Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-12-31
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

A new variety OF silkworm, found
in the mountains Of Nevada, is said
to produce very strong and valu-
able fibre.
, In Hungary and other European
countries, alum-tnnned leather, said
to be equal to bark-tanne1, is used
! to considerable extent for harness.
/ The process of tanning is very sim
pie and requires but twenty-four
hours for its completion.
1t is reported that horse leather
has been officially adopted as the
material of which the boots issued
to sailors of the German navy are in
future to be made, experiments in
the use of this material during the
past eighteen months having been
so satisfactory that calf-skin is to be
abandoned.
4 remarkable instance of devotion
to science is furnished iii the case of
an English phvsicanin Pernambuco,
who caused himself to be bitten bv %
Iattlcsnake with view of discover
ing Il remedy against its bite. He,
fortunately, recovered, to give his
fellow men the benefit of his cXper-
fence.
Dosiel has observed that music eX-
cites both in men and in animals
pleasant and unpleasant sensations,
which greatly affect the crcula-
ton of the blood. In these varia-
tons of circulation tho id!Osyncracies
of the individual, whether man or
animal, are plainly apparent, and
even the nationality, ia the case Of
man, has some effect
Messrs. Siemans n Ealske, of
Berlin, have patched II hammer and
rock-borer propelled directly by
electricity. 1t consists of Il rod of
iron or soft steel moving within the
axes Of three coils. 4 constant cur
rent in the middle coil magnctiZes
the rod, and alternating currents
Though tho other coils cause it to be
forced in and out with great rapility
According to the best authorities,
til. quantity of salt contained in the
sea amounts to four hundred thou
SAINT billion cubic feet, which, if
placed i'll pile, would form Il mass
40 miles long, rs many broad, and
as many high; or, otherwise disposed,
would cover the whole of Europe
islands, seas, and all to tho height
of the summit of Mount Blanc, which
is about 1G geo feet high.
OSE of the leading chemical manu-
factories of Germany employs six
regular chemists, with salaries vary
ing from 81, 800 to $4,000 yearly,
and in addition engages the services
: of an eminent chemist for theoreti-
cal work exclusively, paying him
, nearly $4,000 per annum. 1t is
, doubtless to this liberal patronage
Of qualified scientists that the SUI
, periority of German chemical manu-
, features is due.
, Nj. Aulee has devised method of
converting iron into steel and at the
same time producing Illuminating
, gas. Iron is placed in ,etort with
,. charcoal or coke in layers, and heat
ed to $50 degrees Fahrenheit; fatty
;, mrtters are then injected, and, as
soon as decomposition has taken
place, a jet of dry steam is passed
, over the incandesccnt mass. The
, result is said to be that the iron is
converted into steel, and carbureted
=, hydrogen is given off from the retort.
, A German scientist recommends
paraffine as an efficient means OF
protecting wood against damp acids
= and alkalies. The wood is first we'll
dried, and then covered with solu-
ton of one part of melted paraffine
in six parts of petroleum, ether or
bisulphide of carbon. The solvents
evaporate quickly, leaving the par
: affine in the pores of the wood.
L Great care should be taken in the
: use of the preparation, as all of the
substances mentioned are especially
-, inhammable.
Mr.. Bacon, of Oregon City loses
s about 49, GOO by the burglary in his
ctorn l., xvon1y ,>ocS;,,, of fhic