140 



Miscellaneous Intelligence, 



IV. ASTRONOMY. 



1. New Planets. — The 38th asteroidal planet is named Leda, and the 

 39th is Lcetitia. A fortieth asteroidal planet was discovered by M. Her- 

 mann Goldschmidt, at Paris, March 31, 1856. Its appearance was that 

 of a star of the 9-10th magnitude, and its place March 31, 1856, 10 h 5 m 

 m. t. Paris, was R. A. 13^ 13 m 30% and S. Decl. 0° 2'.— Gould's Astr. 

 Journal, No. 92. 



2. Elements of the Planet Lcetitia, (39.) — The following elements of 

 Loetitia are computed by Mr. George Riimker from three normal places, 

 Feb. 9-0, March 3-5 and March 26'5. 



Epoch, 1856, April 0*0. 

 Mean anomaly, - - - 165° 25' 48"- 8 ) Mean Eqx. 

 Long, of perihelion, - - 0 39 44 '5 j 1856.0. 



" " asc. node, - - 157 23 40 -2 

 Inclination, - - - 10 28 9 -8 

 Angle of excentricity, - - 64054-2 

 Log. semi axis-major, - - 0*442181 



Gould's Astr. Journal, "No. 92. 



V. MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE, 



1. Ozone, (L'Institut, No. 1169.) — M. Scoutetten has reported the 

 results of some experiments showing that atmospheric ozone is formed 

 — 1st, by the electrization of the oxygen secreted by plants ; 2d, by the 

 electrization of the oxygen that escapes from water ; 3d, by the electri- 

 zation of the oxygen disengaged in chemical changes ; 4th, by electric 

 phenomena acting on the oxygen of the atmosphere. He states that in 

 a series of experiments varied and frequently repeated, he has found that 

 plants as well as water furnish ozone constantly to the air during the day ; 

 that this phenomenon ceases during the night, and also when the plants 

 or water are removed from the action of direct light ; that the action is 

 suspended even by a diffuse light ; that ozone is not produced if the water 

 has been boiled and distilled, neither if the plants are put into this boiled 

 water ; and this holds if the water is ordinary boiled water, not distilled, 

 if a film of oil be added to prevent the absorption of atmospheric air. 

 Moreover ozone is formed also when the water or the plants are enclosed 

 in a glass globe suspended by a silk cord far above the ground. 



He further announces that he is able to demonstrate by rigorous ex- 

 periments that nascent oxygen is ozone, and that it is owing to the prop- 

 erties which oxygen acquires by positive electrization that it can form 

 combinations which are impossible with ordinary pure oxygen ; and also 

 that ozone forms in the atmosphere under the influence of electric cur- 

 rents, continued and invisible, or by a succession of more or less powerful 

 sparks. The last has been mentioned by many observers. 



Atmospheric ozone, according to M. Wolf, of Berne, is the cause of dis- 

 ease. He has already noted that in 1855, there was a remarkable paral- 

 lelism between the variations in the quantity of ozone and the intensity 

 of an epidemic dysentery at Berne during the months of August and 

 September. The energy of the epidemic appeared to him to have aug- 

 mented or diminished with the quantity of ozone. 



