The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1882-07-01
SCIENTIFIC MIsCELLANY.

ment carried down by Chinese rivers
indicates that if the deposit continues ut
the present rate the Yellow Sea will be
converted into dry land in $4,000 years.
Remains of u remarkable bird of the
Eocene epoch have been found near
Rheims by NJ. de Lemoinne. The bird
was at least ten feet high when erect,
with much larger skull than that of
the ostrich, and affinlties-it is believed
Ito the duck.
Several English collieries are testing
blasting cartridges of caustic lime in
place of the ordinary gunpowder or
dynamite cartridges. The coal is broken
by the expansion of the lime in shaking.
There is no concussion, and the danger
from fame and premature explosion is
avoided.
1t is reported that telegram and a
telephone message from Brussels were
recently received simultaneously over
one wire at Paris. The system is the
work of the Director of the Belgian
Meteorological Bureau, Herr Van Kissel-
berghe, and if successful must prove very
valuable.
Colors fade under the influence Of the
electric light as in sunlight, but NJ.
Decaux finds that the effect is weaker.
With an arc light of 200 candle power,
the influence upon oil and water paint
ings and colored wool seemed to be
about one-fourth as powerful as sunlight
influence.
The first effects of small doses of
| arsenic taken from time to time are
| shown-by experiments of NJ. NJ. de
Poncy and Liyon upon eats-to be IL
fatteniDg Of the body, increase of appe-
tite, and general appearance of improved
health. This is soon followed. however,
by emaciation, loss Of appetite, an@mi,,
aud death.
A recent paper by Major Hallett gives
| instances Of the remarkable results which
have followed efforts to improve food
plants by a regularly continued practice
OF selecting the seeds of the best plants
| for planting. Vines, beetroots, cereals
and potatoes have greatly improved
under the system of selection, in some
cases the annual yield per acre being
trebled in few days.
The electric light has become so i'm.
portant Il feature in building operations
that the Royal Institute Of British
Architects is considering the merits Of
the various systems with reference to
architecture, and is trying to decide
upon the expediency Of requiring its
students to pass an examination in phys
lcal science as preparation for the
| study Of electrical apparatus.
The fat of the body is found by NJ.
Lanquer to vary greatly with age. In
infants it forms a firm tallow-like mass,
melting at lib degrees Fahrenheit. Tho
fat of adults, however, separates into
fluid and a solid layer at the ordinary
temperature of room, the solid portion
melting at 81 degrees-being completely
fluid at blood-heat. The variation in the
composition of the fat is very consider
able, the o1eic acid increasing and the
palmitic and stearic acids decreasing
with age.
peculiar effect is produced upon the
workmen in a Russian bicllromate of
potash factory. The partition of the
nose is attacked, hole is eaten through
it, and after a time it is totally destroyed,
both nostrils being converted into one.
An inspection mas shown that about
fifty per cent. of the men employ ed have
diseased noses, some having been at
tackled during their first month Of work
while others have been employed ten
years without being affected. The pro-
gress Of this curious disease is entirely
painless.
Mr.. Edward Muybridge predicts that
in the near future the aid photography
will be sought to determine the result of
all important horse races. With an in
visible thread stretched across the track
/ to operate a camera slide, it is a simple
matter to photograph the animals in the
twinkling Of an eye as they pass the
winning post. Iu the operation of this
system there could he no " dead heats ),
on account of the disagreement of judges,
as the record of the photograph would
show with unerring accuracy the winner
of the race.
Two methods of utilizing the power of
sea-waves have been proposed. In the
system of NJ. Gauchez, the rise and fall
ola large float produce corresponding
motions of bell-shaped iron vessel by
means Of pulleys. AS this vessel rises
air is drawn through valves in its top
| and as it falls the air is forced through
| pipes into IL COMPRISING reservoir. By
the other plan, suggested by Prof.
Wellner of Brun, species of air-trap in
the sea-waIl serves as an air-compressor
under the beating of the waves. Prof
Wellner produces motive power from the
compressed air by running pipe from
the reservoir under an air whell (resem-
bling an overshot water-wheel) immersed
in water. The air displaces the water
from the cells and drives the wheel
round while expanding and rising to the