New-York tribune., 1868-02-20
SCIENCE.
na. new nhsprVa-

Rrcrrr tTrvc WATcHFs-The new Ohserva-
Cory Neochael in switzerland mas rendered good ser
their watches with mOreexsctness Prizes are now gwen
70 those makers whose watches approach nearest 70 per
months gave OLGA Of second as the mean variation from
day to day. The Improvement IN common watches
during five years will be seen by the following table OF
mean variations IN "a hours. ........
In 1857 the mean variation was. .1m acc
In 1913 the mean variation was.............l2s sec
In 1864 the mean variation was. LIZ sec
IN 1855 the mean variation was. 0ss sec
In 1906 the mean variation was O. X sec
More than threequarters OF the chronoIne it
second - '''''- '''' ''''''- - ''' = .I
SAPoNN.-This substance is found in common
eOspwOrt, hOrsechestnuts quislS DALI O"i ~ seems
20 be widely dfused throughout the yegetaDe ~ ,1
and is easily extracted from plants Dy nles ~ olf
ties OF lie solution in water An infusion OF % -
sometimes used for cleansing the nnea ~ sraet;sh
taste producing scratching % ~ ~ y, .se on 18
Its dust causes violent ng main and dates Tie
snp Eugene Pelikan Director OF the SlVh MedieM ne,
Paris note on the local paralysis produced by
Ssnon and analogous substances The result Of mis- sx-
Deriments may be briefly summed up as follows;
be local paralysis produced by sapOnin is followed
by gdty Of the muscles and paralysis OF the nerves
This loo paralyzng action resembles somewhat that
81 substances acting on the pupil like atropln, &C -
g. sapOnin now employed in medicine. is probably des-
Aned 90 perform another part than that at present at
tboted to it. aud for this reason tshod DO snbmedto
saponin does not cause either contractOns of the
muscles other 10 which IL applied yet annuls
completely the itabnity of the muscles, provided the
animal submitted TO it's action Is In the normal state OF
health.
AMERICAN CONCRETE BUILDING SToNES--Re-
cent in the manufacture OF concrete puu
ing blocks have far perfected the product as TO bring
this stone successful competition with the very DesO
al the natural artificial building materials The ao
ton OF lime upon sfca forming sincate OF nnc anu
thus binding together particles OF sand as In mortar mas
been known from the remOtest and concrete walls
of great antiquity now standing vieing win lhe
natural rock In hardness and durability, some years
since block cOmpacted by pressure was brought
out In this country and used 10 some extent as building
material but the sowness of the induratOn and uncer
fainty product hndered its general lntr0ducuon
The improvements referred TO consist in the use OF
heat In connection with quicklime and sand Dy Whlch
the formation of the scate of lime Is hastened ana tne
effect which formerly took years 10 De oOnsum-
mated is now produced few days Ground quickime
Is thoroughly mixed with clean, sharp sand, ana Is hoh
Subjected 10 the action OF either superheated OF mCh
pressure steam which sacks the lime and causes 10 NJ
tack the silica This process continues Tor IRON twenty
minutes 10 ten days according TO the degree OF heat e
ployed when the material is nodded and compressed Dy
heavy steam hammer into blocks or any desired iOrln
Tie ordinary building block made by this process Is Ten
inches WIDE and four inches deep having hollow space
IN the center six inches long by inch broad when the
blocks are placed upon each other so as TO break n
continuous and connected series OF air chambers wiz De
formed within the wall. Thirty days exposure OF the
Alock after 10 first formed. 20 the air produce an III
dHFatiOR quite sufficient for all ordinary building purposes
hi the block continues TO harden for unlimited period
church built entirely Of this material was recently edl
eated az MOrrsania number OF fine buildings nave
Already been constructed OF this material an chicago
among which may be mentioned a handsome Dlook Oh
awelngs SiXteenthst and the Young Mems Clllslan
Association OF the city, which recently burned
The endurance OF this stone when submitted 10 repeater
freezing and thawtng is quite remarkable, ana eAperl
ent proves il be equal IN this respect TO granite