The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1882-04-22
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

/ Prof. C.. Bing has announced the
discovery Of sleep producing qualities in
ozone.
A rumor of the existence of a race OF
/ pigmies in Africa, to the southeast OF
J, Kaffa, has reached DR.. Sclweinfurth.
Col. Veniukoff, q Russian traveller,
estimates that third of Asia, as we'll as
a thirtieth part of Europe, still remains
to be explored.
The increase of interest in electrical
matters is remarkable. A London pub
Usher is selling 1000 copies month of a
new work on electricity.
A wealthy Paris banker, NJ. Bischoffs-
helm, has undertaken the expense of an
expedition to Africa to observe the total
solar eclipse of May II.
An aeronaut ascending from Paris on
cold and cloudy day in February
recorded temperature of 65 degrees at a
! height of 5000 feet. This result occa-
stoned no little astonishment.
Cases of poisoning by carbo1c acid
are not infrequent. Two drachms is,
according to DR.. Reiclert, the minimam
fatal dose on record, and recovery rarely
follows a dose of half an ounce.
The latest publication of Australian
statistics show that the death-rate of the
continent is remarkably low, being only
Ia in 1000 in 1880. The English rate for
the same year was over 20 per 1000.
Considering the merits Of glass as
roofing material, German authority
finds that hail is not 50 destructive to
glass as is usually believed, as it seldom
damages panes an eighth of an inch
thick, and thickness of a quarter Of an
inch ~ salmostc absolutely safe.
Eight prizss of s125 each have been
offered by the Royal Society of New
South Wales for the best communica-
tions giving the results of original study
or observations on AS many specified
subjects. The subjects have special
reference to Australian progress.
Recent attention has been drawn to
the value of the Quillia tree of Chill, on
account Of the powerful cleansing pro-
perties of its bark. 1T is said to be more
effective under cert lin conditions than
the best soap. Itas already used te
some extent in waslIing silk and wool.
Another prehistoric canoe has bee,
discovered in the old bed of the Rhone
in France. It is about SO feet long, tire
feet wide and two feet deep. 1t wa
excavated from an oak log, which wa
| left i'll it's original form with the excep
ton of the ends, which were leseled sc
| as to give sharp Prov and stern.
Granular vegetab3o .erso1I, saturated
with sulpliuric acid, Of which it holds
| about seventy times its own volume, is
now being tested as a destroyer CT
phylloxera Buried amongst roots, it
gradually gives off sulpilurous acid gas,
and this being heavier than air, not only
permeates the soil, but hangs about the
surface and asphyxiates the phylloxera.
Many astronomers have held the opin-
ion that 111cyoae, the chief star Of the
| Pleatles, is the centre about which our
solar system reyolves. Very curiously,
an extraordinary Importance seems also
| to be given this group of stars by many
savage and semi-civilized tribes, who
have peculiar beliefs concerning it,
| apparently handed down to them from
antiquity.
taneous ignition of coal have been
recorded. After considerable expert
menting, Mr. W. NJ. Williams has con-
cluded that spontaneous combustion
takes place in some degree in all cases
where coal is exposed to the atmosphere
although the combustion may proceed
| SO slowly that the rise of temperature
will amount to only few degrees.
| Observations upon meteoric dust, the
minute particles which reach the eartl
from the regions Of space, are attended
by much difficulty and uncertainty, as
there are few localities accessible to maj
to which terrestrial dust does not pene
trate. To secure freedom from til,
interference of these terrestrial atoms i
is suggested that captive balloons b'
employed and sent to the greatest
attainable attitudes.
1t is proposed by MIR. G. f. sIct;lashan
editor of the sana Barbara Cali Press
to place moving railway trains in con
slant telegraphic communication will
the rest of the world. In his method
train telegraph office would be kept ii
electric connection with an overhea'
wire by means of IL truck running upol
the latter and carrying 4 short wiz
leading into the car. Aside from it
convenience to the travelling public, thi
application of the electric TELEGRAPH
would seem to furnish engineers with
considerable safeguard against accidents
A singular occurrence, striking'
showing the powerful effect of ice i
> rending rocks, was lately related by He'
Bergh. An extensive promontory i
western Norway was. in 1717, tieluge
, with water during a tllaw, filling ever
? creyice in the rock. A severe col
, quickly followed, Suddenly freezing I'll
: water aud bursting the mass of roel
which was projected from Il height {