780 Transactions of the American Institute. 



acids in mollusca. 

 M. Dumas, of Paris, affirms that M. de Luca has found in the 

 liquid contained in the living mollusea about three per cent of sul- 

 phuric acid {elasot). and that the same mollusea, plunged into water, 

 disengages a considerable quantity of carbonic acid. 



TUNNEL UNDER THE INDUS. 



The work of tunneling under this river at Attock, commenced 

 more than five years ago, and afteward abandoned, has been resumed. 

 The entire length of this railway tunnel will be 7,215 feet. Its 

 greatest depth below the entrance will be 182, and the distance 

 between the bed of the river and the roof of the tunnel twenty 

 feet. 



THALLIUM IN COLORADO. 



Mr. Z. W, Chase, while prospecting in Colorado during last 

 year, discovered, near Breckinridge, Summit county, a silver lode 

 bearing galena. He states that the vein is about six feet in width, 

 *ind that an average sample of the ore, analyzed by Dr. Charles T. 

 Jackson, contained a little over three per cent of the metal thallium. 



• ANOTHER CURE FOR CHOLERA. 



M. Poznanski has lately investigated the effects of prussic acid, 

 aidministered in minute doses, in cases of cholera and intermittent 

 fever, in which alteration and carbonization of the blood occur. 

 Experiments made on dogs and men prove that half a drop of 

 prussic acid, properly administered, is a remedy for the cholera. 



ICE IN DEEP MINES. 



The occurrence of ice in very deep mines in Northern Europe is 

 not unusual. In the Dannemora iron mine at Presburg, in Sweden, 

 in some places the ice is ninety feet thick. In drifts, columns of 

 ice are left in lieu of wood for supports. This fact, however, does 

 not contradict the well known law, which is that pits become 

 warmer in proportion to their depth. 



SUBSTITUTE FOR ^VNI3IAL CHARCOAL. 



Dr. Zicffler claims to have used with success a mixture of kaolin 

 or pure clay and carbon, in place of animal charcoal, for refining 

 sugar. The clay is made into a stiff paste with a solution of glue, 

 some fat, oil, resin, or even with coal tar. This is made into short 

 cylinders, about an inch in diameter, by means of wooden molds. 

 These are pressed until they are about half an inch long, perfectly 



