Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-11-23
BITS OF SCIENCE.

Among the last acts of the HYGIENE
Congress was a -denunciatiOn Of the mod
ern system Of education and competitive
examinations as eminently preiudicial to
the health of those subjected to it.
After the summer of 1885 science Will
take equal rank with Greek and higher
mathematics in the examination of an
didates for admission to the Royal Mill
tary college, S~andhurst, England.
A mixture of 20 parts Of air and so parts
of hydrogen gas ignites at a temperature
between 1925 and 1,02S degrees Fahren-
heit, while the ignition point of coal gas
and air in similar proportions varies from
1902 to 1,215 degrees.
A uranium mineral is found in the field
spar quarrIes near the seaport of Moss,
on the Christiania FJord, Norway. 1t
contains nearly 81 per cent. of uranOso-
uranic oxide, with OBS of the cerium earths
and PAP Of the yttrium earths.
Scientific works by Agassiz, Buchner,
Huxley, Lubbock, LeWes, MOleschOtt,
Reclus, Adam Smith, Spencer, Vogt, Zim-
melman have been added to the list of
those already prohibited by ukase from
circulation by libraries in Russia.
Two ounces of soda dissolved in a quart
of hot water will make a ready and useful
solution for cleaning old painted work pre-
paratory to repainting. This mixture, in
the above proportions, should be applied
when warm, and the woodwork afterward
washed with water to remove all traces
of the soda.
Experiments indicate that the effect of
light upon plant tissues Without chlOro-
phyll, such as roots, rhiZome, blanched
plants and some parasitic plants, is to
decrease the intensity of the respiration,
more carbOnic acid being given off and
oxygen absorbed in darkness than in light.
The amount of oxygen absorbed is, how
ever, in the same proportion to the car
bOnic acid given off in light as in dark
ness.
Manganese steel is very dense, tough
and hard. 1t does not require to be forged
or rolled to impart strength to it, like most
steel. 1t does not tarnish readily. A
magnet does not attract it. When brought
to a white heal and plunged in water 1t
turrs soft n nothard. Its castings have
a very few flaws. 1t is made by pouring
from 10 to II per cent. of rich ferrO-man-
ganese into molten steel and mixing the
two together before the alloy is run off into
ingots.
Elastic rubber tubing, perfectly gas
tight and free from smell, has lately been
invented. 1t is made Of two layers Of
rubber, with pure soft tin-tOil between
them, and it retains the fexibility and
elasticity OF a simple ruODef tube. 1t
ought to be serviceable as a connection
between a heating or Illuminating gas
supply pipe and a gas-burning apparatus
which requires to be movable, if this sort
of rubber and tin tubing a be manufac-
tured of sufficient length.
Casting of bronze statues Of Buddha is
carried on in Bangkok. The process, SAYS
a late official report, is of a kind known as
cen cire perdue," and the alloy used con-
sists of copper and lead, sometimes with
the admiXture of a small quantity of zinc.
A clay model is first made; upon this a
coat of wax is nodded, and over this again
is put another layer Of clay. The whole
is then baked, the waX cunning off through
central core being kept IN its place by
iron pegs, the alloy is then run into the
space previously occupied by the wax.