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TAKE TIME TO EAT.

The opinion that hurry in eating is a prolific cause of dyspepsia is founded on common observation. The ill results of "bolting" the food have been attributed to the lack of thorough mastication, and to the incomplete action of the saliva upon the food. Two-thirds of the food which we eat is starch, and starch cannot be utilized by the system as food until it has been converted into sugar, and this change is principally effected by the saliva. But there is a third reason why rapidity of eating interferes with digestion. The presence of the salivary secretion in the stomach acts as a stimulus to the secretion of the gastric juice. Irrespective of the mechanical function of the teeth, food which goes into the stomach incompletely mingled with saliva, passes slowly and imperfectly through the process of stomach digestion. Therefore, as a sanitary maxim of no mean value, teach the children to eat slowly-and in giving this instruction by example, the teacher, as well as the pupil, may receive a benefit.-Sanitary Inspector.

A STARTLING CLASS EXPERIMENT.

Dr. Koucharsky was lecturing to his class of medical students in St. Petersburg a few weeks ago, when, at the close of his remarks on the subject of acids, he poured into a glass, from a small bottle, a quantity of liquid, and said: "Attention, gentlemen! In two minutes you will see a man die. Good-bye to you all!"—and drank the liquid. He took his watch from his pocket, for some seconds looked at it, and then fell to the floor lifeless, to the horror of his audience, who had not the slightest idea of his intent. Antidotes were then applied, but in vain.

THE AGE AT WHICH TO WED.

M. Korosi, of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences has collected about thirty thousand data, and has come to the following conclusion: Mothers under twenty years of age, and fathers under twenty-four, have children more weakly than parents of riper age. Their children are more subject to pulmonary diseases. The healthiest children are those whose fathers are from twenty-five to forty years of age, and whose mothers are from twenty to thirty years old. M. Korosi says, and most medical men indorse this view, that the best marriages are those in which the husband is senior to the wife.

THE DOLLAR SIGN ($) is not a monogram of "U. S.," but dates from the days when the transfer was made from Spanish to American dollars, and accounts were kept equally in dollars and reals. Thus one dollar || eight reals (American and Spanish parallel accounts). Later the 8 was placed between the cancellation mark 8; then the perpendicular lines crossed the 8, and finally the 8 shaded into an S, and, combined with the cancellation line, evolved the present sign ($). FOR BRAIN FAG use Horsford's Acid Phosphate. Dr. W. H. Fisher, Le Sueur, Minn., says: "I find it very serviceable in nervous debility, sexual weakness, brain fag, excessive use of tobacco, as a drink in fevers, and in some urinary troubles. It is a grand good remedy in all cases where I have used it."

SMALL THINGS OF GREAT ACCOUNT.

The thread of a silkworm is so small that an average of forty-two of them are twisted together to form a thread of common sewing silk; that of the spider are many diameters smaller. Two drachms of spider-web by weight would, if stretched into a straight line, reach from London, England, to Edinburgh, Scotland, a distance of over 400 miles.

In sour paste, the milt of a codfish, or even in water in which vegetables have been infused, the microscope discovers animalculi so small that millions of them would not equal the size of a grain of wheat. And yet nature, with a singular prodigality, has supplied many of these with organs as complete as those of a whale or an elephant. In a single ounce of such matter there are more living creatures than there are human beings on the face of the globe.

A grain of carmine or half a grain of analine will tinge a hogshead of water so that a strong microscope will detect coloring matter in every drop.

A grain of musk will scent a room for twenty years, and at the end of that time will not show that it has diminished in the least.

The organs of smell in the turkey vulture and carrion crow are so delicate that they can scent their food for a distance of forty miles.

Gold-beaters, by hammering, can reduce gold leaves to such minute thinness that 282,000 must be laid upon each other to produce the thickness of an inch. Yet each leaf is so perfect and free from holes that one of them laid on any surface, as in gilding, gives the appearance of solid gold. They are so thin that if formed into a book 1,500 would only occupy the space of a single leaf of book paper. A single volume of a gold leaf book one inch in thickness would have as many pages as an entire library of 1,500 volumes of common books, even though the volumes average 400 pages each!

