St. Landry democrat., 1881-09-24
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

Geographical Society, "a region 0
sand dunes very difficult to cross,
observed phenomenon which was a
rare as it was interesting-resonant o
snusical sand. All at once one hear
in the desert, issuing from sand dune
a prolonged, smothered sound quite
like the noise of a trumpet. 1t last
for some seconds and then stops. to re
sumo itself in another direction. The
phenomenon renders the traveller anx
lous. ! suppose it proceeds from the
friction against one another of the
burning hot grains Of quartz, which are
simply laid one over the other and are
always in notion"
Despite the terrible force of the
shock Of the electric eel-a power equal
TO fifteen Leyden jars-it is preyed upon
by little parasitic fish, some two OF
three inches in length, which appears
utterly oblivious of the shock.
1t has been calculated that the intes-
tines of flies and other insects contain
blood-vessels so minute that two hun
lred thousand Of them placed together
in bundle would only equal hair in
size.
1t is learned from a private report
that OIL the southern seaboard Of the
Chinese province of Kwantung are
found wild silkworms which feed on the
camphor tree and whose silk is utilized
IN singular manner. When full
grown, the caterpillar is cut open and
the silk extracted in form much re-
sembling catgut. This substance is
subjected to a hardening process and
made into fislI-lines.
Gelatino- diaspon " is the name given
to new explosive, produced by NJ.
-Anders. 1t is composed of wood-cel
lulose and nitro slycerine, is unaffected
by cold, is not sensible to blows OF
shocks, and explodes only by sudden
increase of temperature to about 800
degrees Fahrenheit. 1t burns quietly
when ignited in the open air, and is not
affected by water.
In Japan spiders interfere considera-
bly, with the Geographic service by
spinning long webs from the wires to
the trees and to the earth, which, in
wet weather, become good conductors
Of electricity, and carry off the current.
Forces of men have to be employed to
keep the lines clear, so great in this
evil.
The remarkable discoveries Of Pas
teur, and others, showing that some Of
the most fatal virulent diseases may be
rendered comparatively harmless by
incubation with weakened virus,
have led to the suggestion of the pos
sibility Of combating tuberculosis in
the same manner. 1t is now quite gen
orally believed that this disease, like
small pox, chicken cholera and anthrax,
is due to the very rapid increase of
certain minute organisms in the body,
md it seems reasonable to hope that
incubation with it's weakened germs
nay produce as favorable results as
AVE been achieved in the case of the
'tler maladies. This is an important
problem for science to solve.
1t is calculated that the amount of
orce daily expended by an adult weigh
ng $50 pounds in the performance of
he ordinary work Of the body would
aise 34OO tons one foot, if applied
mechanically. i
At the National Industrial Exhibi-
ion in Milan has been exhibited an
Electrical voting apparatus, designed by
'ignor Roncelli, a member Of the Italian
Parliament. The idea is simply as s
ollows: Each member of the house ,
as in front Of him metal plate bear {
ng his name. The plate is furnished
nth three metal buttons, marked res 8
ectively Aye" No." and Abstain" {
his plate is in connection with a cen !
al printing apparatus, which prints in :
nree separate columns the eyes, noes, I
nd abstainers, according as the men, e
ers depress their respective buttons. !,
fourth column marks the absentees. j
t the moment of recording each vote, t
number corresponding with the num- 8
or of the vote appears, SO that the >
'tal may be seen at a glance. BY this r
stem, members can vote and keep
eir seats, a great saving of time :
,ing also effected. c
Prof. Raoul Pictet, Of Geneva, is en- s
lyed in working out a problem in ma t