The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1880-07-03
scIExrIFIc MIscELLAxY.


- -'N
Cremation appears TO be making
rapid progress In Germany. Fifteen
eremations were performed last year II
Gotha, and ~forty-eight bodies have been
burned in Milan during the past three
years.
From the fact that the lower animals
arrive at maturity much earlier than
man, and the inferior races develop
more rapidly than the superior, a
French biologist infers that precocity
infers that p~reeocity indicates a low
order OF development.
A curious feature OF the creeks and
lagoons OF northern Queensland is men
TONED. II Is called FLOATING grass. -
II grows on the surface Of the water.
putting forth stems and roots which
become so densely interwoventhat, even
with twenty feet Of water underneath.
horses have been known to cross on the
mats thus formed.
Among the recent discoveries is mat
ural lime" which occurs In Kansas. 1t
Is found in large beds. II Is Of a clear,
white color and fine texture, and is
readily converted into a plastic condl-
ton by the addition OF sand and water.
The mortar thus prepared has appar-
emily the same qualities ms the best
made from burned lime" II sets
and hardens quickly, and turns very
white.
Prof. Thurston, testing pieces of the
wire cable Of the Paramount Suspen-
sion bridge, recently taken down at
Philadelphia, after being In use about
forty years, found the iron TO be fully
equal in tenacity and aelasticity to the
best wire Of the same size found In the
market. This fact and similar results
obtained by another experimenter in
1878 lead him TO the important ~conclus-
ion that iron subjected 10 the ordinary
strains OF properly designed bridges
does not deterioratc with age.
At conference in Hamburg, in
October, 1879, Lieut.. W~eyprecht's
plan Of establishing a circle Of inter-
national observing stations around the
polar regions was considered. As u
result several governments agreed to
organize such stations during the pres
ent year, and active preparations are
now being made in various part Of the
world to carry the scheme into effect.
The United States signal service pro-
poses TO locate an observatory at Point
Barrow, in Alaska; while the Howgate
colony viii form, ut Lady Franklin Bay,
another station In the International
series.
Some peculiar medicines are employed
by the Chinese. Calcined and powdered
antelope horns are used In cases of con
vulsions, rheumatism, and even apo
plexy. Plasters Of elephant skin are
believed to cure bruises very quickly.
Pills made from the sloughs Of cater
pillar Larvae are taken to expel worms
and relieve headache. Inflammation
OF the lungs is treated with glue from
the hides Of donkeys. Alcoholic prepar-
atoms Of scorpions are given In all kinds
Of maladies. For most internal dis
eases u powdered insect, the name OF
which has not been determined, is adj
ministered. The skins Of serpents, APP
piled to the body, are supposed to cure
leprosy, rheumatism and paralysis. A
mucus obtained from toads and mixed
with -four Is used to stimulate the nos
trils in cases Of faints and commissions.
The trite aphorism, There Is no.
thing new under the sum-" seems again
exempli6ed by u statement to the effect
that the Japanese were practically ac-
quainted with the art of luminous
painting nine centuries ago, thus anti
cipating the inventor Of the supposed
new phosphorescent paint. A Japanese
cyclopedia cites on account Of a won-
derful picture OF an OK which left the
frame to Craze during the day and re-
turned at night. This picture came in
to the possession Of an emperor of the
Sung dynasty "a. ID. 96-99S) who
sought n explanation, which one OF
of his courtiers could give. At length
u Buddhist priest showed that n certain
nacreous substance obtained from oys-
tiers, when ground into color-material,
rendered the pictures painted with the
latter luminous ut night and invisible
through the day. The figure OF the OK
was painted with this phosphorescent
pigment, and, becoming invisible by
day, the superstition arose that the
animal had gone out to Craze.