Comments on: Jays, Films, and Georg Steller http://calitreview.com/12 Book reviews, essays, and author interviews. Sat, 20 Mar 2010 23:56:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Peter Brown http://calitreview.com/12/comment-page-1#comment-537 Peter Brown Mon, 28 May 2007 03:44:01 +0000 http://calitreview.com//essays/jays-films-and-georg-steller/#comment-537 Sir.... i just came across your essay on Steller while looking for something else about Ledyard. Very interesting and fun to read. One of the things that I find quite remarkable is that in spite of the work of folks like Steller and later Cook, who clearly suspected that scurvy was a dietary problem, Vitamin C is not isolated in the laboratory till the 20th C. I think the work was done by a man called Hopkins in 1911, or round that date. The reason for this is simple, white rats don't get scurvy. So attempts to study it under laboratory conditions were always frustrated. Incidentally, you will find a whimsical reference to Ledyard at the beginning of Moby Dick, when Melville reviews all the literary works of sea going men (starting with the biblical Jonah). I think I may have seen one of those jays in the Grand Canyon last year. best wishes. peter brown Sir….
i just came across your essay on Steller while looking for something else about Ledyard. Very interesting and fun to read. One of the things that I find quite remarkable is that in spite of the work of folks like Steller and later Cook, who clearly suspected that scurvy was a dietary problem, Vitamin C is not isolated in the laboratory till the 20th C. I think the work was done by a man called Hopkins in 1911, or round that date. The reason for this is simple, white rats don’t get scurvy. So attempts to study it under laboratory conditions were always frustrated.
Incidentally, you will find a whimsical reference to Ledyard at the beginning of Moby Dick, when Melville reviews all the literary works of sea going men (starting with the biblical Jonah).
I think I may have seen one of those jays in the Grand Canyon last year.

best wishes.
peter brown

]]> By: eric w. elst http://calitreview.com/12/comment-page-1#comment-536 eric w. elst Mon, 28 May 2007 03:43:10 +0000 http://calitreview.com//essays/jays-films-and-georg-steller/#comment-536 Dear Peter Bridges,Dear Ambassador, I have read with great interest your article about Steller. I'm sure you will pleased to hear that I have,as an astronomer and discoverer of minor planets,recently named one of my discoveries "Steller". I'm studying Siberia (the scientists that went there to study the country (Steller, Delisle, Gmelin and many others) Sincerely yours, Eric W. Elst Dr. of astronomy at the Royal Observatory at Uccle, Brussels, Belgium). Dear Peter Bridges,Dear Ambassador,
I have read with great interest your article about Steller. I’m sure you will pleased to hear that I have,as an astronomer and discoverer of minor planets,recently named one of my discoveries “Steller”. I’m studying Siberia (the scientists that went there to study the country (Steller, Delisle, Gmelin and many others)
Sincerely yours,
Eric W. Elst
Dr. of astronomy at the Royal Observatory at Uccle, Brussels, Belgium).

]]> By: cyril lucas http://calitreview.com/12/comment-page-1#comment-535 cyril lucas Mon, 28 May 2007 03:42:06 +0000 http://calitreview.com//essays/jays-films-and-georg-steller/#comment-535 Great essay, Ambassador - thank you - I learned a lot and will search for Steller's Jpournals. A pair of his Jays has been feeding all morning on suet at at my Port Townsend WA table. There is snow thawing on the ground and the air is crisp so they relish the treat which I actually provided for the juncos, towees, assorted sparrows and chickadees which feed daily. CL Great essay, Ambassador – thank you – I learned a lot and will search for Steller’s Jpournals. A pair of his Jays has been feeding all morning on suet at at my Port Townsend WA table. There is snow thawing on the ground and the air is crisp so they relish the treat which I actually provided for the juncos, towees, assorted sparrows and chickadees which feed daily. CL

]]> By: Ruth Ann Galt http://calitreview.com/12/comment-page-1#comment-534 Ruth Ann Galt Mon, 28 May 2007 03:41:13 +0000 http://calitreview.com//essays/jays-films-and-georg-steller/#comment-534 After reading this interesting essay, I will follow various paths based on its information. It's always such a pleasure to unexpectedly come across a little gem of knowledge and delight such as this essay. After reading this interesting essay, I will follow various paths based on its information. It’s always such a pleasure to unexpectedly come across a little gem of knowledge and delight such as this essay.

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