June 22, 1888.] 



SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



583 



Specific Gravity of the Earth. — The mean value 

 now acceptsd (Journal du Ciel), is 5 "56, a figure differ- 

 ing very little from that found by a number of experi- 

 mentalists. 



Specific Character of Poisons. — The fungus Miicor 

 impcrceptibilis flourishes in arsenical solutions, as does 

 also a species closely allied to Lcplomitus. The mould 

 Aspergillus niger perishes in water containing tufs'sw of 

 nitrate of silver, but it cannot live unless zinc is present 

 to the extent of at least one fifty-thousandth. 



Peat as Fuel. — The peat of the North of England, 

 Scotland, and especially that of Ireland, is free from 

 sulphur, and hence, if dried and compressed, will prove 

 an excellent fuel for iron-smelting, etc. The peat of 

 Berkshire and Hants, on the contrary, is full of minute 

 particles of iron pyrites, which render it quite unfit for 

 fuel. 



The Compounds of Ruthenium.— M.M. Debray and 

 Joly describe, in the Complcs Reiidiis, the rutheniates 

 and the heptarutheniates, which correspond in their com- 

 position respectively to the manganates and the perman- 

 ganates. Nevertheless there is no true isomorphism 

 between the compounds of ruthenium and those of 

 manganese. 



Discovery of Gold in France. — M. Mingaud, the 

 geologist, whose researches in the Department of the 

 Gard have proved of so much advantage to that district, 

 has just discovered a vein of gold on white quartz in the 

 Cevennes. He has duly informed the local Mayor, the 

 Prefect, and the Minister of Public Works of the fact, 

 and has presented some specimens to these functionaries 

 as testimony of his latest success. 



Waterspout in Yorkshire. — Another destructive 

 waterspout is reported from East Yorkshire, considerable 

 damage being done to a field in the occupation ot Mr. 

 Farthing, of Towthorpe, where it descended. As in the 

 case of the Langtoft waterspout it denuded the field of 

 soil and spoilt the crop of roots. The ponds were filled 

 up with solid earth, a fence was uprooted, and other 

 mischief done. The area of destruction was, however, 

 more limited in this instance. 



Tobacco Juice in Agriculture. — According to Cosmos 

 the juice produced on steeping and macerating tobacco at 

 the State manufactories is successfully used for destroying 

 aphides, red-spider, and other in'^ects injurious to vegeta- 

 tion. The juice is let down with water to about i deg. 

 Tw., and applied to the plants in the evening. The next 

 morning they are drenched with pure water. For fumi- 

 gating hot-houses, etc., the undiluted juice is poured 

 upon hot bricks and iron plates. 



Curious Poisoning Case. — The Scmaine Medicale and 

 Cosmos report a case of poisoning which extended to a 

 considerable number of persons at Hyeres, above 350. 

 It was at first supposed to be an epidemic, and received 



the name of infectious influenza. At last it was found 

 that the sole cause was the wine supplied from a certain 

 establishment, which, on analysis, was found to contain 

 a notable amount of arsenic. We can scarcely suspect 

 criminal intention, but there must have occurred lament- 

 able carelessness. 



Origin of the Aurora Borealis. — M. Luvini 

 (Contptes Rcndus) maintains that the friction of the 

 particles of water and of ice, and, incidentally, of other 

 substances, carried into the upper regions of the air by 

 atmospheric movements is the source of the electricity of 

 the air, of storms, and of the aurora. The discharges of 

 this electricity take place in the same manner in auroras 

 and in storms, the sole difference being the degree of 

 intensity. The light of the aurora originates in such 

 discharges in rarefied air. 



Psycho-Physiological Action of Light. — A Dr. 

 Cook, speaking on the effects of light upon living beings, 

 stated that if a melancholy madman is placed in a 

 room to which only red light is admitted, he becomes 

 furious, whilst if a patient suffering from the raging 

 type of insanity is kept in violet light, his affection is 

 toned down to melancholy. This reminds us of the 

 proposal of General Pleasanton, some years ago, who 

 thought that both plants and animals could be rendered 

 more healthy and vigorous by a sojourn in blue light. 



Determination of the Electromotive Action of the 

 Heart. — M. A. D. Waller (Comptcs Rcndus) finds that 

 the electric variation which precedes and accompanies 

 the ventricular systole may be demonstrated both in 

 man and in the lower mammalia by means of Lipp- 

 mann's capillary electrometer. This variation has two 

 phases comprising : (i) A first stage at the beginning of 

 the contraction, showing a negative condition at the 

 point, that is to say an exciting change arising in this 

 portion of the heart ; (2) a second stage towards the 

 end of the contraction of the ventricle, showing a negative 

 condition of the base, that is an exciting change termi- 

 nating in this part. 



Fossil Grove at Whiteinch, near Glasgow. — Accord- 

 ing to the North British Mail, a most interesting geological 

 discovery has been made at Whiteinch, in an old quarry 

 now in course of conversion into a public park. The 

 workmen have come upon no fewer than nine fossil 

 trees, perfectly rooted and with erect stems. The stumps 

 vary in circumference from 5 ft. 3 ins. to 11 ft. 4 ins. 

 They vary in height from i ft. to 3 ft., and all have been 

 broken off where the schist ends and the sand stone 

 begins. Another tree, lying horizontally, is about 4 ft. 

 in diameter. Whether they are Sigillariw or Lepido- 

 dendrons seems undecided. It is concluded that they 

 must have been covered with 3,000 ft. of strata, which 

 was then reduced to a few feet by denudation. Millions 

 of years must have sped over since these trees grew in a 

 world as yet devoid not merely of animal life, but of the 

 higher plant-forms. 



National Fish Culture. — Further presentations of 

 trout fry have been made this year by the council of the 

 National Fish Culture Association to the rivers Lea and 

 Colne, and also to the public waters of Maidstone, 



