The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-02-24
POPULAR SCIENCE.

A plan for rendering paper as tough
as wood or leather, it is said, has been
recently introduced on the continent. It
consists in mixing chloride of zinc with
the pulp in the course of manufacture.
It has been found that the greater the
degree of concentration of the zinc solu-
tion, the greater will be the toughness Of
the paper. It can be used for making
boxes, combs, for roofing, and even for
making boots.
Experiments on the sleep of fishes have
been made in London by Mr.. w. August
Carter. He has found that the fresh
water fishes obscrved-the roach, dace,
gudgeon, carp, tench, minnow and catfish
sleep periodically like terrestrial ami
mails. The same is true of some marine
fishes, such as the wrasse, conger eel,
dory, dogfsh, wrasse bass and all species
of fiat fish, but the goldfish, pike and
angler fish do not appear to sleep at all,
although they rest periodically, The de-
sire for sleep varies according to weather
condition. and fishes do not necessarily
select nighttime for repose.
Crocodiles are represented by alligators.
Their tails are used for swimming, and
their legs aid in lifting them out Of the
mud. They build nests of leaves and
vegetation before it has begun to decay; :;
layer of eggs, layer of vegetation.
The heat of the vegetation matches the
eggs. The crocodile differs from the
alligator by having no long separation
between the nostrils. 1t has valve in
the throat for keeping out water. The
crocodiles of the Nile and of the Ganges
are most dangerous. Alligators are called
cold -blooded because of their inability to
develop much heat in their bodies.
Among the wonders of photography it
is said that with lens made of rock salt
it might be possible to photograph in the
dark. One operator has succeeded in
preparing plates which are sensitive to
the rays lying beyond the red end Of the
spectrum-the dark heat rays-and with
such plates used with rock salt lens there
should be possibility of photographing
bodies which possess high temperature,
although that temperature may be far
below that needed to render them self
luminous. It is even possible that such
plan may some day be so perfect as to
give US that information about the ''dark
suns" that are believed to crowd the firma-
mentor rather heavenly bodies, which
once were seen, but have now cooled
down 50 as to be invisible.
DR.. Chapman, an English physician
who has practiced for number of years
in Paris, but was formerly in India,
where he had cholera to treat, has just
published book entitled "Cholera Cura-
ble." He is the man who sometime ago
recommended the use of ice-bags for
sickness, and. has more recently tried the
same method with cholera. He used it
in ten cases, with result of ten cures.
The ice-bag is triple rubber bag, about
twenty to twenty -four inches wide. Each
part is filled with fine pieces of ice, and
it is applied to the back along the spinal
column. Its application should be con-
stant, so the ice must be changed from
time to time. The vomiting was stopped
by its use almost at once, while there was
great diminution in the cramp. The
patients warmed up, the pulse came
back, and all the symptoms gradually
disappeared.
Mineral waters, when examined in a
glass, are usually clear and transparent.
But when we look down upon them in a
spring, or as they are accumulated in res
ervoirs, they frequently present green
hue, an optical effect depending on their
density. In some instances, however,
they present other colors, due to sub
stances which they contain in impalpable
division. The whitish color, frequently
observed in sulphur water, is caused by
the precipitation of sulphur, the yellow
by the change of monosulphuret into a
polysulphuret. A pure white color is Of
ten due to precipitation of carbonate of
lime, while blue color arises from the
suspension of slate or clay in the water in
minute subdivision. A red color is fire.
quently seen in challybeate waters, and
results from the precipitation of the red
oxide of iron. In some instances, how
ever, red color may be due to micro
scopic alge of that color.