New-York tribune., 1879-05-10
SCIENCE FOR THE PEOPLE.

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A New ELECTRIC CANDLE.-A new electric
candle has been brought out IN San Francisco wnch -
said to be an Improvement upon both the Jablochko
and Werdemann candles. The Jabochkof candle con-
sts OF two upright sticks OF carbon. separated by an
insulator at the apex which the current OF eleec
passes from one stick to the other thus forming an aon
and ignug both carbons The trouble with this cahde
is that ckers badly, and being exnguished ca
reghted unless the carbons are connected ior
an instant with conductor, and the circuit reesaD-
Iished The werdemann candle consists OF single up
right stick OF carbon, held firmly between TWO metal
Jaws which form area for the passage OF the eiec
tric current The carbon attached by means OF ftte
puleys with small weights which keep 1t constantly IN
the arch and burns ont raise It, therefore When
the electric current is shut off with local switch no
other candle in the circuit is affected ana the carpon
may relighted by turning on the current again. Inc
Werdemann candle is defective in that the effect OF the
weights is tful. When, for instance, the llghted car
bon burns down to point the pr ssure or the welg,
breaks IL of; the Jerk that follows dlns the gh. u
the corhon Gradually burns down again. when the opeT
alton is repeated. The new arrangcmsnt is
on the principle of this latter candle but substitutes an
antomatic sug for the weights. This spring presses
constantly upon the carbon. but so lightly that IL does
not break the point OF.
BRoRsENs CoMET.-This periodical comet
passed its perIhclon March 81. and VIII De at l's
nearest approach the earth to day (ay lU wheh us
distance will be about 100000 OF miles The comet
into the constellation Of Great Bear its position on
the 10Th being II. A. hrs 55 min. Al sec. N d. CO..
90 g. aud the 12fh inst, K. A. hrs 80 MN IL sec
~ d. $50 go 5. Professor c. A. Young, OF Princeton
mas recently shown the spectrum OF this comet no
ION ger stands exceptional but agrees Win th "
oiher comets
Fossil REMAINS IN LONDoN.-An interesting
geological discovery has just been made in the heart OF
London. In making the excavations at Clearinghouse
for Messrs Drummond's new bank. the workmen, at
depths varying from fifteen to thirty feet came upon
the fossil remains Of several extinct animals, They in
cuGe elephant tusks and m0lIrs (probaDly the mann
moth ElephdS priHligeHpS teeth ana numerous ZONES
OF the gigantic extinct tBoS prinigeHius). portion
Of what appears 10 be the norm Oi the great eAthc
Irsh deer fegqccros HrJcynieu along with other re-
mains Of Illuminating animals not yet IDENTIFIED All 'ne
remains are those Of herbyorOus quadruped but there
is among them no bone or tooth OF hippopotdmus or
rhinoceros though these huge beasts known from
discoveries made at Breutford Crayord, and other 10
calites in the Thames Valley, to have been III thes
long gone by the companions OF the Thames NAley
sueriay attracted the attention OF gentlemen learned
m the study of fossil osteoOgy Is the terminal point o
beblv n"iishcd and from tie surface OF winch very
thin skin of ivory pccls Off exposing strongly ana
regularly longitudually chanelled surface Deneat'
SPONTANEOUS CoMBUsTIoN.-E. Bing, OF Riga,
has expcrimented with different materials waddng,
raw fax hemp the waste from silk, wool and cotton
sIinnings as well sponge, and finally wOod uusV as
found in any cabine t-mskers shop. They we're satu-
rated WITH various luids, viz. oils, fresh ana In
gummy state; turpentine. petroleum, various var
nshes &C. All the 1brous materials took fire Wheh
saturated with any of these oils or with mixtures OF tnr
same Sponge and wood dust, on the contrary proven
70 be entirely harmless Combustion ensues most rap
idly with l7gr. of wadding and 67gr OF strong OIL
yarnish in 81 minutes; while 20Osr. OF washed cotton
waste Of which a portion saturated with 75Ogr OF
strong oil varnlsh aud the remainder wrapped about H.
required almost II hours. These materials were plaeed
in we-sheltercd spot, and subec to neat OF rom
lSo TO AZ C) Silk did flame up Dut slowly charred
AN OPEN POLAR SEA.-Mr. N. o. Pavy, who
has given much study to Arctic affairs and ardent
believer the accessibility Of the North Pole recently
laid views before the ST. Louis Academy OF Sciences
Mr. Pavy thought Captain Howgates plans the
best for reaching the Pole should the projected eXpe
dition in the Jeannette" fail. He further suggested
taking a passage around to the west of Behring's
Straits His readings of Frangel Edenstorm aud other
welknown Russian authorities led MIN TO believe III the
open Polar sea and doubt the existence Of the much
talked of Poeocystic Sea. The testimony OF Captain
Hall and Captain Tyson confirmed this theory Com
modore Maury and Captain Sas Bent and others were
also believers in it, Mr. Pavy said that also
tradition the of siberia of populated Land
girt REGION when they landed on the Siberian coast,
mplaned OF cillneSs, saying ther own cOuutfy was
much warmer This tradition intensified Mr.. Pavy's be-
lief In the open Polar Sea. His idea that tho Pole
was surrounded by a sea aud this again glrded Dy
circle ice which had far been found lmpenetrabr
South AMERICAN ARROW POIsoN.-At the
last meeting OF the Mcroscopical Society DR.. A
n BlOdGett read an interesting paper curare. the
South American arrow poison. which is now used TO
render lower animals unconscious dur ng surgi-
cal operations. 1t has been found. Br. Bodgett
asserted that curare produces insensibility with
out interfering with the functions essential to life,
, at medical profe s6iOu have
long felt in that does not require watching when sd-
as do ether and ooroform The exact deri-
walton OF cura-e does 10 be definitely known,
hut IL is said to prepared by scrapng the bark
OF two plants belonging 10 the same species rs that from
hch strychnine and cOcculus ndicts derived the
bark exhausted IN water mixed With other vegetable
substances evapOraed Till II forms thick paste.
II IS much more energetic its action classes
OF animals than Others. Birds are more profoundly
affected Than quadrupeds aud reptiles are poisoned Tor
much longer time than birds. IL generally admin
Istered hY defmcaY. exceedlngly minute doses.