The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1881-05-19
SCIENTIFIC.

Vines are said TO extract yearly from
the soil only about three-fourths OF the
quantity Of potash and phosphoric acid
that the cereals take up.
Underground cables for Geographic
purposes are being laid in France from
Nancy TO Paris. A line of twelve in
sulated wires is placed in large tube
of cast iron. At suitable distances doors
are constructed so that section can be
removed and replaced without having
10 open the ground, rs in Germany,
where the cables are imbedded in as
phalt
AS the result of his personal obser-
vations, M. Carlet states that the walk
ing of insects may be represented by
that of three men in Indian file, tho
foremost and hindmost of whom keep
step with each other, while the middle
one walks in the alternate step. The
walking of arachnids can be represented
by four men in file, the even-numbered
ones walking in the alternate step.
Mr.. L. Bright has described to the
Society of Electricians, England, q
method of diselectrifying dry wool, mo-
hair and alpaca so as to enable these
substances to be spun with facility. 1t
consists in putting the bobbins into an
exhausted chamber of iron having
metallic connection with the earth. The
rarefed air permeates the yarn and
discharges the electricity in from ten to
thirty minutes.
Doe;,Jos tbo cnnorb on rod otoan, eyetor,
of Barif, and the heated-air system Of
Bower for preserving iron from rust, a
new method for eflecting the same pur-
pose has been invented by Mr.. Ward,
London. 1t is called "inoxidizing."
The articles are coated with silicate
composition, and heated in furnace
until the composition is fused into the
metal. The result is said to be very
satisfactory.
Some Of the remedies for disease
sought out by modern medical science
are peculiar. Fuchsine-a bright ami
line dye-was, not long since, recon-
mended in Brighrs disease, and now we
have nitro-glycerine as remedy for
certain chest affections. 1t is given in
doses of fifteen drops of one-per-cent.
alcoholic solution, and is also sold in
tablets for prevention of seasckness and
the relief of neuralgia, headache, etc.
A paper on the presence of alcohol in
the earth, in the water, and in the air
was read on March Z, before the French
Academy Of Sciences. The author, M.
Muhtz, has developed the method de-
ponIipo IN tho cbonuo of olo,hol into
iodoform, so that one-millionth of alco-
hol in water can be detected Alcohol
is found in all natural waters except
very pure spring water, and in greater
quantity in snow, Rain water and the
water of the Seine contain about one
gramme per cubic metre. Alcohol no
doubt also exists as vapor in the atmos-
phere. In soils, especially those which
are very rich in organic matter, there is
q considerable quantity. The wide diff
fusion of alcohol in nature is due to the
destruction of organic matter by vari-
Gus agents of fermentation.
One of the most simple and effective
processes, it would appear, for preserv-
ing the dead has recently been brought
forward in Germany. BY this method,
ii is stated, the dead bodies of human
beings and animals fully retain their
form, color and ilexibility continuously,
and may be dissected, while decay and
offensive smell are completely prevented
tho muscular flesh, upon incision,
presenting the same appearance as in
the case of II fresh dead body. The
liquid used for this purpose is prepared
as follows; Three quarts boiling water
50 ounces alum, 6 drachms common
salt, 8 drachms saltpetre, 2 ounces pot
ash, and y drachms arsenic acid; the
salts are dissolved in the water, and
then there are added two pints of gly-
cerine and one-half pint of wood alco-
hol. The embalming is accomplished
by simply saturating and impregnating
the bodies with this composition, from
II to five quarts being used for a single
body.