I have been informed by a European acquaintance that the Maelstrom, that great whirlpool on the coast of Norway, laid down in all geographies, and of which we have heard such wonderful stories, has no existence.
We believe that no particular use is made of the fluid petroleum, from the `tar springs’ of California, except as a lotion for bruises and rheumatic affections. It has a pungent odor, and although it can be made to burn with a pretty good light, its smell is offensive. [...] If the offensive odor could be removed, a valuable and profitable business might be carried on in manufacturing burning fluid from it.
The almost universal opinion expressed by writers on the subject is that water in some way is an active agent in all volcanic eruptions. [However,] in the moon there is neither atmosphere nor water, and yet the volcanoes of the earth are mere dwarfs compared with those on our satellite.
Good journalism values balance above all else. We owe it to our readers to present everybody's ideas equally and not to ignore or discredit theories simply because they lack scientifically credible arguments or facts. Nor should we succumb to the easy mistake of thinking that scientists understand their fields better than, say, U.S. senators or best-selling novelists do. Indeed, if politicians or special-interest groups say things that seem untrue or misleading, our duty as journalists is to quote them without comment or contradiction. To do otherwise would be elitist and therefore wrong.
… Females are almost invariably employed in their own homes under the eyes of their parents and friends, and they can thus obtain a livelihood without endangering their morals.
Some have asserted that the cholera is a geological disease; that is, it is never manifested in districts of primitive formations, such as the granite districts of New England. This theory is founded on very strong facts.
Imagine millions of people letting go of a cherished belief simply because they're confronted with indisputable facts to the contrary. Well, ... I must say that even only 50 people able to incorporate reality into their world view isn't bad.
They believe that mineral medicines are more dangerous, but this is all sheer nonsense, for the most virulent poisons are extracted from herbs. Morphine, nux vomica, strychnia, nicotine, and many other dreadful poisons are vegetable extracts.