The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1881-09-03
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

der storms which may be observed.
"A colossal pine which was recently
uprooted by an inundation in Finland
was found to have 1929 annual rings.
1t is hoped that the much-mooted
question of sound produced By the auro-
RI may be settled,by means of balloon
ascents.
The labors of the chronological Socie-
~ Of Japan have established the fact
that there is q chronic centre OF dlstnr-
bance within radius of II few miles
from Yokohama.
1t is estimated that from every
square yard Of the SUMS surface us much
heat is emitted hourly rs would be pro
duccd by the combustion of six tons of
coal.
1t has been computed that the
power of the steam engines of England
would suffice to raise from the quarrics
and place in position all the stones OF
the Great Pyramid in eighteen hours.
Experiments have been made with
compressed gunpower, made to lit the
drill-holes. and cut into short lengths.
It was found topossess many advantages
over loose powder, among (which IS u
saving of forty per cent in powder.
The evil effect of the electric light
upon the eyes is due, it is supposed, to
the constant changes in the intensity OF
The light, whereby the eyes arc greatly
fatisued. Little Inconvenience of this
nature attends the use of the incandes-
cent lamps.
The rapi,lity of motion of the wings
of some insects is almost incredible. 1t
has been estimated that the common
house fly moves IFS wings $50 times in a
second, or 300 times per minute; while
the bntterhy's wings move nine times
per second, or $40 times per minute.
| A Hanover chemical establishment
now supplies carbonic acid in liquid
form in cylinders tested to one hundred
at,nosphcrcs. The transportation OF the
cylinders-loaded with so enormous
pressure as is required to liquefy the gas
lis !. matter of INDIGESTION among the
railroad companies.
M Fauvcl, of the Paris municipal
laboratory, has discovered hitherto m
suspecteG source of danger to infants.
The milk which is seldom Thoroughly
clcanscd from the glass and rubber tubes
If the feeding apparatus undergoes al
alteration, and produces microscopic
vegetable growth III a short time. This
observation was confirmed i'll twenty
eight out Of thirty-one cases.
1t is believed hy many scientific
mon that Il close connection may bt
traced between the remarkable clectri
cal phenomena lately observed all owe
the world and the excited condition o
the sun. rs the sun has not yet reached
the elimination Of its period Of sllstnr
bance, it is thought that yet more start
ling outbnrsts of natures forces may b
seen ere the close Of the present summer
-SIcssrs. Galloway and Abel hay
found coal-dust to be an I'M ortant fac
tor in explosions Of the gases i'll mines
A mixtnrc of coal-tlust and air is not eS
plosivc, but quantity Of tirc-damp to
small to produce any effect when mike
with air alone causes the mixture to bt
come violently explosive. Prof. Abel
+ experiments show that amy Kind OF dis
!, mixed with air containing a small qual
i tity Of fire damp converts the mlNtui
= into an explosive compound.
DR.. Barely of Nice has successful
! employed tnrpcntine vapor ~ the trea
n,cnt Of whooping cough The drug
allowed to stand i'll plates III the roo
!. occupied by the patient, q resort
! Which simple cxpcdicnt is believed
:. greatly lessen the severity and dnratlt
i Of the nsalady. Or. Barely was led to
!. trial of this remedy by observing
!, marked improvement in the case Of
! child severely affected who had been ;
r. lowed TO sleep in Il newly painted roo
rc,lolcnt with tnrpentnc odor.
i To determine the utility Of Faur,
= new battery for the storage Of clcctficit
Il very interesting experiment has be-
i made i'll Paris. A tramcar convcy'
i forty persons at the rate of Sin miles
hour, the motive power being supple
!, by $50 F;urc accumulators OF ci1htt'
!, pounds weight each. The trial last
! about an hour, and the power Of t
:, motor was much diminished, althous
=, not exhausted. AS the work perform
i conll have been done by two horses, I
result was somewhat less favorable TIN
T. had been anticipated.
l. In IL recent letter. NJ. dc Thicrsa
y records Il curious phenomenon witness
~ -, III Guatemala during eight days OF /;
i February. For some three hours abo
Of midday, if one looked in the direction
~ ~ the sun, there would be seen, at a lit
lc distance above the ground, mnltitu'
IL of small bodies like snowtlakcs iiitti
s. past, appearing and vanishing instan
l. neously Beautiful rainbow colors we
III often observed. The temperature h;
IN in. fallen for some days, many snppos
Il, these PARTICLES TO be fragments Of sn
to formed in the upper atmosphere. l
" phenomenon, however, proved to h'
ii botanical one. 1t was il migration
ed the seeds OF certain plants, which W
II I.iur Iictr;Lut.I ly the winds 7