30 



POPULAR SCIENCE ITEWS. 



[Febroaky, 1888. 



rarely be offensive; but in some cases the trouble is 

 very difficult to remedy, and may depend upon ob- 

 scure causes, which a physician alone could detect. 



N. P. K., Philadelphia. — Why do we never see but 

 one side of the moon ? 



Ansxoei: — The moon revolves on its axis in the same 

 time that it completes its journey round the earth, and 

 therefore always presents the same side towards us. 

 There are slight variations in these motions; called 

 librations, by which \te are enabled to see a little more 

 than a single hemisphere of our satellite. 



I. N. B., Virginia. — When brown sugar has caked 

 in the barrel, and is cul with a hatchet, I have some- 

 times observed a phosphorescent glow. What is the 

 cause? Does it come from the phosphorus in the 

 bone-black used in refining itV 



Answer. — The phosphorescence is an inherent quality 

 of sugar, and is not due to the bone-black. The actual 

 cause of it is unknown. The same phenomenon can 

 be observed by any one by breaking, in the dark, the 

 large sugar lozenges sold by confectioners and drug- 

 gists. 



E. J. H. — At the latest accounts two hundred and 

 seventy-one asteroids had been discovered; but new 

 ones are constantly found, and the number of these 

 little plauets seems to be indefinitely large. 



LITERARY NOTES. 



A Practical Treatise on Animal and Vei/etable fats and 

 Oils. By William T.Brannt. Philadelphia: Henry 

 Carey liaird & Co. 244 engravings. 1 vol. 8vo, 

 739 pages. Price .S7.50. 



This woi-k is the first treatise of the kind in our lit- 

 erature which does any thing more than dip here and 

 there into this highly and widely important subject. 

 The great work of Dr. Karl Scbaedler, upon which it 

 is largely based, is well known to technologists and 

 other chemists as the most complete and reliable book 

 on fixed oils, animal, vegetable, and mineral, pub- 

 lished in Europe; but Mr. Brannt, the accomplished 

 American editor, has added largely to the work of Dr. 

 Schaedler, especially in the departments of volatile 

 oils and lubricants. The matter of Mr. Brannt has 

 been collected from widely extended sources, and 

 treats very thoroughly those oils which are peculiarly 

 American", whether fixed or volatile, more especially 

 cotton-seed, lard, peppermint, sassafras, bin'h, etc. 

 We would advise our readers that the publishers have 

 adopted a system of issuing with each of their new 

 and important publications a circular giving the full 

 table of contents and specimens of the illustrations. 

 Such a ciicular of this book <-an be had on application 

 to the publishers. 



• — • — 



The Asteroids, or Minor Planets. By Daniel Kirkwood, 

 iiL.D. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia. 

 Price 75 cents. 



This interesting little book gives a complete history 

 of the numerous asteroids between Mars and Jupiter, 

 with a complete list of those discovered np to the date 

 of publication, their elements and orbits, and a discus- 

 sion of the various theories concerning their origin and 

 their relation to the otlier members of the solar sys- 

 tem. It is well worth perusal by every one interested 

 in astronomy. 



— • — 



A Popular Mineraloyy and Geology. By Katherine E. 



Hogan. A. Lovell & Co., New York, publishers. 



Price.50 cents. 



This little work gives a great deal of interesting in- 

 formation about the subjects of which it treats, and 

 is largely compiled from the leading authorities of 

 America and Europe. It is especially adapted for the 

 use of those having no previous knowledge of the 

 sciences, as it is written in an exceediugly clear and 

 popular style. 



— • — 



The director of the United States Geological Survey 

 at Washington has issued the volume for 1886 of the 

 Mineral Resources of the United mates, which contains a 

 large amount of valuable information and statistics 

 regarding the raining and metallurgical industries of 

 the country. He will send a copy to any address on 

 receipt of a flfty-cent postal note. 



We are indebted to the Pope Manufacturing Com- 

 pany of Boston, Mass., for a novel and convenient 

 business calendar for 1888. It is so arranged that 

 memoranda can be made on the dated slips for any 

 future time, and readily turned to. 



Pamphlets, etc., received: On a Collection of Birds' 

 Sterna and Skulls collected by Dr. 'Ihonxas a. Street, by 

 br. R. W. Shnfeldt, U.S. A ; Octonary '■ ximeration , 

 and its Application to a System, of Weights and Measures. 

 by Alfred B. Taylor, AM. ; Progresxine Muscular 

 Atrophy, lyeginiiinr/ in the Ler/s ; and a Report on 

 Progress in Medicine, by J. B. Marvin. M.D. 



iHeHtttne anU Pliarmatp. 



THE ANTAGONISMS OF COCAINE. 



Cocaine continues to attract much attention 

 in medical circles, and many new facts con- 

 cerning it are being discovered and reported. 

 According to recent German investigations, 

 the drug has "a stimulating effect on the psy- 

 chic and motor nerve-centres, increases the 

 rapidity of breathing, quickens the heart's 

 action, and promotes chemical change going 

 on in the tissues." From its action on the 

 nerve-centres, it is declared to be " the best 

 of known stimulants." In this respect it is 

 in marked antagonism to chloral, which "de- 

 presses the functional activity of these cen- 

 tres." If an animal has been narcotized by 

 a dose of chloral that would otherwise prove 

 fatal, it can be roused and saved by the in- 

 jection of a small dose of cocaine. 



