Volume 24 (1872) (424 pages)

May 11, 1872. SCIENTIFIC PRESS. 295 Usefut INfoRMATION. Facts About Glue. The best method of preparing and nsing a substance which entcra so largely into wood working processes as that above named, isa inatter Bigg should he thoroughly understood hy those who have occasion to handle it. Some difference of opinion has cxisted on the question whether un admixture of carbonate of Inne, or Paris white, which is the form in which it is generally employed, is an improvewent to the quality of the gluc. Tho imost reliable experiments, however, have apparently established the fact that if very fiue aud puro Paris white is need, in limited quantity, and thoroughly incorporatod with glue, tho result will he highly advantageous, not only tho appearance hut the sticking quality also being improved. Boue dust has heen proposed instend of Paris white, hut its gritty nature is an iusuperable objection; it refuses to nuite with the glue, aud renders it less serviceahle. Similar injurious effects havo resulted from ecinploying certaiu chemicals, such as carhonate of soda, sulphate of zine aud oxalic acid, which have heen experimented upon in compounding au opaque slue. F Trausparent glue may be tested hy holding i to the tone when it should show no specks, bat he perfectly clean and clear. When immersed in cold water it will, if of the best quality, swell without melting, and when dried will return to its former size, After heing swelled in cold water, its tenacity may be iucreased and liability to injury by daiupness prevented hy immediately immersing it in linseed oil, und heating it until dissolved. When dry, it will be proof against moisture, In preparing glue for nse, it should be first cut into small pieces, and immersed in cold wator for about twelve hours. Itis then placed over a fire and the temperature gradually raised until tho glue is all dissolved,the softening huving heen accomplished by the previous stceping in cold water, A strong liquid glue is made by cowhining three parts of the glue with eight parts of cold water, letting it staud for a few hours to soften the glue, then adding half a pint of muriatic acid aud three-fourths of a part of sulphate of zine, and keeping the whole mixture for ten or twelve hours at u heat of 185 degrees Fahrenheit. When cool it will remain liquid, and is highly recommended as an adhesive ugent were wood, crockery or glass is to be subjected te its action. A superior quality of liquid is also ohtained by dissolving gelatin or dextriu in acetic acid and alcohol. The best liquid gluee, it has been found hy scientific analy+is, require to be surrounded hy tepid water to make them assume the liquid form; these which present that condition at an ordinary temperaturo heing usually of an inferior grade. A somewhat novel test of the quality of gluc is deserihed hy an Euglish writer, who procecded on the hypothesis that the glue which willtake up most water is the hest. He took 50 grains of glue, dissolved it in three ounces of water in a water hath, and when dissolved left it for twelve hours to gelatinize. He then placcd an ounce chip box on the surface of the gelatin, and put shot into the box until it sank 80 far as to hringa mark previously made on the side tothe level of the gelatin. The comparative streugth of the different kinds of glue thus tested is denoted by the amount of shot which each will sustain hefore the mark is brought down to the surface. The fincst glue tried hy the experimentor referred to bore up six ounces of shot at a temperature of 58 degrees. For cabinet makers’ vee, black glue is often selected; but the amber colored article has been proved by thorough experience to be the most suitahle for that kind of work.—Dechanic and Inventor, BRILLIANT ACHIEVEMENT IN Woon ManvracTuRE.—A story is told by English papers which, if true, or nearly 50, very forcibly exemplifies the near approach of perfection in woolen machinery, eo far at leaet as the annihilation of time is concerned. The story is to the effect that a gentleman in Newherry, England, recently made a wager of $5,000 that at eight o'clock on a particular evening he would sit down to dinner in a well-woven, well-dyed, well-made suit of clothes, the wool of which formed the fleece on eheep’s backs at five o'clock that eame morning. Two sheep were shorn; the wool was washed, carded, etubbed, roved, spun and woven; the cloth was scoured, fulled, tented, raised, sheared, dyed and dressed; the garments were made. At quarter past six he set down to dinner, at the head of his guests, in a complete damson-colored suit—thus winning the wager with one hour and three-quarters to spare. In thia achievement the improved sew* ing machine is entitled to a full share of credit. A Hint ror Sermers.