94 



Varieties. 



[JAN. 



employed, I will describe it briefly. The 

 patient should put the feet in warm water at 

 bedtime for half an hour, to soften the corns : 

 as much of the corn should then be removed 

 by means of a sharp knife as can be done 

 without making a wound: the corns and 

 surrounding skin are then to be moistened 

 with water, and the nitrate of silver is to be 

 rubbed on the corn very freely, and lightly 

 on the skin, so as not to occasion vesication ; 

 the part is then to be exposed to dry. Little 

 advantage would be derived if nothing more 

 were done, as the black eschar would remain 

 on the corn for some weeks, and during that 

 time the corn would form anew. About 

 the fourteenth day it will be observed that 

 the cuticle is peeling off around the corn, 

 this is the proper time for putting the feet 

 in warm water again, and for removing the 

 eschar, and as much as possible the corn un- 

 derneath, by the knife. At this period there 

 is a distinct mark between the surrounding 

 healthy cuticle and the corn, so that the 

 latter may be removed more effectually than 

 at first. The nitrate of silver is to be again 

 applied as before. This plan is to be re- 

 peated until the corn is perfectly destroyed. 

 Formula for reducing a Mercurial Ther- 

 mometer in, High Temperatures __ If q de- 

 note the degrees of a mercurial thermome- 

 ter, n the number of degrees between the 

 points of congelation and ebullition, 5 the 

 number of degrees at the boiling point, and 

 m the degrees of the true augmentation of 

 heat corresponding to the state q of the 

 thermometer, the following expression is 



/CfS*. n _ s 



correct : mq ( - ) Q-09 _ 0-028 - - * 



^ 4 ' n 



New Artificial Horizon There are few 

 more cumbersome instruments than the ar- 

 tificial horizon, in the manner in which it is 

 usually constructed, so that an improved 

 one which we have seen with Mr. Newman, 

 whose character for manufacturing the best 

 philosophical apparatus is known to every 

 friend of science in this country, promises to 

 be of material advantage to the traveller. 

 This instrument is comprised in a square 

 box, the top of which is detached when the 

 instrument is in use. The lower part con- 

 tains the mercury, which is raised into the 

 brass basin above by means of two screws, 

 which previously kept together the parts of 

 the box, acting upon a moveable bottom. 

 The basin is rubbed over with nitrate of 

 mercury, an invention of Professor Schu- 

 macher, of Altona, the effect of which is to 

 make the quicksilver adhere to the sides of 

 the basin, so that with a little care a per- 

 fectly level surface may be obtained, free 

 from tremor, and well suited for the pur- 

 pose for which it is required. By turning 

 the screws the quicksilver is then let down 

 again into the reservoir, and the whole fulfils 

 that indispensable condition in instruments 

 designed for a traveller, that the box shall 

 not close unless all that it contains is locked, 

 or the act of closing locks them. 



Human Monsters. We are not aware 

 that so many human monsters have ever been 

 alive at the same time as at the present day. 

 In China one has nearly attained the age of 

 23 years, and is double twoSiamese youths, 

 united together by a cartilage at the umbi- 

 licus, are now exhibiting in this coun- 

 try. Little doubt seems to be" entertained 

 that a separation might in this case be ef- 

 tbcted without any injury to the individuals. 

 It is somewhat remarkable, that the mother 

 of them has produced 17 children, and never 

 less than two at a birth. Also a Sardinian 

 female child about nine months old, double 

 from the pelvis upwards, has recently died 

 in Paris. 



Earthquake in New South Wales. An 

 earthquake has been recently experienced up 

 the country. Several smart shocks were felt 

 among some of the mountain ranges distri- 

 buted over the district of Argyleshire, some- 

 where about 25 miles from lake George. 

 The concussion is represented to have lasted 

 some minutes. It was preceded by the spring- 

 ing up of a gentle breeze from the S.W. 

 quarter, which swiftly increased to the velo- 

 city of a hurricane, tearing up whole trees 

 by the roots, and scattering their branches 

 through the air like chaff. While the hur- 

 ricane raged with the utmost violence, the 

 earth in various places became convulsed, 

 heaving up into changing billowy ridges, 

 yawning and closing, and splitting here 

 and there into destructive chasms. Some 

 few stack huts were partially demolished, 

 and others shifted from their former founda- 

 tions. One side of a cattle fence was alto- 

 gether upturned ; but from the isolated na- 

 ture of the country, there being but few other 

 inhabitants than the solitary grazier, his 

 men, and herds, and still fewer fixed habita- 

 tions, the injury effected to the property was 

 but trifling, and the convulsion was wholly 

 sparing of life. After the combined ele- 

 ments had raged in this way for some mi- 

 nutes, their roar gradually diminished for 

 about an hour, when it again increased with 

 stunning bursts of thunder, torrents of rain, 

 and blasts of vivid lightning. Men stood 

 aghast, and the cattle ran cowering for shelter 

 to the hills. The storm, for the short time 

 it continued, is represented as having been 

 almost unprecedented in violence. An ac- 

 count in the Australasian also informs^is, 

 that the crater of a volcano had been dis- 

 covered in the vicinity of Legenhoe, and it 

 has been increasing daily. Huge heaps of 

 pitchy and adhesive mould lying around the 

 mouth, crushing and tumbling in inces- 

 santly, after smothering the flame for a little, 

 serve to render the combustion more fierce 

 and rapid. Few of the natives will venture 

 to sit down nearer than within a mile of the 

 volcano. 



Sympathetic Ink. A weak solution of 

 nitrate of mercury forms a good sympathetic 

 ink on paper ; the characters become black 

 by heat. 



