CLIPPINGS.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8579, 5 September 1893, Page 4

CLIPPINGS.

If Dr. Murray-Gibbes is right, the only ohance for man to maintain his intellectual pre-eminence is to prohibit or restrict teadrinking by women. In an article in Hygiene the doctor attributes the prowess of the Feminist movement to the stimulating effect of "China's fragrant herb." In other words (as a contemporary somewhat humorously remarks), the struggle for women's rights resolves itself literally into a storm in a teacup.

The lady cyclist appears to be going ahead in France. Mdlle Saint Sauveur, a well-known Parisian circus-rider, is stated to have covered on a bicycle, in one hour, a distance of miles without the aid of pacemakers. The lady was dressed in a white surah shirt with flowing sleeves, and white flannel breeches fastened below the knee by three buttons. It is further stated that, contrary to advice, she was tied in tightly at the waist, and did not seem to suffer in consequence, although before she had gone very far she had to take off a leather belt, which greatly inconvenienced her.

The Rev. Mark Guy Pearse was very ill when the last English mail left. A report gained considerable currency in London to the effect that Mr Pearse and the Rev. Hugh Price Hughes contemplated retiring from the Wesleyan ministry. Both gentlemen have denied the truth of the report. Mr Pearse's reply to an interviewer on the subject was that he had "no intention of leaving the Wesleyan Ministry at present." "At present" may be taken as either suggestive or sarcastic

In the course of a recent lecture (says Invention) what is probably the oldest prescription in existence was translated, together with other medical papyri, by Prof. A. Macalister, F.R.S. It was for a wash for promoting the growth of the hair of the mother of King Chata, second king of the first Egyptian dynasty, who reigned circa 4000 B.c. Ihe nostrum runs s —Pad of dog's foot, 1 ; fruit of date-palm, 1; ass's hoof, 1. Boil together with oil in a saucepan. Directions for use: Bub in .thoroughly.

Dr. Koppen, of the Hamburg Seewarte, has published in the Annalen der Hydrographie und Maritimen Meteorologie an account of experiments he has been making with various materials for the quieting of the angy waves of the sea. Petroleum is useless, and olive oil is' bad. Lamp oil, turpeutine oil, and linseed oil are all good. But they are all inferior to soap, or rather, to soap-ende, which, Dr. Kopen asserts, will in future take their place. Dr. KSppen has come to the conclusion that ordinary yellow aellow soap is the beat for this purpose, and that a eolation of one part of soap in a thousand parts of water is sufficient.

The system of paying the amount of a remittance at the house of the payee, already in operation in Switzerland and elsewhere, will be extended to France on and after the Ist of December next. In remitting money under this system, one has only to give the name and address of the person for whom it is intended, and a postman hands it to him, taking a receipt in exchange. As deeds of violence are unhappily frequent just now in Paris, where there is a large population out of work and almost literally starving, it is pointed out that the poor postmen will incur considerable risk, especially in the more lawless parts of the town, in carrying about large soma of money, as they will be required to do. There is a strong feeling in favour of allowing them to carry a loaded revolver.

A "Paris Municipal Councillor, M. Georges Berry, has been exploring all sorts of out-of-the-way places with a view to presenting to the Council a report on beggars and begging in the French capital. Under " disguised begging" he devotes a special chapter to those strange trades which really come under that heading, and he has also much to say about the people who, while not actually going begging themselves, get their living out of those who do. Near the Ecole de Medecine, M. Berry found a woman who sells sets, of addresses of the charitably disposed to be.ging-letter impostors. She sells two sorts, the big set and the little set ("le grand jeu et It petit jeu"). The little set is 5 francs and comprises 200 addresses ; for 15 francs one can have the big set of 950 addresses, sufficient, said the vendor, to enable anyone starting in the business to earn his living for a year. * As M. Berry bought a copy of each set, doubtless the Council will give a useful warning to the persons ■whose addresses are given. Ordinary street begging in Paris, it appears, is , reckoned to bring in an average of at least a shilling an hour. Many of the bezgars sleep in the neighbourhood of the Jardin dee Plantes. A man in that neighbourhood makes a large income by affording shelter to them at the rate of a-penny a head per night. He is enabled to do this by hiring for a small sum each, until regular tenants are obtained for them, all the empty shops and houses he can obtain.