason why the light will not re-
main brilliant forever If IL is not brok-
en-. A company has been formed to
manufacture the lights in numerous
sizes. A patent hood fits over the
globe and covers it completely when
the light is not needed.
"A scheme has been proposed for
obtaining electricity for use either at
the central station or among a special
class of consumers in the neighbour
hood of Dundee. Scotland, in connec-
ton with the docks of that town. If
the plan should be adopted the docks
would cease to be used for the purpose
for which they were designed and
would simply be reservoirs into and
out of which the tidal water would
flow, driving turbines. 1t is stated
that for sixteen hours a day 220 horse
power could be obtained in this way
from the two docks. 1t must be re-
membered, however, that the period
each day during which power can be
obtained varies with the state of the
tide, and that it is most unlikely any
consumer of power could be found
sixteen hours in question.
Prof. Jacobs found that, while
among Englishmen the number of
insane is 1850 per million and among
Scotchmen 3400, the number among
the Jews equals, 1900. Servi found one
lunatic to every 391 Jews in Italy.
Mayr states that to each 10000 Chris
tians in Germany, there are SO in
sane, while among the Jews the num-
Der reaches 1871. In Bavaria the pEo-
portion is still greater-9.s among
Christians and 25.2 among Jews. Rjaz-
ansky gives his experience of ten
years practice in a small town, Dagd,
with population made up of LOLA
Jews and 1928 Christians. Among the
Jews he observed AZ cases of nervous
and mental diseases, while, on the
other hand, not single case of mental
unbalance occurred among the Chris
tians. There is every reason to be-
lieve that the nervous strain under
which the Jews have lived and still
live in European countries, aided by
the intensification of predisposition by
close intermarrage, is accountable for
the prevalence of insanity in this race
Some time since, says American
Medicine, We spoke of the success
which may follow in educating those
supposable blind to see. 1t has been
found that the remnants of function
to those supposed to be blind may oft
en- be SO improved as to take these
patients entirely out of the blind class
and make them enjoy useful vision. 1t is
but corOlary of this that the deficien-
cies of vision called color blindness are
also presentable. Function, it must ever
be repeated, depends upon education
and exercise, and it is a necessary part
of the great physiological law that the
perception of colors will be lost if the
eye is not exercised in their perception.
That the defect is dependent upon nom
exercise is indicated by the fact that
it is far less common in women than
in men. In 10000 men 1863 are affected,
while only are found in the same
number of women. The proportion
among savage men is less than among
civilized men. But, of course, the edu-
cation and exercise must begin in early
childhood. And there is some proof
that this exercise in childhood does
stimulate color perception and prevent
color-blindnss.
That plants have intelligence is
maintained in a thesis by Prof. Shaler
of Harvard University. After discuss
ing the automata he says: I'VE may
accept the statement that our higher
intelligence is but the illuminated sum-
NIT of mans nature as true, and ex-
tend it by the observation that in
telligence is normally unconscious, and
appears as conscious only after in
fancy, in our waking hours, and not
always then" In summing up the
professor uses the following sentences:
Looking toward the organic world in
the manner above <uROagfa6 aoaiNp
that an unprejudiced view of life af-
fords no warrant for the notion that
automata anywhere exist, tracing as
we may down to the lowest grade of
the animal series what is fair evidence
of actions which we have to believe
to be guided by some form of intelli-
gence, seeing that there is reason to
conclude that plants are derived from
the same primitive stock as animals,
we are in no condition to say that in
telligence cannot exist among them.
In fact, all that we can discern sup
ports the view that throughout the
organic realm the intelligence that
finds its fullest expression in man is
everywhere at work.
The spores of fungi, of which mil
dew is only one, like microbes remain
invisible till brought into contact with
ment, and in the case of mildeW on
vines the circumstances that generally
give rise to its presence is a moist or
over-stagnant condition of atmosphere,
brought about by insufficient ventila-
ton and aggravated by a warm tenn
perature, similar, indeed, to that which
promotes mushroom growth in the open
air at this season. Excess of water
Will also promote mildew, and in con-
junction with the conditions already
detailed will render remedy difficult.
Sulphur is the most effectual antidote.
and the simplest method of applica ton
is to switch it into a thin paint with
warmish milk or water and apply a
dressing to the hot water pipes, keep
ing the latter warm and the top venti-
lators slightly open to allow the fumes
to escape. When this fungus makes its
appearance early and while Swinging
can be done with safety, a little sui
phur may be used in the water. hut
when carried out as we have already
explained, it is more effectual and IL
Followed up will generally dispose OIL
1t entirely, especially when it arises
from bad ventilation.
Conservatism in using the Iorenz
method is at the present time most adj
visable by American surgeons. saws
American Medicine. There has been
created such an alarming interest in
the operation by the newspapers thar
there is danger that operations may
oe undertaken by the unskilled and
the procedure be hf10l1qbt {,ta 5s.uo