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THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



China, is collected by women and children 

 who paddle about among the plants in small 

 circular boats resembling wash-tubs. Other 

 species are grown in Cashmere, where the 

 lakes become so crowded with the plants 

 that navigation is made impossible, and the 

 Government derives £12,000 a year from 

 the taxes on the crop of a single lake ; and 

 in India, where the cultivation is system- 

 atically carried on. The fruit abounds in 

 starch, which has the flavor of a chestnut, 

 and may be eaten raw or cooked. The dried 

 nuts will keep for many years. The meal 

 may be made into cakes or into a porridge. 

 If the kernels are soaked overnight in cold 

 water, tbey will be ready in the morning to 

 be boiled or steamed into food. The seeds 

 of the lotus (Nelumbo) were much used as 

 food in ancient Egypt, but seem to be neg- 

 lected now. The tuberous roots resemble 

 the sweet potato and are starchy. The root- 

 stalks when boiled are farinaceous and agree- 

 able, and those of the American species are 

 employed as food by Western Indians. The 

 seeds of the lotus, in India, are eaten raw 

 when green, and roasted or boiled when ripe 

 and hard. The root, which is two or three 

 feet long, is eaten, boiled, as a vegetable. 

 The Klamath Indians live chiefly on the 

 tookow, or seeds of the yellow water-lily 

 (Kup7iar lutea). The capsules are broken, 

 and the seeds are separated from their husks. 



The Philosophy of Waist-Beits and Cor- 

 setSt — In the course of an investigation upon 

 the work of the heart in health and disease 

 certain facts were observed by Prof. Roy 

 and Mr. J. G. Adams which throw light upon 

 the physiological bearing of waist-belts, etc. 

 By means of a cardiometer, they register ac- 

 curately the changes in volume of the heart 

 and the amount of blood propelled by it, 

 under varying conditions. In the dog, even 

 a slight compression of the abdomen caused 

 an increase in volume of the heart, and with 

 this a greatly increased amount of blood, 

 passed through the heart in a given time. 

 These phenomena can be explained without 

 difficulty. The abdominal vessels are capable 

 of containing all, and more than all, the blood 

 in the organism. Slight compression of the 

 abdomen will, without disturbing the arterial 

 supply, drive out from the abdominal veins 

 and venous capillaries a large amount of 



blood ; and this blood will be of use for the 

 other regions of the body. Now, the func- 

 tional activity of any organ depends directly 

 upon its blood-supply. Increase the arterial 

 blood-supply of any part, and, other things 

 being equal, the activity and power of work 

 of that part are increased. The abdominal 

 walls in front and at the sides are formed 

 of soft, elastic tissues. In health, press- 

 ure is, through these, exerted upon the 

 abdominal contents, and at the same time 

 upon the abdominal veins and venous capil- 

 laries, by means of the muscles contained in 

 these walls. If, however, the muscles lose 

 their tone, the walls become flaccid, and 

 the veins dilate, and thus holding a larger 

 amount of blood than is necessary, act 

 as reservoirs for this blood, and so de- 

 prive the rest of the body of an amount 

 of fluid necessary for its due nutrition. 

 Here, then, we have an explanation of the 

 use of some form or other of waist-belt by 

 all nations who have passed beyond the 

 stage of absolute barbarism. The waist-belt 

 is of use, and has constantly been used, in 

 cases of sudden and great exertion, and in 

 those cases where it becomes necessary to 

 counteract the tendency to a useless storing 

 up of blood in the abdomen ; and by persons 

 in health, in bringing more blood into the 

 service of the brain and muscles to produce 

 a condition of increased mental and muscular 

 activity. Flaccid abdominal walls are rather 

 the rule than the exception with women, and 

 among men occur in those leading sedentary 

 lives. We are, therefore, brought to con- 

 clude that among women some form of 

 waist-belt is advantageous. Moderate con- 

 striction does no harm ; extreme constriction 

 is absurd and dangerous. 



The Scilly Islands. — Scillonians is what 

 the inhabitants of the Scilly Islands call 

 themselves. Though politically attached to 

 Cornwall, and nearer to it than to any other 

 part of the world, they are not Cornish, but 

 of high-blooded English stock, being to a 

 large extent descended from the Godolphins 

 and from royalists who had suffered from 

 the English civil wars. There are, however, 

 considerable local differences between the 

 people of the several smaller islands. Iu 

 the days of sailing ships the Scilly Islands 

 were an important naval outpost and a place 



