New-York tribune., 1878-09-28
SCIENCE FOR THE PEOPLE.

by g. G. Chandler, IT,, new method OF hndhe tne
time without Instruments He says; :" Let Two piumO
lines be suspended at considerable interval say TWO or
three feet apart in direction nearly north and soutn'
aud Of such length that the placed near the lower
end of one OF them and looking toward the other can
observe the transit OF the latter up TO an
altitude Of say at least fifty degrees Let the points OF
suspension be movable lateray that the lines can
conveniently be brought into the same plane win tue
polar star adjusting them that the eye placed AZ
little distance from line sees 1t projected against the
other aud the pole star at the time 1t evident
that in this position plane passing through the lines
will cut the sphere in vertical circle the angie
between which and the meridian Is the azimuth
Of Polaris at the time Of observation. now
the observer his position and the eye De placed
in front OF the northernmost line so that looking
toward the SOUTH T. appears projected on the other ne
and the time be noted when southern fastmoVihg star
appears bisected or occued by the two lines we have
the means of ascertaining by slight calculation the er
ror of our mepece. In this the transit OF sew
eral may be observed In the space OF nan an no
adjustment being made on PoaLs at each Tbe
ton. thus giving as many independent result LIZ
formulas for reducing these observations lhNONe oI9
slight knowledge Of Tigonometry ana copy p can 0 he
greatly simpcd by the calculation once Tor All Oi tMo
constants Mr. Chandler gives tables OF these
for Boston, and also works out practical Illustration p
the method in which the time was ascerte ed correctly
TO lve seconds
THE SATELLITES OF MARs.-The authorities
OF the National Observatory have just published In
handsome duarto pamphlet Of fOryX pages, PROFESSOR
Asaph Halls observations of the satellites OF Mars Win
the elements OF their orbits and dataf for calculating their
positions during 1879. Mr. Hall has finally adopted Tor
the two moons the names suggested by Mr.. MADAM, OF
Fton England namely, DeimOs for the outer satellite,
and Phobos for the inner satellite From an exhaustive
review OF the various observations Of these minute
bodies with the great Washington refractO he also de-
duces the elements OF their orbits ond compares them
with those obtained by other observers Demos reyOlVes
around Mars in 1.262429 mean solar days. and PhoDos
IN 3ls9244 OF o day. Both OF them move very nearly
in the plane OF the equator OF Mars. rhe hourly motion
Of Phobos as from the surface Of Mars is 0O55
and on account OF its rapid angular movement
and its uearness to the planet, this satellite
will present singular appearance TO any inhaUtants
Mars. IL will rise IN the west ana sci IN me eas. anu
ion ,s ony ii $50 The distances Of these satellites
ON the centre OF Mars are for Deimos l4oOO miles
and for PbObos 500 miles The inner satellite Is the
brighter OF the two, but more dimeult 10 see on nc
count of its coseness to the planet Inc %G oi by @
St Professor PIcSerihg Of Harvard estmated
Demos 10 be SIX miles in diameter and Phobos seven
miles. Other Observers, however nave 1e,h eu 70 70
Mars as determined from the motions OF the satellites
is the isoe95oO part OF that OF tue SUM-
New ELASTIC STAMP.-A new form of elias
tic marking stamp has lately been patented by Peper
OF Dresden This is based upon the elastic properties
possessed by mixture OF geano and gyeerine' which
ressts perfectly the action OF oils aud petroleum. but
il not sufficiently permanent. To give II the desired
durability, the stamp, made, s immersed for about
three minutes in a mixture in the proportion OF one
part Of tauun TO fifteen parts OF alcohol aud then
allowed 20 dry with the stamp side under
meath This Is 20 DO repeated hourly for three
four hours and after the last drying the tanned sur
face is to be washed with sponge with lukewarm
spirits, in order TO remove tho superuous tahnl shn
prevent Its action the colOrng surface leathef-
which answers ali the purposes OF the ordinary rubber
stamps at present in use, besides being much more
easily prepared.
HoT AND COLD BATHs.-The London Lancet
I'm recent number points out the difference between the
effects Of hot and cold baths The effects OF the cold
bath Il says, being mainly due 70 impressions made
upon the cutaneous nerves. notifications Of the cold
bath largely depend their power OF incrcasng its
stimulating action The colder the water the vio-
lent the Impression The frequent change Of water such
as ia found IN the in running streams increases
the stimulating effect Great forcO Of impact az when
water falls from q height or comes forcby through
hose upon the body the division Of the stream. as Il seen
In shower baths and noodle baths; ana the addition OF
acids salt 20 the water all act II would seem by IN
creasng the stimulating power which the water e1ers
upon tho cutaneous nerves. Warm baths produce an
effect upon the skin directly contrary to that brought
about by cold water The ouanoous vessels date I'm
mediatey under the influence Of the heat and although
this datiOn Is followed by contraction OF inc Eesses
this contraction u seldom cKcessiVei and the ultimate
result OF bath IA 20 decrease the cutaneous CIR
culatou. The pulse and respiration are Doth quckened
81 In the cold bath The warm bath Increases the tenn
perature Of the Uody and by essening the necessity Tor
the internal production OF heat decreases The call made
upOu certain vital prOcesses and enables lie TO be su
taned with less expenditure Of force While cold
bath causes eet tain Stiffness OF tne muscles, II con
tnued for too long time warm pain IeeNes stnnsss
fatigue The ultimate results OF hot and cola bAhH
their temperature be moderate are about the same
difference being 70 the words Of Braun, that cold
rcfreshes by stimulating the functions, heat by phys-
cally facilitating them and I'm this lies the important
practical difference between the cold water and hot
wnter systems."
VEGETABLE MILK AND WAX.-Nearly fifty
years ago. NJ Boussingault the eminent French chem
st made some interesting observations the juice OF
the galactodendron, commonly known "a the cow
tree" Some specimens Of the plant now on exhibition
in the Champ de Mars Paris have enabled him TO prose-
cute his study OF this vegetable milk. The cowtree
grows TO height OF so 70 90 feet The Indians milk
the tree by making incsons in the trunk The nutrtve
qualities OF the milk undOubed. NJ. BoussinRaut
took It several months with coffee chocolate II s
much more consistent than cows milk, and has weakly
acid reaction. In air IL soon coaguates into kind OF
cheese This contains complex fatty matter, melting
at 500 c., very similar to beeswax, out Of which
excellent candles made There Ia also present a
nitrogenized matter similar 10 albumen vegetable
nbrine. The remainder consists OF saceharine sub
stances salts OF potash lime magnesia phosphates and
water. II differs from cows milk in it, quantItative
composition, and ia like cream, the constituents being
mainly butter, 80 sugar, phOsphates, casein, and
albumen, 4; water. 5S. NJ. Boussngault thiuks the
cow-ree might be usefullY naturazed In Algeria but
adds that would DO less valuable on account OF the
milk than on that OF the which could be got from 1t
In abund The tree Is native OF South Africa but
would probably thrive in tho southern parts OF the
United states.
A HINT TO THE CoNsUMPTIvE.-A CORES
pondent of Les MOndes calls attention 10 the fact
butchers though they may be pale and hn when they
enter the business, quickly gain freshness OF color,
stoutness and generally comfortable look 1t is pure
felton, OF course that they put aside the best portions
Of the meat for themselves, and IL ia known fact that
OF them lose appetite Tho correspondent attri
hntea their general Webeing 20 Assimilation through