Volume 23 (1871) (426 pages)

December 30, 187r.] SCIENTIFIC PRESS. , 407 Useput INFoRMATION. Taking Off Hides. Being a worker in the leather manufacture, I have constantly under my notice the awkward manner in which the farming community take off the hides of animale of their own elaughter. The hind leg, for instauce, being slit np along the under, or, perhaps, inner side, so as to leave the hock . of the hido in the form of ascull cap. As) upou being brought into work, every part . must be made to lie flat, this portion has to be opened by cutting unsightly strips, which materially impair its usefulness. The following directions may assist the novice in performing the operation: We will suppose the aniniel dead and placed on its back; the operator, by thrusting his knife point foremost and edge up. makes a slit tho entire length of the careass, from the chin over the center of the breast in the line of the navel to the vent. Let him now stand by its side, with his face looking the way the head lies, and taking the forefoot in his left hand, run the point of his knife in the line of the eleft of the foot and cap of the knee, up the front of tho leg and into the central slit of tho bosom. For the hind leg, haying reversed his position, let the slit be made in the line of the heel, over the center of the cap of the hock, down the back of the ham into the central slit. In this way the hides when spread ont will have a square form without long projections, and consequent deep indentations of its outline.—Cor. Canada Farmer. Curtosiries or Curmican Scrmence.—An atom of water sometimes makes a most extraordinary difference in the propertiee of bodies. Thus, to give some more familliarillustration, the addition of an atom of water to starch converts it into sugar; the eubtraction of an atom of water from alcohol conyerts it into ether. But perhaps the most curious change produced by the removal of an atom of water from a body has heen recently discovered by Dr. Matthiesen of Loudon. Morphia, the wellkuown active principle of opium, ie commonly used to allay vomiting, and very often performs the duty very effectually. But when morphia has been heated with hydrochloric acid, and an atom of water has been thereby removed, it is changed into the most active emetic known. It is not necessary to swallow it to produce the effect; avery small quantity introduced under the skin, or even, it seems epilt upon the hand, is quite sufficient to prodnce vomiting, which, however, soon subsidee, and leaves no nausea afterwards. The new body introduced into medicine has been named by its discoverer Ememorphia. Rusrixg or Inon.—Dr. Calvert has communicated some very useful information on the rusting of iron. Rust is mainly sesquioxide of iron, and it has alwaye been supposed that the active agents in producing it are moisture and oxygen, It eeems, however, from Dr. Calvert’s experiments that carbonic acid must be associated with these to produce any considerahle amount of oxidation, In dry oxygen iron does not rust at all; in moist oxygen but little and seldom; but in a mixture of moist carbonic acid,and oxygen, iron and eteel rust very rapidly. In like manner a piece of bright iron placed in water eaturated with oxygen rusts very little; but if carbonic acid is present as well, oxidation goes on so fast that a dark precipitate is produced in ashort time. Curiously enough, bright iron placed in a eolution of caustic or carbonated alkali does not rust at all. These facts chow that the points to be attended to in the preservation of iron from rust are exclusion of carbonic acid and moisture, two indications which may he very easily fulfilled. Tur relative value of gold and silver in the days of the patriarch Ahraham was 1 to 8; at the period B. c, 1000, it wae 1 to 12; B. c. 500, it was 1 to 13; at the commencement of the Christian Era, it was 1 to 9; a. p. 500, it was 1 to 18; a. p. 1100, it was 1 to 8; a. p. 1400, it was 1 to 11; a. p. 1613, it was 1 to 15%; which latter fatio, with but slight variation, it has maintained to the present day. Iron Sponcr, which ie coming into important use as a disinfectant and powerful absorbant of noxious gases, also a filtering agent superior even, it is said, to animal charcoal, is manufactured by calcining a mixtnre of iron ore and charcoal finely pulverized. Useful Hints. Why are some thinge of one color and some another? As every ray of light is composed of all the colors of the rainbow, some things reflect one of these colors and some another. Why do some things reflect one color and some another? Because the surface is differently constructed, both physically and chemieally, and therefore some things reflect one ray, some two rays aud some hone. Why isa rose red? Because the eurface of a rose absorbs the blue aud yellow rays of light, and reflects only tle red ones. Why is a