Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1883-11-15
POPULAR SCIENCE.

Boiling fast renders meat hard because
the excessive action of heat causes the al
bumen Of the meat to set solid, crisps up
the feshy fbers, and prevents heat having
gradual access to the interior.
To citizen Of New York, Mr.. Miles
Rock, has been given the task of accur-
ately marking the boundary line between
Guatemala and Mexico, which is about
two hundred miles long and will require
over year to fix properly. Astronomi-
cal determinations will be made and eth
biological material collected for the Smith
sonian institution.
NJ. Aime Giraud, following the propo-
sition of Pasteur, that the burial of de-
ceased animals does not destroy the af-
fecting germs of disease, has recently
shown that the desired effect Of complete
destruction may be brought about BY
treating the carcasses with cold concen-
trated sulphuric acid Three hundred
and twenty kilogrammes at sixty de-
grees proof removed in ten days nine sheep
weighing 2O4 kilogrammes.
So far from trees in streets impeding
the circulation Of air, they help to purify
it; the evaporation from their leaves de-
ternines a current from above, and the
fresh air thus brought down assists in
driving away the heated and dust i'm
pregnated gases of the streets. Another
useful property of foliage is that, while
in hot, dry weather it moistens the sur
rounding atmosphere, thus rendering it
filter to breathe, this effect, which is due
to evaporation, ceases in wet weather.
In an address to the British association
for the advancement of science at its re-
cent annual meeting, Prof. R. S. Ball.
astronomer royal for Ireland, reviewed
the SUMS distance from the earth, and ex-
pressed belief in the possibility Of de-
termining that distance accurately to
within 100, 900 miles. He doubts if
transits of Venus gives opportunities for
calculations for such precision, and thinks
that a solution of the great astronomical
problem must be sought through obselva-
tions of the minor planets, or asteroids
From the measurements Of all kinds thus
far attempted, themostprobable estimate
Of the suns distance is 90, 700, 900 miles,
which can hardly be erroneous to the ex-
tent of 300, 600 miles.
Common salt, chloride of sodium is
the most widely distributed substance in
the body; it exists in every fluid and in
every solid and not only is everywhere
present, but in almost every part it con
stitutes the largest portion Of the ash
when any tissue is burnt. In particular
it is a constant constituent of the blood,
and it maintains in it proportion that is
almost wholly independent of the guam
tity that is consumed with the food
The blood will take up SO much and no
more, however much we may take with
our food, and, on the other hand, if none
be given, the blood parts with its natural
quantity slowly and unwillingly. Moth
ing can demonstrate its value better than
the fact that if albumen without salt is
introduced into the intestines of an ami
NAL, no portion Of it is absorbed, while
it all quickly disappears if salt be added.
The conclusion therefore is obvious that
salt, being wholesome, and indeed,
necessary, should be taken in moderate
quantities, and that abstention from it is
likely to be injurious.