I call your attention to the hod of eating of the people age. Their front-teeth, incis- lap over, but fitted directly other, and from the way in ummits of the teeth were worn - they used these front teeth, off their food as we do, but to rind. They probably had the of eating as the modern Greeno seize the meat and tear away then sever it with a knife, e teeth, in the most dexterous ple of these different eras must supplanted each by a stronger dition, archæology, and philologive us information here. Tras of tidal flows of population Archæology points to the g, but tells, in addition, of the and civilization of each people; Hology asserts there was a great ce somewhere in the neighborhe Caspian Sea, from which radiline of the great Indo-European The Celts came first of these peoprobably introduced the age of Europe. Closely following them, ps contemporaneous with them, other branch of the race, before very other race has had to give erever it has planted its foot-this Teutonic family, of which the 5, the English, and the Hollanders, bers, and we hope the admixture blood into our own people will enough to destroy the prestige as always attended the race. trine Habitations of Switzerland. more remarkable, and closely ing these remains of the North, are e habitations of Switzerland. Some ince, piles were discovered in the where the water is from five to fifet deep. About them were found Is of antiquities. These places were ecognized as sites of pre-historical s, built on piles. re are habitations of the pure age of as at the little Lake of Moosedorf, two leagues from Berne. Here were a large number of articles of stone, ملكـ divisions of the subject, and the progress of investigation in Switzerland and Denmark. We have omitted all mention of the antiquities of our own continent, which are so extensive, and doubly interesting to us. The results of this science are already important and varied, they throw light upon the early pre-historical times, upon the character and habits of the inhabitants, the animals, and vegetables of that period. From the subject of chronology important questions have been started, and strong attempts have been made to prove the great antiquity of man. In fact it may be said that this is the great attacking point of the infidel, at the present, and also the point in which that class of scientific men who are careless whither their results may lead them, are likely to arrive at conclusions disastrous to the truth. To be brief, they assert that remains of man are found so situated that he must have lived much more than 6,000 years ago. Nay, in some cases, they claim an antiquity of one hundred centuries. We will give a few of the grounds for the assertion of the high antiquity of man. 1st. Lyell in his work on the antiquity of man calis to the stand the antiquities found in the post-pliocene gravel beds of St. Acheul and Moulin Mignon, but their mass or arrangements do not give the answers which he wishes. Such gravel heaps may show the force of water, but not the time of accumulation, and beside this, other things might have complicated the question. The bone caverns have been a celebrated argument on which these men hang their statements for the high antiquity of man. The caverns have been the habitations of wild animals and men. But here the bones and flints have been displaced by water, so that the relative time of deposition is very uncertain. These caverns seem during all time to have been the homes of men, especially during the stone age, all which very much confuses the proposition of the advocates of man's high antiquity. Another position is the peat bogs, which they claim to have taken great periods for their formation, but good observers ac knowledge that they may have gr 4,000 years, although they say the have taken 12,000 or more, but the tainty of their own testimony, an known imperfection of their data throw them out of court on a quest any importance whatever. The following fact is often triumpl alleged. A whitened flint has been which has been recut since it was ened. They said that it required a mense time to whiten, but Mr. Steen has found many pieces of silex whic knows to have been whitened in a paratively short time. This, of course ishes this cavil. The growth of deltas of rivers are duced; as, for example, the computatio the great antiquity of the Delta of the sissippi: the fallacy and great uncerta of which calculation was so well show Prof. Geo. H. Cook, at the annual mee of the Natural History Society of Rut College, in 1863. We have thus given a few of the po which the Lyell school and other classe advocates for the high antiquity of adduce as examples, to show the nat and quarter of the attack. It is incumbent on every lover of tr and science to be ready intelligently meet all these questions. They are af in the world. They will be believed some, and will be by more, unless we a as earnest in refuting them, as they are urging them. They must be met on the own ground, on the question of fact, f with this only will the world be satisfied. [The preceding article is an able an clear summary of archæological progres and will interest our readers. While w give it this just praise, we must dissen from its distinguished author in his assaul upon Lyell, which we think unnecessary and not entirely in consonance with the spirit of philosophy. The first and the las point of inquiry, in these investigations, i truth. If results arrived at be true, they cannot militate against revelation-otherwise revelation itself could not be trueand to that latter absurdity our learned contributor has, we believe, no desire to lead us.