violet blue? Becanse the surface of the violet absorbs the red and yellow rays of the eun and refiects the blue only. Why are some things black? Because they absorb all the rays of the light and reflect none. Why are some things white? Because they absorb none of the rays of light, but reflect them all. What is the cause of the wind ? The sun heats the earth, the earth heuts tho air resting upon it; as the warm air ascends the void is filled up with a rueh of cold air to the place, and this rush of air we call wind. Why does the black skin of the negro uever scorch or blister, with the sun? Because the hlack color absorbs the heat, conveys it below the surface of the ekin, and converts it into sensible heat and perspiration. Waury doee a drop of water somotimes roll along a piece of hot iron without leaving the least trace?—Because (when the iron is very hot indeed) the bottom of the drop is turned into vapor, which buoys the drop up, without allowing it to touch the iron. This is what is called the spheroidel condition of water. Way does a laundress puta little eeliva on a flat-iron, to know if it be hotenough ? Because, when the saliva sticks to the hox, and is evaporeted, she knowsit ie not sufficiently hot; but when it runs along theiron, it is, Way is the flat-iron hotter, if the saliva runs along it, than if it adheree till it is evaporated ?—Because when the saliva runs along the iron, the heat ie sufticient to convert the bottom of the dropinto vapor; but if the ealiva will not roll, the iron is not sufficiently hot to convert the bottom of the drop into vapor. Eav pe CoLocne.— Competent authorities declare that the excellence of this perfume almost entirely depeuds upon the purity of the spirit employed asits basis. Spirits made from malt and other materials xot vinous will never produce Eau de Cologne of a high character, owing, itis believed, amongst other causes, to the odor of fusil oil in the first and to cuanthic ether in the second. Neroli, without which neither genuine Eau de Cologne nor a good imitation of it can be made, is an essence obtained from orange blossoms (the bitter species, Citrus bigarradia), and hundreds of tons of flowers are plucked and consumed for the purpose. Tanning Cotton.—Cosmos epeaks of treating cotton fabrics with a solution of tanning to give them strength and _ resistance to moieture. Nature thinks the ehange produced cannot be great. In a subsequent number the last named journal gives a communication from a Northumberland tanner, who eays that in that neighhorhood the fishermen have for many years been in the habit of tanning their sails and nets with oak bark or catheohu. ‘*Not only doee it render them more durable, but in some cases where wet nets have heated and become tender, their toughness has been restored by tanning.” Diamtonp Freups or Arrioa.—The ofticial report firet puhlished in England deelares the invoice of diamonds from South Africa to be 141 stones, worth $37,000, for 1869; and 5,661 etones, worth $625,000, for 1870. Besides this, there should he added some valnable gems found, as the Star of South Africa and afew others, worth $75,000; total for 1870, 700,000. The dealerein diamonde in London and Amsterdam, however, declare that most of all the stones thus far fonnd in South Africa are of inferior quality and do not compare with thoee obtained from other sourcee. J. H. HavuennEck euggests for photographers the use of thin eheet rubber instead of yellow glass for the sensitizing roome. Light admitted through this rubber will not act on the sensitive plates. Tue Tea TRapE.—During the past year 15,000,000 pounds of tea were shipped East by rail from San Francisco. Goon Heart. The Human Ear. A Minute Description of it. It would appear that all our hearing is doue in avery literal sense under water, as shown by the following extract from a Loudon paper; “Prof. Tyndall concluded one of his reeent lectures by giving a minute deseription of the human ear. He explained how the external orifice of the ear is closed at the bottom by a cirenlar tympanic membrane, behind whichisa cavity kuown as the ‘drum ;” the drum is separated from the brniu by two orifices, the oue ronnd and the other oval. These orifices are closed by fine membranes, Across the cavity of the drum stretches a series of four little bones, one of which acts as a hammer, and another as au anvil. Behind the bony partition, which is pierced by the two orifices already mentioned, is the extraordinary organ called the labyrinth, filled with water; this orgeu is between the partition and the brain, and over its lining membrane the terminal fibres of the auditory nerve are distributed. There is an apparatus inside the labyrinth admirably adapted to respond to these vibrations of the water which corresponds to the rates of vibration of certain ‘ bristles,’ of which the said apparatus