90 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



kaolin. With different degrees of comminution, he finds the 

 water rises higher in the soil in proportion as the particles 



of soil are finer: fineness is more important than chemical 

 constitution. Up to a certain height the capillary elevation 

 of water is slower as the soil is finer, but after that the ratio 

 is reversed. The water rises more slowly in proportion to 

 the number of non- capillary spaces, but it rises higher as 

 the non-capillary spaces are fewer. The presence of salts 

 in the water retards the capillary conduction in proportion 

 to the concentration of the solution. For fine soils there 

 seems no limit to the height to which water will eventually 

 attain. The capillary action takes place downwards very 

 nearly the same as upwards. The capacity of the soil when 

 saturated by capillary action increases with the fineness of 

 the particles nearly the same in loose as fine soil if only a 

 few non - capillary spaces occur, but materially less when 

 such spaces are numerous. 



The influence of low pressure upon human life and health 

 has been investigated by Mermod. His conclusions are: (1) 

 The regular and prolonged sojourn at successively higher and 

 higher elevations is accompanied by an acceleration of the 

 pulse. (2) The regular and prolonged sojourn at 1100 meters 

 above the level of the sea is not accompanied by any accelera- 

 tion of the respiratory movements. From these two laws the 

 following results can be drawn, and are confirmed by observa- 

 tion. (3) The mean fraction ^, representing the ratio between 

 the frequency of respiration and the beatings of the heart, 

 always diminishes in proportion as one dwells at stations more 

 elevated above the sea-level. (4) The temperature of the 

 body does not sensibly diminish by transportation from resi- 

 dence at 142 to 1100 meters altitude. (5) Far from finding 

 in the weight of the air breathed an increase in proportion as 

 we dwell higher, there is rather a diminution. (G) The abso- 

 lute and relative quantity of carbonic acid exhaled by the 

 lungs increases by the removal to higher elevations, and that 

 with an unchanged rate of respiration and a diminution of 

 the weight of the respired air. 



