The Osceola times., 1879-11-29
POPULAR SCIENCE.

POPULAR SCIENCE.
Vaccination is becoming general in
China. One of the most serious obiec-
tions 10 it yet remaining is curious. Chi
nese mamas are unwilling to allow the
arms of their daughters 10 be scratched
with lancet. because, unless Chinese
girl has a few marks on her face, giving
evidence that she has passed through
the smallpox, she is considered as lack
ing one of the chief qualifications Of
a manageable maiden. The vaccination
scar is still hardly deemed a sufficient
promise of future immunity from the
disease by the benedicts Of the fOwery
land.
AS test for mercufial yapors, Mr.
Merget, of Bordeaux recommends paper
STEPPED in an ammonical solution of
nitrate of silver or in chloride of palla-
dium, as Il regent more sensitive than
gold foil. This test paper j. so sensitive
that although slip Of sheet copper,
plunged into q liquid containing one part
of mercury in ten thousand, remains
bright after immersion, when exposed
TO the ammonical silver paper il occa-
sions n characteristic black spot Mcr-
curry, even when solidifed by cold, emits
vapors in quantity apprcciaplc by the
reagcnt.
"A very simple remedy is made
known by DIR. Steven in st. Petersburg
journal for preventing the development
of boils. He states that if the skin be
specifically scraped with small knife,
so that a drop or two of blood may be
pressed through the epidernis a. soon
as the peculiar stabbing or pricking sem
sation and slight induration announces
the commencement of the boil. it will
not be further developed.
Moro than onc-half of the glass used
in the United States is produced in Pitts
burg, Pa, where over 5000 hands are
employed; l2,ll0 tons of soda ash were
used during last year, and the value of
the glassware amounted to nearly ST.
000, ,000.-Journdl OF Chemistry.
The distance from Paris To Marscillcs
is 800 miles, and 10y a recent arrange
ment, Il train of the Lyons x Mediter-
ranean Railway makes this journey in
fifteen hours leaving the capital ut $ a..
IN. and reaching the shores of the Med
itcrranean at II =. m, an average con-
tinous speed Of forty miles per hour.
Professor Klinkerfries, of the OBJ
servatory of Gottingen, is said to have
invented tclegraphic device by which
eight different messages may be sent by
one wire at the same time and printed
separately and simultaneously at the
same time by means of an apparatus at
the dcceiving end.
Spencer Wells recently performed
his nine hundred and iifty-tifth ovariot-
omy, in which he employed bichloride
of methyline as the anesthetic. The bi-
chloride has been employed in over 100, :
600 cases in England, without as yet n
single evil result following its use
Medical Neps.
Prof. Liebe contends that in the
second diluyial period of the hills OF
Southern Bohemia and Morayia were
the starting point from which the virgin
forests invaded the great diluyial steppe
of Central Europe 10 the north of the
Alpine chain.
According to the Bergmdn6, Mr.. j.
Turnbridge has extracted sSI worth OF
gold from ton of the residues from
petroleum stills. The source of the pc
trolcum was not ascertained.
Glass is made irrldcscent by expos
ing il Mt a high temperature TO the fumes
of stannic chloride, 10 which j rum on
strontium nitrate is added when dccr
colors are desired.
Hemp plants are recommended IL
he cultivated in vineyards, orchards, etc.
for the banishment or destruction OF
noxious insects II is said there are nc
harmful insects in hemp fields.
During 1877 the number of appllcl'
tions for letters patent TOR inventions in
Great Britain was only 5,323, being how
ever, 20I more than that Of the prcccd'
ing year.