The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-24
CURIOUS, USEFUL AND SCIENTIFIC,

The forests of the United States comprise
412 species of trees. OF these sixty are pecu.
liar to Florida.
Asbestos ss q lining for mems hats is al new
idea. Being q non conductor of heat the ad-
vantage is apparent
A botanical phenomenon was witnessed
on the shore OF Todes Santos Bsy, Lower
California, where an apr ls-tree blossomed and
lore large perfect fruit on its trunk, an inch
from the ground.
in the United States there are eighty-two
fsctories or gsged in the manufacture OF glue,
sud that they employ altogether about Z 900
hands. The value of the prcduct Is above
So Coo, eco year.
The Columbus Medical Journal reports
case Of cesth from poisoning with bromide
of potassium. The victim was given dosss OF
eighty grains each at intervals of four hours
duiirg four days.
The cniy land from which the total phase
or the solar eclipse OF September s can be
seen is New Zealand. The totality lasts only
two minutes and half An expedition will
be sent from Melbourne to observe it.
The musk beetle according to an English
observer has the power Ct emitting or sup
~ essing its odor at pleasure; but when dying
he scent is continuous, and after death
more powerful than at any time during life.
1t has been observed in Russia that ex-
treme cold converts tin into a semi.crystal-
lire NESS containing large cavities In one
instsr &C the pipes Of church organ were
so altered by cold as TO be ne longer s0nor-
Gus.
1t appears from observations made in
France that the development Of vegetable
life is retarded by On average OF nearly four
days for each additional 100 yards OF altitude,
The arrival of tbs chimney swallow ia de.
layes about two days Tor each increase OF 100
yarde in height.
Spots, fsculae, eruption. and protubsrances
were last year more NUMEROUS in the south.
ern hemisphere OF the SUD, according to tbs
tabulated observations OF M. p. Tacchini.
Such solar phenomena occurred also in the
vice zone stretching north and south OF the
equator, whereas in proceeding years there
gss notable absence of them close to the
equator itself.
n. A. Villiers has extracted from the re-.
mains OF two cholera patients well charac.
teTizeo alkaloid. Its reactions and the ex-
pariments made with it he describes in the
Journal de Pharmacie ct de Chemie. In
| treating frogs with 1t the most prominent re-
suit was slight and temporary decrease in
the number OF beats OF the heart. Guinea
pigs yield to its influence in the course of
| four days.
Malaria is not confined to low.Iying dis
| tricts. 1t climbs to high attitudes following
the course of the valleys. In Italy it rises to
the height of 400 to 500 feet; in Csliforris,
| LOCO feet; along the Appalachian chain, 3, 900
| feet; in the West Indies, 400 TO 1,SO0 feet
| in India, 1000 feet. On the Andes it is
sometimes found at the height of II, 900 feet
| Under ordinary circumstances a moderate
| altitude Will be found comparatively free
| ir0m malaria.
Experiments have been made by COM
mittee of French experts, including NJ. Pas
| feur, ia order to ascertain the best means OF
| disiDfectiDg chambers in which cases OF con-
tagioUs affections have been lodged The
| committee reports that sulphurous acid goa
is tie best disinfectaDt; but recommends
| that instead of simply burning sulphur, as
is done in barracks aud such places, bi sui
| phide OF carbon should be burned in rooms,
as it is less injurious to furniture or metals.
Mr.. J. Bailey Denton has predicted that
| the year 1885 will be remarkable for a sort of
water desrth in the East aud South of Eng.
land. He shows that the rainfall in 1884 was
not more than two.thirds that of the ave..
age, while the proportion of rain evaporated
was unusually great and he therefore MAIN.
taiDs that this year there must be a lowering
! of the subterransan water supply, and a re
drction or the yield of the springs which
supply the rivers. entailiDg an increase oil
| the evils of the pollution of the streams