114 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol. X. No. 239 



For the estimation of fat in milk the Adam's method is recom- 

 mended, viz., absorption of the milk by bibulous paper, drying, and 

 extraction with ether. As alternate methods the procedure of Morse 

 and Piggot or the lactocrite may be used. In the method of Morse 

 the milk is dried by treatment with anhydrous sulphate of copper, 

 and the fat extracted with light petroleum. Afterwards it is esti- 

 mated volumetrically by saponification with standard alkali. In the 

 method by the lactocrite the fat is separated in a centrifugal machine, 

 revolving at the rate of 7,000 turns per minute, the milk being pre- 

 viously treated with an equal volume of a mixture of I part sulphuric 

 and 20 parts acetic acid. 



The method for analysis of fertilizers, with a few slight changes, 

 remains as last year. The most important contribution in this mat- 

 ter was from Prof. M. A. Scovel of Kentucky, who showed that 

 fertilizers containing nitrates could be treated by the Kjeldahl pro- 

 cess, if the sulphuric acid used in digestion contained a certain por- 

 tion of salycilic acid. By this means the total nitrogen existing in 

 the three forms can be determined by an extremely simple and 

 easy process. 



The meeting was largely attended and full of practical interest 

 from beginning to end. Two new committees, viz., one on fer- 

 mented liquors and the other on sugar analysis, were appointed. 



The following are the officers and committees for the coming 

 year : President, Dr. P. E. Chazal ; Vice-President, Dr. W. J. Gas- 

 coyne ; Secretary, Mr. Clifford Richardson ; Members of Executive 

 Committee, Dr. E. H. Jenkins, Prof. J. A. Myers ; Committees, on 

 phosphoric acid, W. J. Gascoyne, N. W. Lord, W. E. Moses ; on 

 nitrogen, M. A. Scovel, N. T. Lupton, Wm. McMurtrie ; on potash, 

 J. A. Myers, Wm. Frear, E. H. Jenkins ; on feeding-stuffs, G. C. 

 Caldwell, W. H. Jordan, Clifford Richardson ; on dairy products, 

 H. W. Wiley, S. M. Babcock, H. P. Armsby ; on fermented liquors, 

 W. B. Rising, C. A. Crampton, G. F. Fellows ; on sugar analysis, 

 W. C. Stubbs, N. T. Lupton, H. W. Wiley. 



ALASKA LETTER. 



It is strange that so little is known in the United States about 

 Alaska. It has been a possession of our government for twenty 

 years, and even now interest in it is only beginning to be developed. 

 Yet in it we have by far the most remarkable of all our territories. 

 Its area is not less than 600,000 square miles, or one-fifth of that of 

 the LTnited States proper. It is equal in extent to all the New Eng- 

 land states, all the middle states, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, the Vir- 

 ginias, the Carolinas, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Mississippi. Sitka 

 is as far from the parallel of the extreme western boundary of Alas- 

 ka as it is from the parallel of Eastport, Me. The present governor 

 of the territory estimates its population to be 35,261, including 

 whites, Creoles, and natives. Of this number, 10,600, including 

 3,100 whites, dwell in south-eastern Alaska, the part accessible to 

 tourists. 



The native race of south-eastern Alaska is the Thlinket. The 

 Thlinkets are far superior, intellectually and industrially, to the 

 North American Indian. They are variously said to be of Asiatic 

 and Aztec origin, but the majority of observers believe them to be 

 related to the Chinese. They are skilful workers in wood and 

 metals, shrewd traders, and very amenable to civilizing influences. 



The climate of south-eastern Alaska is any thing but Arctic. 

 The observations of Sergeant John J. McLean of the Signal Service 

 at Sitka, for the year ending Aug. 31, 1886, showed an average 

 temperature of 44°.8 F. The maximum was 72°, reached both in 

 July and August, and the minimum 4°, reached in January. The 

 rainfall is veiy heavy, often being more than 100 inches per annum. 



Alaska's resources are timber, mining, furs, and fisheries, but as 

 they are only just being measured, it is useless to quote figures con- 

 cerning them. 