—Eighty acres is all that can now be held under the homestead act on the even sections within thirty miles of the railroad line, the odd eections being railroad land, except such as are ready secured by preemption. A pre-emption clann is only good to the original settler, until eomplete, or if conveyed to others, must run theregular time without counting the original settler’s time in such purchase of an incomplete pre-emption right. One hundred and sixty acres, however, can be pre-empted on government land within the railroad line, by paying $2.50 an acre. Useful Hints, Why are aome things of one color and some another? As every ray of light is composed of all the colors of the rainbow, somo things retlect one of these colors and some another. Why do some things reflect one color and sole another ? Because the surface is differently constructed, both physically and chemically, aud therefore somo things reflect one ray, some two rays und some none. Why is the rose red? Because the surface of the rose ahsorbs the Line aud yellow rays of light, aud reflecte a the red ones, Why is the violet hine ? Because the surfaco of the violet ahsorhs the red und yellow rays of the snn and reflects the blue only, Why ure some things hlack ? Because they ahsorb all the raya of the light and reflect none. Why are some things white? Beouuse they absorb none of the rays of light, hut reflect them all, What is the cauee of the wind? The sun heats the carth, the earth heats the air resting upon it; as the warm air ascends the void is tilled up with a rush of cold air tothe place, and this rush of air we call wind. Tints on House Buripinc.—A paper on this subject, read by Edward Roherts, I’. S. A., before the Royal Institute of British Architects, closes as follows:— 1. Never allow pervious drains in pervious soils, 2. Never allow a cesspool or drain near a woll, 3. Never select gravel as a building-site if well drained clay can he obtuined. 4, Never allow driuking water to be drawn from a cistern supplying a water-closet. 5. Never allow waste-pipes to be inserted into water-closet traps. 6. Never allow rain-water to run to the ground if it is required above. 7. Never allow water to stand in pipes exposed to frost. 8. Never allow pipes to be fixed so that they cannot empty themselves. 9. Never ventilate except by pipes or tubes; inlets and outlets being of equal size. 10. Never use glazed earthenware pipee for upward flues. 11. Never allow chandeliere to be the exclusive light merely because it hasbeen customary. Tue following extraordinary case of spontaneous combustion is related by the New York Insurance Journal: A lady watching at the bedside of her husband, was astonished, ahout midnight, to perceive flamea burst from the surface of a dressing-table from no apparent eause. Upon tho table was some writing paper and the table-cover, with an open newspaper spread above them. Although alarmed, the lady was not unnerved, aud cast the burning mass into a contiguous vessel, where the flames were soon extinguished. In searching her memory for a cause for this perilous incident, she rememhered that a day or two previously, she had saturated some linen with sweet oil to be laid over a blister, and had left it for a sbort time upon the table, occasioning a grease spot on the cover. The paper was laid npon this spot. Prohably, accelerated by the temperature of the room, combustion commenced on the greased cloth, communicated to the paper, and slumbered until the oxygen of the atmosphere was the final cause of the fame. Potatozs 4 Century Aco.—Here is some information about the status of potatoes a century ago: This root increases prodigicusly, and is very proper for feeding and fattening cattle. They are boiled in water, aud require but little boiling, though they may have been kept two months in the store. Cattle eat them raw, but for the table they are wholesome hoiled. I earnestly recommend the culture of this plant to husbandmen, as it is not only excellent food for cattle but good for men in years of scarcity. After a little use the taste becomee at least as agreeable as turnips, and particularly if the potatoes are boiled with bacon and salt pork. The consumption of them in the English islands is astonishing, and many are eat in the French provinces. They yield a very white meal, which mixed with wheat meal makes good bread. I have eat it when there was no more meal in it than was necessary to make it rise, ArtrvicraL IncuBatTion.-Those wiseacres who are forever puttering over egg-hatching machines, imagining they are going to beat mothér nature, will finally learn to respect her ways. An egg has been happily pronounced a masterpiece of creation, but itis no more so than is a feather. The covering of birds combine in a wonderful manner, lightncsa and complete ventilation. It ia a first rate uon-conductor of heat, and repels dirt. Then the vital fires, consuming grain for fuel, keep up a heat gauged with more nicety than the clap trap of valves and self-regulating lamps can ever attain, We admire your ingennity, inventors, but we want none of your artificial appliances so long as good motherly biddy is available.