-ED. AM. ED. MONTHLY.] arsenic is the most widely all the mineral poisons. It ative but invariably alloyed als. When isolated, it apwhich are excessively britxposure to the air, change a grayish to a dingy brownusing point has never been ce at a very low temperasublimes, uniting with the ir, and condenses as a white ch constitutes the arsenic of is technically known as arAs met with in commerce, white powder which, when the microscope, appears to little octahedronal crystals beauty. Used as a medicine, his substance are so powerministration is attended with alties that except in one class is seldom given by physiver by those kind domestic whose repeated doses of salts nder our infancy a subject of I age. Since, however, the ow so familiar and coming so se as a cosmetic, a most ina few facts concerning its efbe unacceptable. wears there has been a certain uaintance with the fact that, asants of Styria and Hungary, arsenic-eating prevails; but accounts were evidently much We heard frequently that nts of those districts were acspread arsenic thickly over and eat it with great relish, periencing any evil effects; g simply impossible, cast a doubt over the whole matter entific men to regard all acbulous. Nevertheless, at all credence was granted, for in the Holland medical journals nce of Arsenic upon Waste of AniSilliman's Journal, vol. xxx. Arsenic Eaters of Styria. Chemical , 1860. was director of an arsenic-works. When seventeen years old, while studying assaying, in which he had much to do with arsenic, he was advised by Professor Bousch, his instructor, to learn' this habit, since, if he desired to become director of such an establishment, he must abstain from spirituous liquors and learn to use arsenic. At the same time he was strongly advised that, after the age of fifty years he must gradually diminish the dose until it became less than that with which he had begun. He had strictly followed out his preceptor's advice until the time of communicating with Mr. Heisch, when he was forty-five years old. The especial peculiarity about this case was, that his first dose was three grains, a quantity usually considered poisonous. In 1859, his dose was twenty-three grains per diem, taken in the form of coarse powder. Arsenic-eaters, generally, preserve so great secrecy concerning their practice that, although Dr. Arbele inquired of many leading physicians in Styria, yet he could learn of but three or four cases, while, at the same time, all felt thoroughly convinced that the habit prevailed to a very considerable extent. One of these was that just referred to; another was that of a ranger in Grossarl, who, at the age of eightyone, was still a keen chamois-hunter and an active climber of the mountains. He met his death by a fall in the mountain while engaged in his occupation. He always ap peared healthy, and every day took a dose of arsenic, which, in case he had used too much liquor, enabled him to rise bright and sober on the next morning Another, a gentleman in Strasburg, who began from curiosity, takes twelve and sometimes fifteen grains of arsenic daily. The physiological effects of this poison are most curious. If, as we stated, one contract the habit and suddenly break it off, symptoms of poisoning occur; itching over the body, soreness of the gums, cough, and pain in the abdomen. The director of the arsenic works and the gentleman in Strasburg each attempted, on several occasions, at the urgent request of their friends, to cease the practice; but the inconvenience was so excessive, that the use was immediately resumed. This agent also beautifies the complexion and increases plumpness of form. Dr. Von Tschudi narrates in this connection a sadly interesting case, which occured in his own practice.* A young milkmaid of thin and unprepos sessing features, in order to gain the affections of a young man in her village, began the use of arsenic, taking it two or three times a week. In a short time her complexion brightened and her features were filled out, so that she accomplished her object. Unfortunately, her vanity became excessive, and, in order to increase her beauty still farther, she increased her dese too greatly and died a terrible death Professor E. Kopp stated in Vol. xlii. of Comptes Rendus that, during his great calico-printing operations, in which arsenic was very extensively used, the weight of his body increased twenty pounds in the course of two months, during which he absorbed the mineral through his hands, which were frequently in contact with arsenical solutions. In