consists. Finally, there is in the labyrinth a wonderful organ, discovered by the Marches Corti, which is, to all appearance, a mnsical instrument, with its cords so stretched es to accept vibration of different periods, and transmit them to nerve filements which traverse the organ. Within the ears of men, and without their kuowledge or contriveuce, this lute of 3,000 strings has existed for ages, accepting the music of the outer world, and rendering it fit for reception by the brain, Each musical tremor which falls upou the organ selects from its tensioned fibres the one appropriate to its own pitch, and throws that fibre into unisonant vibration. And thus, no matter how complicated the motion of the external air may he, these microscopic strings can analyze it, and reveal the constituents of which it is composed; at least such are the present viewe of those authorities who best understand the apparatus which transmits sonorous vibrations to the auditory nerve.” SuiereLessness.—The best anodyno is a liheral amount of muscular activity out of doors every day. Persons who sit around the fire and lounge on the sofa, or read or sew a great part of the day, need not expect sonnd sleep; ouly the laboring man can taste itin all its sweetness. Many fail to sleep at night because they will persist in sleeping in the day time. It is just as impossible to healthfully force more sleep on the system than the proportion of exercise requires, as to force the stomach to digest more food than the body requires. Rather than court sleep y industrious activitics, many persons resort to medicine, and every new drng which is heralded as a promoter of sleep becomes at once immensely popular, even though itis known to possess dangerous qualities. Chloral hydrate has had a great rnn, and even young men are known to be purchasing it atthe drug stores, to be used in promoting sleep; it should never be taken unlese edvised by the family physician, for the medical journals are constantly publishing cases where serious harm and even fetal results attend its habitual use.— Journal of Health. Wy THE Cotor of Buoop CHANcrs.— The cause of the change of color in blood .—darkening when exposed to carbonic acid, and brightening when nnder the influence of oxygen—is not as yet thoroughly understood. Itie thought, however, that the red corpuscles contained in the blood are rendered flatter by oxygen gas, while they are distended by the action of carbonie acid. It is not improbable that under the former circamstances they may reflect the light more strongly, and thus give a more distinct coloration to the hlood; while, under the latter, they ma transmit more light and so allow the hlood to appear darker and duller. Both of these theories have able advocates. . Quinine has beou found to be excessively poisonons to some persons for whom it has been prescribed, producing fever, and a very irritating rash npon the skin, which resemblee eomewhat that of scarlatina or measles, in appearance. Y. acts are followed by a brief pause. EarthEaters, A tribe at the mouth of the Amazon, say two recent travelere, whose veracity, wo are told, can be relied upon, content themselves, or at leest try to do so, with a fatty, ferruginous carth, of which they eet abont a pouud aud a halfaday. Nor is this tho only place where this earth can he obtained, nor is its use coufiued to those who are unable to obtain any thing better. In Bolivia, for iustance, anearth of this kind is sold in the pnblie market, an analysis of which yields the following results: Every variety of these earths is almost entirely composed of fresh-water infusores, or microscopic shells. Their uutritive properties, therefore, are donbtless owing to the retention of animal substances by these shells, which thus constitute a species of antedilnvian snstenance. It is not only, however, in the South that this kind of nutriment is made use of;in a country where wermth is of the first necessity, namely, Laplaud, the inhabitants make use of a white mineral, in the absence of cereale. This dust is composed of nineteen species of infusorcs analogous to those found in the neighborhood of Berlin. In testing this skeleton dust, which is fouud in coneiderable qnantitiesin Sweden and Finland, as well asin Lapland, Retzins discovered thet it contaiued a lerge proportion of animal matter. Tue New Srinvnanr.—Chloral drinking, according to the physicians, is snperseding absinthe, opium and alcoholic stimulants among the better classes. An insidious sedative, its use grows more dangerously on the tippler than more actively intoxicating drinks. The manufactnre of this drng is the best evidence of the extent of its use. In Europe its production has hecome one of the leading chemical industries, and it is sold by the ton. Baron Liebig affirms that one German chemist manufactures and sells half a ton a week. The London Spectator says: “Taking chloral is the new and popular vice, particularly among women, and is doing at least as much harm as alcohol, The drug is kept in thonsands of dressing-cases, and those who begin its use often grow so addicted to it that they pass their lives in a eort of contented stupefaction. Chloral drunkards will soon be an admitted variety of the species.” —Philadelphia Press. Curious Facrs.