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SCIENTIFIC.
SCIENTIFIC.
The report of our government commission to investigate the reported unhealthfulness of American swine ought to convince any one that the course of the German government in this matter has been unjustifiable and cannot be defended.
The commission is composed of prominent scientific gentlemen of New York, Chicago and Washington, with F. D.Curtis as president.
The report of these gentlemen was issued from the government printing office at Washington, and contains much interesting reading.
It appears that a pork inspector was appointed in each German city and village, and in most cases the village barber was the village inspector. With poor microscopes and without any knowledge of what they were doing, these barbers made out reports against the American hog, which were implicitly received at Berlin. But this was not enough, and additional reward was offered in Saxony for the discovery of each trichinous hog.
The commission reached the conclusion that the hogs of our country are free from trichina with the probability that the European hog is more affected than the American. According to their own reports the average infection was at Stockholm 29 per cent.; at Bavaria 6 per cent., etc.
The commission also examined 18,900 hogs from all parts of the Union, of which 2.7 per cent.were trichinous.Taking all examinations of American hogs here and abroad, 2.1 per cent. are found affected. It will be seen from this how unjustifiable the restriction of our swine products is in a country where the percentage of trichinosis is greater than in our own.
The most singular thing is that Bismark should condemn it to the people, but nevertheless buy it and feed it to his army.
Under the direction of Prof. Nichols,
several students have been tested for their personal equation, in the physical laboratory—that is the length of time it takes after hearing a sound to respond. This is done by touching with the finger a key which registers itself. The average of those tested was found to be .26 of a second. Some interesting facts are noticed, among others, that it takes longer for a man with long arms to respond than one with short arms; also that it takes longer to respond if touched upon the foot than if touched upon the knee. Prof. Nichols intends if possible, to test a number of both sexes, and ascertain if there is any difference.
The project to flood the Sahara is well under way. The French government has appropriated money for surveys, which have been made, and are entirely favorable to the construction of the canal between the Mediterranean and the great desert. The consent of tribes and countries bordering the canal and desert has been granted, and the expedition for constructing is finally being organized.
The work is under the management of a French military engineer, who has devoted the greater part of his life to these surveys and to a study of this country. He is entirely confident of his success.
The flooding of Africa does not only mean the opening of Central Africa to commerce, but also the irrigation of that entire region.
This country, according to Sir Wm. Baker, who has made a very careful study of the matter, is exceedingly fertile when watered by streams or when bordering lakes, and is especially adapted to the raising of cotton. Sorghum and maize grow well in these regions also. Africa, which was once the granary of Rome, and one of the most productive countries in many ways of the ancient world, is finally being restored by those nations that formerly overran and destroyed it.