The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-04-26
CURIOUS AND SCIENTIFIC.

If an icicle forty-fve miles in di-
ameter were thrust toward the sun
with the velocity of light-say twelve
million miles minute-it could never
touch the sun, but it would melt as
fast as il came.
John f. Taylor & Co. inform the
american artisan that farmers have
used rice staw for more than fifteen
years in running the threshing ma
chimes manufactured by them, greatly
preferring it to wood.
In 1866 we imported 76, $50, 600
pounds of rice, and raised 20, 800
pounds. The best quality then re-
tailed for 49, cents per pound. In
1871 our home production had risen
TO 80, 000,0 900 pounds, and the price of
the best quality had fallen to 8 cents
per pound.
Submarine telegraph cables are now
sometimes insulated with pure rubber,
covered with longitudinal strips OF
vulcanized rubber. Recent tests show
it to have thirty per cent. greater re-
sistance than Keepers method. Its
electr0static capacity, however, is a
little higher.
Mr. James Napier has examined
some of the bituminous mortar adher-
ing to a brick from the Bios Nimroud,
Babylon. He found % per cent. btu
minous matter and 80 per cent. lime
stone. The lime had never been burn
ed, but was simply broken or ground,
containing pieces from the size of a
pin-head TO that of split pea.
DR.. S. Weir Mitchell has observed
that in cases of partial paralysis the
nails on the paralyzed limbs cease
growing, and, if the nails are stained,
the appearance of a white line above
the quick furnishes good prognOstic
of returning control. He thinks that
some of the phenomena of the disease
indicate the existence of nutritive
nerves.
Whenever iron pipes are employed
for conveying any heated medium,
such as smoke, hot air, steam, or hot
water, they should not be allowed to
pass through woodwork unless pro-
tected by an earthen crock. The iron
rust may be deoXidized by the heat,
and upon reoxidizing it often becomes
red hot. Many fires have occurred
from this cause.
Mr.. J. f. Stone, astronomer royal at
the Cape of Good Hope, has expert
mented on the velocity of sound from
the discharges of the ! o'clock signal
gun at the Castle, the two observers
being ii sos feet apart, and commune
eating with each other by telegraph.
The result indicates velocity of 1880. e
feet per second at freezing tempera-
ture.
DR.. Oscar Liebrich, the inventor OF
hydrate of chloral, has introduced a
new organic compound called croton
choral, by which the head may be
rendered insensible while the other
parts of the body remain unaffected.
1t therefore promises to produce all
the good effects of hydrate of chloral
without any drawbacks being attached
TO its judieious use.
Some of the magnetism cements
used in India are remarkably firm and
durable. They begin setting in two
or three hours and become hard in a
few days, continuing to harden for
many years. When used for plaster
ing they have been found within a
fortnight to be "harder than any
stone, except granite, marble, and
stones of the first degree of hardness. !"
In recent lecture on glaciers Pro-
fessor Tyndall referring to the glacier
tables formed by the melting of the
glacier all around the ice, which is
protected by slabs of rock. The slabs
generally lean to one side, sinking on
the south side more than on the north,
on account of the greater heat, until
finally it slides off its pedestal. The
tables thus enable visitors readily to
draw north and south lines OH the
glacier.
The only link which is now needed
to complete Puck's girdle around the
globe is the connection of our Pacific
coast with the islands of Japan. Mr..
Cyrus Field, to whose energy we are
largely indebted for the success of the
Atlantic cables, is endeavoring to Sc
cure the establishment of a line from
Van-couyer's Island to Hakodadi,
and thence to Russian naval station
In Siberia. Three other trans-Pacific
lines are also contemplated.