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Wairarapa Standard, Volume XIX, Issue 2000, 3 December 1886, Page 3

Persons who undertake to gam through chemical literature a knowledge of what chemists are doing in and lor the world encounter a discouraging nomenclature which repels them by its apparent intricacy and its polysyllabic character. Their opinion of the terminology of an exact science is not enchanted when they learn that “ blacklead " contains no lead, 1 copperas ’ contains no copper, •• mosaic gold’’ no gold, and “ German carbolic acid ” is not an acid ;’’ oil of vitriol” is notan oil ; that olive oil is a salt but “ rock oil” is neither oil nor salt; that some sugars are alcohols and some kinds of wax are ethers; that cream of tartar has nothing in it common wsth cream, “ milk of lime” with milk, •* batter ef antimony” with batter, u ragar of lead” with sugar, nor * 9* wlpfcw " with the animal

organ fron which it was named. Readers of chemical writings sometimes fail to appreciate the advantages of styling borax “ dimetaborax of sodium,” or of calling common alcohol “ melhyl carbinol,” and they ignore the euplionv of such words as pentamethyldiamidothiodiphenylamindiiodemethylate (a sub stance begotten and baptised by Dr Albert Mansen).

For the past two or three years the Continent has been deluged with forged Bank of England notes executed in a style defying detection, even by the most experienced. From Paris, Copenhagen, Vienna, Berlin, Milan, Rome, and all the towns of the south of France, frequent complaints have been made by the victims of these frauds. It is evident that the forgers have either access to the bank paper, or have found means of copying it exactly, for the strictest comparison between the real and forged-notes fails to show any difference in the water marks or quality of the paper ; and in fact, high authorities in the Bank of England say that it is impossible to detect the difference except by signs and numbers known only to themselves.

Spirits of turpentine is one of the most valuable articles in a family and when it has once obtained a foothold in a house, it is really a necessity, and could ill be dispensed with. Its medicinal qualities are very numerous For burns it is a quick application, and gives immediate relief. For blisters on the hands it is of great value searing down the skin and preventin ; soreness. For corns on the toes it j < useful. It is good for rheumatism and sore throats, and is the quicke remedy for convulsions or fits. Then i is a sure preventive against moth By just dropping a trifle in the botto; of drawers, chests, and cupboards, ii. render the garments secure from injury during the summer. It will ke- > insects from closets and storerooms, 1 y putting a few drops in the cornti . and upon the shelves. It is sure de truction to bed bugs, and will effect;, ally drive them away from their haui t v if thoroughly applied to the joints ; f the bedstead in spring cleaning«ti; ;o and injures neither furniture nor do! iing. Jts onngent odour is retained t r a long time and no family ought so be without a supply at any time. They had a candidate for admiss; a to Richmond Workhouse last we. hj, says a London writer, who said t: it she had not washed her body for r. —e years, and she was so satisfied v b the result of the experiment that e left the house rather than sacrifice hj r principles by submitting to the I-th test. It is impossible to help hi; ;g impressed by this incident. We ;e very prone to glorify the civilit ;g influence of soap and water ,an< :o pride ourselves on the virtues ol ibe daily tub ; yet which of us has eont <o thoroughly into the case for : id against cleanliness as this good hj; ’y, whose exhaustive experience is i idently at total variance with the common prejudice ? I suspect that the use of the bath is, like that of clot! js, alcohol, pomatum, and many other adjuncts of civilisation, mainly an affair of taste and education.

Some flowers are odourless or nearly so during the day, and give out strong perfume at night. Take the hyacinth for example, it always smells sweet, but a hyacinth in a room is scarcely noticeable during the day. At about 11 o’clock at night however its perfume becomes so strong as to fill the room with fragrance.