The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1881-02-11
POPULAR SCIENCE.

1t is said that fine quality Of
brandy has been made from the seed
Of the California beet plant.
Silks are weighted" in Europe in a
far larger proportion than cotton
sometimes up to 400 per cent.
Trichnn are by no means confined
to pork. Two French soldiers died
lately Of trichinosis contracted by
eating geese. DR.. Glcudcnning has
detected the dangerous parasites in
pike caught near Ostend.
The JoUJnal Of Science says that as
the use Of pals and mourners' cloaks
at funeral, furnishes very efficient
medium for the spread OF infectious
diseases, their use has been formally
abolished among the Jewish commun-
ity.
1t is said that in n girl who died re-
Gently at the Hotel Dieu, of Caen, the
whole Of the thoracle and abdominal
organs were found completely invert-
ed, the heart being at the right. side,
and the liver at the left, while its
usual position was occupied by the
stomach and the spleen.
Gustav Engal has experimental up
on animal aud vegetable substances to
ascertain the principles involved in
dyeing All the experiments agreed
in proving that the facility with
which substances absorb aud retain
dyes depends almost entirely upon
pnysical structure, and especially up
Oh capilnrity.
The new metal, norwcgium, discov-
cred by Dahl, in 1873, some calcite
gangue found in the small island of
OLcro, near the town of kmgero, on
the Ska-cr Black, seems to be present
in American refined lead, according
to a paper published by q. a. Pro-
chazEa. Norwegium bears q close re-
scmbIance TO bismuth, SO far as melt
Ing point, atomic weight, and specific
gravity arc concerned.
An examination of earth that had
become saturated with coll-gas has
been made by DR.. +. KOcnigs. lie
worked up samples Of the soil into q
paste calculated with sulphuric acid,
and passed current Of steam into the
mixture. The gases and vapors given
OIL were collected in glass receivers.
1t was found that the bulk of the
product consisted of naphthalin, and
that there was no trace Of carbolic
acid.
An improvement in the Bunsen
battery, which results in less Con>unp-
ton OF the zines, in an intensity of
current equal to the Old arrangement,
and III very great constancy, has, it is
said, been elected by Nj. Azapis. In
stead of dilute sulphuric acid in the
cell containing the zinc or positive
element, a 10 per cent. solution Of cya-
nidc Of potassium, caustic potash, ma
rine salt or ordinary sal ammoniac is
employed. There is no necessity for
employing amaIgalnated zines.
Herr Wohler's aluminium galvanic
battery, which is capable of raising
4 platinum wire to incandesCeuce and
OF decomposlng water, is thus de-
scribed: a roll of sheet aluminium is
placed in a round glass vessel contain
ing very dilute muriatic acid or dilute
soda lye. Within this large roll OF
aluminium is placed porous cell con-
tanning concentrated nitric acid and
smaller roll Of aluminium. Each roll
has a lug or projection which is in
serted into circular cover of ebonite,
and thus kept in place.
Oils and fats exert q very destluc-
tive action upon india rubber, the fol-
lowing recommendation by Mr..
Thomas BoIas to those DESTROYS of
securing oil-rcsistiug properties in
the case Of vulcauizcd caOutchuuc NAV
prove useful: /. The Use OF high
quality Of rubber. ,. Thorough cur
M. 3 The absence OF free sulphur
IN the iiuisAe article. 1. The pres
cucc Of such pigments as litharge, red
lead, or white cad. 5. The incorpor-
alton of 4 trace Of glycerinc with the
materials. 8. Curing in u glycerine
bath placed in an ordinary steam yul-
canlzer.