The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1888-05-10
SCIENTIFIC SCRAPS

Fho 70 al number Of patents Of an
electrical nature ISSUED in this oouatry
during = was l24s.
Siaglc-.cggod elevated railways are
again proposed /. with the cars s,u=g over
sipgle central Fall reaching Well ur
into their interior,
y scheme is uadcr consideration for
tuanelHng the volcano poloctapetl
through the w4li Of the crater, 10 order
to reach the deposits Of sulrhar inside
the mountain,
Amalgams present many pccuhari.
tics. Thus iron, antimoay, sodium,
silver and gold will dissolve in mercury;
but If antimony amalgam bc mixed with
sodium amalgam, the antimoay is
thrown out---iron also.
y recent invention is the manu-.
Iacture of maple siup from any ordi-
nary sirup. The process simply in
wolves the mixture Of an extract from
the hickory tree with the s,ru0, thereby
producing an excellent imitation Of the
genuine article.
Medicine may DO introduced into the
human system by electricity. Tho
electrodes of battery are saturated
with the medicine and applied locally
to the skin. Experiments show that
there is an actual absorption Of the
medicine into the system.
Gerhard Kruss reported to the Chemi-
cal society of Munich that he had found
the new metal Germanium" in euxe-
mite. This metal was first discovered by
Winklcr In 1885, in argyrodite, and had
not been observed In any other mineral.
Euxenitc is a titanato and niobate Of
yttrium.
Pneumatic steering gear for vessels IS
now being tried in New York harbor.
1t is claimed to give the rudder head q
cushion, to give ventilation in the en-
gine-room or hold, to be simple, com
pact, noiselcss and always ready for use,
while the officer on the bridge can al
ways have control Of the ship.
A new method Of preparing cellulosc
has, according to German paper, been
recently patented by Mr. Kcllner, of
Podgera, Austria The inventor pro-
duces the pulp by decomposing electric
ally a solution of certain chloridcs, such
as common salt, and allowing the
chlorine gas thus obtained to act on
straw, wood or other material of similar
/ constitution.
An English physician, who has in
vestigated the characteristics and sur
roundings Of centenarians, says he finds
that the average qualities were a good
family history, wcll-mado frame, Of
average stature, spare rather than stout,
robust, with good health, appetite and
digestion, capable of exertion, good
slecpers, of placid temperament and
good intelligence, with little need for
and little consumption of alcohol and
animal food
The growth of the nails is more rapid
in children than in adults, and slowcst
in the aged. 1t goes on more rapidly in
summer than in winter; so that the
same nail that j. renewed in 1872 days in
winter, requires olly 11G in summer.
The increase for the nails OF the right
hand is more rapid than for the left;
it also differs for the different fingers,
and in order corresponding with the
length Of the finger. 1t is most rapid
for the middle finger; nearly equal for
the two either siIe of this; slower for
the little finger, and slowest for the
thumb.
A correspondent writes to the Frank
furter ZcItung that the discoveries late
ly made in cave at Riibeland, IN the
Harz, are Of an interesting character.
The quantity OF bears bones is estimated
at nearly 10 huadredweIght, among
them being seven very well preserved
skulls. A set Of stays antlers, frag-
ments of skeletons Of hyeaas, and some
fine slender bones which experts assign
to the ptarmigau and the lcmming.
These remains are regarded as relics Of
the Arctic fauna of the Ice period in the
Harz, Ii IS proposed to keep them in
the cave, which will be lighted by cleo
tricity for the benefit Of scientific
visitors.