Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1885-06-09
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.
Compiled for the WOoD RIVER TINEs.l

the sound OF the explosions was heard
over an area much more vast than in
the case of any other eruption ever
recorded, the farthest distance between
the points where the sound was heard
being one sixth of the whole circum.
ference of the earth. Long air-wave
giving no sound were also felt at
great distances, rending house walls
more than $40 miles away. More
than two billion tons of solid sub.
stances were elected, and the gaseous
matter may have been hundreds Of
times as great in volume, furnishing
ample cause for the brilliant sun glows
which have been observed throughout
most of the world.
1t has been proven by Mr.. D. F.
Hulwa that the water of the Oder, af-
ter receiving the sewage of Bre.lau,
whose population exceeds quarter OF
a million, is completely purified by the
oxygen of the air and tho action of
vegetation. At = distance of some
nine miles below Bres!au no sewage
matters could he detected, either by
chemical or microscopic means, and
the water appeared to be identical in
quality with that above tho town.
Recent chemical investigation has
shown that potato plants do not alb
sorb and assimilate the arsenic of
Paris green and other preparations
used for destroying the Colorado po-
tato beetle. Fears that the tubers
might be rendered poisonous are thus
proven to be groundless. The pro-
ductiveness of tho soil, however, is
impaired by the use of arsenic in con-
siderable quantity.
An interesting result Of the late
earthquake in England has been no
ticed in the wells of Colchester, the
water level in which commenced to
rise soon after the shock, and in few
days reached point eight feet above
the highest ever before known. 1t
now stands at about seven feet above
the former hi gh-water mark.
BY actual count DR.. Wilson, of
England, has found the hairs on a
square inch of fairly covered head
to number 1906, from which he esti-
mates that the whole head must have
1890. He thinks that some heads
might have 10000 hairs.
A most effective remedy against
pulmonary consumption is alleged to
have been found in aluminium and its
compounds. The discoverer bases
his opinion on experiments made upon
rabbits, as we'll as en- observations in
his medical practice.
At a recent sale in London Of q
collection of I.epidoptera - better
known as moths and butterflies-sin.
gle specimens brought three and foul
pounds each, and a white butterfly
from the Hebrides was sold for thir
teen guiEeas.
The feat of sending \ telegram
through 1000 miles of wire has jus,
been achieved. The message was
transmitted from Calcutta to London
and the signals were received at the
rate of about twelve words minute
Continued observations made since
the year 1873 at the Mendon Observ.
atory have confirmed the conclusion
that the rings of Saturn are extremely
variable, and do not retain a fixed
form.
The number Of flowers produced by
the palms is astonishing; not less thar
$4,000 having been counted in .
species of the date, and 100000 i,
one of species Of Afonsla.
Pale phosphorescent flames of sui
phur are often observed during the
drying of gunpowder, states Mr.. II
Schwartz.
The first authentic list of the mann
mails of New Brunswick has just beer
published. 1t includes 4S species.
Tile Austin, Nevada. Reveille