190 
POPULAR SCIEI^CE NEWS. 
[DrCEMBEK, 1S9O. 
ANOTHER "MAGNETIC" MAN. 
My attention has been called to the following 
account from a Lewiston (Maine) paper, dated Sep- 
tember 25, of a scientific phenomenon in which jour 
readers maj be interested : 
"The writer was entertained Friday evening hy a 
wonderful man, a resident of College street. The 
gentleman is a well-known citizen of most trust- 
worthy characler. After an evening's performance 
he feels exhausted in the morning. He can do 
nothing with the palms of his hands on the object, 
but must use the tips of his fingers onlj. He first 
began with a common table with swinging sides. 
Placing his fingers nearly in the center, he could 
cause either end to rise and remain suspended. It 
would rock, beat time to music, or turn a complete 
somersault. No part of his person touches the 
object but his finger-tips; and there are no secret 
wires, for we examined the table carefully. Next he 
let down the swinging sides, which are on hinges, 
and, by placing his finger-tips, could raise the leaf, 
and hold it in that position several minutes while 
we tried to pull it away from his fingers. Then we 
took a heavy braided rug, and folded it in four 
thicknesses, and placed it on the table. With this 
obstruction he easily lifted the table, and turned it 
completely over. A plate was put upon the table, 
and this proved no hinderance. Then a tin dish, 
inverted, was given to him, and still the table not 
only came up, but the tin dish stuck fast to the 
table. He lifted chairs and other objects while 
resting. Then the table was inverted ; and, placing 
his finger-tips upon the table-legs, the heavy table 
came up, and remained clearly suspended from the 
floor, with one foot of clear space beneath. 
"The v.riter then sat upon the' end of the table, 
which came up so suddenly as to throw him oif upon 
the floor. At last came a strong test. We seated 
ourselves in chairs afr opposite sides of the table, 
the writer grasped the table-legs with all his 
strength, and the gentleman stood clear of the 
table, and, placing only his fingers upon the smooth 
surface, drew the table so violently as to bring us 
down upon the floor in confusion. 
" Finally we grasped hands and tested our natural 
strength in pulling, and the writer was the stronger 
man; but, as the current came down in his arms, it 
went up into ours, feeling just the same as when we 
hold the handles of a battery. Then the strength 
of the gentleman was wonderful, throwing us around 
the room as one would handle a toy. The whole 
evening was filled with these performances. There 
is no possible chance for deception, and those who 
have seen this say that the only motive power which 
these objects receive comes directly from the finger- 
tips of this man. He can perform the same feats in 
any room, or with any soft-pine table, which may 
be placed in any position." — E. W. Hall, in Science. 
■ <♦» 
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. 
Letters of inquiry should enclose a two-cent 
stamp, as well as the name and address of the 
writer, which will not be published. 
Questions regarding the treatment of diseases 
cannot be answered in this column. 
R..H. B., Aew York. — What is the most recent 
theory in regard to the formation of hot springs.' 
Answer. — The further we go beneath the earth's 
surface the higher the temperature of the strata 
becomes. It is probable that at a comparatively 
short distance from the surface the whole interior 
of the_earth is in a molten condition. Hot springs 
are formed the same as any others, except that the 
water comes from a deptli where the temperature 
of the earth is high enough to heat it, in many 
cases, to the boiling-point, or, as in the geysers, 
even higher. 
W. W. C, California. — A machine moved by the 
radiant energy of the sun's heat or light would not 
be a true "perpetual motion," because the source 
of energy is not a perpetual one. There can be 
little doubt but that in the course of ages the sun, as 
well as all luminous celestial bodies, will become 
cold, dark, and dead like our moon at the present 
time. 
E. F. E., ifass. — An egg which has begun to 
decay will float in water. How can the develop- 
ment of gas inside the shell change its specific 
gravity } 
Answer. — As is readily shown by a microscope, 
an egg-shell is quite porous, and readily allows the 
water inside to evaporate into the air. As this 
water is replaced by the gases of decomposition, the 
change in the specific gravity of the egg is quite 
enough to make it lighter than water, and, con- 
sequently, to float. 
D. D. S. , Iowa. — You are wrong in supposing 
that the white clouds issuing from a steam-pipe are 
composed of steam. Steam is a perfectly invisible 
vapor, but when suddenly cooled it condenses into 
innumerable minute drops of water, forming the 
white substance which is popularly known as 
"steam," but which is really water, and identical 
with fogs and clouds. 
LITERARY NOTES. 
Come Forth, An historical novel by Elizabeth Stuart 
Phelps and Herbert D. Ward, authors of "The 
Master of the Magicians." i6mo. $1.25. 
" Come P'orth " is a story of the time of Christ. 