The trip to Wrangell, Juneau, Sitka, and the great glaciers of 

 south-eastern Alaska is now easily and quickly made by frequent 

 steamers from the Puget Sound ports. During the summer season 

 there are weekly sailings, and the fastest steamer makes the round 

 trip from Tacoma, W.T., in eleven days. Travellers should pro- 

 vide themselves with warm clothing, for it will be needed -during 

 the entire trip. Rubber boots or overshoes, a rubber coat, and a 

 stout pair of walking-boots are desirable. The last-mentioned are 



necessary for climbing on the Davidson and Muir glaciers, and the 

 rubber articles are a protection against the wet weather. 



For maps of the coast, the British Coast Survey maps are to be 

 recommended, and the ' Coast Pilot ' is a most valuable aid in de- 

 termining the various peaks, glaciers, and channels. Though 

 numerous books on Alaska have been issued, no one of them is 

 satisfactory. Lieutenant Schwatka's book does not treat of south- 

 eastern Alaska, and those that profess to do so are superficial and 

 inexact. Hubert Howe Bancroft's ' History of Alaska ' is impor- 

 tant, but far from satisfactory. 



Adequate educational provision for the native and white children 

 has yet to made. The Thlinkets show great ability in industrial 

 work, and it is a source of great satisfaction to hear that an organ- 

 ized course of industrial training is to be put in operation in the 

 Sitka school at once. In the ' Circular of Information ' of the 

 Bureau of Education known as No. 2, 1882 will be found an inter- 

 esting paper on ' The Neglect of Education in Alaska.' B. N. 



Sitka, Alaska, Aug. i. 



HEALTH MATTERS. 



Against Bergeon's Treatment. — Dr. Townsend and Dr. 

 Hennessy report, in the Alba7iy Medical Annals, nine cases of 

 phthisis treated by gaseous enemata, after Bergeon's method. The 

 reporters say that these cases, though few in number and some- 

 what incomplete, are deemed worthy of publication, as showing 

 that this method of treatment seems as much of a failure in this 

 dreaded malady as are others equally highly advocated at the pres- 

 ent day. Besides these cases, four others have come under the 

 observation of the writers, in three of which they personally super- 

 intended the administration of the gaseous enemata, the fourth 

 being seen only once in consultation, but the records of which were 

 accurately kept by the attending physician. With reference to all 

 these cases, it is stated that after a fair trial of from two to four 

 weeks it was deemed expedient and proper that it be discontinued 

 for the two following reasons : first, it did no permanent — in- 

 deed it might almost safely be said not even transient — good ; 

 while, second, it was most disagreeable and annoying to the pa- 

 tients, who generally were the first to suggest, or even beg for, its 

 withdrawal. 



Chloroforming while Asleep. — In the August number of 

 the Nezv Orleans Medical and Surgical Journal is an editorial 

 comment on the subject of chloroforming persons while asleep. 

 The editor says that there are several points relating to the physio- 

 logical action of chloroform which have an important bearing on 

 the question. The condition of health and the age of the person 

 are matters to be considered in regard to the possibility of chloro- 

 forming people while asleep. To adults in perfect health chloro- 

 form is a decided cerebral stimulant, and it may be stated as a 

 rule, to which the exceptions are exceedingly rare, that healthy 

 adults cannot be chloroformed while asleep, unless their sleep has 

 been induced by exhaustion or hypnotic agents. Weakly adults 

 and children take chloroform with less resistance, as the stimulant 

 effect on the cerebrum is less in degree and shorter in duration. 

 Weakly adults and those acutely exhausted by disease or injury 

 may be chloroformed during sleep. Children may also be chloro- 

 formed while asleep, and especially if they are depressed on any 

 account. The editor recently demonstrated to several physicians 

 the ease with which chloroform could be administered to a sleep- 

 ing child when in a state of depression. The case was one of 

 cancer of the mesentery, in which the little patient had been ex- 

 hausted by pain and restlessness. The victims of chloroform at 

 the hands of burglars are usually at the time in good health. The 

 more improbable, then, is the story usually told of such burglaries. 

 Under all conditions anesthesia by chloroform can be accomplished 

 during sleep only by skilful administration. Overdosage at the 

 outset will certainly awaken the sleeper. The ability of burglars to 

 force the anassthesia of several persons sleeping in the same room 

 without raising an alarm is to be doubted. In regard to the im- 

 pression which prevails that burglars impregnate the air of an 

 apartment with chloroform vapor, so as to gradually anasthetize 

 all the sleepers at the same time, the editor says that the weight of 

 chloroform vapor and the readiness with which it descends make it 

 difficult to saturate the air of a sleeping apartment, especially one 



