Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-03-22
Rita OF SCIENCE.

A sheet of ordinary paper warmed in
front of fire will, in dark place, give a
very decided electric spark upon the APP
plication of the knuckle with a cracking
sound. Place sheet OF gold leaf between
two sheets of paper thus electrified and
pass pencil point over them IN zig-zag
course, and a luminous fash quite strong
will appear.
Manganese has long been used in the
manufacture of steel, bnt until the re-
searches OF Nessrs. Hatfield, of Sheffield,
not more than one per cent. was admit
ted. Indeed, it was believed that a higher
percentage would impair the steel; but
this has been shown to be an error.
Messrs. Hadfield now make steel contain
ing 10 or II per cent. OF manganese, the
former being used for 6rmOr-plattng, the
latter for steel tools and toys, while IL
per cent. is the proportion preferred for
railway steel.
DR.. Henry Tucker recommends, in the
Southern Medical Record, the following
very simple treatment of hiccough ::
Moisten granulated sugar with good vim
egar. OF this give to an infant from a
few grains to a teaspoOnful. The effect,
he SAYS, is almost instantaneous and the
dose seldom needs to be repeated. He has
used it for all ages, from infants of few
months old to those on the down hill side
of life, and has never known it to fail.
The remedy is very simple one and
merits trial.
The natives Of America were acquaint-
ed With the use of colors at a very remote
period. Their first coloring materials
were undoubtedly supplied by the Ochres,
roof-black and lime, while experiment
gradually taught them to extract vegeta-
BILE cOlors from leaves, fruits, roots, stems
and seeds. An animal cOlOring matter,
like the Tyrlan purple, was yielded by
sea mOllusks. The Peruvians and the
Mexicans were able to dye their cloths,
and Peruvian mummy-wrappings which
have been found after having been buried
for centuries still retain their primitive
color.
A new ceramic product, according to
Mons. Hignette, Is now made from the
abundant waste sands Of French glass
factories. The sand is nodded into blocks
by immense hydraulic pressure, and is
then baked in furnaces at a high temper
allure. The product has remarkable So
lidity and tenaeity; it is not affected by
frost, rain or sun; 1t Tesists very high
temperatures; it is very light and it has
q fine white color. 1t is predicted that
the material will be used for many archi-
tectural effects in combination with brick
or stones of other cOlors.
Chemistry, which, like other sciences,
has been wonderfully developed during
the past century, is often mentioned as
of recent origin. but many chemical facts
were known to the ancients even before
the dawn Of historical times. Specimens
of their work still in existence indicate
that the ancient Egyptians had consid-
cradle chemical knowledge. They were
skilled in smelling ores and working met
ais, had a good understanding Of dyes,
made glass and knew how to prevent de-
composition of dead animal matter, while
the priesthood evidently had some idea of
pharmaceutical chemistry.
The death rate of Russia is the highest
in Europe. This, the Medical Record says,
is attributed to the paucity Of medical
men and the habits Of the rural p0pula-
ton. According to late returns, the ave-
rage duration of life is only 26 years and
the mortality among infants is frightiul.
More than 90 per cent. of infants die be-
fore they reach their fifth year and nearly
1000 600 perish every year. OF 100000
boys only 3,770,000 attain the age Of milf
tary service-that is to say, their 18th
year; and of these at least 1000, 600 are
found, by reason of shortness of stature
and weakness of body, to be unfit for
military duties.