Lazarus is the hero, and other New Testament char- 
acters are introduced. The setting is true to the 
times, but the historic element is "Ribordinated to 
the movement of the story, which deals with 
Annas, the great high priest, the temple, the social 
relations of the Pharisees and Sadducees, the Sisters 
of Bethany, and the customs of Palestinian home 
life. While the authors introduce Christ into the 
story, they have not intruded thoughtlessly upon 
his august character, but have treated it with a 
reverence that will commend itself to Christian 
readers. 
A Popular Mineralogy and Geology, by Katherine 
E. ilogan. A. Lovell & Co., New York. 
This excellent little book is, as its title states, 
a popular treatise, written for those with no pre- 
vious knowledge of the subject. Although any 
such brief work upon so vast a subject must be 
more or less incomplete, it is scientifically correct, 
and excellently adapted to its purpose in every way. 
Sociology. Popular lectures and discussions before 
the Brooklyn Ethical Association. James H. 
West, publisher, 196 Summer Street, Boston. 
Price, $2.00. 
This work is a collection of essays on social ques- 
tions, with especial reference to their relations with 
the great principle of evolution and development. 
While many of the views advanced by the different 
writers are untenable and not to be accepted by 
anyone who has given thought to the subject, yet 
there are other essays of the highest scientific and 
philosophical value, and the whole work is an 
admirable compendium of the best modern thought 
upon these important subjects, from all points 
of view, expressed in a perfectly plain and popular 
style. We can heartily recommend the book to our 
readers. 
We have received from the American Book Com- 
pany, of New York, a copy of Lindsay's Satires 
of Juvenal, and The Aatural Speller and Word- 
book, both of which are excellent school text-books, 
and worthy of attention from teachers and school 
committees. 
We have also received the Report of the Interstate 
Commerce Commission for 1S89, with a request for 
criticism and suggestions. Inasmuch as the in- 
iquitous and unconstitutional interstate commerce 
law violates every precept of a sound political econ- 
omy, as well as all principles of common justice and 
honesty, and as its only effect has been to reduce 
several previously prosperous railroads to the verge 
of bankruptcy, the only "suggestion" that appears 
to be needed is one that we fear will never be carried 
out — its immediate and unconditional repeal. 
BQediciije aijcl Pljarnjacy. 
KOCH'S CONSUMPTION CURE. 
When, at the Berlin Medical Congress 
last summer, Doctor Koch made his pre- 
liminary announcement of a probable cine 
and preventive of consumption, it created at 
once a most profound sensation, due, how- 
ever, more to the high position he occupied 
in the medical w^orld than to any other cause. 
Innumerable "sure cures" for this terrible 
disease have been brought foiward, only to 
attract attention for a short time and then 
pass into oblivion. The confident and posi- 
tive statements of the discoverer of the tuber- 
cle bacillus are, however, worthy of the high- 
est and most respectful consideration, and al- 
though it would be impossible to express any 
opinion in regard to the value of the new 
remedy until its composition and method 
of action is announced, yet, miking all allow- 
ance for the sensational and untrustworthy 
dispatches sent from Berlin to the daily press, 
there seems to be a fair probability that some 
agent has been discovered which can destroy 
the tubercle bacilli present in the human 
body without destroying the life of the indi- 
vidual himself. 
There is nothing inherently impossible in 
the alleged remedy. Jenner's discovery of 
vaccination has practically rendered small- 
pox an unknown disease in communities 
where the practice is thoroughly carried out. 
Who gives a thought to the possibility of an 
attack of small-pox nowadays .'' And yet not 
many years ago its ravages were as greait as 
those of consumption, and no one could feel 
sure that he might not at any time be attacked 
by this disfiguring and dangerous disease. 
There is, however, a great difference be- 
tween an acute, self-limited disease like small- 
pox, and the general constitutiona' infection 
of phthisis. Granting thf.i: the tubercle 
bacilli are the cause and not the result of the 
disease, and that Koch's inoculation — if it is 
an inoculation— can destro}' them without 
injury to the patient, it remains to be proved 
whether this will result in the permanent 
arrest of the disease, even in its earliest stage. 
It would seem as if the conditions of suscep- 
tibility which led to the original attack of the 
disease must be removed or modified before 
a radical cure can be assured. It is 
hardly possible that in the later stages of 
consumption, with extensive destruction of 
lung tissue, even Koch himself would claim 
to be able to afford any permanent relief. 
Probably by the time this number of the 
PopVLAR Science News reaches its readers 
the looked-for announcement will have been 
made, and the medical profession given a 
chance to pass judgment upon the new rem- 
ed}'. It is to be regretted that such an air 
of quackery has been cast over the whole 
