New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-03-16
SCIENCE FOR THE PEOPLE.

COPYING DRAWISGS.-A Drle1 account WIS
given some Of the handy process used al tue
school OF Mines, Columbia College, for copying mecha
teal drawings and plans by sort OF photography Inc
original drawing must be on tracing or transparent
paper No camera is required. The process sipy cou
siss in laying sensiiizcd paper Win the prepared sue
uppermost on q board covered with WOOi lhiee 'hicA
nesses of flannel; spreading the tracing tha Is 10 oe
coled on the prepared paper covering the "hoe WIN
sheet of glass Of about 3 Of inch thick; and expos
ing the arrangement TO sunlight Ion 10 ~ OF ulhuse"
daylight GO TO 90 minutes The copy is theh 10 De
washed in clean water thoroughly and hung mp 10
dry Mr. p Barnes related these particulars recently
before the American Institute Of Mining Engineers ana
specAed also the method OF preparing the sensizeu
paper Ore solution is made OF 17s or citrate Oh IRON
and ammonia in OF. Of water; another OF Ia o. cu
prussate of potash in a like quantity OF water: ~"
water must be pure These solutions are 10 DE niAeu
and kept in the dark or in yellow bottle Inc MIXTURE
q, N ne opped TO paper on side oulywith sponge;
most conveniently by twice passing the sponge oNe
rt ouite wet and secondly, squeezed nearly dry me
paper Is Ge d 70 S bo Iet IN the dark used
IN shonid a full yeow-bronze color whel ne
In will be noticed that this method olhcrs on be Oe
pcyIously described IN this column III me me-
that m1TS 81 Of in Inc paeT but the proba6y that
~ mixture could used then foreshadowei as
probable. The whole process Is moi eN4cua "e" 0u'
kas lately become popular from its convenience
D1PUTUERIA AMONG OUR FOREFATHERs.-A
comparison Of ancient records with modern observa-
fins tends TO show that dphthera is an old disease
with new name. 1t made great havoc III New
England, especially in New-Iiampshire and Mdh''
ct three nercnt epoch 1855 g. 17s6. and So me
OF outbreak in attack of 1858 taking four months
to reach Boston, and Two years 10 arrive Oh 'e p" "
the Hudson River.
A QUARRY OF INDIAN RELICS.-A discovery
that Will prove OF to antiquares has been maze
in Johnston Township, Providence County, X l. The
exact locality about 100 yards north OF the hhgy
Pike on the Big Elm Farm Mr. H. ~ Angel, OF frovi-
dence while engaged III quailylng slate al tue pIace
above IL ated, found soapstone bed between two
rlate ledg, about six feet underground Carloads OF
ppverzed stone were removed. without suspicion
that Il was the debris OF ancient mine Al last 'he
surface the soapsone rock was reached and TINS was
90 Gu ousy carved 10 attract the notice OF TIE "oh
men the entire surface being covered with hollows and
projections. This a rock from which the aoorlgines
had carved sOapStone dishes and utensils The method
was TO cut away the from circular portion TIL
that was left projection, and then cut under the pro-
lection until detached after which the block mus
oht lined was followed out and became dish or ooW
The work had been done with knives and hammers OF
stone the slate furnishing sharp edge TO cut ehsei ana
accom- ont the sOapstone. one of two stone hammers
found weighs nearly 100 pounds, and was followed III
the middle probably to be bound with thongs TO
handle Already $50 cuttings for bowls that never were
anisIetf haze been the soapstone The ledge
itself had been down by the aboriginal worinen IN
this manufacture several feet below the Original level
Large numbers of stone hammers apd axes naVe peUn
found by the explorers The rock Is SOFT ana some COP
silver, t6lC anu aeDcstOS uC aosVNi"'S" WIN
soapstone.
TR.SsIT OF MERCURY-The arrival in this
city Of two French scientists their way the West to
make observations the transit OF Mercury indicates
the interest with which that Astronomical event will be
regarded These gentlemen are sent out officially NJ
Charles Andre is Director OF the Observatory and Pro
fessor Astronomy in the University of Lyons; NJ An
rotis Professor OF Physics at the Lycee Fonanes in
Paris They are to proceed TO Ogden, Utah, there to
make observations On May 6. Ogden has probably been
nS for TCry oS me of e
aud great advantages In dryness OF climate ana
OF the the transit will be nearly at local noon The
transi; viii occupy about seven and half hours 90,
seryaOns Will in determining the orbit OF
Mercury and thu, throwing more light 1pon me ques-
ton inra- MercuIial planet aud also IN furnlsh-
Ing fresh estimates OF TIE distance OF the sun
CHANGE IN TIE BUREAU OF AGRICULTURE.
The Country makes the statement that Professor c. v
Riley about to take the place OF Professor Glover as
Eu;onologst Of the Agricultural Bureau. Professor
Riley has done excellent work the State Entonoogst
of Missouri and member Of the United states Ento-
moogcal Commission. He IL also widely known Us
writer aud discOveror in his special field OF science II
would be pity have his activities shelyed III dusty
nook o. "a Government bureau
Treatment OF EAR DIsEAsEs.-The surgeon
Is often called upon TO treat chronic purulent inhama
ton OF the middle by applying indictments which
at least viii not increase the supply or moisture
Powders hav long been used for the purpose but they
come poulticcs and thus add to the trouble Dr. Samuel
Sexton describes IN Medical Record mode Of over
coming this difficulty. He absorbent cotton wool,
which has prepared by suitable washings so as to
be entirely free from oils, etc. This when dry will
ton with solution of the drug to be used, such as
borax 20 per cent; zinc sulhate, or alum, 10 per
aS ss een ETC. er sss s ear Sas
syrngcd IL to DC dried by the use OF small portion OF
indicated wool is introduced by means Of !ulcane
carrier, aud IL needfu pushed further III win tue puht
end of forceps The wool be left in the meatus as
long as desirable since IL causes lttle uneashess To
the patient.
FEALTY OF FIsHEs.-The loyalty with which
certain fish to the home Of their childhood has
been curously illustrated since hculture has become
science. According 10 Professor g. Brown Goode, In
where two three rivers have their mouths
nearly together the seacoast the fish, In returning
tospawn never by mistake go up any other river than
the one they first came FROM This happens even If all
of the rivers are equally well fitted for FISH, and have
been dcpOpuated only by everlasting or oDslructons'
In such instances II the middle OF three rivers Is re;
stocked, the fish, on attaining maturity return 10 A. aho
not TO the adjoining rivers. III Is nehce mIeiIeo INA.
they wander III the sea far from the mouth OF
their native stream.
MAGNETIC VARIATION.-A useful little book
on this subject has been recently compiled by j. H. stone
formerly instructor Of mathematics at Yale College
very large proportion OF earlier land surveys were
based on the compass and amount Of magnetic varia
ton for each date and locality rarely ever approx
fmatod MI stones book furnishes the means for eaicu
lang the variation BACK 70 s', en-. un,e io 90 y
$50 places IN the United states ano suppes
oSs@ryatons on the Pole star. The book contains a
brief but interesting sketch Of the theory OF terrestrial
magnetism elucidaed by modern research, ana ID
adapted for practical use IN land survey.
SIMPLE METHOD OF LEvELLING.-An exceed
insly simple method OF obtaining levels is described in
D.,fJJ. ffuna fatin