Nov. 2, 1888.] 



SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



455 



QSmtml MoU$. 



The Alleged Mongolian Affinities of the American 

 Race. — Dr. D. G. Bienton (Science) ably, and as we 

 we think convincingly, combats the theory that the 

 aborigines of the Western Continent are of Mongolian 

 origin. 



Boring for Water in Queensland. — We learn that 

 the Government has accepted the tenders of Messrs. 

 Jessop and Haig for boring for water to a depth of 

 10,000 ft. in the Central district, and 7,500 ft. in the 

 Southern district. 



The Decomposability of the Benzol Nucleus in the 

 Animal System. — Dr. N. Juvalta has solved this in- 

 teresting physiological question in the affirmative. From 

 very careful experiments, he found that the benzol- 

 nucleus, as contained in phthalic acid, is destroyed in the 

 digestive organs of dogs. 



Sanitary Neglect. — Dr. Parkinson (Royal Society of 

 Tasmania) complains that at Hobart the foul water from 

 a stagnant pool is allowed to pollute the general town 

 supply ; that filth is left lying exposed to an almost 

 tropical sun and house slops trickling all day along slimy 

 channels in front of the very doors. 



The Origin of Cannibalism. — This custom, widely 

 diffused in ancient times, and still existent, notwithstanding 

 the assertion of Waterton, is ascribed by a writer in 

 Cosmos to the " necessity of sacrifice." But as the same 

 custom may be traced in many animals, mammalia, 

 birds, fishes, insects, and spiders, this view cannot be 

 accepted. 



East African Exploration. — Count Teleki, with 

 Lieutenant Hohnel, have arrived at Zanzibar, Oct- 28th, 

 and report the discovery of a lake named Basson-Aros 

 due north of L. Baringo. This lake, which is filled by 

 two rivers flowing into its north end from the west 

 and north, extends from 2 degs. to 5 degs. north west 

 of L. Samburu. 



Alleged Cure for Yellow Fever. — According to 

 the Electrical Engineer, the actinic rays of a powerful arc 

 lamp constitute an effectual remedy for the yellow fever. 

 Cosmos admits that solar light is deadly to some bacilli, 

 but questions if such can be the case with the germs of 

 yellow fever, which evidently live and increase in 

 brilliant sunshine. 



New Minor Planet. — Dr. Palisa, of Vienna, an- 

 nounces the discovery of the 279th minor planet at 

 7 p.m. on the 25th ult. The position at the above 

 time was — Right Ascension, h. 53 mins. 36 sees. ; 

 North Polar Distance, 87 degs. 5 mins. 2 sees.; moving 

 southwards. The planet is about equal in brightness to 

 a 13th magnitude star. 



Yellow Fever. — Surgeon-Major Riordan (Medical 

 Press) remarks that yellow fever, though it has re- 

 peatedly visited Europe and Africa, has never penetrated 

 into Asia or Australia. It differs from cholera in being 

 confined to warm countries, and in the fact that a person 

 who has survived one attack generally enjoys immunity 

 for the rest of his life. 



The Exploration of Greenland. — If Dr. Nansen and 

 his daring companions have effected their purpose they 

 will have left the Bay of Disco on September 16th, in a 

 sailing-vessel, which was to wait for them to that date, 

 and which may be expected in Copenhagen shortly. 

 If they have not reached Disco by that time we shall 

 not learn their fate before next summer. 



International Geographical Congress. — The Paris 

 Geographical Society proposes that such a congress 

 should meet in Paris in 1889. Seven sections are pro- 

 posed : 1. Geodesy, hydrography, topography ; 2. Phy- 

 sical geography ; 3. Economical and commercial geo- 

 graphy ; 4. Historical and ethnogiaphic geography; 

 5. Educational geography; 6. Travels and explorations; 

 7. Cartography. 



Salicylic Acid in Eggs. — According to Cosmos, sali- 

 cylic acid, the use of which in articles of food as an 

 antiseptic is interdicted by law in France, is introduced 

 into eggs. It is dissolved in water, in which the eggs 

 are immersed, and it penetrates by endosmose through 

 the shell and the internal lining of the egg, and diffuses 

 itself into the yolk. It is obvious that a variety of 

 poisons may be introduced into eggs in this manner. 



The Earthquakes in New Zealand. — Mr. Gordon, 

 mining inspector, who was despatched by the Govern- 

 ment to the Harmer Springs district to report upon 

 the effects of the recent earthquakes, states that he found 

 fissures ranging from one to four inches in swampy 

 ground at the extremity of a line extending 20 miles 

 north-west from the Springs. He found rents in hard 

 ground some 2 ft. wide. He attributes the recent 

 phenomena to chemical rather than volcanic action, 

 owing to the vast quantity of sulphuretted gas liberated 

 in the disturbed locality. 



Adulteration of Sherry. — According to Dr. Thudi- 

 chum, much of the wine shipped as sherry contains sul- 

 phuric acid in the proportion of 1 lb. per butt, besides 

 4 lbs. of sulphates, whilst the alcohol present, which 

 naturally cannot exceed 12 to 14 per cent, is raised 

 fraudulently to 26 per cent, by the addition of "evil 

 spirits." "It is curious," says a medical paper, "that 

 the amount of spirit which would be required to raise 

 the 75,000 butts exported from Xeres in 1886 from 14 

 to 26° corresponds fairly with the amount of potatoe- 

 spirit imported annually into Cadiz from Germany," 



The " Giant Caloric" — Professor S. P. Langley, in 

 his address before the American Association for the Ad- 

 vancement of Science — where, by the way, the opening 

 discourse is delivered, not by the incoming, but by the 

 retiring President — says happily that " the conception 

 of phlogiston before it quitted the world perpetuated in 

 physics the wrong in a multiplied form by generating an 

 offspring specially inimical to true ideas about radiant 

 heat, and which is represented by a yet familiar term. 

 I mean caloric. ' Giant Caloric ' is not, perhaps, even 

 yet quite dead, though certainly grown so crazy and 

 stiff in the joints that he can harm the pilgrims of science 

 no more. ' 



Glaciation in the Azore?, — Hartung ha= discovered 



