The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-11-25
CURIOUS, USEFUL AND SCIEN.
TIFIC.

PasteUr's method of vaccination for the cat
tie plague has proved seccessful in India for
horses, cows, sheep, butfaloes, asses and ele-
plants.
Bones nave been proven TO quickly Dissolve
in sea-water. They are consequently seldom
obtained during ocean dredgings. although
teeth, which resist the action of the water
indefinitely, are often brought up.
The internal heat of the earth is being
investigated by the German Government. 4
shaft sunk at Schladebach has penetrated
about 1866 feet underground, believed to be
the greatest depth yet reached by boring.
At this point the earth's temperature is 1902
Fahrenheit.
\ spider recently observed in the Isle OF
Wight dragged two or three leaves to the
shore fastened them together with its web
launched the craft and sailed away over the
pond. leaving it TO dart and dive after flies
and other game, returning with them to the
raft 10 be devoured.
1t has been estimated that from a single
pound Of steel costing about fifty cents there
can be manufactured 100, 900 watch screws
worth Sll. Some of these machine-made
screws are so small that an uneducated eye
requires the aid of a magnifying glass to see
what they really are.
Lyell estimated that the gorge of Niagara
River was cut out in about 5000 years, but
surveys TO determine the present rate OF re-
cession of the falls indicate that the work
may have been done in 10000 years. During
fOrty-0ne years the average annual wear of
the rock was TWO and three fourths teet
Lime slaked with solution of salt in
water and then properly thinned with skim
milk from which all the cream has been
taken, makes a permanent whitewash for
outdoor work, and, it is said, renders the
wood incombustible. l. is an excellent
wash for preserving wood and for all farm
purposes.
4 German test for watered milk consists
in dipping well-polished knitting needle
into deep vessel of milk, and then immedi-
ately Withdrawing it in an upright position.
Ii the milk is pure, a drop Of the fluid will
hang to the needle; but the addition of even
small proportion OF water will prevent the
adhesion of the drop.
A vessel off Para reports falling in with a
mass of spiders floating in the air. The rig
the long threads OF which formed the bal
loon for the tiny aeronauts. For several
miles this spider swarm continued, the
Captain estimating that there were mill
ions, which had undoubtedly blown from
land.
The utility of tears to animals in general,
and particularly 10 those which are exposed
much to the dust, such as birds which live
amid the wind is easy to understand. The
eye would soon be dirtied and blocked up
had not nature provided this friendly, ever
flowing streem to wash and refresh ii.
very little fluid is necessary to keep the eye
clear and clean.
A number of dogs were recently dosed
with morphine until they became insensi-
bic, the object being TO determine what drug
would act most rapidly as an antidote. 1t
was found that hypodermic injections of
theme neutraliZed the narcotic almost in
stantly, although it was employed only after
the heart had ceased to beat Caffeine had a
considerable anti-narcotic power, but was
not equal to the principle derived from
tea.
The Journal of the Society of Arts gives
an account of Professor Frankland's series
of experiments in removing micro-organ-
isms from water by means of filtration. The
materials used were green sand, silver sand,
powdered glass, brickdust, coke, animal
charcoal, and spongy iron, all of them being
previously passed through a sieve OF forty
meshes to the inch. Only green sand, coke,
animal charcoal. and spOngy iron removed
the organi SINS; and even these would not act
longer than one month. Thus the produc
ton of sterilized potable water in large guam
titles is matter of difficulty and requires
constant renewal of materials But coke and
spOngy iron will act well for long time in re-
moving large proportions OF the organisms
and rendering the water at least fit for drink
ing.
A very simple, though somewhat expen-
sive, arrangement of telephone wires has been
introduced in Glasgow merchants office,
by which, it is stated the annoyanceS of in
duction are prevented. The Office is con-
| nected with the proprietor dwelling house,
some thirty miles distant, by private line.
To prevent disturbance from the induction
of other wires, he employs return wire,
and the wires are simply arranged in a spi-
raj or helical form as follows: Suppose each
post to be provided with four insulators, ar
ranged at the four angles of square, the
sending wire is attached to insulator on
the first post, on the second, on the third,
on the fourth, on the fifth, and so on.
The return wire is attached to the insulators
at the opposite corners of the square, or
what would correspond to that position,
thus forming the belix.