298 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol. Vm., No. 191 



petriere. It is that of an hysterical woman, who, 

 in consequence of a left-sided hemiplegia, has been 

 in that establishment since 1862, and has remained 

 in bed ever since. This protracted sleep comes on 

 in January generally, sometimes also in July. 

 The patient sleeps for a week or two, or even 

 longer. In January last, Eudoxie Hilouin — such 

 is her name — slept fifty days; in July, only 

 eighteen days. Before falling into this sort of 

 trance, she is very much excited, shouts, and 

 thinks she sees animals of all sorts. During the 

 sleep, her breathing is irregular, alternately calm 

 and regular, then short and rapid. She is insensi- 

 ble to pain, and nothing can wake her. She eats, 

 however, what is given her, and repels substances 

 the taste of which is unpleasant to her. She is 

 fed with liquids most of the time. She is very fat. 

 She weighed 380 pounds (160 kilograms) sometime 

 ago, but her weight falls off during the sleeping 

 periods. Before awaking, nervous trembling is 

 perceptible, and she laughs immoderately. She 

 hears during her sleep, as has been shown by a 

 physician who has succeeded in getting her to do 

 various things, in the usual manner. 



An often and periodically debated question, 

 which is always arising, like the fabulous Phoenix, 

 is that of Paris, port de mer (Paris, a marine 

 port). Its solution is not impossible, and some 

 day next century may see the big steamers of the 

 White Star, or Cunard, or some other line, steam 

 from New York directly into the middle of Paris. 

 However, at present the question is not much ad- 

 vanced, since it rests only on the material feasi- 

 biUty of the canal from the Atlantic to Paris, as 

 it did in the times of Sully and Vauban, who had 

 given much consideration to the matter. The pro- 

 jects are numerous. The tirst, that of Passement 

 and Billard, in 1760, consisted in increasing the 

 depth of the Seine. In 1790 the Marquis of Crecy 

 proposed a canal going from Paris to Dieppe ; but 

 this plan was not a good one, owing to the porous 

 nature of the layers of the soil. In 1860, M. 

 Lebreton prt)posed a canal one hundred and sixty 

 kilometres long, eighty metres wide, and ten 

 metres deep ; but the cost would have been enor- 

 mous. In 1869, M. Dumont proposed a plan simi- 

 lar to that of the Marquis of Crecy, in which water 

 had to be brought from two rivers, and in which 

 numerous locks were established. Many other 

 plans have been proposed ; but the best of all is 

 yet of little use, on account of the expense : it 

 seems to be that of M. Lebreton, as it does not 

 require locks, and there can be no trouble about 

 the water, which will be that of the Channel. 

 Some day or other it may succeed, however, when 

 progress in the mechanic arts shaU have lessened 

 the expense. 



Dr. Tanner has found in Italy a competitor,^ 

 Succi by name, who has undertaken a thirty-days' 

 fast. He began the experiment on the 17th of 

 August, and the trial will soon be over. The ex- 

 periment seems to have been conducted in good 

 faith. A committee of physicians has been ap- 

 pointed to witness the experiment from beginning: 

 to end, and the patient has a constant body-guard,, 

 relieved twice a night and six times per day, of 

 persons who keep vigilant watch over him, to pre- 

 vent all fraud. Succi pretends to be able to fast 

 the thirty days, if he is only allowed to drink some 

 water, and some drugs which he has prepared 

 from African plants, — a composition which he 

 keeps a secret as yet. He requires also some tartar- 

 emetic, olive-oil, and anisated water. The first 

 day of the fast he drank some of his drug, and re- 

 mained in bed, because during the first week he 

 is generally a little indisposed, and requires rest. 

 The ninth day he took a drive, and then a ride, 

 for an hour, without feeling the slightest discom- 

 fort. The loss of weight was only five kilograms j 

 muscular energy was unabated, as well as agility. 

 The 1st of September the condition of the patient 

 was very good. He went to a bathing establish- 

 ment, and swam three-quarters of an hour with- 

 out any fatigue. He went home on foot. The 

 next day he ran for more than half an hour, at 

 gymnastic pace. His muscular energy was in very 

 good order. Succi is a man forty-five years old, 

 who has travelled a good deal in Africa, and has 

 been thouglit mad for a time : in fact, he has beeu 

 shut up in a mad-house in Rome. The herbs from 

 which his liquors are extracted grow in Africa, 

 but ai"e also found in Italy. 



Among recent publications, space allows only no- 

 tice for two. One of them is a little book published 

 by Professor Forel of Lausanne, concerning the 

 Lake of Geneva ; Lake Leman, as all the inhabit- 

 ants of Canton de Vaud call it, having some antipa- 

 thy to the name of Geneva and to the inhabitants, 

 of the town. This book is a very interesting one,, 

 and it could be used as a model for similar works. 

 Forel gives details concerning the situation, form, 

 altitude, depth, dimensions, and affluents of the 

 lake ; the currents therein ; the waves and winds ;. 

 the chemical analysis of the water, its color, tem- 

 perature, and singular barometric oscillations (the 

 seiches), etc. A good part of the book is devoted 

 to the fauna and flora, and to the prehistoric re- 

 mains that have been found on its borders. Of 

 course, the facts contained in this book are espe- 

 cially interesting to inhabitants who live in the 

 vicinity of the lake. The plan is a very good one, 

 and may be of use to persons engaged in similar 

 pursuits, concerning some other lake or large body 

 of water. 