—Every day brings additional proof of thesuperiorityand greater power of endurance of medium-sized men for infantry. In answer to the question, Are you tougher and more vigorous than when you enlisted? the large, tall man almost nniversally answers that he is much less so; while, on the contrary, those of small or medium size, including many studente and in-door mechanics, often of slender form, generally answer that they are stronger and much healthier than before they enlisted. The simple diet of the army, and pure air of tent life, invigorates them; besides, they probably take better care of themselves than large, strong men are apttodo. The last feel confident in their strength, and neglect sanitary measuree. Bex Stines.—Very serious consequences sometimes arise from bee stings. The Rural World relates the following:—On Monday afternoon, Mrs. Wm. E. Sutliff was stung on the forehead by a bee, and instantly went into spasms. For two hours her life was despaired of, but yesterday her face commenced swelling rapidly, and last night she was much better. These effects of stings depend quite as much npon the constitutional hahit of the party as anything else. We have tried a solution of carbolic acid, one part of acid to eixty of water, and found it an almost instant and unfailing remedy. INsPrRaTION AND JixprRation.—If an adult man, breathing calmly in a sitting position, be watehed, fhe respiratory act will be seen to be repeated thirteen or fourteen times every minute. Each act consists of certain components which succeed each other in regular rhythmatical order. First, the breath is inspired, or erawn in; immediately afterward itis e«pired, or driven ont; and these snocdsalye if each inspiration in a well-grown adult, about thirty cuhic inches of air are inspired, and abont the same or a elightly smaller yolnme expired. Av an anti-vaccinationist meeting tecently held iu Manchester, the resolntion “That vaccination does not prevent smallpox, but donbles disease and death,” was nnanimously adopted.

December 30, 187r.] SCIENTIFIC PRESS. , 407 Useput INFoRMATION. Taking Off Hides. Being a worker in the leather manufacture, I have constantly under my notice the awkward manner in which the farming community take off the hides of animale of their own elaughter. The hind leg, for instauce, being slit np along the under, or, perhaps, inner side, so as to leave the hock . of the hido in the form of ascull cap. As) upou being brought into work, every part . must be made to lie flat, this portion has to be opened by cutting unsightly strips, which materially impair its usefulness. The following directions may assist the novice in performing the operation: We will suppose the aniniel dead and placed on its back; the operator, by thrusting his knife point foremost and edge up. makes a slit tho entire length of the careass, from the chin over the center of the breast in the line of the navel to the vent. Let him now stand by its side, with his face looking the way the head lies, and taking the forefoot in his left hand, run the point of his knife in the line of the eleft of the foot and cap of the knee, up the front of tho leg and into the central slit of tho bosom. For the hind leg, haying reversed his position, let the slit be made in the line of the heel, over the center of the cap of the hock, down the back of the ham into the central slit. In this way the hides when spread ont will have a square form without long projections, and consequent deep indentations of its outline.—Cor. Canada Farmer. Curtosiries or Curmican Scrmence.—An atom of water sometimes makes a most extraordinary difference in the propertiee of bodies. Thus, to give some more familliarillustration, the addition of an atom of water to starch converts it into sugar; the eubtraction of an atom of water from alcohol conyerts it into ether. But perhaps the most curious change produced by the removal of an atom of water from a body has heen recently discovered by Dr. Matthiesen of Loudon. Morphia, the wellkuown active principle of opium, ie commonly used to allay vomiting, and very often performs the duty very effectually. But when morphia has been heated with hydrochloric acid, and an atom of water has been thereby removed, it is changed into the most active emetic known. It is not necessary to swallow it to produce the effect; avery small quantity introduced under the skin, or even, it seems epilt upon the hand, is quite sufficient to prodnce vomiting, which, however, soon subsidee, and leaves no nausea afterwards. The new body introduced into medicine has been named by its discoverer Ememorphia. Rusrixg or Inon.