Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1885-04-16
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.
Complied for the WooD EIvEa TIMrs3

The Russian Government is about
TO experiment in balloon steering by
electricity.
Several pots OF hyacinths having
been placed in a circle around the
pipe OF stove, Mons. c. Barthelemy
found that the roots were drawn to
the source of heat, taking an almost
horizontal direction toward the pipe
as a common centre of attraction.
BY microscopical examination,
Messrs. Osmond and Werth have
shown that molten steel possesses a
kind of cellular tissue, the IRON form
ing the nucleus and the carbon tine
envelop Of the cellules. These sim
pie cellules form agglomerations or
compound cells, which may be easily
identified with what is usually called
the grain of the steel.
Two prizes Of $4,000 each are Of
fered for essays on the use of soda
nitrate as manure. One essay is to
Indicate present knowledge and theory
and the other is to be devoted to new
experimental research made by the
author of the paper before 1887 The
prizes are given by the Committee of
the Saltpetrc Producers Association
of western South America.
Some interesting researches con-
corning cholera prevention are being
made by DIR. Ferran of Barcelona. He
has prepared an attenuated cholera
virus, with which three medical men
lravc been inoculated. The inocula-
tons were followed by severe local
pains and fcversh symptoms, which
suddenly disappeared after duration
of about n hours. No further i'll
Q effects have been experienced. !,
y now remains to prove, rs Dr. Ferrar
r confidently expects to do, that these
j, inoculations have conferred complete
:. immunity from attacks of cholera.
a French writer gives long lis
J of apparently Northumberland in
u stances of the finding of live toads II
!. solid masses of stone, referring in par
* ticular to such discovery made il
q 1851 bv three workmen Of Rlois ol
{ breaking open large piece of flint
II The strength of the evidence thu
II presented leads him to insist that it i
unwise to pronounce the phenomenon
- absolutely impossible, although non
- cf the reported cases arc quite beyon'
. the suspicion OF fraud. To exp!al
j., the occurrence, il genuine, it seem
necessary to suppose that the cres
lures have existed in their close rris
,r ons during the unnumbcred years i
st which the plastic material has bee
Is hardening into rock. That they ma
rs endure somewhat prolonged COZ
:. iinement was shown by Seguin, VIII,
~ in 1872, enclosed p toad in IL plast.
/. covering, and foun1 the reptile aliv
and in good condition on breakin
the shell ten wears later.
An exhaustive report on 3S..' eartl
. uuakes observed in North Japan du
.ts ing a period Of two years, has bee
,, made by Professor Milne Of ToAi
-, He finds that Pal of the shocks WEI
no. felt over a greater area than j
square miles, the average diameter {
the land surface affected by the +,
- naming 1873 being IS miles, althoue
- four or FIVE OF them embraced Ian
-. area of about $4,000 square mile
% Some Of the disturbances took pla,
10 simultaneously in areas remote fro
," each other, while intermediate st.
-,u tons did not feel them. About s
80 per cent Of the earthquakes origin
80 under the sea. The district mo
% shaken was the Nat alnyia! p!a
." arouni Toxic, which geological ev
IA denee shows to have been recent
e) and rapidly elevated from TIE ST
% depths 1t is remarkable that shocl
10 were comparatively rare in the mou
w tains and near active volcanoes. ri
-
20 earthquakes were much more hume
80 Gus and severe in winter than IN SUI,
"A