Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1879-06-28
CURIOUS AND SCIENTIFIC.
THE PLAGUE.

PrOIeBbOf NOICuOW vucbtiUub tho une
of sulphuric acid as a disinfectant, be.
cause he thinks it doubtful whether II
would penetrate clothing, ETC., in such
q manner as to destroy germs. As .
better plan he recommends that infected
articles be placed in a chamber raised to
at least 100 deg. centigrade by steam
pipes.
PROFESSOR AaAsslz's DISCOVERIES.
At the recent meeting of the national
academy Of science at Washington pro-
lesser Agassiz described the ample sue
cess he hsd had during the last season
in his dredging operations among the
Antilles. The main point, zoologically,
was ascertaining that the so-called deep
sea fauna occurred in great richness up
to the three hundred and fifty fathom
line, which in the case OF many OF the
islands was within two or three miles OF
the shore. The Challenger expedition
secured these forms of life at a depth
greater than one thousand five hundred
fathoms because they never dredged at
a greater depth. The shallower the
water, the quicker and more easy the
work. Consequently, Mr.. Agassiz was
able to make in two months almost as
large a collection as the Challenger made
in three years, and quite as representa-
tive.
EDISON ELECTRIC LIGHT.
The brilliant anticipstions which fol-
lowed Mr.. Edison's announcement of a
new discovery in regard to the electric
light have not yet been realized De-
tails and drawings of his patent have
now been published, and experts are not
favorably impressed with the feasibility
O his alleged discovery. The speciica-
ton deals with two distinct inventions,
the first being a magnetic machine for
producing the electric current, and the
other a regulator or burner. In regard
to the first, it is pronounced inadequate,
and would produce currents immeasur>
ably less than those produced by the
pramme and other machines. With re-
gard to the regulator, it is pronounced
Ingenious" but there is nothing novel
about it. 1t is, as reported, merely a
new form of the long.ago patented means
OF producing light by the ~incandescent
metals. Mr., Edison uses an alloy of
: platinum and iridium, in the form of a
!. ribbon, placed between two suitable
| holders. The current is regulated by the
expansion OF this ribbon with the heat
} evolved. And it is by these means
checked automatically before the fusing
4 point Of the alloy is reached. The ma
/, terials do not err on the sides of cheap
ness. Platinum is about SO an ounce
Q and iridium is valued at an altogether
8 prohibitory price. The piece OF the
i latter metal used by professor Tyndall il
Q his late lecture at the Royal institution
0 was shout the size of a luciter match ant
was valued at $3.50. Mr.. Edison ad
r vances nothing new on the question o
r divisibility. 1t seems, therefore, tina
the subject of electric lighting has not
as yet, made much progress in his hands
GIGANTIC DEEp SEA CRUsTACEAN.
= The study of animal life at great oceal
" depths is now commanding the attention
of the scientific world, and various gov
ernments, fully alive to its Importance
have from time to time placed at tn
disposal of scientists all the necessar.
'- appliances in the shape of ships ant
apparatus. The American government
, authorized Mr.. Alexander Agassiz II
explore the bed of the gulf stream, ant
4 in December, 1877, this naturalist. hex
in two thousand fathoms of water, ant
n succeeded in bringing up large numbe
OF rare and curious animals. Anon,
10 these was a gigantic crustacean, found q
nine hundred and ffty>fve fathom
n $3.50 feet), 1t measured nine inche
long by four inches broad, and was sen
to M. Milne Edwards, of France, to b.
9 studied. He named it the Giant Bath
ynomus (Bathynomus giganteus), anc
he found it not only remarkable for 1T
size, but also peculiar for the arrange
@ ment OF its respiratory apparatus, which
was very different from any other crus
tacean. This arrangement of specia
a co~ntrivances of greater functional power
allowed it to exist at such an immens,
depth. Contrary to what would b.
supposed in regard to an animal Twins
at such depth and in such q dark medi
UNI, Its eyes were well developed, each
9 ono being formed of upward of 1900
J, separate square facets, and instead Of
s being situated at the top of the head,
they occupied its inferior face and sur.
8 rounded the base of. the autenns. 1t il
: probable, as M. Milne Edwards Justly
observes, that the study of animals, such
as this, will throw some light on the his,
tory of fossil crustsceans, especially OF
the trilobites.
THE ALDO CARBON SIGHT.
There is an attempt to improve and
enrich the ordinary coal-gss, and unlike
all previous attempts, in this case q solid
substance is used. The process con-
sists in the employment of a substance
called albo-carbon, which is the solid
residum of creosote. This material ia
nodded into the form of candles, which
in large lamps are placed in a metallic
receiver near the gas>burner. The albo.
carbon is warmed by the heat of the
burning gas, the heat being transmitted
to the receiver by a metallic conductor.
Upon the carbon being raised to the
necessary temperature It volatilzes and
as the coal-gas passes over it to the bur-
ner its vapor becomes mingled with the
gas and greately rises It's illuminatory
power. OF course when first lighted the
coal-gas only is burned, and in a few
minutes, the albo-carbon communicates
Its enrichening vapor to it. But a very
slight alteration Is necessary to fit the
gas-ftting for the new invention. The
albo.carbon light has been tried at the
London aquarium, and found to afford a
marked improvement upon the ordinary
system Of gas illumination. 1t appears
two hundred burn RS were arranged with
the new light, and these took the place
Of FIVE hundred ordinary gas lights pre-
viously in use. The Illuminating effect
was said to be doubled. and an additional