10 



formed upon Professor Fleischl, of Vienna. His right hand, which 

 was poisoned 16 years ago, and which from successive operations 

 had lost the use of two fingers, has had transplanted into it "as 

 long a piece as possible of the sciatic nerve of a dead but still warm 

 rabbit," and it is affirmed that the result is most satisfactory. 



An interesting demonstration of the power of the retina to absorb 

 light has been made by directing the eye for some time on a bright 

 light, and then turning the eye to a camera, when an accurate 

 photograph of the object gazed at was obtained. The phosphore- 

 sent gleam of a cat's eye in the dark is probably due to the same 

 cause, i.e., the light absorbed and stored up in the retina. 



A valuable anaesthetic is likely to be obtained from the ancient 

 mandrake, the " mandragora " of Shakespeare. Dr. Richardson 

 procured with some difficulty a root, from which he prepared 

 a wine according to the old recipe. The effects were so potent 

 that his lips to which he touched it, retained insensibility for an 

 hour after. If the alkaloid or active principle were separated, it 

 would doubtless prove a valuable anaesthetic from the long duration 

 it causes of local insensibility. 



From time to time we hear of the establishment of the new lan- 

 guage of " Volapuk." which from its having the merit of beiiDg a 

 phonetic language is destined (so we are told) to become the 

 universal tongue. If, however, a thorough spelling reform sucli as 

 Ellis's or Melville Bell's, could be made in our own language, there 

 is no doubt that English would in time become the medium of com- 

 munication between all nations. 



Among the scientific discoveries of the future, none will be a 

 greater boon to mankind than the proper ventilation of the crowded 

 alleys and courts of our great cities. A plan has been suggested 

 by that " veteran guardian of the public health," Sir Edwin Chad- 

 wick, to erect in densely populated parts huge towers which should 

 bring down a continuous stream of pure air into the noxious atmos- 

 phere of our streets and alleys. Whether this plan will ever be 

 carried out, or whether it will share the fate of a former scheme of 

 the "veteran knight " remains to be proved. I allude to his idea 

 some years ago of inventing a hygienic hat, as a substitute for the 

 regulation " tall hat " and which " should combine the comfort of 

 a night cap with the functions of an umbrella." 



Undoubtedly the most interesting and even sensational event has 

 been Mr. Norman Lockyer's bold and ingenious theory of th e con- 

 stitution of the Heavenly Bodies, a theory which, if finally accepted, 

 must profoundly modify our views of the structure and evolution of 

 the Universe Briefly stated his theory is that " All self-luminous 

 bodies in the celestial spaces are composed of meteorites or masses 

 of vapour produced by heat brought about by condensation of 



