724 Transactions of the American Institute. 



gas, as it escapes, meets the points of a Rhumkoiff coil, and is 

 ignited bj the spark. The result is not a sudden explosion, but a 

 succession of lighted bubbles, which continue their course within 

 the bell-glass, describing a series of curves. The effect is most 

 brilliant when the experiment is performed in the dark, the small 

 flames then darting about and crossing each other's track in all 

 directions, give the appearance of a bell-glass filled with fire-flies. 



BLACK CURRANT LEAVES. 



The Jowmal des Connaissances Medicales contains an article on 

 the virtues of the leaves of the black currant {I'ibes nigruni). These 

 leaves, when green, are much used by country people for tea, iu 

 cases of difficult digestion. With sugar, this bevarage is agreeable, 

 aromatic, and possessed of exciting properties. Mr. Blucher has 

 distilled these leaves in the same way as those of peppermint, balm, 

 &c., the operation being stopped Avhen the- liquid obtained is equal 

 in weight to the substance employed. The leaves should be 

 handled as little as possible, in order not to crush their odoriferous 

 glands. This medicated water is a good vehicle for all stomachic 

 potions, and will keep without change for two years. 



ANTHROPHOTOSCOPE. 



This name has been given by Messrs. Rowell & Mills, of San 

 Francisco, to their invention for mounting photograj)hs. The new 

 device consists in carefully divesting the likenesses of all tho«e por- 

 tions of card, paper, or other opaque substance representing the 

 background, and not essential to the image which it is desired to 

 preserve, and substituting therefor a background landscape on 

 another plane, diverging upward from the plane to the likeness, 

 and intersecting the latter at the feet. The effect of this arrange- 

 ment is, that when viewed with both eyes through a magnifying 

 lens, the receding landscape, the approaching foreground, and the 

 doul)le image, corresponding to the view of natural objects, are 

 obtained, consequently giving a most vivid impression of life. By 

 means of gearing, the figures may be collected in groups, or the 

 scenery of the background may be varied at the pleasure of the 

 beholder. 



FLUORINE. 



Many attempts have been formerly made to obtain this highly 

 electro-negative element in a separate state, but without success. 

 M. Prat now avers that he has isolated fluorine by heating fluoride 

 of lead either with nitrate of potash or binoxido of manganese. 