—Dr. Calvert has communicated some very useful information on the rusting of iron. Rust is mainly sesquioxide of iron, and it has alwaye been supposed that the active agents in producing it are moisture and oxygen, It eeems, however, from Dr. Calvert’s experiments that carbonic acid must be associated with these to produce any considerahle amount of oxidation, In dry oxygen iron does not rust at all; in moist oxygen but little and seldom; but in a mixture of moist carbonic acid,and oxygen, iron and eteel rust very rapidly. In like manner a piece of bright iron placed in water eaturated with oxygen rusts very little; but if carbonic acid is present as well, oxidation goes on so fast that a dark precipitate is produced in ashort time. Curiously enough, bright iron placed in a eolution of caustic or carbonated alkali does not rust at all. These facts chow that the points to be attended to in the preservation of iron from rust are exclusion of carbonic acid and moisture, two indications which may he very easily fulfilled. Tur relative value of gold and silver in the days of the patriarch Ahraham was 1 to 8; at the period B. c, 1000, it wae 1 to 12; B. c. 500, it was 1 to 13; at the commencement of the Christian Era, it was 1 to 9; a. p. 500, it was 1 to 18; a. p. 1100, it was 1 to 8; a. p. 1400, it was 1 to 11; a. p. 1613, it was 1 to 15%; which latter fatio, with but slight variation, it has maintained to the present day. Iron Sponcr, which ie coming into important use as a disinfectant and powerful absorbant of noxious gases, also a filtering agent superior even, it is said, to animal charcoal, is manufactured by calcining a mixtnre of iron ore and charcoal finely pulverized. Useful Hints. Why are some thinge of one color and some another? As every ray of light is composed of all the colors of the rainbow, some things reflect one of these colors and some another. Why do some things reflect one color and some another? Because the surface is differently constructed, both physically and chemieally, and therefore some things reflect one ray, some two rays aud some hone. Why isa rose red? Because the eurface of a rose absorbs the blue aud yellow rays of light, and reflects only tle red ones. Why is a violet blue? Becanse the surface of the violet absorbs the red and yellow rays of the eun and refiects the blue only. Why are some things black? Because they absorb all the rays of the light and reflect none. Why are some things white? Because they absorb none of the rays of light, but reflect them all. What is the cause of the wind ? The sun heats the earth, the earth heuts tho air resting upon it; as the warm air ascends the void is filled up with a rueh of cold air to the place, and this rush of air we call wind. Why does the black skin of the negro uever scorch or blister, with the sun? Because the hlack color absorbs the heat, conveys it below the surface of the ekin, and converts it into sensible heat and perspiration. Waury doee a drop of water somotimes roll along a piece of hot iron without leaving the least trace?—Because (when the iron is very hot indeed) the bottom of the drop is turned into vapor, which buoys the drop up, without allowing it to touch the iron. This is what is called the spheroidel condition of water. Way does a laundress puta little eeliva on a flat-iron, to know if it be hotenough ? Because, when the saliva sticks to the hox, and is evaporeted, she knowsit ie not sufficiently hot; but when it runs along theiron, it is, Way is the flat-iron hotter, if the saliva runs along it, than if it adheree till it is evaporated ?—Because when the saliva runs along the iron, the heat ie sufticient to convert the bottom of the dropinto vapor; but if the ealiva will not roll, the iron is not sufficiently hot to convert the bottom of the drop into vapor. Eav pe CoLocne.— Competent authorities declare that the excellence of this perfume almost entirely depeuds upon the purity of the spirit employed asits basis. Spirits made from malt and other materials xot vinous will never produce Eau de Cologne of a high character, owing, itis believed, amongst other causes, to the odor of fusil oil in the first and to cuanthic ether in the second. Neroli, without which neither genuine Eau de Cologne nor a good imitation of it can be made, is an essence obtained from orange blossoms (the bitter species, Citrus bigarradia), and hundreds of tons of flowers are plucked and consumed for the purpose. Tanning Cotton.