St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-07-13
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

4 SCIENTIFIC SEAsoN.-The present sum-
mer promises to be an important one for sci
ence in America. The annual meeting of
the British association for the advancement
of science takes place this year at Montreal,
| from August 9th to September I'd, and is to
be closely followed by the American associa-
! tons meeting at Philadelphia, September
| 4th TO 18th. An international electrical ex-
| hibition viii be in progress in Philadelphia
/ in September, with probably an electrical
! congress. a greater number of foreign saw
ants viii undoubtedly visit this country than
were ever before present at one time
! ALASKA GLACIERS visit to some
OF the Alaska glaciers, Mr.. Thomas Meehan
states that beneath the Muir glacier, said to
| be 400 miles long, flows rapid torrent, which
he estimates to be 100 feet wide and four feet
in average depth, and which runs summer
and winter without interruption. At its
/ termination the glacier hangs over the sea.
/ and gives off icebergs. Mr.. Meehan re-
marks that the great ice-sheets have their
! lakes, rapids, waterfalls, hills and valleys
! that the waterways change their courses at
/ all times through the melting; and that melt
! ing progresses freely in the SUMS rays, but
/ not int shade.
/ Mons. DeRoches intimates that Franklin
was anticipated in his discovery of lightning
/ conduetion, as the ancient Estruscans ap-
peared to understand the art of guiding the
lightning. Servius relates that in ancient
| times the priests ignited their sacrifices by
/ lightning, and on one occasion Julius Hos
! titus neglected the precautions laid down by
-.
/ In the Philippine Islands paint is used as
q safeguard against earthquakes. Patches of
! the paint are so placed throughout dwellings
I that the occupants may be quickly guided to
! the street at night on the first warning of an
earthquake Time for escape is thus gained
before the buildings fail.
NIAGARA WATER PowER. Benz. Rhodes
estimates the average power of Niagara Falls
as = 900. 600 HORSEPOWER, ON the total fall. in
GLIDING the rapids above, of $50 feet. He
places the cost of plant necessary to utiI-
ize this power, transform it into electricity
and transmit it anywhere within a radius Of
( 500 miles at s., 0G0, 600, coo. The economy of
1 the power is shown By the calculation that
/ its use instead of steam would effect saving
of $40 per annum in the cost of running
each electric light used in the city of Buffalo.
DR.. Pehl of St. Petersburg, has discovered
/ that bacteria are much less numerous in
running water than in stiIl water having an
! parently the same chemical composition. He
/ believes that germs are destroyed by rapid
motion, and that water may be rendered
comparatively pure By passing It through q
4, centrifugal machine.
worSmen in St Gothard Tunnel were Of
fected with peculiar disease which seemed
I to Dc eausei By minute worms. The same
muddy water, which The workmen carelessly
drink
JUpITER's GREAT spoT.-Prof. G. ".
Haugh, director q the Dear5orn Observatory
favors ths theory that Tie much discussed
rcd spot Of Jupiter, which became visible
several years ago and has Just disappeared
IS really I portion Of the solid body OF the
planet which IS obscured BY clouds during
long seasons This view is confirmed By the
| fact that Hook and Casino, II he years