The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-08-30
SCIENTIFIC AND MECHANICAL.

REL1cs.-Some interesting relics were
recently found at Authieux sur lie Port
ST. Owen, France, which appear to date
from the Roman occupation of the country,
consisting of the remains of the apparatus
used by the ancients for warming their
houses. Among them were found the fur
mace of the stove, and pipes through which
the hot air was carried throughout the
building.
ELECTRIcITY.-At recent sitting of the
French Academy of Sciences an account
was given of Il curious instance of the effects
produced by terrestrial electricity. A NJ. De-
vaux, an official of the Paris Gas Company,
being, recently, at ten o'clock in the evening
in the Rue ThOun, at the time of the storm,
suddenly felt himself sinking down on his
knees, while, at the same moment, he was
dazzled by bright flash of lightning. He
felt painful sensation in the region of the
stomach, and was seized with fits of trem-
bling that lasted two days. On examining
his boots he found to his astonshment that
nearly all the screws securing the soles had
been wrenched out. Nj. Becquerel remarked
that this was owing to the phenomenon
called tue return shock, which takes place
when the electricity of n cloud combines
with that of the earth; in which case a
person near the spot, and charged with
the former fluid, may receive part of the
terrestrial one, and thus even lose his life.
Marshal valiant remarked that similar
accident occurred a few years ago in the
Bots de Nincennes. In that case the man
was killed, and his shoes, the nails of which
had disappeared, were found at some dis
lance from the body.
WATER IN MILK.-Dr. Bellows says :
"Water combined in natural food is alb
solutely pure, and perceptibly different
from the present water obtained outside of
natural organization. This in regard to
milk, has proved by experiment as follows:
Carefully add to dish of pure, fresh milk,
few drops of pure Cochituate water, and
almost Immediately under a microscope,
can be seen beginning change which will
result in decomposition. Place a dish of
pure milk, containing 81 per cent of water,
as it came from the COW, where it will keep
sweet twentyfour hours, and place beside it
another dish of the same milk, adding only
one per cent. of water of the same tempera
ture, and the milk last named will be chan ged
| in less than twelve hours. When our milk
men, therefore, dilute their milk, not only
defraud by selling water for milk, but they
actually adulterate it in the true sense OF
that term. From this fact housekeepers
and milkmen may get an important hint.
1t is not only necessary, i'll order to keep
milk from changing, to have the dish or can
receiving or containing it well scalded and
sweet, but also perfectly dry, single drop
OF water being sufficient to start the process
of fermentation, or change, and the more
| impure the water the greater will be its
influence. Let the above statement, by a
chemical professor, be duly considered; for,
if such be the effect of a drop of pure water,
how is it, and that not unfrequently, in
milking in rainy weather, when many drops
of dirty water fall into the milk-pail, while
cows are milkingP This wasnot mentioned
in the American Darymen's Association
among the many fruitful sources of impurity
in milk, which damage the flavor of cheese,
1t should have been on the list of Mr.. Weeks
enumeration. The above statement Of
DR.. Bellows suggests to us that the micro,
scope is surer medium for detecting
authorizations in dietary articles than chem,
milk, if it he as represented above. 1t il
time that scientists should give US some
way of detecting authorizations in milk
that shall be infallible. This we believe If
possible, and therefore, we hope to see i
done, and that right soon.-Boston Cutti
GATOR.