The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1879-02-13
POPULAR SCIENCE.

no. rE .--Fs Z - o. Hf r. 10 l-- . d
HEAT, says the Lancet, Expresses the
spirits, lowers the tone of vitality, and
pervades the whole body with feeling
of lassitude aud incapacity. This con-
dition points to necessity for reduc-
ton of exertion and excitement when
the physical world is overheated. In
stead, however, of complying with the
plain teaching of nature, and lessening
activity, people resort to various devices
to lessen the sensation of heat. Per-
spira.ion is moisture which nature
spreads over the surface of the human
body for much the same purpose as an
intelligent housewife sprinkles water
over her butter cooler. But perspira-
ton is checked by sitting in draughts,
by wearing very little clothing, and by
adopting light colors for dress. The
remedy is taken for the disease, and
through impeding the processes of
nature, summer colds and other allied
evils are contracted. "The conditions
of health require that, within very
narrow limits, the temperature of the
human body should be the same, whether
the thermometer stands at 900 in the
shade or sinks to few degrees below
zero.''
M. DE PARvILLE writes enthusiast
tically of M. Reyner's new electric
lamp, which seems to be as easily
managed as an ordinary oil lamp. A
rod of carbon, from twenty to thirty
centrimeters long and from one to two
millimeters thick, is held at one end by
metal rod which tends to descend by
its own weight, and at the other by a
carbon wheel in vertical position.
The carbon is pressed strongly against
the wheel, which is made to revolve
slowly. A current of electricity from a
battery of from four to six of Bunsen
elements raises the carbon to q white
heat at the point of contact of the rod
with the wheel. A splendid light is
produced. If high degree of lumin-
osity is required, the heated portion of
the carbon may be increased at pleas
ure. Break the current, and the lamp
is extinguished. Restore the connec-
ton by turning knob and the light
flashes forth. The battery may be
slowed away anywhere, and any one
can use this Illuminating continuance in
hotel or workshop without being an
noyed with the difficulty and expense of
maintaining any rnagneto-electric ma
chine or steam engine.
AN interesting paper on the stimu-
lants of the ancient and modern saw
ages, has been prepared by Miss A. w.
auckland. The author notes the fact
that all races use stimulants in some
form. The Australians chew leaves and
roots on account of the invigorating eff
feet thus obtained, but this is merely a
step above the habits of the inferior an
imals. The first step to the manufac-
ture of stimulating drinks is seen in the
Kava of the South Seas, and the art of
producing fermentation by the process
of chewing can be traced across the Pa
cific from Formosa, where rice is
the principal ingredient employed, to
Peru and Bolivia, where maize is used
for the same purposes. Agricultural
races made the next advance, and pro-
duce q kind of beer from the chief &C.
real grown by them. Liquor of this
kind reached the West from Egypt, and
it is still drunk by all the great tribes of
Africa. Pastoral people used the milk
OF their hocks and herds and the honey
OF wild bees to make fermented drinks,
such as the koumiss and mead of the
Scythic nations; and similar liquors
are used by the Kafirs of South Africa.
Wines had been manufactured from va
rious plants and fruits from very ancient
times in all civilized and semi-civilized
countries; but grape-juice had in form
er days very restricted range of con-
sumption, being confined TO Western
Asia, Egypt. Greece and Rome. Grape
wine was prohibited in China, and the |
vine itself was extirpated. Alcohol
was not among the beverages of the an
clients, and what knowledge the savages
have obtained of it they acquired from
Europeans: Not only the form and
material of drinking-vessels, but religi-
ous ceremonies and prohibitions, and
The sacredness in which certain plants
we're held, had an intimate relation to
The nature and properties of the bever-
ages in use among different nations.
A sUPPLE-jointed contortionist has
been victimizing Hartford, Conn, peo-
pie as professional beggar, the facili-
y with which he assumed pitiable
orms helping him to a great deal of |
ll-placed charity from sympathetic peo-
Die. He could double up one arm so
hat it seemed amputated, twist the 9TH
II out of shape down to the tips of his
myers, deform shoulder, jerk a leg
tut of joint, and distorted his face so
uccessfully that one woman fed him
With bread and milk from spoon and
ent him off with $40 in his pocket.
AT Chicago, the other evening, when
ne streets were full of people going
rom work, three men in a sleigh drove
lp in front of goldsmith's jewelry
tore, 80 East Madison Street. Two of
hem jumped out; one placed stick
through the door to prevent any one
rom getting out, while the other with a
Mt kA