—Cosmos epeaks of treating cotton fabrics with a solution of tanning to give them strength and _ resistance to moieture. Nature thinks the ehange produced cannot be great. In a subsequent number the last named journal gives a communication from a Northumberland tanner, who eays that in that neighhorhood the fishermen have for many years been in the habit of tanning their sails and nets with oak bark or catheohu. ‘*Not only doee it render them more durable, but in some cases where wet nets have heated and become tender, their toughness has been restored by tanning.” Diamtonp Freups or Arrioa.—The ofticial report firet puhlished in England deelares the invoice of diamonds from South Africa to be 141 stones, worth $37,000, for 1869; and 5,661 etones, worth $625,000, for 1870. Besides this, there should he added some valnable gems found, as the Star of South Africa and afew others, worth $75,000; total for 1870, 700,000. The dealerein diamonde in London and Amsterdam, however, declare that most of all the stones thus far fonnd in South Africa are of inferior quality and do not compare with thoee obtained from other sourcee. J. H. HavuennEck euggests for photographers the use of thin eheet rubber instead of yellow glass for the sensitizing roome. Light admitted through this rubber will not act on the sensitive plates. Tue Tea TRapE.—During the past year 15,000,000 pounds of tea were shipped East by rail from San Francisco. Goon Heart. The Human Ear. A Minute Description of it. It would appear that all our hearing is doue in avery literal sense under water, as shown by the following extract from a Loudon paper;

“Prof. Tyndall concluded one of his reeent lectures by giving a minute deseription of the human ear. He explained how the external orifice of the ear is closed at the bottom by a cirenlar tympanic membrane, behind whichisa cavity kuown as the ‘drum ;” the drum is separated from the brniu by two orifices, the oue ronnd and the other oval. These orifices are closed by fine membranes, Across the cavity of the drum stretches a series of four little bones, one of which acts as a hammer, and another as au anvil. Behind the bony partition, which is pierced by the two orifices already mentioned, is the extraordinary organ called the labyrinth, filled with water; this orgeu is between the partition and the brain, and over its lining membrane the terminal fibres of the auditory nerve are distributed. There is an apparatus inside the labyrinth admirably adapted to respond to these vibrations of the water which corresponds to the rates of vibration of certain ‘ bristles,’ of which the said apparatus consists. Finally, there is in the labyrinth a wonderful organ, discovered by the Marches Corti, which is, to all appearance, a mnsical instrument, with its cords so stretched es to accept vibration of different periods, and transmit them to nerve filements which traverse the organ. Within the ears of men, and without their kuowledge or contriveuce, this lute of 3,000 strings has existed for ages, accepting the music of the outer world, and rendering it fit for reception by the brain, Each musical tremor which falls upou the organ selects from its tensioned fibres the one appropriate to its own pitch, and throws that fibre into unisonant vibration. And thus, no matter how complicated the motion of the external air may he, these microscopic strings can analyze it, and reveal the constituents of which it is composed; at least such are the present viewe of those authorities who best understand the apparatus which transmits sonorous vibrations to the auditory nerve.” SuiereLessness.—The best anodyno is a liheral amount of muscular activity out of doors every day. Persons who sit around the fire and lounge on the sofa, or read or sew a great part of the day, need not expect sonnd sleep; ouly the laboring man can taste itin all its sweetness. Many fail to sleep at night because they will persist in sleeping in the day time. It is just as impossible to healthfully force more sleep on the system than the proportion of exercise requires, as to force the stomach to digest more food than the body requires. Rather than court sleep y industrious activitics, many persons resort to medicine, and every new drng which is heralded as a promoter of sleep becomes at once immensely popular, even though itis known to possess dangerous qualities. Chloral hydrate has had a great rnn, and even young men are known to be purchasing it atthe drug stores, to be used in promoting sleep; it should never be taken unlese edvised by the family physician, for the medical journals are constantly publishing cases where serious harm and even fetal results attend its habitual use.— Journal of Health. Wy THE Cotor of Buoop CHANcrs.— The cause of the change of color in blood .