New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-11-17
SCIENCE FOR THE PEOPLE.

A singular feature of the explosion in the
High Blantyre Coliery Scotland, tby which 30 h'es
were ost was the uprush OF the burning gas thous"
the downward shaft though the gas is believed TO nave
taken fire az the base OF the upcast SHAFT INC
shortest massage between the two shafts in the NINE
was fully third Of mile long, aud the Vehtliauon
threw ont cubic feet OF air per minute Although
The reversal OF this great current OF air AZ the Time o
Tie exploson seems strange II is not without precedent
Tho following extract from lecture delivered oy fro
60 W "a. suyth before the Royal school OF Mines
Iondon and recently published in The Engineering ana
9nnq Journal indicates the chances OF such an occur
renee: "some strange effects occasionally ioloW thesc
accidents thus the lecturer had one case himself
where the ventating current rcversed by the cX
ploson and all the smoke, etc. drawn back into the
mine where the ais could be osclatug for short
time over the upcaSt and then going bodily down. In
this case every in the mine was killed" Professor
smyth recommends that there should be great DIS
lance between the shafts 80 as 10 afford the minors
abundant room Tor escaping from the gmtcd gas ana
nrecsntion Was moi wanting in the Scotch mine, ad
VANTAGE could be taken Of in lescunE the unfortunate
down and tine shafts were also choked with debris Many
homs had 10 be spent IN removing DISTINCTIONS ana
located.
The DAYS Of the lamphghter are numbered,
aud the time ia at when he viii exist only in story
Electricity certain to take his place, because 1t can
work more ceaply II has been tried for the purpose OF
lighting and extns gushing 22O street lamps in Proyl
dcnce T. L. scattered over district nine mics long
one man attends 10 the whole business and does it in
ttcsI seconds Tho method has now been on trial FOR
some months and saving OF $40 per lamp per year ls
reported.
Several cases OF hydrOphObia have been re-
Gently reported England ana there is no country in
the modern world where dogs arc generally held IN
higher honor these occurrences bring tho warning care
canein home 10 the Bron, and consequence he
writes letters to The Times Among the many commu
nications there Is from C. X. Laporc, physician
hocb s,4e in tray
noting lie SAYS that hydrophobia far ss he is able
10 Judge IS unknown in Africa. His theory is that tho
disease can nc broken up 10y inducing free perSp
ton In fatal under his care, repeated vap"l Ou9
failed mako the patient perspire Since thei Dr. La
porte has received account from friend in emma OF
the cure Of "a coolie in his employ who had been bitten
10y rabid dog. and sixty days afterward showed un-
questionable symptoms Of hydrophobia. The medicine
used was made By boiling handful OF the leaves Oh
daitra straD,oaj0r pint Of water tin half eyapor-
atcd aud then srainng through linen cloth was al
nstercdi il one dose spite OF the struggles OF the pa
tent who showed great aversion to swallowing any
lqud Before long violent paroXysnl cnsncd and CO.
ieSf e,cnt hours ana ON Walking was wholly free from
hydIophohic symptoms As stramoniGu Is enc OF thc
commontst weeds IN oW vacant lots. mere won" we I
little difficulty in procuring this medicine mere put tie
rss Of lbs would p" gr,at,as such dose would prob
ably be d fatal poison 20 % healthy man.
In fishing at the mouth of the Dee, Scot
land carrcr-rigeous are employed The doyc-cot is
are drawn carly ia the morning the pigeon dispatched
md makes his return trip 10 a mile minute The NEE
prove useful IN giving early delaiS OF me calch'
ana also IN notifying OF any pressing wants oil the h5nei
The question as to whether mice OCCASION
ally sing has been revived I'm France NJ. BrerGe dcs
crbed before uc Society OF Naturalization his expert
orce ia IA Ven Zee in 1s5l-53 lie bad bought an CID
cupboard which happened 20 contain mice About sunset
the mice began to sing. By lubIicotug the doors and
of Tho nYiQ NJ
in one instance without disturbing the song He lit
orally caught tnc soDgster in the act 10 was an Old
mouse which held ne in air like dog when howl
ing Its song Ike that Of IL BrierIe seized
the mouse his hand bu aiterward allowed 1t to cs
cape. On subsequent evenings the singing was renewed
There were 10 birds I'D the house The utterance CT
less musical sound has atteIly been discovered part
Of the capacity Of the scorpion the authority Of Mr.
] Wood Mason, and described before the London En-
tomological Society. Tic experiments made at
Bombay bv teasing two large scorpions placed face to
face table Tho souna is Stiiduons' somewhat Hkc
that from scrlpins sim brush win INC hnser mans An
anatomical examination showed that the insect rs pro
vded with an aplara consiSting OF "a fcaner ana
wien separated nom the scorpions, after dcalh'
The Johns HOPKINS Scientific Association
has recently been organized in Baltimore. Professor
Sylvester is president Professor Remscn vccprcsdcnt.
Dr. story secretary. great feature in The programme
is that the essays presented 10 he short and concise,
and to contain the particulars Of original research eU
cusvcy. There is also o be discussion OF new scion
meetings of which the first has been held with score
u members present
From The British Wreck Rcgstcr some sug
gestye facts might be compiled. The number Of vessels
entirely was j02 year, being slight increase
on the losses OF previous years In fifteen years
than 2 900 persons lost their lives by spwrcck. More
than fifth OF ali casualties collisions. consld
cradle percentage wrecks due 10 defects in the
ships "quppuc them many were absolutely unsea-
worthy when they started on their last voyages Gu
nous feature these ajisCS IS tho large number OF
wrecks occurring when The ice OF the wind was not
extreme--say from six to nine EnOts per hour such
the record recalls tho trc lines about the ships That
have gone down at sea, when heaven was an tranquil
lty. Perhaps tie trouble with English vessels u tue
same Is that with the American narinc that the pen
efs Of improved appliance, uut % better seam nenlp
with the sinalfS crews mar cl p.p Won, tuc SHP.
But IL IS also evident thai the iabors of Mr. PhmOl are
SIN eeded 10 prevent unse&wo1hy crafts from leaving
port.
From the so-called Jumping beans" of
Mexico twhosc motions arc caused D> insect win),
Mr. Henry Edwards has succeeded in obtaining heauti
t,l moth Of the T0rfricdu family and probably
kpecies. The instance Of OF the
lcddoptera piercing seed capsule with its oyiposor,
aud laying an egg 10 produce arva which VIII destroy
the seed This Of performance is mostly confined
L. cOlcOptcrOus insects The account OF THIS new moth
was given before the san Francisco McIoscopoaI
Society
If the descriptions are not Oyerdrawn, re-
IarEably convenient small steln' engine has been III
vented il Philadelphia. II is oscatius engine, at
tached % tank holding about two gallons OF water.
ho boiler Of about quart opacity: the sic amchest
lalf that sze the whole concern occupies space Of
about 10 inches square and Is high, and weighs 80
pounds. II designed for with sort OF light
machinery and is said 70 be- suitable Tor variety OF do