The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1881-12-22
No. 81.
HtsesllaHeons.
.FoR THE HERALD.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

Late Investigations Of German
scientists have shown that the elec.
trio light is not only healthier than
othe: methods of illumination in leaV-
ing the air purer, but that it increases
the power Of vision 10 some respects es-
pecially in distinguishing colors. Red, :,
blue, green and yellow are much
uore distinct under this ligh, than by
daylight.
Two Leipsie chemists have devised
process for obtaining sugar in per.
manently liquid form. This result is
said to be effected by adding to pur-
rifed sugar solution small quantity
Of citric acid, which combines with
the sugar aud deprives it Of its ten
deDcy to crystalize. ..-..
Soue experiments by NJ. Gautier
appear to prove that human saliva
possesses, in a milder degree, thc
same poisonous property as that Of
serpents. The human saliva injected
under the skin of bird caused death,
with symptoms very closely resem-
bling those resulting from serpent
bites.
A new theory ofthe so-called fas-
cination of birds by snakes is that
the bird mistakes the snakes tongue,
which the reptile keeps 10 rapid and
constant motion, for a lively worm,
and watches it intently with the an.
ticipation of deVouripg it,
NJ. Pasteur has resolved to extend
his studies in vaccination to yellow
fever, With a view Of determining
whether OF. not the disease is due to
parasites and can be guarded agains t
by inoculation. A broad field Of in
vestigation is open to Pasteur, as 1t Is
suggested by his discoveries thus far
that all contagious maladies may be
due to parasitic growths the virulepce
of which may be so reduced by his
method CT inoculation as to render
this class of diseases no longer mat
ter of dread: , ....
A Neapolitau gardener, after years
of experim ent. has produced a camelis
with delicate perfume, and be
thinks. it probable that these flowers
may in the near future be SO cult.
waited as;.to rival the rose in the fra
GRANGE of its odor. .1.. ~
Mr.. G. Shaler Smith has given the
results Of extensive obervstious in re-
latiou to the pressure exerted by
the wind. The most violent gale re
corded by him was at East St.
Louis, iD 1871, when the wind over.
turoed a locomotive, the force devel-
oped in so doing being no less than
SO pounds per square foot. At St.
Charles Jail was destroyed in
1877, the pressure required being
81 pounds per square foot. At
Marsbfeld, in 1880, brick mansion
was leveled, the force necessary being
5S pounds per square foot. Below
these extraordinary pressures. Mr.;
Smith instances numerous cases Of
trains blown of rails, and bridges,
etc., blown down by gales Of "a to 81
pounds per square foot. In all the
examples the lowest force required to
do the observed damage bas been
taken as the maximum power Of the
wind, although, of course, it may
have been higher. :
Enthusiasts who make a special
study of sun.spots and attendant phe-
nomeaa believe that the cornerstone
Of new science is being laid by dis
coveries pointing to an intimate con-
nection between solar and terrestrial
meteorology. just what the oonnec-
tion is they are not yet able to clearly
define, although electricity. is sus-
pected of being the agent through
which the effects are manifested upon
our planet. 1t is known that the
gaseous envelope of the sun is affected
by eruptious of such prodigious mag
nitude as to be utterly beyond our
power Of conception, these disturb
ances appearing to US in the form Of
rapidly changing spots and presuber-
ances. The eras of the spots-or
un-storms-occuc at remarkably reg.
ular Intervals, complete cycle Of the
various stages Of activity from maxi
mum to minimum and again to max
imum being performed 10 about
eleven years-tbe so.called 'sun-spot
period The suu-spot physicists claim
coincidence Of the periods Of maxi
mum spots and years Of great at
mospberic and physical disturbance
in the earth. The present has been