The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1885-08-14
Scientific. :.

After giving an exposition Of the
chemical composition and alimentary
value of the different portions of the
grain of wheat, N. Anne Girard con-
cludes that it is advisable to reject, in
so far as it is mechanically possible, the
outer layers OF the grain and reserve for
human food the farinaceous portion
only.
| DR.. F. 81. Bowman calls attention to
the neglected fact that the prolonged
action of boiling water upon wool is
injurious. He mentions that wool which
looked quite bright after washing in
lukewarn water was decidedly duller
when kept for some time in water 1909
Fahrenheit, and after Treatment in boil
ing water it became quite dull and lus-
treless.S : - Fl S&f
: "A new epidemic recently prevailed
among the domestic ducks at the town
of Castres, in the Department of Tam,
France. This disease, which ragged for
atime with great violence. N. A. Cara-
ven-C achin says, was ultimately traced
| to the leaves of the Aaansus grandulosa,
or varnish of Japan, which grew in the
neighborhood and were eaten by the
victims.
The poisonous properties Of stockings
dyed with the brillian. aniline dyes, it
is said, may be rendered harmless by
dipping the article III bnth OF rubber
dissolved III in naptha or some other
reagent This having been done, sub
sequent evaporation has the effect to
cover each fibre with thin film of rub
Der, and by this means the transfer OF
the coloring material from tho goods to
the skin is prevented
NJ. G.. Baldoni finds that at low tenn
peratures the venom OF the viper does
very little harm to warm blooded ami
mails of even low resisting power, and
that potassium permangannte is OF no
effect in opposing the evil effects OF the
viper bite. When the permanganate
does seem to neutYalize tho venom he
maintains that the recovery of the
animals experimental upon is not due
to the potency Of tho alleged antidote
but to the insufficiency of the poison
administered.
M. Z. Johanson has given tho follow
ing receipt for stamping textile mater
ials indelibly: Dissolve twenty-five parts
of carbonate OF soda i'll eighty-fiye parts
of glycerine and rub into the solution
twenty parts OF. gum arabic. Dissolve
eleven parts of nitrate of silver i'll twenty
parts of officinal water of ammonia.
Mix these two solutions and heat the
mixture to boiling. When the liquid
has acquired dark color stir into it
ten parts of Venice turpentine. Apply
the resulting ink with stamp to the
fabrics, and subject the impressions to
natural or artificial heat.
The exact knowledge of the combus-
ton heat of coal gas has enabled Witt
to determine the temperatures and the
theoretic explosive pressures of detonat-
ing mixtures formed with this gas. The
mixtures We're taken ut % Centigrade
and at the atmospheric pressure. A
mixture of one volume of gas and six
volumes of Dir gave q temperature OF
2, O64o and pressure of SO atmospheres.
A mixture of one volume of gas with
ten volumes of air gave a temperature
of 1,514o and q pressure OF 6.5 atmos-
pheres. These figures are lower than
those hitherto admitted for such deton-
ating mixtures.
Several cases of poisoning by the
fumes of nitric acid have occurred of
late at Bonnie and Halle, and have ex-
cited considerable interest. In one in
stance girl who was carrying along
the street metal vessel of nitric acid
inhaled the vapor and died of asphyxia
twelve hours afterward. In another
instance young chemist. who had been
working for some hours with Tuning
nitric acid, was gradually poisoned, and
his recovery was very tedious In view
of such accidents, L'E6ctricite recon-
mends that batteries, such as those of
Buhsen, ETC., should not be used III
places where the ventilation is detective
From the orange, Citrus aurantium
| and Citrus bi1d1ut2ld ara obtained five