The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1888-02-16
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

"A German physician has traced
ninety two distinct diseases in women
to the use of the corset.
The stenographer's fees in a pro-
lOnged contest over a will in New
York court were nearly 5000.
"A commission of the Paris Academy
of Medicines finds that hydrofuoric
acid. which is highly antiseptic. has a
therapeutis action when inhaled. 1t
dissents, however, from the opinion of
glass-workers that the inhalations
cure consumption. but considers that
they NAV be useful in diphtheria.
According 10 statistics compiled
there. there was an increase of fifty
per cent. in the number of cattle killed
in Kansas City last year; twenty per
per cent of sheep. and ten per cent. OF
hogs. The value of cattle handled
there is placed at $5OOO0,OOO. The
amount of oleomargarine manufactured
there reached 100000 pounds.
The power possessed by flowing
water for Transporting or moving
stones or gravel over which it runs is
greatly augmented by the speed of its
flow; this power increases as the sixth
power of the velocity. so that 2 stream
flowing six times faster than another
will be able to transport 1866 times
more matter.
Wood employed for building which
is not exposed to heat or moisture is
not likely to suffer from the ravages of
insects; but, if it is placed so that no
draughts of fresh air can reach it, to
prevent accumulation of products of de-
composition. decay soon sets in. and the
decaying albuminous substances. acting
upon the fiber, causes it to lose its ten
acity and become a friable mass.
1t still seems to be an unsettled
question whether wood can be ignited
by the heat of steam pipe in contact
with it. 1t is admitted, theoretically,
that it is impossible for wood to take
fire at a temperature of 212 degrees, or
somewhat higher; but it is we'll known
that there have been a large number
of cases of fire reported as occurring
from this cause. and the evidence is
very conflicting.
An East Indian scientific journal
says that fibers of bamboo, China, grass
and pineapple, after proper treatment.
can be spun so fine that an expert
could hardly distinguish the product
from silk. Large quantities of cloth
woven from China grass and bamboo
are brought into the Rangoon markets
by Cinnamon and Bhamo, and although
the material is not manufactured BY
modern looms, the quality is SO tine as
to resemble tussore silk.
The total number of coke ovens in
the United States up to the time whe
last noted was 22.597; building. 4,154.
The production of coke for 1886 was
6,S45, 500 tons. costing at oven $1.63
per ton. Six years ago there were only
14.119 ovens. and the cost at ovens
was then $1.SS per ton. Pennsylvania
has produced sevcnty-uine per dent. of
all the coke made in the United States.
The consumption of coal for 1886 was
10,6SS, 972 tons. New coke works are
still being projected.
The new industry in the South.
which has been noted, develops another
use for pine needles, besides that of
spreading an aromatic odor from the
filing of a pillow. One product of
these needles is remarkably strong
oil, claimed TO possess valuable medic
inal properties; another is pine wool,
which is bleached, dyed, and woven.
this wool being n ileecy brown mass.
possessing Il pleasant odor, which gives
it value as moth destroyer when en-
ployed in the form of carpet lining; and
to these is to be added another product
made from this wool. viz. strong,
cheap mating, adapted for halls. stair
ways and offices.