The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-01-29
SCIENTIFIC ITEMS.


rim give evidence of the presence Of sodium,
hydrogen, copper. chlorine and carbon.
"A very delicate arrangement has been In.
vented to determine with accuracy the color OF
various stars. The question is regarded by
many astronomers as one Of considerable I'M
portanee.
The sale OF mother-of-pearl visiting cards
has been forbidden by the municipal authori-
ties of Munich, it having been shown by
salt OF lead, which, being poisonous and sweet,
would be dangerous in the hands OF children.
"A Boston newspaper says good way to
preserve cut flowers is to put pinch OF nitrate
Of soda into the water every day when it is
changed. This, it says, will preserve flowers
for q fortnight. Nitrate OF potash In powder
has nearly the same effect.
DIR. Stone, OIL English physician, writes to
the London Times that cooked potatoes are as
etticacious against scurvy as raw ones; fact
not generally known, but asoertained beyond
doubt by DIR. William Baly, late physician to
the Millbank Penitentiary, where scuryy at
wholly disappeared on the addition OF q few
pounds of potatoes to the weekly dietary.
Mr.. Alvergniat. of Paris, has constructed
a new apparatus for proving that electricity
cannot pass through an absolute vacuum. Two
platinum wires ere inserted into trbe 80 that
their free ends are within about an eighth Of
an inch Of each other. The sir is then ex-
hausted from the tube by means Of mercu-
rial column, after which the electric spark will
not pass from one platinum wire to the other.
The gathering OF sponge among the Ba-
hama Islands for conversion into bedding,
cushions, &ce or for use in general upholstery,
is becoming o business of much magnitude.
The Nassau Herald, of the 9th instant, speaks
pIro ann in
the trade, and says there has been recent sales
OF $500 strands of sheep-wool sponge at 81
per strand. This trade originates in the sue
cess of new American patent, and its growth
would be still more rapid If adequate machine
ry for manufacturing were in readiness.
Anatomical and other animal specimens
NAV be kept in an excellent state OF prepara-
tion after immersion in liquid composed Of
fourteen parts glycerine, two OF brown sugar,
and one of nitre, the addition OF sugar and
nitre being discontinued as soon as slight de-
days in the liquid, dependent upon it's size, the
specimen may be removed and allowed to dry,
otter which it can be kept in the open air q
long time. The addition Of soluble salt Of
arsenic, and possibly few drops Of ca1bolic
acid, might perhaps be an improvement
God liver oil, which has now become On
important element in materia medica, it is
well known unfortunately possesses taste, the
repuenance to which many patients cannot
overcome. A physician Of Paris has endeayor-
ed, and not, it seems, without success, to re-
move this obstacle by ridding the oil Of it's
characteristic taste. His recipe ls as follows
of Baumes aerometer, 12t drachms; essence of
peppermint, 45 grains. By mixing these in
eredients an emulsion is obtained, which is
administered at the rate Of three tablespoon
fuls day. The proportion of tkese ingredients
NAV be varied according to the taste OF the
patient. The physician referred to says that
he has obtained very satisfactory results from
this mixture.
The inhabitants Of Lee County, Virginia,
were lately quite excited ct the simultaneous
appearance Of three rising suns, which some Of
the more ignorant regarded as an omen Of
coming evil. The true sun was surrounded by
a beautiful colored halo; above this was another
partially developed halo, beneath which two
mock SUNS were visible for short time. The
phenomena Of colored halos are due to the re-
fraction OF light by frozen particles floating, IN
the atmosphere at great height, while the
white or uncolored parhelic circles arise from
reflections. They are never seen unless the
cirrus or ciJTO-strdiuS cloud intervenes between
the sun and the observer.
An instrument, it is said, can be con-
structed to measure the transparency Of the
atmosphere. It is matter Of common obser-
vatlon that there is an almost invar1able con-
nection between The transparency OF the air
and the state of the weather. For an explana-
ton OF this fact, Professor de 10 Rive, Of Ge-
neva, adopts the views Of Pasteur, who believes
that the atmosphere near the earth Is full OF
myriads of organic germs, which, when dry,
form a light fog and intercept light. When,
however, they are saturated with moisture they
become transparent, and heavy rain washes
them to the earth. So, again, the atmosphere
is clearest during the winter season, the cold
being fatal to the life of these germs. II, now,
this explanation is the true one, Professor de
la Rive argues then any contrivance for relac
lively measuring this transparency may be OF
great importance II sanitary point OF view.
Such an instrument the Professor constructs
by using double telescope with single eye
piece, by means of which the images OF two
objects OF different but known distances can be
compared, and the transparency Of measured
stratum Of air readily determined.
The action Of salt water upon cast iron has
become serious study, now that 80 many iron
structures are exposed to such deteriorations.
Besides the trusting" which everybody knows
of. there is O process Of 'rotting" in this aot-
ion of sea water; and to q less degree this pro-
cess goes on also in the air. The rotting OF
cast iron, as engineering explains, is loss Of
strength or cohesion without a loss OF volume
or size, whilo in rusting the iron loses no
strength, except in proportion TO the dimlnu-
ton Of the material itself. The former is the
more dangerous manifestation, from it's not
being recognized easily externally. An Eng
lish chemist, by applying certain acids, and
particularly acetic acid, to cubes Of cast iron,
Effected after some months, complete change
in The metal, substituting soft carbon COM
pound for the original iron, without any alter
alton in bulk or in tho appearance of it's sur
face. A less marked chemical action OF the
same nature goes on between sea water and
cast iron; but it il suggested that coat Of
lmpervious paint might lessen or prevent the
action. This, however, experiment has not
yet established.
DIR. 81. Volgel Of Berlin gives in the Phila-
delphia Photographer Swans process for trans
ferrng carbon prints. A solution Of gelatine
one part, water eight parts, and glycerine one
fourth of part is first made, in which the pic
lures arc completely immersed along with
piece OF tne tissue paper. They are taken
together out OF the solution, when they will
adhere quite firmly to each other. They are
now dried; and with bepzine it is easy to sepa-
rate them from the fine paper and paste them,
or else paste the whole on cardboard and
then separate. DR.. Vogel has also made some
to glass. For this purpose the developed
carbon print which still rosts on the cabutchouc
paper. is foated on solution, consisting OF
geiatine twelve parts, glyccrine three parts,
and water one hundred parts. Next on the
warm plato OF glass q little OF the above solu-
ton is poured; the picture is laid on this, and
the surplus of the gelatine is removed by pres
sure with the fingers; when nearly dry the
picture is brushed over in order to tan it, with