— Poultry World. Tue depopulation of the Arctic coasts by the removal of the chief means of subsiatence of the inhabitants is a question involving ouly a short time, if tho rate of destruction of the . d seals and walrus ie not soon diminished. THE cost of leeches, sold in Europe, exceeds $10,000,000 per annum. The finest are aaid to come from the Mwray River, Australia. Goon Heart. Sleeping. It is nothing short of murdcrous for ono person to sleep hahitually in a room less than twelve fect each way; and even then thie firoplace should be kept open, and a door ajar, or the windows raised at bottom, or lowered at top, (hoth hetter;) this creates a dranght up the chimney, and carries of! much of tho foul air gouerated duriug sleep. A little firo, or a lamp, or jet of gas burning in the fire-place, increases the draught. As tho air we breathe is the ehicf ygent for removing all impurities froin the blood, the more effectual as it is purer, it must he plain to all that the room in which we spend a clear third of our eutire existence should contain tho purest uir possihle, and that this must have an immense intluence on the health. lfeuce, onr chamhers should be large and airy —the higher above the ground the better—with windows facing the south, so as to have all the bencfit of sunlight and warmth, to keep then dry and cleatal Besides a few haudsouo pictures or paintings on the walls, illustratiug what is heautiful and elevating, there should be no furniture except a table, a dressing hurean, and a few chairs, all without covering. With the exception of the bedding and a clean dry towel, there should he no woven fabric, neither carpet, curtains, nor hanging garments; for these, especially if woolen, retain odors, dust, dampness, and seeds of corruption and disease for menths. There should bo a hearth-rug at the bedside, to prevent the bare feet froni coming in contact with the cold floor, on gettiug out of a warm bed. No liquid except a pitcher of cold water should be allowed to remain five minutes ina sleeping-room. The deadly carbonic acid gas which comes from the lungs at every outbreathing of the eleeper, rises to the ceiling in warm weather, but falls to the floor when the room is freezing cold. Hence, in summer, the purest and coolest air in a room is near the floor; in winter the foulest. To Sleep Soundly. With many the inahility to sleep, as a growing hahit, is the first etep toward certain madness; in every disease it is an omen of ill. Hence, to cultivate sound sleep, do not sleep a moment in the daytinie; go to hed at a regular hour, and never take a ‘‘ second nap” after waking of yourself in the morning. Take nothing after dinner but a piece of cold bread and butter, and one cup of hot drink—not China tea, agit makes many wakeful. Never go to bed cold or very hungry, nor with cold feet. Read uothing after supper, listen to nothing, talk about nothing of a very exciting character; avoid carefully every domestic unpleasantness, as to child, eervant, hushand, or wife. Let no angry word be spoken or thought harbored for a singlo instant after tea-time, for death may come hefore the morning-light. Grown persons generally require soveu hours’ sleep insummer, and eight in wiuter. Few indeed, except invalids, will fail to sleep well who go to bed at a regular early hour, on a light eupper, in a large room, and clean, comfortable hed, if there is no sleeping in the day-time, and not more than eeven hours in any twenty-four are passed in bed. One week’s faithful trial will prove this. Children, and all persons at echool or engaged in hard study, should take all the sleep they can get, and should never be ‘waked up in the morning after having gone to bed ata regular early hour. Coin on THE Lunes.—If a cold settles on the outer covering of the lungs it becomes pneumonia, inflammation of the lungs, or lung fever, which in many caees carries the strongest man to his grave within a week. If acold falls upon the inner coveriug of the lungs it is pleurisy, with its knife-like paine, and its slow, very slow recoveries. If a cold settles in the joints, there is rheumatism in its various forms; inflammatory rheumatism, with its agonice of pain, and rheumatism of the heart, which iu an instant sometimes snaps the cords of life with no friendly warning. It ie of the utmost practical importance, then, to know not so much how to cure a cold as how to avoid it. Colds always come from one cause—some part or the whole of the body being cooler than natural for a time. If a man will keep his feet warm always and never allow himself to be chilled, he will never take cold in a lifetime, and this can only be accomplished by due care in warm elothing and the avoidance of draughts and undue exposure. While multitudes of colds come from cold feet, perhaps the majority arise from cooling off too quickly after becoming a little warmer than is natural from exercise, or work, or from confinement to a warm apartment.— Wood’s Household Magazine. HeattH or Farmers.—There are seven reasans why farmers are healthier than professional men, viz: 1. They work more and develop all the museles of the body. 2. They take exercise in the open air and breathe a greater amount of oxygen. 3. Their food and drinka are commonly less adulterated and far more simple. 4, They do not overwork the brain as mueh as professional men, ' 5, They take their sleep during the hours of darkness, and do not try to turn night into ay. 6. They are not ambitious and do not wear themselves out so rapidly in the fierce contest . of rivahry. 7. Their pleasures are simple and less exhausting, J Destnvcrion or THE GERMS oF DisEasz.