The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-10-17
CURIOUS, USEFUL AND SCIENTIFIC.

If it is true that sparrows and swallows for
sake district when cholera is about to make
its advent, the fact should be generally
known and thoroughly established ON all
creditable data.
Experiments made by ]. Aiken confirm
the usual notion that pure water has blue
tint; but he finds that the theory OF selective
reflection is insufficient to account for all the
variations as to tint met with lin the case oil
natural accumulations OF water. Whitish
particles are suspended in the water of the
Mediterranean, and the tint varies from deep
blue to chalky blue-green, according to the
proportion in which these particles may be
present.
Extensive preparations are making to util-
ize the cactus in the manufacture of paper
and textile fabrics. The Mexican Govern
ment has recently granted important con-
cessions to two individuals who propose en-
gaging in this new industry. The conces-
sions consist in giving these persons the eX-
elusive right 10 gather the cactus for ten
years from government lands. The grant
further provides that for each mill of the
value of $4,000 erected by the grantees for
the manufacture of paper from the cactus
leaf the government shall give premium OF
$50, 600
A Russian statistician has amused himself
calculating the distance travelled in year
by the hand of printer. He takes the prin-
ciple that a skillful composition working ten
hours day allowing for distributing and
correction, sets up - 600 letters In count
ing the year at 800 working days he makes
them a total 5000, 900 letters. Consequence
the distance from case to the stick and from
the stick 10 the case being estimated at two
feet, makes in all 100000 feet there being
49, 500 feet IN geographical mile, so that the
distance made in year under these cOndi-
lions by a printers hand is in the neighbor-
hood OF 800 miles, or a mile day.
Persons travelling by railway are subject to
continued annoyance from flying cinderS
On getting into the eyes they are not only
painful for the moment, but are often the
cause of long suffering that ends in a total
loss of sight. A very simple and effective
cure is within the reach OF every one, and
would prevent much suffering and expense
were it generally known. 1t is simply one or
two grains of flaxseed. These may be placed
in the eye without injury or pain to that del
icate organ, and shortly they will begin to
swell and dissolve glutinous substance that
covers the ball of the eye, enveloping any
| foreign substance that may be in it. The
| irritation of cutting the membrane is thus
prevented and the annoyance may soon be
washed out.
Some recent investigations relating to the
| speed OF thought are tbs summed up in the
| American Journal of Arts and Sciences:
Il
| rapidity of about $50 feet per second, or at
| one-fifth the rate of sound and this is near
| ly the same in all individuals. The brain re-
quires one-tenth of a second to transmit its
orders to the nerves which preside over vol.
untary action; but this amount varies much
| in different individuals, and in the same i'll
| dividual at different times, according to the
| disposition or condition at the time, and is
more regular the more sustained the atten
| ton. The time required To tran smit or
| der to the muscles by the motor nerves is
nearly the same as that required by the
nerves of sensation to pass a sensation; more
over it passes nearly one hundredth OF sec
| ond before the muscles are put III motion
The whole operation requires one and one
| fourth to two-tenths OF a second. Consequent
/ ly, when we speak of an active, ardent mind
| or of one that is slow, colu or pathetic, il j:
not mere figure of rhetoric, but an absolute
and certain fact that such a distinction, witt
varying gradations, really exists.