Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-09-09
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.
TCompiled for the SPECTATOR.

puUTGidCblOE Also uGStIUyS III Ill d lew uOuiS
In the human body the bacillus lives, on the
average, only six days after the attack; in
moist earth it survives from fourteen to
sixteen days; in distilled water, twenty
days; in sea-water, sixty-four to eighty-one
days; and in the bilge-water Of an iron
ship, thirty-two days. After these inter
walls the danger of contagion ceases. In
common with other disease germs, the
bacillus appears to have remarkable pow
er Of enduring cold.
The retina of the living eye has been
photographed by two English operators.
Owing to the non-actinic color of the reti-
ma, an exposure of twenty minutes by gas
light was required with an extra sensitive
gelatine plate. Although small, the mega
tive shows the bifurcation of the blood-ves-
sells, and also the edge Of the blind spot.
According to Henry Vivarez, French
electrician, silicous bronze has a conduct
bility comparable to that of copper and
strength greater than that of iron. For
telegraphic purposes silicious bronze wires
may be used to replace those of galvanized
iron more than five times as heavy.
The use of nitro-glycerine as substi-
tute for alcohol for stimulating the action
of the heart has been recommended by DR..
J. B. Burroughs. The advantages claim
ed are, that only minute quantity is re-
quired, that the nitro-glycerine is practi-
cally free from taste and odor, that it acts
Immediately, and that it is not likely to in
duce craving for alcoholic stimulants.
The seed-vessels of the bird catching
tree of New Zealand secrete q very sticky
gum, in which not merely insects, but
birds are entangled and perish.
ToRNADoEs-In 1884 the Signal Service
Bureau recorded 172 tornadoes, occurring
on so days. Only one month of the year.
January-was entirely free from these
storms, while they were most frequent in
July, but more severe earlier in the season.
Every section of the United States was
visited except New England and the region
West of the summit of the Rocky Noun
tains. In sc instances the width of the
tornado path varied from rs to $3.50 feet,
the average being / ,037 feet, and in 81
cases the length varied from 2 to 1870 miles,
the average being &c miles. The storms
moved forward at an average rate of AZ
miles an hour, the rotations Of the inevi-
table funnel-shaped cloud being accom-
plished, of course, at a vastly greater We
locity, The direction of the cyclones
course is usually Northeast. It's time is
most frequently from four to half-past five
O'clock in the afternoon, rarely as early as
three, although not uncommonly as late as
halfpast seven or eight in the evening, and
sometimes even later.
ASTRONOMICAL ACCURACY.-Tnttle S
comet of 1858, having a period of about
fourteen years, makes its nearest approach
to the sun this year, and was seen at Nice
on Aug. 7. From observations made dur
ing the two former appearances, RANTS, a
German computer, calculated an orbit,
which agrees with tie place in which the
comet has just been found within fifteen
seconds of time and about six minutes of
arc; so that, by pointing telescope to the
computed place, the comet would be III the
field of view after an absence of fourteen
years.
English physicians have expressed the
opinion that the use of dynamite tends to
produce apoplexy, several miners having
fallen victims to the malady in one dis
trict.
Prof. Vulpian, Of the Paris Academy of
Medicine, repudiates the view that persons
can suffer after decapitation, as he finds
satisfactory physiological evidence that the
severing of the head produces instan-
neous loss of consciousness.
MAN AS HE SHOULD BE.-Huxley con-
siders man S proper weight to be 154 pounds,
made up as follows: Muscles and their ap-
purtenances, pounds; skeleton, "a pounds;
skin, 10a pounds; fat, % pounds; brain, 3
pounds; thoracic viscera, 81 pounds; alb
dominal viscera, II pounos; and blood
which would drain from the body, pounds.
This man should breathe Is times a minute,
vitiating to the extent of one per cent 1850
cubic feet of pure air every "a hours. His
heart should beat rs times a minute
Through his skin would pass IS ounces of
water, 800 grains of solid matter and 400
grains of carbonic acid every "a hours: and
his total daily loss-to be replaced by prop
or food-would be 6 pounds of water and a
little more than 2 pounds of other matter.
Prof. A. Landmark, chief director of the
Norwegian Fisheries, finds that under IA
vorable conditions salmon may sometimes
jump sixteen feet perpendicularly, and that
when the fsh's leap is a foot or two short
of the height of the waterfall it often sue
ceeds in completing the ascent by dex
trous use Of the tail.
From experiments in tropical Africa Her
man Soyaux concludes that agriculture is
practicable, the soil-though exhausted in
a year by maize and manufacturing suita-
bic for the cultivation Of coffee, vanilla, In
dia rubber, tobacco, cotton, and sugar cane.
In the Upper Kongo country these plants
and many others grow naturally or are al
ready cultivated.
A disease known in Ceylon as kakke or
6eriberj has been investigated by DIR. W.
Taylor, of Osaka, Japan, and traced to a
microscopic spore, which is often found
largely developed in rice and has been de-
tected in the earth of certain alluvial and
damp localities.
Two microscopists, DR.. Nussbaum and
Dr. Gruber, have artificially multiplied in
fusoria by cutting them in halves, each half
becoming perfectly developed animal.