— As the result of series of experiments on the destruction of low forme of life by heat, Dr. Crace Calvert demonstrates that the germs of disease will withstand a temperature of 300 degrocs Fahrenheit. Exposure to such a heat as this iujures the fibers of all kinds of cloth so seriously that they are unfit for furthcruse. It is therefore evident that the mere agency of heat eannot he depended upon for the destruction of the germs or corpuscles attached to the clothing of persons whe have suffered from any contagious disease. The necessity for a change in opinion regarding the power of chlorine gas to accomplish this purpose is urged in a recent report ef the New York Board of Lealth on tho Micnferean of clothing and rooms that have heen exposod to contammation by small-pox. In the report in question ecarbohe acid is espceially recommended for the disinfection of clothing and heddiug, and sulphurous acid gae prepared by burning sulphur for the disinfection of rooms, The latter suhstauce especially seems to have the power of utterly destroying the germs of smull-pox, while chlorine frequently fails altogether or only accomplishes the ohject in an lmperfvet manner. TREATMENT OF SUN STROKE IN Invia.—A lato writer in Public Opinion says: “On one of the very hot days we had receutly no fewer than nine nen were struck down hy sun stroke iu the Lahore Central Jail. They were all quite insensihle, aud only able to hreatho in the stertorous way peculiar to the ailment. The Superintendent, Dr. Lethbridge, had them laid out in a,row on the cool floor of the Hospital, and there watered them copiously aud continuously for five hours hy means of bheeties with mussucks, befere much improvement was perceptible. Every mau recovered, and it ieto be noted as a circumstance of considerable importance, that although all the cases were of the most serious kiud, the simple remedy of a continuous and long coutinued supply of cool water was ut last sufficient. The remedy, continued only for half an hour, and perhape interrupted every time the mussuck was empty, would evidently have been of no avail. We recommend the account to the attention of all travelers, and, iudeed, of every one liable to be exposed to the heat of the sun.” TREATMENT OF REEUMATISM.—Cassell’s Household Guide says the treatment of rheumatism should vary, according as the rheumatism affects tho muscles or the joints, and relatively to the age of the patient, and the general state of health. People of a rhenmatic constitution may greatly save themselvee by care in regard to afew particulars. First, the avoidance of exposure to cold, and especially to cold and wet together—flannel and other kinds of warm clothing being obviouely proper. Their food, while it should be nourishing, should he simple. Beer and porter, as a rnle, should be avoided—they are rheumatic driuks. When the patient can command a change of chmate, one that is mild, uniform, and above all, dry, will be the best. For rheumatic pains in the muscles, as of the back or neck, one of the best remedies is to cover the affected part with a piece of flannel, and rub it over with a hot iron every night hefore going to hed. Severen Tors Reriacen.—A writer in the Wilmington Commercial says: In relation to the man whose toes were cut off, and after conyeying them nearly two miles to his home and having the use of them afterwsrd by being replaced, you wish to know if there ever wae anything on record similar to it. In reply, I would state that in 1855, while playing with a hatchet in the yard, I cut the two fore fingers of my left hand entirely off. They remained off till Dr. Baker arrived, when he sewed them on nearly one hour afterward— the same doctor that replaced the toes. The hatchet being dull, it tore the fingers more than to cut them clean off, consequently it was more difficult to unite them, but for the past sixteen years I have had free use of them both, and the marks of the wound are scarcely perceptible, . Every humane parent will make it a religioue duty to arrange that every child ehall go to bed in an affectionate, loving, and glad spirit. If wakeful during the night, get up, draw on the stockings, throw back the bed-cover to air it, walk the floor in your night-gown, with the mouth closed, all the while rubbing the skin briskly with both hands, nntil cooled off and a little tired. Except from August first to October first, in fever andagne locahties, a chamber window should he open two or three inches in length,— Dr. Hall, on ‘ Sound Sleep.” Tue TEETH in the insane are prone fo undergo certainchanges. Dr. Langdon Down, who read a paper on thie subject recently before the Odontological Society, states therein that from the examination of nearly one thousand cases he has found that he couldin the majority of instancesstate the period at which the imbecility or insanity began. Potsoven Arr, that so frequently gaine accees to rooma from the sewera, is the canse of many an attack of fever. All contamination from this source may be avoided by relieving the pressure on the trapa of the waste-pipe by meaus of a tube communicating with the open air at the top of the house. Tar Insane in the Surrey County Aaylum, England, have been treated to a course of private theatricals with excellent results. The ' patiente were spectators, not performers,

