St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1881-12-31
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

A single Seeu is Sdlu " udNC plOuitoCu
a plant bearing 1870 grains of corn.
At this rate, it has been computed that
the product of single seed of corn
would amount to sufficient in eight
years to supply the entire human race
with bread for year and a half.
The experiments made by NJ. Bou
cIlut with pepsine, as an agent for de-
stroying worms in the stomach and
bowels have been repeated with very
favorable results. Even the tape-worm
succumbs to the digestive action OF
pepsine in large doses, while the more
highly organized tissues of the stomach
remain unaffected.
In the opinion of DR.. Herr, the tele-
phone is not to remain single appara-
tus, varied only in form, but must be
modified according to the purposes for
which it is to be used. He believes
that a telephone for long distances
must differ from city apparatus, and
that an instrument for transmitting
song can not well be used for converse
tonal purposes. He is endeavoring to
put this theory into practice by adapt
ing telephones to these different appli-
cations, and thus creating distinct types
Of the instrument. His special object
has been, however, to extend the range
of the telephone by forming an instru-
1nent better suited to long distances,
and it is claimed that a considerable
degree Of success has attended his
efforts.
The action of gunpowder when fired
has been studied by number of scien-
titic men of eminence during the past
century and half. Their opinions
have varied greatly as to the force of
the explosion. Recent estimates, as
given by Prof. Abel, F. r. S., rate the
pressure developed by the explosion at
forty-two tons per square inch-the
powder being fired in space equal to
its own bulk. In the early part of the
eighteenth century, Robins, an eminent
English mathematician, believed that
the pressure could not be more than
seventy pounds to the square inch but
experiments in 1743 led him to change
his figures to six and half tons per
square inch! Count Rumford, one Of
the greatest of American scientists,
made gunnery a special study, and from
his experiments concluded that the
pressure must reach six hundred and
sixty-two tons to the square inch! 9th
er estimates have been made, varying
from one to a hundred and fifty tons to
the square inch.
A curious physical phenomenon is en-
dosmOse, which is the inward motion of
fluid, through membraneous or po-
rous substance, into vessel containing
different fluid. This principle has
been industrially applied to the treat
ment of molasses, and in certain pro-
cesses of tanning, while it may serve to
concentrate alcohol in membraneous
reservoirs. It is believed that it may
some day be largely employed in con-
centrating useful principles diffused
through large quantities Of other sub
stances or products, in removing inju-
rious matter, etc. To encourage adj
vance in this direction the French Soci-
ETY. for the Encouragement of National
Industry proposes to award a prize Of
one thousand francs, in 1889, for an in
dustrial application of endosmose.
The effort of Prof. Bell to locate the
ball in President Garfeld's body by
means of an electric induction balance
is fresh in the memory of all. Another
plan for detecting metallic substances
in the human body has been submitted
by Prof. B. to the French Academy of
Sciences. The method is as follows !:
A fine needle is inserted near where the
ball Cor other piece of metaD is supposed
to be. This needle is connected by
wire with one terminal of a telephone,
while a metallic plate laid on the skin
is connected with the other terminal.
When the point Of the needle reaches
the ball an electric current is set up
between that and the metallic plate,
producing sound in the telephone.
The needle may be inserted in several
places without pain, and the pain may
be prevented entirely by means eff ether
spray. To test the method a ball was
placed in piece of beef, when it was
proven that contact Of the needle with
piece of bone produced no sound in
the telephone, while verya distinct
sound was heard whenever the ball was
reached.
Deaf and dnmb neonle NAV .p.A..,eht