New-York tribune., 1878-06-08
SCIENCE FOR THE PEOPLE.


flexible material, Joined In electrical cohheeuoh az
their lower ends and slightly parted at the upper Inc
material s conductor Of very high resistance 10 e"ch
upper end wire OF the circuit is attached IL VIII pe
seen that II the is gradually closed the current VIII
mass over less and less OF the poor conduc-
tor This is facilitated by rounding the inside
edges Of the strips along the line where the
contact ia to take place. Mr. Noyes then ap
plies diaphragm that its movements of vibration
by sound waves) shall open and close the " BY this de-
vice. IL is stated far louder sounds are obtained than
with the ordinary telephone. At Philadelphia, PROBES
Bors Edwin j. Houston and Elhu Thomson, of the Cen
tra High School, for months past been en-
deavOFing effect relay Of telephone messages from
circuit TO another Professor Hughess construction
Of the micrOphone has now enabled them 10 soNe VniS
problem that cOntrvanee can be made TO repeat on
new circuit the most delicate vibrations that have
startas erom Bell telephone The new reaylng appa-
ratus has been shown at the Franklin Institute and was
operated there satisfactorily. me LONDON IStegTdpm,
ybIcb tbe tTamp 81 IN was heard mentions that the
insect at time raised its proboscis ana gave IorIn
trumpetng sound, which might be hkened TO the roar
Of an elephant.
POPULARIzING SCIENCE AT A MUsEUM.-At a
recent meeting Of the California Academy Of Sciences the
Rev Dr. Bleasdae described the Of the Unver-
atty al Melbourne It's expence up 20 the present ume
has been about $500 600 The specimens include com
pete Industrial exhibit The products Of the country
the machinery employed the character Of the SOIL ana
well as objects Of scientific interest rarity One ex-
celent thing in this museum the thorOughness of the
LABELLING which includes description of processes,
gives popular far possible, and supplies so
much information that II is believed the majority OF
visitors see at glance all they care TO know: ffacucal
beneft from the museum is experienced by all classes at
Melbourne and the popularity OF the exhibition is be-
yOund DOUBT Dr. Beasdaes account mas so lhtereSteu
The San Francscans that they thinking OF establish
ing similar museum for themselves
MEDICINAL PLANTS IN CALFORNIA.-It has
long been known that the climate of Pacific States
offers singular advantages for the cultivation OF certain
foreign plants from which valuable medicines are eX
tracted 1t is only quito recently however, that the
fora Of that has been specially studied with view
10 ascertain the economic value for medicinal purposes
Of tho native plants chemist Of California has given
this subject special attention, and finds that there
are many plants there whose products called for in
modern pharmacy. The Eucalyptus globutis the Ier6d
buena and the CanehGlGgud are already widely known
The Grindeha rObusta, which grows throughout the
State supplies balsam of a resnOUs character most
abundant in the buds but found in all the juices OF the
plant As for the eruption Oecasioned by contact
with the "pOsOn oak" the basam is accounted almost
specific 1t is also in demand in the Atlantic States as
a remedy for asthma and bronchial affections. The
leaves OF the eucalyptus serving as The strfhng OF
pillow have been found beneficial in relieving neuralgia
headaches and tncture prepared from the leaves has
q variety of uses In medicine One OF the newest OF
vegetable drugs is obtained from lerbd santa shrub
known also as gum weed, mountain basam, wild peach
and bears weed. The leaves contain resnOus sub
stance highly spoken of ingredient in cough mix
lures, and for the Of bronchial and aryngea dis
In California, for shipment TO manufacturing chem
lists at the East is gradually becoming business of i'm
pOrtanoe.
A New TAFFRAM LOG.-Lieutenant d. G.
McRitche, commanding the United states steamer Tai
lapOosa, has recently made report to the Navy
Department relative to woarai logs respectively Of
English and American invention. He says after a
thorough test Of the American log invented by Captain
Truman HOtehkiss he finds that 1t cannot befOued with
gulf Need sedge and that the dial hands cannot be
tampered with He regards accurate in registering
distances It's popularity is that the register secured
on board while the rotator IS alone towed in the water
This permits a smaller line to be used than ordinarily
and avoids the frequent breakage Of the line and the
loss Of the log The dial can be easily inspected at all
without hauling In there is consequently little danger
Of Overrunnng The rOtatOF Is the only part Of the log
cost There Is no liability to having the log disabled
ruined, when crossing shoals by striking the bottom,
Or being filed with sand
SILVER IN MAINE.-AnOther is to be added
70 the fist Of discoveries OF Of the precious metals
In the Eastern States. The remarkable feature about NIL
these discoveries Is that within year even shorter
time mines Of this description seem 10 have tendency
to disappear public gaze, and they rarely
heard from aferward. The present lind Is at Sullivan,
Hancock County, Maine Boston capitalists have II in
charge. s I'm quartizc slate which Outcrops below
hgh-water mark Sullivan River. The stories about
the ore and its analysis are, Of surprising There
s said 20 be silver glance containing 90 Ter cent pure
metal brittle silver with 20 per cent: general ores
average $50 q per ton. Selected specimens give any
was not selected and had been supposed worthless is
said to have yielded at the rate Of $780,
An ELECTRIC AwAKENER.-Mr +. Peppard
s the inventor OF curious contrvance for awakening
a sleeper at given hour. The apparatus is to be
affixed ordinary clock; II is arranged that when
the hOurhand Of tho clock touches button, electric
circuit is completed: the minuehand passes the
button without effect. There are series of holes for
the different hours, into any Of which the button
be pushed according to the time selected for
awakening The completion OF the electric circuit
may ring bell, sound any other OF
the numerous ordinary methods Of alarm. But
this contrvance has yet more effective method for
hrOusi1g deaf any sleeper who is willing before
hand to prepare himself for shock bracelet is pro-
Vided which be put the wrist at the time OF re-
trc discharge will pass through Il at tho appointed hour
pn apparatus fastened TO his wrist would naturally need
the violence Of an electric shock to awaken him.
GREAT LANDsLDE.-In certain portions of
sur Western plains great sinks" they called,
have al times taken place. Few OF them compare,
however with one that occurred near the village OF
Draguignan. in the department Of Var, about forty
miles north OF TOulOn, France There day,
bf more than 10000 square feet sank suddenly to
depth Of 100 feet The bottom Of the hole thus formed
was soon covered with water the hole itself is of
Dval FORM From the sudden appearance Of water at
he bottom, II s supposed that the ground had been
previously undermined by subteTranean watercourse,
which seems the likely, since there is record Of
Anilar occurrence there about century ago.
CARRIER PIGEONS TO BE TEsTED.-Arrange-
nents have been made for testing the utmost powers Of
rarrier pigeons, by flight Of 200 miles, from Rome to
Brussels, on June o. There more than 600 birds
sntered for tho race, but 1t is not expected that
bali dozen will succeed in making the journey,