May 11, 1872. SCIENTIFIC PRESS. 295 Usefut INfoRMATION. Facts About Glue. The best method of preparing and nsing a substance which entcra so largely into wood working processes as that above named, isa inatter Bigg should he thoroughly understood hy those who have occasion to handle it. Some difference of opinion has cxisted on the question whether un admixture of carbonate of Inne, or Paris white, which is the form in which it is generally employed, is an improvewent to the quality of the gluc. Tho imost reliable experiments, however, have apparently established the fact that if very fiue aud puro Paris white is need, in limited quantity, and thoroughly incorporatod with glue, tho result will he highly advantageous, not only tho appearance hut the sticking quality also being improved. Boue dust has heen proposed instend of Paris white, hut its gritty nature is an iusuperable objection; it refuses to nuite with the glue, aud renders it less serviceahle. Similar injurious effects havo resulted from ecinploying certaiu chemicals, such as carhonate of soda, sulphate of zine aud oxalic acid, which have heen experimented upon in compounding au opaque slue. F Trausparent glue may be tested hy holding i to the tone when it should show no specks, bat he perfectly clean and clear. When immersed in cold water it will, if of the best quality, swell without melting, and when dried will return to its former size, After heing swelled in cold water, its tenacity may be iucreased and liability to injury by daiupness prevented hy immediately immersing it in linseed oil, und heating it until dissolved. When dry, it will be proof against moisture, In preparing glue for nse, it should be first cut into small pieces, and immersed in cold wator for about twelve hours. Itis then placed over a fire and the temperature gradually raised until tho glue is all dissolved,the softening huving heen accomplished by the previous stceping in cold water, A strong liquid glue is made by cowhining three parts of the glue with eight parts of cold water, letting it staud for a few hours to soften the glue, then adding half a pint of muriatic acid aud three-fourths of a part of sulphate of zine, and keeping the whole mixture for ten or twelve hours at u heat of 185 degrees Fahrenheit. When cool it will remain liquid, and is highly recommended as an adhesive ugent were wood, crockery or glass is to be subjected te its action. A superior quality of liquid is also ohtained by dissolving gelatin or dextriu in acetic acid and alcohol. The best liquid gluee, it has been found hy scientific analy+is, require to be surrounded hy tepid water to make them assume the liquid form; these which present that condition at an ordinary temperaturo heing usually of an inferior grade. A somewhat novel test of the quality of gluc is deserihed hy an Euglish writer, who procecded on the hypothesis that the glue which willtake up most water is the hest. He took 50 grains of glue, dissolved it in three ounces of water in a water hath, and when dissolved left it for twelve hours to gelatinize. He then placcd an ounce chip box on the surface of the gelatin, and put shot into the box until it sank 80 far as to hringa mark previously made on the side tothe level of the gelatin. The comparative streugth of the different kinds of glue thus tested is denoted by the amount of shot which each will sustain hefore the mark is brought down to the surface. The fincst glue tried hy the experimentor referred to bore up six ounces of shot at a temperature of 58 degrees. For cabinet makers’ vee, black glue is often selected; but the amber colored article has been proved by thorough experience to be the most suitahle for that kind of work.—Dechanic and Inventor, BRILLIANT ACHIEVEMENT IN Woon ManvracTuRE.—A story is told by English papers which, if true, or nearly 50, very forcibly exemplifies the near approach of perfection in woolen machinery, eo far at leaet as the annihilation of time is concerned. The story is to the effect that a gentleman in Newherry, England, recently made a wager of $5,000 that at eight o'clock on a particular evening he would sit down to dinner in a well-woven, well-dyed, well-made suit of clothes, the wool of which formed the fleece on eheep’s backs at five o'clock that eame morning. Two sheep were shorn; the wool was washed, carded, etubbed, roved, spun and woven; the cloth was scoured, fulled, tented, raised, sheared, dyed and dressed; the garments were made. At quarter past six he set down to dinner, at the head of his guests, in a complete damson-colored suit—thus winning the wager with one hour and three-quarters to spare. In thia achievement the improved sew* ing machine is entitled to a full share of credit. A Hint ror Sermers.