Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-10-12
BITS OF SCIENCE.

For fiItering oils, it has been recon-
mended to replace the conical funnel by
a prismatic one. Instead of the oil hav-
ing to pass at a single point, it passes
along whole line.
OF starch in chocolate, although cocoa
contains starch, water boiled with It and
filtered, does not give the usual starch re-
actions; hence, when starch is found IN
the filtrate, 1T indicates a fraudulent adj
ditiOn.
OF all the remedies, readily and easily
! applied, the fluid extract of serpentaria
! is perhaps the most efficacious in cases of
rhus poisoning. Cloths we'll mOisteIed
with it are laid without any friction upon
the parts affected. Immediate relief is
experienced and two or three applications
generally effect cure.
A -imple sunshine recorder is made by
Prof. IL. Macleod by placing globular
bottle of water before a camera in such a
position that the focused ray falls ] a
sheet Of sensltiZed paper in the camera
box. AS the sun makes it's daily journey
it produces a curved white line on the
paper, and when clouds cross the sun the
| line stops.
A new blasting paper is announced, a
powerful rock explosive and a recent
Austrian invention. 1t is described as
being unsiZed or ordinary blOttIng paper,
| coated with mixture of prussiate of pot
ash, of charcoal saltpetre, potassium chic
rate and wheat starch. On its being dried
1t is cut into strips which are rolled into
cartridges.
NM. Delune ct Gle have undergoing
trial at Toulouse a method of laying SUBJ
terranean telegraph cables. The arrange
| ment consists of betOn pipes, having a
longitudinal opening on the top and con-
nected with cement sleeves. After the
hIac aro T1laand in fhonl w Si1,1r1iv nm
winding as the work proceeds, the longi-
tudinal opening is cemented up.
The latest treatment of brain irritation
consists of seclusiOn in darkened room
for from ten to fifteen hours a day, while
progressively increasing the hours of
sleep; and the excessive use of brOmides
and other stupor-inducing sedatiVes is
discouraged. 1t is claimed that the sooth-
ing effect of deep twilight is alone
therapeutic agent of great value in cases
of extreme cerebral irritation.
Natures oxidizers, peroxide of hydro
gen and ozone, are suggested as possible
bleaching agents Of the future. Peroxide
of hydrogen differs from water in cOmpO-
sition only in having twice as much oxy-
gen, with half of which it parts readily
and becomes water. Ozone, the natural
purifier of the air, is probably the most
powerful oxydizng agent known, and has
u
pense of obtaining these substances now
prevents their extensive use for bleaching
purposes.
At a recent meeting of the Societe de
Biologie, of Paris, DR.. Brown-Sequard re-
counted some novel and singular freaks
of aphasia. One of his patients has lost
all the words in the language except one,
and monotOnouslY repeats that when try
ing to speak. Yet he sings with facility
and artistic feeling. Another talks volu-
bly, and coherently in his sleep, but can
not utter word when he is awake. A
third talks freely in del1rious paroxysms,
but is silent when he is in possession of
his reason.
The use of terra-cotta tiles for the roof
ing Of buildings is now advocated by en-
gineers of the highest repute, in place of
slate and other popular materials. The
tiles are very light, owing to the rectan-
gular holes traversing them longitude
nally; but recent experiments have shown
that they are capable of bearing the enor-
nous pressure of 1874 pounds per square
foot, and, when protected from blows by
a thin sheathing, furnish one of the best
materials available for the floors of large
structures.
One of the most curious properties of
quicksilver is its capability of dissOlving
or Of forming amalgams with other met
ais. A sheet of gold foil, dropped into
quicksilver, disappears almost as quickly
as a snowflake when it drops into water.
1t has the power of separating or readily
dissolving those refractory metals which
are not acted upon by our most powerful
acids. The gold and silver miners pour it
into their machines holding the powder
gold-bearing quartz; and although no hui
man eye can detect a trace Of the pre-
cious substance, so fine are the particles,
yet the liquid metal viii hunt them out
and Incorporates it into its mass.