nine or ten weeks after the exposure ceased his weight returned to its normal condition. The same effects are produced upon horses and other animals, All professional jockeys are practically aware that small doses of arsenic give horses plumpness and glossy coats. In Vienna this habit is universal. The groom generally throws a pinch of the acid among the oats or, just before taking the horses out, ties a piece as large as a pea in a small bag attached to the bit, by which means, also, is produced a fine foaming at the mouth. It also has the power of strengthening the wind, for which purpose it is used by hunters, and is given to horses which are compelled to draw heavy burdens over the mountains. It also seems to protect against fevers and infectious dis eases. In these latter respects its action resembles that of narcotics, yet no depression appears to follow the exhilaration. These effects were difficult of explanation, and doubtless fostered the incredulity with which scientific men received statements concerning them. However, the late experiments of Drs. Schmidt and Steurzwage, of Dorpat, have in great measure elucidated the subject, and proved the * Chemistry of Common Life. Dr. Johnston. published accounts reliable. When introduced into the circulation, arsenic causes a diminution of from 20 to 40 per cent. in the waste of the tissues, even after the administration of very small doses. The effect follows more rapidly if the acid be injected into the veins, more slowly if absorbed by the intestines. Larger doses, however, produce spinal irritation and even paralysis. The effects then are to be referred to congestion of the central organs consequent upon the repression of a large amount of carbonic acid and urea. On account of its peculiar and rapid action, arsenic has ever been a favorite ingredient in quack medicines. It has been used as an antidote of bites of venomous serpents, in fevers, and to extirpate cancers; but now is little used except in diseases of the skin. It is a remedy, however, which cannot successfully be "pushed," if we may use the technical phrase, since it is cumulative, and ill effects may appear at a time when least expected. In its administration constitutional peculiarities must be carefully considered. According to Dr. Henry Hunt, it operates very beneficially 339 upon persons of loose fibre, with languid circulation and profuse secretions; but it is excessively injurious in cases of morbid irritation of the spine or local nervous injury. Erichson holds that it is very injurious to persons of plethoric habit or sanguineo-nervous temperament, since the metal possesses highly stimulating powers. To the arsenic present in many mineral waters is ascribed their healing power in skin diseases. As arsenious acid is now so easily obtained, and as fearful mistakes are apt to occur from its resemblance to common salt or pulverized sugar, the antidote should always be at hand. This is the hydrated peroxyd of iron, which may be procured by adding aqua ammonia or liquor potassa to the muriated tincture of iron, and preserving the reddish brown powder which falls to the bottom. This should always be kept under water in a close-stoppered bottle, as, if dry, its properties are not as certain. To an adult a table-spoonful, and to a child a dessert-spoonful, should be given every five minutes in plenty of water until urgent symptoms disappear. L HOW TO TEACH READING. FIRST METHOD. EARN the names of the letters, the "a-b-ab's," little words, and big words, pronouncing all the syllables, and then read. The child thus taught, in the course of many years learns many words,-few of which, however, convey any idea to the mind. Each letter, each syllable, each word is a new fact to be learned and remembered by a single act of memory. Children thus taught regard fluency of utterance as the climax of good reading. And the result of the process is that they can name words arranged horizontally, as in reading-books, as glibly as when arranged perpendicularly, as in spelling-books. The writer was thus taught, and he distinctly remembers being called upon to exhibit his unusual powers of reading long before he dreamed that reading is any thing save calling over words as written. And he remembers just as distinctly that it was full two years after he could "read in the Testament" that he learned to his joyful surprise that there are "stories in books:" The date is fixed by an old copy of the Farmers' Almanac, in which the first "story" was read. All before that had been literally only "words, words, words." And at least one precisely similar instance,-that of the daughter of a retired schoolmaster sixty years of age, who taught his own children,-has come under the writer's observation. Now it is probable that the fathers who practiced this method knew that this would be its effect, but they could conceive no better. They believed that, necessarily, the "roots of learning are bitter,"-and that the knowledge which would ultimately thus break in upon the mind would more than compensate for the bitterness then past. |