—Eighty acres is all that can now be held under the homestead act on the even sections within thirty miles of the railroad line, the odd eections being railroad land, except such as are ready secured by preemption. A pre-emption clann is only good to the original settler, until eomplete, or if conveyed to others, must run theregular time without counting the original settler’s time in such purchase of an incomplete pre-emption right. One hundred and sixty acres, however, can be pre-empted on government land within the railroad line, by paying $2.50 an acre. Useful Hints, Why are aome things of one color and some another? As every ray of light is composed of all the colors of the rainbow, somo things retlect one of these colors and some another. Why do some things reflect one color and sole another ? Because the surface is differently constructed, both physically and chemically, aud therefore somo things reflect one ray, some two rays und some none. Why is the rose red? Because the surface of the rose ahsorbs the Line aud yellow rays of light, aud reflecte a the red ones, Why is the violet hine ? Because the surfaco of the violet ahsorhs the red und yellow rays of the snn and reflects the blue only, Why ure some things hlack ? Because they ahsorb all the raya of the light and reflect none. Why are some things white? Beouuse they absorb none of the rays of light, hut reflect them all, What is the cauee of the wind? The sun heats the carth, the earth heats the air resting upon it; as the warm air ascends the void is tilled up with a rush of cold air tothe place, and this rush of air we call wind. Tints on House Buripinc.—A paper on this subject, read by Edward Roherts, I’. S. A., before the Royal Institute of British Architects, closes as follows:— 1. Never allow pervious drains in pervious soils, 2. Never allow a cesspool or drain near a woll, 3. Never select gravel as a building-site if well drained clay can he obtuined. 4, Never allow driuking water to be drawn from a cistern supplying a water-closet. 5. Never allow waste-pipes to be inserted into water-closet traps. 6. Never allow rain-water to run to the ground if it is required above. 7. Never allow water to stand in pipes exposed to frost. 8. Never allow pipes to be fixed so that they cannot empty themselves. 9. Never ventilate except by pipes or tubes; inlets and outlets being of equal size. 10. Never use glazed earthenware pipee for upward flues. 11. Never allow chandeliere to be the exclusive light merely because it hasbeen customary. Tue following extraordinary case of spontaneous combustion is related by the New York Insurance Journal: A lady watching at the bedside of her husband, was astonished, ahout midnight, to perceive flamea burst from the surface of a dressing-table from no apparent eause. Upon tho table was some writing paper and the table-cover, with an open newspaper spread above them. Although alarmed, the lady was not unnerved, aud cast the burning mass into a contiguous vessel, where the flames were soon extinguished. In searching her memory for a cause for this perilous incident, she rememhered that a day or two previously, she had saturated some linen with sweet oil to be laid over a blister, and had left it for a sbort time upon the table, occasioning a grease spot on the cover. The paper was laid npon this spot. Prohably, accelerated by the temperature of the room, combustion commenced on the greased cloth, communicated to the paper, and slumbered until the oxygen of the atmosphere was the final cause of the fame. Potatozs 4 Century Aco.—Here is some information about the status of potatoes a century ago: This root increases prodigicusly, and is very proper for feeding and fattening cattle. They are boiled in water, aud require but little boiling, though they may have been kept two months in the store. Cattle eat them raw, but for the table they are wholesome hoiled. I earnestly recommend the culture of this plant to husbandmen, as it is not only excellent food for cattle but good for men in years of scarcity. After a little use the taste becomee at least as agreeable as turnips, and particularly if the potatoes are boiled with bacon and salt pork. The consumption of them in the English islands is astonishing, and many are eat in the French provinces. They yield a very white meal, which mixed with wheat meal makes good bread. I have eat it when there was no more meal in it than was necessary to make it rise, ArtrvicraL IncuBatTion.-Those wiseacres who are forever puttering over egg-hatching machines, imagining they are going to beat mothér nature, will finally learn to respect her ways. An egg has been happily pronounced a masterpiece of creation, but itis no more so than is a feather. The covering of birds combine in a wonderful manner, lightncsa and complete ventilation. It ia a first rate uon-conductor of heat, and repels dirt. Then the vital fires, consuming grain for fuel, keep up a heat gauged with more nicety than the clap trap of valves and self-regulating lamps can ever attain, We admire your ingennity, inventors, but we want none of your artificial appliances so long as good motherly biddy is available.— Poultry World. Tue depopulation of the Arctic coasts by the removal of the chief means of subsiatence of the inhabitants is a question involving ouly a short time, if tho rate of destruction of the . d seals and walrus ie not soon diminished. THE cost of leeches, sold in Europe, exceeds $10,000,000 per annum. The finest are aaid to come from the Mwray River, Australia.