It has been drawn into wire so fine that twenty-seven of them twisted together could be inserted into a hollow of a hair.

The ruled lines of the glass measure of the microscopist are drawn so fine that more than five hundred of them occupy a space no greater than the edge of an ordinary book-leaf. Don't ask us how this is done, but find out some other way.

A CURE FOR DIPHTHERIA.

The following remedy was discovered in Germany and is said to be the best known. At the first indication of diphtheria in the throat of a child make the room close; then take a tin cup and pour into it a quantity of tar and turpentine, equal parts. Then hold the cup over a fire so as to fill the room with fumes. The little patient on inhaling the fumes, will cough up and spit out all the membranous matter, and the diphtheria will pass off. The fumes of the tar and turpentine loosen the matter in the throat, thus affording the relief that has baffled the skill of physicians.

Read the advertisement of Herba Vita, the remarkable preventive of disease. No alcohol used in its preparation.

BOARD OF HEALTH.

The annual report of the Board of Health recently submitted to Mayor Grant, shows the number of deaths recorded during the past year to be 40,103, an excess over 1889 of 424. In the last decade the death rate has decreased from 26.41 to 24.58, and President Wilson claims that New York is the healthiest city in the world.

The number of tenement houses in the city is 37,316, and 1,259,788 people live in them, as the report says. There were 39,250 births last year, an increase of 9,000 over 1889. There were 14,992 marriages recorded.

The milk inspectors made 244 arrests and secured 14 convictions, from which a very large amount was collected in fines.

LITERARY.

THE MACKAY STAR MAP.-During the years 1887-8, the editor of the Esoteric wrote a series of 21 articles, entitled "Naked Eye Astronomy," which became very popular, and did much to open the eyes of the readers of that journal to the beauties of the oldest and mightiest of sciences. This map before us is an outcome of these popular essays, and constitutes a most valuable and instructive feature of popular education, in fields least understood of all, by the masses.— Esoteric Co., Boston, price 25 cts.

CRUDE AND INFINITESIMAL DOSES, by Henry Sheffield, M. D., Nashville, Tenn., is a very forcible and philosophical exposition of the Homeopathic school of medicine, as inaugurated by the renowned Hahnemann, and practised successfully by thousands of his adherents in this country, with a comparison of the two leading systems of administering drugs, and an affirmation of the less of them the better, which fully accords with the views of the reviewer.

AM I JEW OR GENTILE? OR THE GENEALOGY OF JESUS CHRIST, ASSERTING HIS DIVINITY.-By Thomas A. Davies, author of a number of kindred works. A unique and curious book, pointing out alleged errors in reference to this most important subject, worthy the attention of the Theologian and the general reader. Published and for sale by E. H. Coffin, 49 John street, New York. Price 25 cents.

HYGIENE OF MOTHERHOOD,-No. 6, of Dr. John Sheppman's articles under the above title, arrived after we had gone to press. It will appear in our May issue. The Doctor complains of some omissions, which in our haste, occurred in part 5th. We confess the fault was with this office.

OUR MAGAZINE EXCHANGES are not numerous, but they are admirable in quality. Among them are

THE CENTURY; LEND A HAND; BELFORD'S; HOME MAKER; THE MONIST ; VICK'S; THE HORTICULTURAL; OUR LITTLE MEN AND WOMEN, and BabyLAND. If there are any better of their several classes, we are not aware of it.

DIABETES. ITS CAUSES, SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT, by Charles W. Purdy, M. D., author of "Bright's Disease,” etc., etc., with CLINICAL ILLUSTRATIONS, and rules of diet for diabetic subjects.

Diabetes is a disorder that gives little warning of its approach and the patient frequently finds himself in its toils without discovering its warnings. The extended treatise of Dr. Purdy goes thoroughly into his subject, carefully tracing the history, symptoms, and most approved methods of treating this disease, so often fatal to both young and old. We learn too, that it is hereditary, sometimes manifesting itself in tender infancy, and common to both sexes, with a prevalence for the male of about two to one. Its classification and clinical consideration will be found of great value to the medical practitioner.