—darkening when exposed to carbonic acid, and brightening when nnder the influence of oxygen—is not as yet thoroughly understood. Itie thought, however, that the red corpuscles contained in the blood are rendered flatter by oxygen gas, while they are distended by the action of carbonie acid. It is not improbable that under the former circamstances they may reflect the light more strongly, and thus give a more distinct coloration to the hlood; while, under the latter, they ma transmit more light and so allow the hlood to appear darker and duller. Both of these theories have able advocates. . Quinine has beou found to be excessively poisonons to some persons for whom it has been prescribed, producing fever, and a very irritating rash npon the skin, which resemblee eomewhat that of scarlatina or measles, in appearance. Y. acts are followed by a brief pause. EarthEaters, A tribe at the mouth of the Amazon, say two recent travelere, whose veracity, wo are told, can be relied upon, content themselves, or at leest try to do so, with a fatty, ferruginous carth, of which they eet abont a pouud aud a halfaday. Nor is this tho only place where this earth can he obtained, nor is its use coufiued to those who are unable to obtain any thing better. In Bolivia, for iustance, anearth of this kind is sold in the pnblie market, an analysis of which yields the following results: Every variety of these earths is almost entirely composed of fresh-water infusores, or microscopic shells. Their uutritive properties, therefore, are donbtless owing to the retention of animal substances by these shells, which thus constitute a species of antedilnvian snstenance. It is not only, however, in the South that this kind of nutriment is made use of;in a country where wermth is of the first necessity, namely, Laplaud, the inhabitants make use of a white mineral, in the absence of cereale. This dust is composed of nineteen species of infusorcs analogous to those found in the neighborhood of Berlin. In testing this skeleton dust, which is fouud in coneiderable qnantitiesin Sweden and Finland, as well asin Lapland, Retzins discovered thet it contaiued a lerge proportion of animal matter. Tue New Srinvnanr.—Chloral drinking, according to the physicians, is snperseding absinthe, opium and alcoholic stimulants among the better classes. An insidious sedative, its use grows more dangerously on the tippler than more actively intoxicating drinks. The manufactnre of this drng is the best evidence of the extent of its use. In Europe its production has hecome one of the leading chemical industries, and it is sold by the ton. Baron Liebig affirms that one German chemist manufactures and sells half a ton a week. The London Spectator says: “Taking chloral is the new and popular vice, particularly among women, and is doing at least as much harm as alcohol, The drug is kept in thonsands of dressing-cases, and those who begin its use often grow so addicted to it that they pass their lives in a eort of contented stupefaction. Chloral drunkards will soon be an admitted variety of the species.” —Philadelphia Press. Curious Facrs.—Every day brings additional proof of thesuperiorityand greater power of endurance of medium-sized men for infantry. In answer to the question, Are you tougher and more vigorous than when you enlisted? the large, tall man almost nniversally answers that he is much less so; while, on the contrary, those of small or medium size, including many studente and in-door mechanics, often of slender form, generally answer that they are stronger and much healthier than before they enlisted. The simple diet of the army, and pure air of tent life, invigorates them; besides, they probably take better care of themselves than large, strong men are apttodo. The last feel confident in their strength, and neglect sanitary measuree. Bex Stines.—Very serious consequences sometimes arise from bee stings. The Rural World relates the following:—On Monday afternoon, Mrs. Wm. E. Sutliff was stung on the forehead by a bee, and instantly went into spasms. For two hours her life was despaired of, but yesterday her face commenced swelling rapidly, and last night she was much better. These effects of stings depend quite as much npon the constitutional hahit of the party as anything else. We have tried a solution of carbolic acid, one part of acid to eixty of water, and found it an almost instant and unfailing remedy. INsPrRaTION AND JixprRation.—If an adult man, breathing calmly in a sitting position, be watehed, fhe respiratory act will be seen to be repeated thirteen or fourteen times every minute. Each act consists of certain components which succeed each other in regular rhythmatical order. First, the breath is inspired, or erawn in; immediately afterward itis e«pired, or driven ont; and these snocdsalye if each inspiration in a well-grown adult, about thirty cuhic inches of air are inspired, and abont the same or a elightly smaller yolnme expired. Av an anti-vaccinationist meeting tecently held iu Manchester, the resolntion “That vaccination does not prevent smallpox, but donbles disease and death,” was nnanimously adopted.