The National tribune., 1888-07-05
SCIENTIFIC CHAT.

Aluminium Is coming into use as material for
dental plates. 1t is nearly light rubber, but
little more than One-eight the weight of gold has
neither Odor nor taste, IS not affected by the ele
ments OF food or the secretions OF the mouth and
costs, bulk for bulk, about one-sixth the pre- snt
price of silver
- Prof r. II. Thurston in the May Forum, states
that the world is awaiting the appearance of three
inventors, greater than any who have gene before,
and to whom it will accord hOnOrs and emolu-
ments far exceeding all ever yet received by any Of
their predecessors. The first is he who viii show
how, by the combustion OF fuel, directly to produce
the electric current the second Is the man who will
teach US to reproduce the beautiful light of the glow
and the firefy, light without heat, the pro-
duetiOn of which means the utilization of energy
without that still more serious waste than the ther
mo-dynRmic met with in the attempt to pro-
duce light; while the third is the inventor who is
to give the first practically successful air ship
The first two OF these problems are set Tor the
electrical engineer, and we may be pardoned ex-
cess of faith should IL prove to be such, when con-
templaiing the enormous gain to humanity which
must come of such inventions, we look confidently
for the genius who is TO multiply the wealth of the
world to an extent beside which even the boon
conferred by the creators of the stean-engine and
the telegraph Will not appear overshadowlng.
When this inventor comes forward, and most prob
ably till then it is very likely that shall see
steam superseded by a rival
- Now that the State of New York has adopted
electricity "a substitute for hanging, the problem
is to get apparatus that viii dispatch the Grim
ina surely and decenty, and without danger to the
legal eXecutIOuers. There Is well-grounded fear
that at first the machine may kill more Deputy
Sheriffs than culprits Quite number of plans
are suggested, such as putting the condemned bare
footed and bareheaded into a metallic chamber
with an iron floor, which Will be one pole of the
circuit, while a wire reaching down to the top of
his head will be the other. The objection to this is
that the criminal may decline to form the connec-
ton, and unpleasant struggle ensue. Edison
suggests that the prisoner be manacled and a cur
rent from a dynamo of 1000 volts be sent through
the manacles. A current from 1909 volts would
answer, and kill him by paralysis of the heart
and lungs, but coo volts would make sure.
DIR. Flemming, the principal veterinary sur
geon in the British army, has discovered that
roaring" comes from impedtment in the
larynx that can be removed by operation. He
has cured several horses already.
- The last French rifle, described, has ball
so small that soldier carry 20 rounds, shoots
with smOkeless powder, and its bullet pierces
a brick wall eight inches thick at 500 yards.
- Lord WoIseley has presided over meeting 70
consider military cycling and pronounced the biCy
Gle military instrument of great promise.
SO far Pasteurs receipt for killing the Austria
| liam rabbits with chicken cholera has failed. The
rabbits inocuated showed no signs OF disease
A six-ton cab carrying electric battery
strong enough TO run it 40 miles, recently made
satisfactory trip through London.