The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1888-08-09
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

One pound of mercury converted
into illuminate is sufficient to charge
$4,000 percussion caps.
The sugar mite is estimated to
number 100000 per pound in most un-
refined sugars. 1t causes the ''grocers'
itch of those handling the raw sugar.
The system of delivering milk in
glass jars is now in use in almost every
city in the United States, and is the
only clean and healthy way to handle
milk
A Nevada ranchman shot, trapped
and poisoned 1920 rabbits in four
months, and then figured up that about
| 5000 new ones had come to fill their
| places.
More than 100000 tons of flax
straw are burned or left to rot every
year in the Western States. If manu-
factured into linen cloth it would be
worth $26, 100000.
| Electric rifles are the latest. In
stead of the ordinary percussion firing
device, dry chloride of silver battery
and primary coil will, so it was lately
stated before the American Institute,
fire the rifle $1,000 times without re-
charging.
An oddly-patterned door has just
been made for Bar Harbor, Me-, cot
tage 1t consists of 317 separate pieces
of best pine and cedar wood. The main
portion of one side is ornamentally
shingled, and other parts have carved,
raised panels.
DIR. Worms, of the Paris Academy
of Medicine, has ascertained that bees,
ants and wasps show a marked dislike
to the new saccharine. To the human
palate there is no difference in the
taste between it and sugar. 1t has
been shown, however, that its use dis
turbs digestion.
Professor Schmidt, of Gatz Uni
versity, has hit upon the plan of cut
ting off pieces of living sponges and
planting them in a suitable place in the
sea, as if they were willow twigs. In
this way he has succeeded at the end
of three years in producing four thou
sand sponges at cost of forty-five
dollars.
Asbestos is being used as a cover
ing for locomotive boilers and domes.
1t is claimed that it is not necessary to
remove it when the boiler requires re-
pairs, as the leak easily shows through
it, and a piece can be cut out, the leak
repaired and replastered. 1t is better
than wood and also fire-proof.
Physicians in Germany and Sweden
have sought to cure cases of cancer
that had got beyond the known rem
edies, by inoculating the patient with
the virus of erysipelas. In several in
stances the person thus inoculated was
attacked by erysipelas, which seemed
to overcome the cancer for a time, but
so reduced the patients vital powers
that in every case the experiment ended
in death.
, "A German company has patented a
process for producing surface colora-
tions upon articles made of copper,
, zinc or brass. On the first-named metal
, it is possible to develop all the colors ot
, the rainbow; and upon zinc the coating
is formed of such thickness as to per.
nit of chasing the surface. The most
important application of this invention
seems to be in the imitation of antique
, bronze, the results in this direction be
, ing very satisfactory, both in the mat
!, ter of durability and resemblance.
. Although glass pipes of large
diameter have not as yet been success
j fully produced, the opinion has beer
+ expressed by those engaged in the
manufacture of glass on a large scale
T that the time is not far distant wher
Q some method of casting such pipes
Y satisfactorily and cheaply will be de
Q vised; and it is believed that, made il
similar form to the present cast-iror
pipes, with some suitable mechanism
for joint, and of malleable glass,
. water pipe would thus be formed t.
q which there could scarcely be an OBJ
: lection. Strong, tough, smooth ant
:. indestructible, and made of materia
i that is found almost anywhere, it /
T thought not improbable that, in time
# whenever a large quantity of pipe
9 required in any one locality, a furnac
A will be erected and the pipes be ther
a made.