F. A. Davis, Publisher, Philadelphia, pp. 184, price $1.25 net.

THE DAUGHTER; HER HEALTH, EDUCATION AND WEDLOCK. By Wm. M. Capp, M. D.

This is a handsome little volume of 144 pp., printed and bound in the highest style of the art.

Its title expresses the three leading features in a young woman's life, and their treatment embraces much useful, nay, indispensable, information. The book takes a wider range than its title indicates, and deals with the home life employments, wifehood and motherhood of women, in sickness and in health, in a practical common sense manner, calculated to impart much valuable information and benefit all classes of readers. It recognizes the differences in organisms, and their needs, by stating that “no one kind of prepared food will suit all infants." a fact too frequently overlooked. Of medicines, the author says, Medicines like crutches, should be used only as temporary expedients to help in certain difficulties." Amen, to this say we.

F. A. Davis, Publisher, Philadelphia. Price, net, $1.00,

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A STUDY OF STERILITY. ITS CAUSES AND TREATMENT. By Thomas W. Kay, M. D., Scranton, Pa,

This valuable treatise of 50 pp. was a first prize essay of the Alumni Association of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Baltimore. The prize was evidently worthily bestowed.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE. Third Annual Report, 1890. Illustrated, 54 pp.

All question of the practical value of this department would be set at rest by a careful perusal of this excellent report.

HERBA VITA.-We are constantly receiving testimonials of the wonderful curative properties of this simple and harmless remedy, for nearly all the diseases common to this country, particularly in the “new south” and mighty west

It is not a tea, but a combination of rare imported roots and herbs grown in Egypt and other sunny lands, and operates with magical effect upon disordered systems. It will both prevent and cure disease. Try it.

THE AMESBURY SOUVENIR.-We have received a souvenir edition of the Amesbury Daily, printed in large magazine form, with elegant lithograph designs upon the covers, and profusely illustrated with admirable half-tone cuts, including nearly one hundred portraits of prominent citizens and business men of Amesbury, a town well known as the residence of the poet Whittier, and the birthplace of the veteran editor of the Banner of Light, Luther Colby.

Amesbury is a live, progressive place, noted for its extensive carriage industry. The typographical and artistic appearance of the book reflects great credit upon the Amesbury Publishing Co., consisting of J. M. & I. J. Potter, publishers of the Yankee Blade, New England Fireside, New England Magazine and Amesbury Vehicle. The town is the carriage centre of America and there are few on the continent more enterprising, and deservedly prosperous.

THE SOUL OF MAN.-Under this title Dr. Paul Carus, the brilliant editor of The Open Court, has collected, arranged and elaborated many of the able physiological, psychological, neurological and sociological articles with which his name has become identified, the whole forming an interesting and instructive study of that most subtle of subjects—the human mind-discussed from the position of a positive monist, as clearly expressed in the preface. As an exposition of "scientific religion," this work is direct and forcible; as a source of information it is extensive and accurate. A pioneer in the literature of comprehensive experimental psychology, Dr. Carus is destined to arouse a host of controversialists, among whom he will certainly hold his own.

"The Soul of Man" is published in a handsome 8vo vol. of 480 pp., with 152 explanatory illustrations and diagrams, by The Open Court Pub. Co. of Chicago, Ill. Price $3.00.

THE COSTLIEST GIFT.

I give you a day of my life-
Treasure no gold could buy-
For peasant and peer are at one
When the time comes to die;
And all that the monarch has,

His koh-i-noor or his crown,
He would give for one more day
Ere he lay his sweet life down.

They are winged, like the viewless wind-
These days that come and go-

And we count them, and think of the end,
But the end we cannot know:

The whole world darkens with pain
When a sunset fades in the west-

... I give you a day of my life,

My uttermost gift and my best.

LOUISE CHANDLER MOULTON, in Youths' Companion.

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