7ii 



THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



are to be kept for some time before they are 

 buried ; instead of having the usual stiff look, 

 the features and color will seem fresh and 

 unchanged, and the bodies will not have a 

 trace of odor. For embalming, I infect the 

 corpse first, then put it into the fluid, and, 

 after keeping it there for a few days, rub it 

 and dry it, wrap it up in a cloth moistened 

 with the preserving fluid, and keep it in an 

 air-tight case. The treatment in diilerent 

 cases is governed by circumstances, but the 

 composition of the preserving fluid is always 

 the same." 



Applications for Phylloxera.— M. Mouil- 

 lefert, of the Ecole Nationale d' Agriculture 

 of Grignon, reported to the Academy of 

 Sciences, Paris, November 10th, the results 

 which had been obtained from the treat- 

 ment of vines affected by the phylloxera 

 with sulpho - carbonate of potassa. The 

 efficacy of the salt appeared to be certain 

 when it was applied with water according to 

 the rules approved by the commission of 

 the Academy. Vines that were very much 

 weakened had been regenerated after such 

 treatment, became free from spots, and 

 bore fruit as they had done before they 

 were attacked. The importance of wa- 

 ter as the vehicle with which the remedy 

 should be applied was strongly insisted upon. 

 The sulpho-carbonate may be applied in all 

 weathers and in all seasons, even in the cold 

 months, without any danger to the vines ; up 

 to a certain dose (eighteen to twenty-five 

 ounces to the square yard), the remedial ef- 

 fects are in neai'ly a direct proportion to 

 the amount of the salt applied. At a sub- 

 sequent meeting of the same body, Decem- 

 ber 1st, M. Fremy disputed the value of the 

 sulphuret of carbon as a remedy for the 

 phylloxera, and asked several questions of 

 M. Thenard, who has recommended the ap- 

 plication of that substance, as follows : 1. 

 We know that sulphuret of carbon kills 

 the phylloxera, but it also kills the vines ; 

 can we find a certain way of securing the 

 former result while we avoid the latter ? 2. 

 Can sulphuret of carbon be easily and prac- 

 tically applied without affecting the health 

 of the vine-dressers ? 3. It is alleged that, 

 by sacrificing one third of the vines, we 

 can save the other two thirds ; is this true ? 

 4. Has the invasion of the phylloxera 



been arrested anywhere by the employment 

 of sulphuret of carbon? Even if we are 

 pointed to an apparent instance of the fact, 

 we shall have to accept it with reserve ; for 

 cases are known in which vines which have 

 not been treated still remain healthy in the 

 midst of contaminated vineyards. M. The- 

 nard failed to give a precise reply to the 

 questions, which indicate very clearly the 

 qualities that are required in a safe and 

 efficacious remedy for the disease. 



Parkes on Tobacco-Smoking.— We give 

 below a very interesting and instructive let- 

 ter written by the late Dr. Parkes, a short 

 time before his death, in reply to a request 

 for his views on the subject of tobacco- 

 smoking, and recently published in the 

 " Lancet " : 



My dear Dr. Pratt : I think my state 

 of mind as regards tobacco is very much 

 what yours seems to be. I have honestly 

 tried to collect evidence from moderate 

 smokers, both medical men and others, and, 

 when tolerance has been established, I have 

 never been able to make out any symptoms 

 which impHcd injury. In the case of many 

 medical men whom I have asked to study 

 their own condition, the answer has always 

 been the same — viz., they could see no 

 harm or disturbance of any function. Even 

 in some cases of enormous smokers — i. c., 

 men who rarely were without a pipe or cigar 

 — I could learn of no injury. On the other 

 hand, I have seen, like all of us, men com- 

 plaining of dyspepsia, nervousness, palpita- 

 tion, etc., and who were much better for leav- 

 ing off smoking ; in fact, in these cases there 

 could be no doubt of an injurious effect. 

 In boys of fourteen or fifteen who begin 

 to smoke, I think I have observed that tol- 

 erance is slowly attained, that appetite is 

 less, and I presume digestion and nutrition 

 less good, and that the complexion becomes 

 pasty and less florid and clear. There was 

 a striking case of this kind in the son of a 

 medical friend, who watched his son natu- 

 rally very carefully, and who told me that 

 the effect of the tobacco (a good deal was 

 smoked) was quite unmistakable. I per- 

 suaded the son to lessen his tobacco one 

 half, and his health certainly improved, but 

 he was then a young man. That some in- 

 jury, therefore, is sometimes produced, and 



