376 



Bunmth. — Eeports leach iis oi" the discovery oi" a vcrypiomisiug miue 

 of tbis metal in Utah, at a place called Beaver, about two liimdred miles 

 south of Salt Lake City. If these reports prove true, the discovery may 

 be regarded as oue of great importauce to the arts. Bismuth has here 

 tofore been ranked among the rare metals, and its use has been limited 

 on this account. A single mine, at S(;hueeburg, in Saxony, furnishes the 

 greater part of the bismuth used in the arts, and this miue is said to be 

 nearly exhausted. Bismuth, in limited quantities, is found in a few other 

 localities in the Erzgebirge range of mountains ; it also occurs, associa- 

 ted with other metals, at Cornwall and Cumberland, England; at Monroe, 

 Connecticut, and at Brewer's mine, in Chesterfield District, South Caro- 

 lina. If the Utah mine shall pro\'e as rich as present reports indicate, 

 bismuth will be introduced into many processes in the arts where cheaper 

 substitutes have been used heretofore. Bismuth is a hard, brittle metal, 

 of a reddish-white color. It fuses at 507° F., and on cooling expands 

 more than any other mekil. An alloy of two parts of bismuth, one of 

 lead and one of tin molts at the boiling-point of water. In the mines of 

 Saxony it is found in the form of native metal. 



Millc. — Professor Law, of Cornell University, publishes in the Lens 

 some interesting observations on living organisms in milk. Two speci- 

 mens were placed under the microscope after twelve hours' exposiu'c. 

 The appearance exhibited is described as "an abnormal adhesiveness 

 of the oil globules, which had accumulated in dense masses instead of 

 remaining apart, as in healthy milk. • Intermixed with the globules were 

 dark-colored spherical bodies of a much larger size, spores, and filaments. 

 On examination of the water drunk by the cows, it was found to contain 

 numerous spores of low forms^of vegetable life. The cows yielding the 

 morbid milk appeared in health so far ^is appetite, rumination, pulse, 

 breathing, and state of skin were concerned, but the temperature was 

 higher than usual, and, on microscopial examination of the blood, it was 

 found to contain certain ovoid bodies of at least double the size of the 

 ordinary blood- globules. Upon withholding the water, ih& impurity of 

 the milk at once disappeared. The chain of evidence now appeared 

 complete. The water contained vegetable spores which developed into 

 a luxuriant growth of mycelium when the milk was allowed to stand." 

 The plain inference from all this is the great importauce of furnishing 

 cattle pure water to drink, if we expect healthy milk from them. 



Eucalyptus globulus. — This Australian plant, or rather tree, known by 

 the common name of Blue Gum, has been introduced into some of the 

 Southern States and appears to be well adapted to the climate. The 

 whole plant— leaves, bark, wood, and root — is pervaded by a peculiar 

 aromatic, bitter principle, and a pungent volatile oil has been distilled 

 from the leaves. To this oil the name of " eucalyptol" has been given. The 

 leaves and bark of this tree have attained ahigh reputation among the 

 natives of Australia for the cure of malarious diseases. Lately wo 

 observe that Doctor Coleman, resident physician at the United States 

 marine hospital at San Francisco, Cahfornia, has used it in the treatment 

 of fevers with marked success. He administered it in th« form of a fluid 

 extract, prepared by his directions. Coming from this source, the state- 

 ment may bje regarded as altogether reliable. Dr. Coleman treated five 

 cases of remittant fever, nineteen of chills and fever, and nine of typhoid 

 fever with the fluid extract of eucalyptus and reports satisfactory 

 results in every case. He treated a number of other diseases with this 

 remedy, where it appeared to be indicated, and the result was various, 

 curing many cases and improving most. The active principle is said to 