Goon Heart. Sleeping. It is nothing short of murdcrous for ono person to sleep hahitually in a room less than twelve fect each way; and even then thie firoplace should be kept open, and a door ajar, or the windows raised at bottom, or lowered at top, (hoth hetter;) this creates a dranght up the chimney, and carries of! much of tho foul air gouerated duriug sleep. A little firo, or a lamp, or jet of gas burning in the fire-place, increases the draught. As tho air we breathe is the ehicf ygent for removing all impurities froin the blood, the more effectual as it is purer, it must he plain to all that the room in which we spend a clear third of our eutire existence should contain tho purest uir possihle, and that this must have an immense intluence on the health. lfeuce, onr chamhers should be large and airy —the higher above the ground the better—with windows facing the south, so as to have all the bencfit of sunlight and warmth, to keep then dry and cleatal Besides a few haudsouo pictures or paintings on the walls, illustratiug what is heautiful and elevating, there should be no furniture except a table, a dressing hurean, and a few chairs, all without covering. With the exception of the bedding and a clean dry towel, there should he no woven fabric, neither carpet, curtains, nor hanging garments; for these, especially if woolen, retain odors, dust, dampness, and seeds of corruption and disease for menths. There should bo a hearth-rug at the bedside, to prevent the bare feet froni coming in contact with the cold floor, on gettiug out of a warm bed. No liquid except a pitcher of cold water should be allowed to remain five minutes ina sleeping-room. The deadly carbonic acid gas which comes from the lungs at every outbreathing of the eleeper, rises to the ceiling in warm weather, but falls to the floor when the room is freezing cold. Hence, in summer, the purest and coolest air in a room is near the floor; in winter the foulest. To Sleep Soundly. With many the inahility to sleep, as a growing hahit, is the first etep toward certain madness; in every disease it is an omen of ill. Hence, to cultivate sound sleep, do not sleep a moment in the daytinie; go to hed at a regular hour, and never take a ‘‘ second nap” after waking of yourself in the morning. Take nothing after dinner but a piece of cold bread and butter, and one cup of hot drink—not China tea, agit makes many wakeful. Never go to bed cold or very hungry, nor with cold feet. Read uothing after supper, listen to nothing, talk about nothing of a very exciting character; avoid carefully every domestic unpleasantness, as to child, eervant, hushand, or wife. Let no angry word be spoken or thought harbored for a singlo instant after tea-time, for death may come hefore the morning-light. Grown persons generally require soveu hours’ sleep insummer, and eight in wiuter. Few indeed, except invalids, will fail to sleep well who go to bed at a regular early hour, on a light eupper, in a large room, and clean, comfortable hed, if there is no sleeping in the day-time, and not more than eeven hours in any twenty-four are passed in bed. One week’s faithful trial will prove this. Children, and all persons at echool or engaged in hard study, should take all the sleep they can get, and should never be ‘waked up in the morning after having gone to bed ata regular early hour. Coin on THE Lunes.—If a cold settles on the outer covering of the lungs it becomes pneumonia, inflammation of the lungs, or lung fever, which in many caees carries the strongest man to his grave within a week. If acold falls upon the inner coveriug of the lungs it is pleurisy, with its knife-like paine, and its slow, very slow recoveries. If a cold settles in the joints, there is rheumatism in its various forms; inflammatory rheumatism, with its agonice of pain, and rheumatism of the heart, which iu an instant sometimes snaps the cords of life with no friendly warning. It ie of the utmost practical importance, then, to know not so much how to cure a cold as how to avoid it. Colds always come from one cause—some part or the whole of the body being cooler than natural for a time. If a man will keep his feet warm always and never allow himself to be chilled, he will never take cold in a lifetime, and this can only be accomplished by due care in warm elothing and the avoidance of draughts and undue exposure. While multitudes of colds come from cold feet, perhaps the majority arise from cooling off too quickly after becoming a little warmer than is natural from exercise, or work, or from confinement to a warm apartment.— Wood’s Household Magazine. HeattH or Farmers.—There are seven reasans why farmers are healthier than professional men, viz: 1. They work more and develop all the museles of the body. 2. They take exercise in the open air and breathe a greater amount of oxygen. 3. Their food and drinka are commonly less adulterated and far more simple. 4, They do not overwork the brain as mueh as professional men, ' 5, They take their sleep during the hours of darkness, and do not try to turn night into ay. 6. They are not ambitious and do not wear themselves out so rapidly in the fierce contest . of rivahry. 7. Their pleasures are simple and less exhausting, J Destnvcrion or THE GERMS oF DisEasz.