HARDWICKE'S SCJE A CE-G 0SS1P. 



251 



mere accident, but to a series of profound chemical 

 deductions with which the names of Perkin, Caro, 

 Graebe, and Liebermann (especially Perkin) will 

 ever be honourably associated. Dr. Perkin's achieve- 

 ments in the direction of <) priori theoretical prophecy, 

 followed by practical realisation, have been by no 

 means limited to such production of alizarin ; they 

 were preceded by the earlier aniline colours, and are 

 likely to be followed by further results of a similar 

 character obtained by similar means. 



The great international bore proposed by M. J. J. 

 Martinez has been ridiculed by some, but more 

 thoughtful people regard it very differently. M. 

 Martinez asks for a universal subscription to defray the 

 expenses of boring a hole 150 feet in diameter 

 vertically downwards, from the centre of which are to 

 be driven convenient stations, chambers, or tunnels, 

 for the observation of subterranean phenomena. Such 

 a shaft, besides displaying a grand geological section, 

 would help us to determine many of the vexed ques- 

 tions concerning the internal heat of the earth, the pro- 

 bable thickness of its solid crust, the phenomena of 

 internal earth-tides, &c, all of which are intensely in- 

 teresting to every intelligent man whose whole soul is 

 not completely enveloped in the calf-skin of his ledger. 

 The proposal to emancipate the ring finger from the 

 thraldom of its immediate neighbours, by cutting 

 through the oblique accessory tendon which renders 

 its independent action so trammelling to pianoforte 

 players, is by no means favourably received by " The 

 Lancet." The improvement of the " execution " of 

 high class pianists is doubted, on the ground that what 

 -would be gained in range of action, would be lost in 

 power, [and it is further suggested that the division 

 of the lateral bands may be followed by cicatricial 

 union of their severed ends ; and again we are told 

 that the records of surgery abundantly prove that no 

 wound can be inflicted with absolute certainty of 

 freedom from mishap in the shape of suppuration, or, 

 it may be, greater evil ; and certainly tendons are 

 not the structure least liable to resent operative 

 interference. On the other hand, we are told by the 

 Scientific American (quoted in "Knowledge " Oct. 2, 

 with engraving of the structure) that Dr. Forbes 

 has performed fourteen entirely successful operations. 

 Still, if I were an eminent pianist dependent on my 

 ten fingers, I should say to them that we will 



" Rather bear those ills we have 

 Than fly to others that we know not of." 



The failure of the Eucalyptus experiment in the 

 neighbourhood of Rome, where they were planted to 

 counteract the malaria, is disheartening. The euca- 

 lyptus flourishes, and the malaria continues. A 

 government commission of enquiry has been appointed 

 on the application of Dr. Tommasi-Crudelli, who 

 regards the facts as instructive, "proving, as they do 

 once more, to what risks of mistake we expose our- 

 selves to, if we hold h priori, that the methods which 

 have resulted in a permanent improvement of one 



locality, can be usefully applied to all." He accord- 

 ingly recommends the exercise of that faculty which 

 distinguishes the philosopher from the vulgar theorist, 

 viz. the suspension of judgment until a broad basis of 

 fact has been obtained. The physical conditions and 

 chemical composition of malarious districts vary 

 considerably, and therefore the remedial measures 

 should be modified accordingly. The eucalyptus has 

 been beneficial in some places, though not in others. 

 If the commission succeeds in determining the cause 

 or causes of this difference, they will then learn where 

 to plant the eucalyptus, and where to adopt other 

 measures. 



Dr. Tommasi-Crudelli recommends arsenic acid, 

 and the alkaline arseniates as the most efficient 

 protective agents against malaria. I have long 

 advocated the same, and have practically acted upon 

 it, by selecting wall papers containing a limited 

 quantity of that popular bugbear, arsenical green 

 pigments. My conviction was originally based on 

 observations made in Birmingham when I lived there. 

 Arsenical fumes are given off from brass foundries. 

 Birmingham has escaped from cholera, in spite of the 

 "back houses" and "party pumps," which until 

 lately were so abundantly in immediate contiguity to 

 back-yard domestic cesspools. The same has been 

 observed in other places where brass foundries and 

 copper and zinc smelting abound. Other zymotic 

 diseases besides cholera fail to visit these places. 

 Copper and zinc ores, and ordinary samples of the 

 metals themselves, contain small quantities of arsenic 

 which is a volatile metal vaporising at the melting 

 temperature of the constituents of brass, and of brass 

 itself. In "The Gentleman's Magazine" of April, 

 1SS1, I said and now repeat, that "if I lived in New 

 Orleans, or any other focus of fever horrors, I would 

 envelope myself to a certain extent in arsenical fumes, 

 by covering my walls with highly-charged arsenical 

 papers, furnishing my rooms with arsenical uphol- 

 stery, and carrying arseniuretted pocket handkerchiefs ; 

 carefully observing the effect in order to stop short at 

 the first warning symptoms of arsenical poisoning." 



Freezing Machine. — If J. P. can manage to see 

 Dr. Ure's " Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures, and 

 Mines," edited by Robert Hunt, F.R.S., and published 

 by Longmans, 1867, he will find a full account of 

 " Carre's Continuous Freezing Machine," in vol. ii., 

 p. 401, 402. In a Carre-Leslie machine, containing 

 2' 5 kilogrammes of sulphuric acid, 4' 8 kilogrammes 

 of water can be frozen ; after which the acid must be 

 renewed. Concerning the ammonia query : — One 

 gramme of water, at 0° C, and under a pressure of 

 760 mm., absorbs "877 gramme of ammonia, that 

 is, 1 149 times its volume of gaseous ammonia. This 

 solvent will have a sp. gr. "88, and freezes at — 38 C, 

 forming an odourless jelly-like mass. — Dunley Owen, 

 B.Sc 



