St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1884-02-02
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

remarkable experiment, in which he
placed on the apex of a hill a galvanic
battery with conductors covering an
area of about 10000 square feet. The
cone became surrounded by a halo which
family but perfectly yielded the spec
trum of the aurora, and the experiment.
er regards this result, with some subse-
quent ones, as direct proof of the cleo
trical nature of the mysterious light
which so often dances in northern skies.
Mons. Samson has investigated the
excellent property of oats, and finds it to
be due to a nitrogenized substance
which he names '.avenine.n This prin-
ciple exists, in varying proportion, in
all oats, but, as rule, it is contained in
greater quantity by the dark-colored
than by the white varieties. Crushing
or grinding the grain weakens consid-
erably its excitant action upon horses,
probably by altering the exciting sub
stance. No excitant action is sure to be
produced by oats containing less than
nine-tenths Of one per cent Of avenine,
but with a greater proportion of the
latter the effect is certain.
A prize of $500 has been offered by
the Prussian Society for encouragement
of industry for the best account and es-
tination of the methods of working
coal mines, including modes of ventila
ton and precautions to ensure the safe
ty Of miners.
European observations seem to indi-
cate that the condition Of the soil and
the atmosphere has much to do with.
the development of cancer, the disease
being extremely prevalent in low, allu-
vial situations, and seldom seen in dry
uplands.
1t is reported thatthe italian explor-
ing party lately returned from the South
Pacific found many human bones of
great size in Patagonia, indicating the
former existence Of race Of giants in
that country.
From q report given by DR.. D. E. Sal
mon, of the Department of Agriculture,
in reply to enquiries from abroad, it
appears that charbon-fever is not
known to be very destructive to the do
nestle animals of the United States,
its ravages being most severe in the
lower Mississippi valley, where it causes
heavy losses Of stock at times, especial |
" after great foundations. Dr.. Salmon
does not believe that the introduction |
Of. Pasteur's method Of protective yacci-
nation. could be made a success as a
business venture. Experience in Eu-
rope has shown that the susceptibility
OF animals to the virus varies greatly in T
different countries, and before the plan
OF vaccination can be adopted here ex-
pensiye experiments must be made to-
determine the proper strength Of vac
ciile for American animals. Al govern
nent laboratory for the preparation and
free distribution Of vaceines Of charlton
and other contagious diseases Of ami
mails would, it is suggested, be desira-
bic.
Esquimanx are said to be able to see
objects at a much greater distance than
Americans or Europeans, and this re-
keenness of vision enables
hem to spread intelligence by means
y sign telegraphy over hundreds of
miles in a single day.
According to Mr. j. *. LauEhton. Of
he London Meteorological Society
measurements now made OF the force
md velocity Of the wind are very M
satisfactory on account of the lack of a
tandard thermometer.
By welding together iron and steel
ions. Kiel has obtained a product
which is stated to possess the characters ]
i both metals. This so-called steel !
ron has been prepared in five ways,
III: steel by the side De iron, steel be- Il
ween two layers of steel, q core of steel Fl
By iron, and a core DC iron I
by steel. "a
Messrs. Tissandier have constructed ET
a electromagnetic engine, an aerial f;
crew propeller and a bichrotnate bat "a
cry which they propose to use for di- i
Getting q large elongated balloon. BY a f.
rial Of this apparatus in their work i,
hop at Point din Tour, France, the CON 1
have shown that it will yield
he work Of twelve to fifteen men for !,
period of three hours, while its weight Z .
oes not exceed thatof three men. The
Iessrs. Tissandier propose to use their
aIloon for rational experiments in the 4
il, and they do ng9 expect to propei it'd
gainst strong winds. n