— As the result of series of experiments on the destruction of low forme of life by heat, Dr. Crace Calvert demonstrates that the germs of disease will withstand a temperature of 300 degrocs Fahrenheit. Exposure to such a heat as this iujures the fibers of all kinds of cloth so seriously that they are unfit for furthcruse. It is therefore evident that the mere agency of heat eannot he depended upon for the destruction of the germs or corpuscles attached to the clothing of persons whe have suffered from any contagious disease. The necessity for a change in opinion regarding the power of chlorine gas to accomplish this purpose is urged in a recent report ef the New York Board of Lealth on tho Micnferean of clothing and rooms that have heen exposod to contammation by small-pox. In the report in question ecarbohe acid is espceially recommended for the disinfection of clothing and heddiug, and sulphurous acid gae prepared by burning sulphur for the disinfection of rooms, The latter suhstauce especially seems to have the power of utterly destroying the germs of smull-pox, while chlorine frequently fails altogether or only accomplishes the ohject in an lmperfvet manner. TREATMENT OF SUN STROKE IN Invia.—A lato writer in Public Opinion says: “On one of the very hot days we had receutly no fewer than nine nen were struck down hy sun stroke iu the Lahore Central Jail. They were all quite insensihle, aud only able to hreatho in the stertorous way peculiar to the ailment. The Superintendent, Dr. Lethbridge, had them laid out in a,row on the cool floor of the Hospital, and there watered them copiously aud continuously for five hours hy means of bheeties with mussucks, befere much improvement was perceptible. Every mau recovered, and it ieto be noted as a circumstance of considerable importance, that although all the cases were of the most serious kiud, the simple remedy of a continuous and long coutinued supply of cool water was ut last sufficient. The remedy, continued only for half an hour, and perhape interrupted every time the mussuck was empty, would evidently have been of no avail. We recommend the account to the attention of all travelers, and, iudeed, of every one liable to be exposed to the heat of the sun.” TREATMENT OF REEUMATISM.—Cassell’s Household Guide says the treatment of rheumatism should vary, according as the rheumatism affects tho muscles or the joints, and relatively to the age of the patient, and the general state of health. People of a rhenmatic constitution may greatly save themselvee by care in regard to afew particulars. First, the avoidance of exposure to cold, and especially to cold and wet together—flannel and other kinds of warm clothing being obviouely proper. Their food, while it should be nourishing, should he simple. Beer and porter, as a rnle, should be avoided—they are rheumatic driuks. When the patient can command a change of chmate, one that is mild, uniform, and above all, dry, will be the best. For rheumatic pains in the muscles, as of the back or neck, one of the best remedies is to cover the affected part with a piece of flannel, and rub it over with a hot iron every night hefore going to hed. Severen Tors Reriacen.—A writer in the Wilmington Commercial says: In relation to the man whose toes were cut off, and after conyeying them nearly two miles to his home and having the use of them afterwsrd by being replaced, you wish to know if there ever wae anything on record similar to it. In reply, I would state that in 1855, while playing with a hatchet in the yard, I cut the two fore fingers of my left hand entirely off. They remained off till Dr. Baker arrived, when he sewed them on nearly one hour afterward— the same doctor that replaced the toes. The hatchet being dull, it tore the fingers more than to cut them clean off, consequently it was more difficult to unite them, but for the past sixteen years I have had free use of them both, and the marks of the wound are scarcely perceptible, . Every humane parent will make it a religioue duty to arrange that every child ehall go to bed in an affectionate, loving, and glad spirit. If wakeful during the night, get up, draw on the stockings, throw back the bed-cover to air it, walk the floor in your night-gown, with the mouth closed, all the while rubbing the skin briskly with both hands, nntil cooled off and a little tired. Except from August first to October first, in fever andagne locahties, a chamber window should he open two or three inches in length,— Dr. Hall, on ‘ Sound Sleep.” Tue TEETH in the insane are prone fo undergo certainchanges. Dr. Langdon Down, who read a paper on thie subject recently before the Odontological Society, states therein that from the examination of nearly one thousand cases he has found that he couldin the majority of instancesstate the period at which the imbecility or insanity began. Potsoven Arr, that so frequently gaine accees to rooma from the sewera, is the canse of many an attack of fever. All contamination from this source may be avoided by relieving the pressure on the trapa of the waste-pipe by meaus of a tube communicating with the open air at the top of the house. Tar Insane in the Surrey County Aaylum, England, have been treated to a course of private theatricals with excellent results. The ' patiente were spectators, not performers,