The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1881-09-17
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY,


) study measures for tho better protectio
:, of miners.
4 In number of examinations of th
q heart-beats of the dying, Bouchat reco1
: ded six seconds as the longest interva
q between the pulsatinns.
g Recent geological explorations il
g Russia are reported to show the exis
I tence in that empire of phosphate de
= posits OF sufficient extent to supply th
q wants of all Europe for an indefinite
q period.
A Vienna chemist has produced
t new coloring matter on silk, which is
nice blue by day aud a beautiful pinl
by artificial light. The alcoholic solu
, tion of this color is dark violet in
transparent, but red in direct light.
Bricks that float in water are made
Of diatomaceous earth mixed with one
twentieth part of clay and we'll burned
The art of making these floating bricks
was well known in the time of Plny
but was afterwards lost, and only recent
ly recovered.
A midnight balloon ascent was late
ly made by NM. FonvielIe and Lipp-
mann. They carried with them small
electric light apparatus, wlicl, enabled
them to make readings of the thermome-
ter and barometer and to take down
notes.
The martyrs to science in Africa
during the present century have been
very numerous. This fact is graphically
indicated on {; recent map of Africa, by
NM. Duveyrier and Cortambcrt, which
gives the name and date of each explo-
rcr in the locality where he died.
AT the new popular Observatory of
the Trocadero, the public at large of
Paris had al opportunity OF viewing the
great comet of 1881 with the very per
feet apparatus of astronomers. This
great advantage was highly appreciated
by the intelligent Parisians.
&C. Rene, of Stettin, claims to have
discovered that if wood be exposed to
the action Of heated current of pure
oxygen it becomes proof against mois-
ture and changes of temperature, and is
especially adapted for the manufacture
of musical instruments.
DIR. A. Paggi records that in case
which came under his observation in
Paris the heart had ceased to beat, as an
effect of the inhalation Of chloroform.
and artificial respiration for ten minutes
failed to restore tho circulation, when
DR.. Liable by applying a cloth dipped in
hot water to the region of the heart
caused it to Immediately resume its ac-
ton.
DIR. U. S. Menier believes that the
large quantity of carboilc acid in the at
mosphere may be traced to this source
The interior of the earth he af1irms to
contain great beds Of carbonittrous iron.
which, coming in contact with water. at
a great heat, yields hydrocarbons. These.
on their subsequent combustion, give
rise to the carbonic acid exlaled from
the earth into the atmosphere.
M. Poliakotf, the distinguished Rus
sian naturalist, has examined a horse !
presented by Colonel Prejalsky to the |
st. Petersburg Academy, and pronounces
it new species, in some respects inter
mediate between onr domestic horse and
the wild ass. The newly recorded ami
NAL is a native Of the plains and deserts
of Central Asia, and has not hitherto
fallen under the dominion of man.
The following is a very simple and
pretty electrical experiment: A small
box of pasteboard is closed with a lid of
fine glass, to the upper surface of which
collodlon is several times applied-care
being taken not to apply sufficient to
render the glass Opaque. Iusect forms,
of sponge or cotton, are placed in the
box, and move about in curious man
ner when tue lid of the box is rubbed
"Ath VA III tiJ NcdlUtF. |
In the account of bis African explo-
rations just epublished, Major Serpa
Pinto refers at considerable length to the
ants encountered i'll the course of his
One terrible species is
even said by the natives to attack and
kill elephants. The savages flee from it
in great terror. 1T is not large, but bites
severely, and it swarms in such vast
hordes as to completely oyerwhem any
animal it may meet i'll the course of its
ong marches over the country.
M. Flammarion, the eminent French
astronomer, 1nclincs to the view that
comets tails are not material, but per-
laps an excltation-electric or other
If ether. He also calculates that the
5ail of the comet of 1s43, at the distance
If the earth from the sun, must have
swept space with q velocity of 40, 900
niles per second, at which late no mole
,u,e Of matter would remain a single in
slant dependant on solar attraction,
moving in a closed orbit around the sun.
The Fleuss diving helmet, which, it
Will be remembered. enables diver to
AXE with him to the bottom of the sea
sufficient oxygen for breathing several
iours, has proven very successful in the
made with it thus far. Mr..
,leuss has now devised lamp upon a
similar principle. 1t is made SO that all
External air is excluded, the oxygen for