In regard to temperature, however, this 

 antagonistic action fails. It is well known 

 that chloral tends to lower the animal tem- 

 perature, while, on the other hand, cocaine 

 tends to raise it. In some instances a rise of 

 4° C. in the course of half an hour has been 

 observed ; but, after poisoning by chloral, this 

 effect of cocaine is not produced. In all other 

 respects the antagonism of the two agents is 

 complete, dangerous!}' large doses of chloral 

 proving harmless after the administration of 

 small doses of cocaine. It is suggested, how- 

 ever, that as the first effect of cocaine, notwith- 

 standing its subsequent action as a stimulant. 

 is to depress the respiratory function, it is 

 advisable, in cases of chloral-poisoning, to in- 

 duce artificial respiration for a short time after 

 administering the cocaine. 



Cocaine is also antagonistic to chloroform 

 and ether, and the inhalation of either of 

 these agents will allay the convulsions due to 

 poisonous doses of cocaine. The severer 

 symptoms having been thus alla3ed, chloral 

 maj- be afterwards given to keep up the effect. 

 On the other hand, cocaine maj- be used as 

 an antidote in cases of poisoning by narcotic 

 .igents, especiallj" such as cause great depres- 

 sion of the respiratory and cardiac centres. 



It may be added, that cocaine is found to 

 be a perfect substitute for strychnine, as it has 

 all the therapeutic activity of that drug, with- 

 out any of its poisonous qualities. 



[Original in Popular Science J^ews.] 



SANITARY SCIENCE AND DOMESTIC 



ARCHITECTURE. 



BY .JOHN CROWELL, M.D. 

 IV. 



Nearly every well-appointed dwelling has a 

 room called the library, and it is quite apt to be 

 located in some obscure and dark corner or angle 

 of the house, shut out from the light and air of 

 street or courtyard. Many city libraries are so 

 dark that it is difficult to read or write on a cloudy 

 day without the aid of artificial light. To people 

 of literary tastes the library is an important room. 

 It is a convenient place for quiet work, and even 

 Ihe busine.ssman loves to seek its restful seclusion 

 after the .strain of the day's duties in the counting- 

 room or on the exchange. The room, therefore, 



should be light, cheerful, and unique in all its 

 appointments. The furniture and finish should 

 not be too sombre and heavy, and the uses of the 

 apartment should be suggested in every adornment 

 and fixture. The bookcases should be made to 

 hold books rather than to display the caprices of 

 antique ornamentation and carving, and they 

 should be so constructed that the books can be 

 reached without stooping too low or reaching too 

 high. There should be a substantial table for 

 study and writing, cabinets for large folios, easily 

 adjusted portfolios for the display of pictures, and 

 just enough of bronze, marble, and paintings to 

 suggest the uses and refinements of the room. 

 Too often the modern library has too much of the 

 bizarre in its appearance, with a lack of elegant 

 adornment and quiet repose, always indicative of a 

 cultivated taste and scholarly habits. Library pic- 

 tures should deal in domestic scenes for their sub- 

 jects ; hence the fine interiors as shown on the 

 canvasses of Gerard Dow, Mieris, Houghton, Faed, 

 or Millais, are in place, as well as historical and alle- 

 gorical scenes, with a sprinkling of the reproduc- 

 tions of the mediaeval masters, as seen in some of 

 the copies of old frescoes. A cold, damp," stuffy " 

 library is an incongruity not to be tolerated. If 

 you are in the country, let this room look out upon 

 the broad lawn, with a boundless view of field and 

 sky from the great bow window. The study of 

 Charles Dickens at Gad's Hill was full of sunshine, 

 and his writing-table stood in the unobstructed 

 glow of the window opening upon the lawn. If a 

 man possesses literary tastes, he will soon give to 

 his library a certain kind of individuality that is 

 its chief charra. 



Great care should be taken, in planting shade- 

 trees, not to place them too near the house, es- 

 pecially in a Northern climate. Oftentimes the 

 dwelling is made damp, and even mouldy, by tlie 

 obstruction of light and air from the dense foliage 

 of the large shade-trees. There should be open 

 spaces, and great vistas of scenery among the 

 groves ; and the sunshine sliould be allowed to 

 penetrate the rooms, even in the hottest days. 

 How often, when entering the house of some rural 

 neighbor, do we feel the damp chill, and smell the 

 earth-mould, in the dark, cheerless parlors or li- 

 brary! Closets are rendered unfit for clothing, and 

 beds are pervaded with a clammy odor that makes 

 them dangerous for occupancy. Therefore cut 

 down all trees tluit are superfluous, and severely 

 prune the rest, and let the house glow in the light 

 and warmth of the day. One of the common nui- 

 sances of large estates is the proximity of the 

 stable to the house. Quite often, for convenience' 

 sake, the stable is connected with the house by a 

 covered way, making a sure communication of 

 stable odors to hall and chamber. This odor is in- 

 evitable; and no matter how great may be your 

 precautions, you will surely encounter it when en- 

 tering the house. Anotlier objection to having the 

 stables near the house is the noise made by the 

 horses, especially in warm nights. If the grounds 

 will permit, stables should be located at least fifty 

 feet from the dwelling. There should be no place 

 in back-yard, area, or open space, for the accu- 

 mulation of any kind of filth or rubbish, for the 

 air that feeds your furnace-flues comes from these 

 spaces, and nothing foul nor unclean should ever 

 pollute the vital current. A concreted area is tlie 

 safest protection against dampness and disagreeable 

 odors. The air of the house will be the same as 

 the air of your surroundings, hence the necessity 

 of having purity about your own premises. Great 

 care should be taken in piping a hou.se for gas. 

 The joints should be secure, and fixtures should be 

 of simple patterns, with few joints, especially 

 in sleeping-rooms. A leaky gas-pipe in a con- 



