798 



SCmNGE. 



[N. S. Vol. V. No. 125. 



the types have been subjected. Professor 

 Ripley undertakes its solution by an analy- 

 sis of each of the ethnic elements, such as 

 language, skull-form, complexion, hair, 

 stature, etc. Numerous maps, diagrams, 

 and photogravures put the reader at a 

 glance in possession of the relative localiza- 

 tion of these traits. The theories of their 

 origin and distribution, as advanced by the 

 principal students of the subject, are brought 

 forward and examined. The author evi- 

 dences both a thorough acquaintance with 

 the subject and a freedom from bias in 

 reaching his conclusions which cannot fail 

 to command for them the most careful at- 

 tention. 



ANOTHER INTERPRETER OF THE MAYAN 

 HIEROGLYPHS. 



It is a gloomy duty to chronicle the vic- 

 tims to the story of the Mayan hieroglyphs, 

 but a duty it is. 



One of the latest is Herr A. Eichhorn, of 

 Berlin. He has discovered that about 

 24,000 years ago the ancestors of the Mayas 

 dwelt on an island in a now dried-up lake 

 in Central Asia. They there developed a 

 science of astronomy, mathematics and 

 philosophy, which they embalmed in their 

 heraldric insignia, their hieroglyphs and in 

 the grammatic and etymologic construction 

 of their languages. On reaching Central 

 America, say about 12,000 B. C, they con- 

 tinued their relations with Europe until 

 1500 B. C, the Pelasgi and Leleges being 

 really Mayas. About the ninth century of 

 our era the Northmen visited Yucatan, and 

 brought from there the Gothic style of 

 architecture into Europe. Mayas, Nahuas 

 and Toltecs are, in fact, the same people 

 and speak the same secret language, as Mr. 

 Eichhorn proves by an analysis of many 

 words. Their common calendar system he 

 explains with ease. It is entirely theo- 

 sophic and symbolic. 



Does the reader wish more? Then let 



him buy Mr. Eichhorn's work, a handsome 

 quarto of 128 pages, entitled ' Naual, oder 

 die hohe Wissenschaft der architectonischen 

 und kunstlerischen Composition bei den 

 Maya-Volkern.' (Berlin, Max Spielmeyer.> 

 D. G. Brinton. 

 University of Pennsylvania. 



NOTES ON JNOBGANIC CHEMISTRY. 

 A STUDY of ozone from a technical stand- 

 point by E. Andreoli appears in the Journal 

 of the Society of Chemical Industry. Theoret- 

 ically, one should be able to produce a kilo- 

 of ozone per electric horse-power, but in 

 practice only ten or twelve grams are ob: 

 tained. By improvements in the apparatus 

 for producing ozone, the author increases 

 the production to thirty and even fifty 

 grams per horse-power, making the cost of 

 ozone about three shillings a kilo. Among 

 the improvements in the apparatus are pass- 

 ing the air directly between the electrodes, 

 thus avoiding two glass dielectrics ; a mini- 

 mum distance between the electrodes, made 

 possible by discarding the glass dielectrics ; 

 increase in surface (and number) of elec- 

 trodes ; use of electrodes covered with 

 numerous sharp points. The author pro- 

 poses a large number of technical applica- 

 tions of ozone, such as purification of drink- 

 ing water, cleansing of beer casks, prepara- 

 tion of wood for instruments and furniture, 

 bleaching of starch and dextrin, oxidation 

 of drying oils, purification of wine and 

 brandy, etc. It does not appear, however,, 

 that any of these proposed uses have been 

 tested practically and on a large scale. 



An investigation, by S. A. Andree, of the 

 amount of carbon dioxid in the atmosphere, 

 abstracted in the Chemisches Central- Blatt,. 

 shows but slightly varying quantities at 

 different elevations. Air collected on a 

 balloon ascent from the height of 1,000 to 

 3,000 meters contained 3.23 parts carbon 

 dioxid per 10,000 ; from 3,000 to 4,300' 



