The McArthur enquirer. (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1873-1884, 1873-04-30
Scientific Items.
A woolen mill is to be estab-
lished in Columbia. Mo.

DIR. III. G. Bolton suggests
the use Of the magnesium light
for observing the true colors Of
precipitates by night.
The first case in England by
inhalation Of nitrous oxide gas
is reported in the Lancet. The
patient was a lady, thirty-eight
years Of age.
PRoF. Joseph lie Conte, in a
paper in Silliman's Journal, up
holds the opinion that the whole
theory of geology must be re-
constructed on the basis Of a
solid earth.
UNDER the influence of light
and air petroleum absorbs a
certain proportion ofexygen,and
gives the reactions of ozone. In
this state it is yellow and burns
poorly. The proper way to
avoid the change is to preserve
the oil in metallic vessels.
The disappearance of the fall
len leaves is explained by DR..
Eugene by the hypothesis that
earth-worms drag them into
their subterranean habitations
by means of the curved appen-
dages by which their anterior
rings are armed.
The currents ofair induced by
the Boston fire were so strong
that flakes of granite were car
ried across the water to South
Boston, and fell in quantities on
the sidewalks and roofs, and
papers were borne in some cases
to a distance of more than
twenty miles.
M. JANIIN states that when the
current of electricity used to
magnetic a horseshoe bar at
tains a certain strength, the bar
appears to return to it's normal
state, while either weaker or
stronger currents produced mag
netism. This state he terms
that Of concealed magnetism,
and supposes it is produced by
a peculiar distribution of the
magnetic force.
Mr.. Garner, in a paper read
before the Linnaean Society,
abOndonS the idea that the Sc
cretion of nacreous matter,
which forms pearls in oysters
and mussels, is owing to the ir-
ritatiOn caused by grains of
sand. From observations made
on common marine mussels, he
concludes that the exciting
cause of the deposit is not sand,
but a minute parasite; white in
the fresh water mussel OF ano-
don, it is a minute mite OF true
itch insect.
In studying the bones of
whales, DR.. Struthers, discov-
cred that these leviathans of the
deep are subject to rheumatism
1t has been said that animals
are not subject to disease until
they are brought into connec-
ton with man; but this fact con-
tradicts the theory. 1t is the
more remarkable, seeing that
whales are less subject than
man to variations of tempera-
ture; and it is also evident that
the cold water treatment cannot
be very efficacious in the cure
of the disease.
A CURIOUS deposit, composed
almost entirely Of pure silica,
has been discovered in North
Wales. 1t forms the bed of a
small lake at a considerable ell
ovation above the level of the
sea, and is of volcanic origin.
When properly washed and pre-
pared it furnishes a powder,
which is very finely divided
and mixes freely with oils and
pigments, and is worked with
the greatest ease. When laid
on it soon becomes hard, and
presents a polished surface
which resists the action ofacids
and heat.
M. L. CAILLETET, as the result
Of a series of experiments on
the proprieters of liquid Carbo-
mic Acid, finds that it does not
conduct electricity, that it does
not dissolve sulphur nor phros-