Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-06-11
SOME THINGS WORTH KNOWING.

One day this summer, when l was look
ing at some tadpoles in a dish of water,
was struck in the face by jet of water.
On searching for the cause, found that
the larva of dragon-hy (Eschna) was my
assailant. When disturbed it sent out a
fine stream of water from the branchial
apparatus in the caudal end of its body to
the distance of two or three feet, and not
content with one volley, it would wheel
and discharge, like small gun, at all
points of the compass. put it in a
tumbler of water, and it lowered the front
of the body, and shot the water far over
the edge Of the glass. / cannot say it
took deliberate aim, but / know | got
sprinkled many times when inadvertently
touched the glass. Prof. Packard, in writ
ing OF the larval dragon-fy, says SPY a
syringe-like apparatus lodged in the end of
the body, it discharges stream of water
for distance Of two or three inches be-
hind it, thus propeiling the insect forward.
The apparatus combines the functions of
locomotion and respiration" If all
Hischne have the same habits as the one /
caught, we must add that the apparatus is
also means of defense.-[Sarah z. Monks.
The circular of the Massachusetts, State
Board of Health says: Effective disinfec-
tion by burning sulphur requires eighteen
ounces to each space of one thousand cubic
feet. The sulphur should be broken in
small pieces, burned over vessel of water
or sand, so as to avoid danger from fire,
and il the room is large, it should be put
in separate vessels in different places. The
room should be tightly closed for six hours
and then aired it is better that the room
should be warm than cold. OF course,
efficiently disinfected air is, during the
process Of disinfection, irresprable. Most
articles may be disinfected in this way, if
hung up loosely in the fumigated chamber,
although it would be an additional safe
guard to expose anything thick, like bed
mattress, to prolonged heat at tempera-
ture of about 240' F.; and, indeed, heat
must, with our present knowledge, be con-
sidered the best disinfectant.
William H. Levergood, Principal of the
Boys Secondary School in this city, was
sitting with members of his family the
other evening when loud report-as of
the discharge of heavily-loaded gun-was
heard in the sleeping apartment occupied
by his mother, and he rushed there to as
certain the cause. Imagine his surprise to
find that the pitcher had exploded, and,
with the bowl, had been broken into fifty
pieces by actual count, some Of the pieces
having been hurled across the room. The
most singular part of the affair is that the
pitcher contained only about pint of
water, and that was not frozen. Had the
pitcher been filled with ice the cracking of
It would not have been remarkable, but
there was no such cause, and the vessels
yo1 Int Saapaod fo
have been blown to pieces by an explosion.
Lancaster (Pa.) New Era.
Some time ago a pedestrian named
Smytb, appearing under the name of "The
American Postman, accomplished the task
of walking 800 miles in six days, at Dub
lin. His regimen during the walk was as
follows: He takes small chop and some
cocoa for breakfast. In two hours after
ward raw egg beaten up. His dinner
consists of sage pudding and small
| quantity of very raw beef, without drink,
and his supper of as much cocoa and bread
| and butter as he wishes. Each day he is
allowed quart of milk and occasional sips
of ginger ale. He takes no alcoholic
beverage whatever.
DR.. ]. H. Connolly, of Pittsburg, Pa, has
applied to cattle the old device employed by
country druggists to keep loungers from
thrusting elbows through their showcases,
namely, wire fence charged with cleo
tricity. The electricityis to take the place of
the barbs now used on wire fences, the aim
being to repel the cattle by slight shock.
instead of by pricking with the risk of
severe liberation. 1t is to be presumed
that the doctor is not practical farmer.
The manufacture of steel and glass in
Pittsburg is effected with great economy
now that gas is used for fuel As the most
valuable freight on this continent is car
ried over the New York elevated railroads
it is only reasonable to expect that the
greatest care and best mechanical appli-
ances should be employed in their opera.
ton