Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-08-04
SCIENTIFIC SQUlBS.

child's doll in which a small phonograph
is fixed is q novelty.
The oxalate of cereum is said to be an
efficient palliative for nausea in seasickness
The doses are from ten to twenty grains
every two or three hours.
Waste silk has been shown to be the most
effective non-conductive covering for steam
pipes The price is high, but the demand is
very great
new material called 'leatherinen is an
English manufacture It can be sold for 5
or 6 cents per pound is said to be as tough as
leather, and is destined for packing and bag
ging.
A new patent candlestick keeps the candle
perpendicular, no matter how the stick NAV
be held. The main principle of the invention
is a ball joint of the simplest kind at the bot
tom of the socket, the latter being fixed to
an arm from the side of the base and extend
ing to the center. The comfort and safety
Of the contrivance is apparent.
A new target. which indicates the value of
the last shot without the necessity of
marker has been brought out. When the
shot strikes a colored disc appears which
tells the value by its color. The target has
been tried successfully at indoor practice,
and 1t is hoped that trial at long ranges
will be afforded the inventor.
An instrument called the osteotome has
been invented rs an improvement over the
tedious and clumsy surgical method of cut
ting through bones by means of saws and
chisels 1t is practically circular saw re-
volved at very high speed by an electric
motor. An inseniously devised shield,
which passes around the bone to be ope-
rated upon, protects the surrounding flesh
from injury.
A lamp burner has been patented by Mr..
Arthur Cautius, of Berlin, Germany. Tho
wick tube consists of two concentric tubes
with a space between them for the wick, the
inner tube being shorter and the outer one
longer and provided with a fange, covering
the top of the wick, the burning portion of
which will be on the inside ms: cad of the
top, between the dange and the top of the
inner tube
At the Royal powder factory. of Wetteren,
in Belgium, new gunpowder is being made
They call it poudre papier, or paper powder,
and it is said that charge of 2l5 grammes
go grains gives. in rife of small caliber,
an initial velocity of go yards to the ball
This is equal to, if it does not beat, the Lebel
powder. The additional advantages are at
tributed TO it Of not smearing the barrel, of
producing no smoke and of causing little re-
coil.
The following method of expelling mus
quitoes from a room is given by The Scien-
tific American: Take of gum camphor
piece about one-third the size of a hens egg
and evaporate it by placing it in a tin YES
sci and holding it over lamp. taking care
that it does not ignite. The smoke will soon
fill the room and expel the mosquitoes, and,
even though the windows should be left open
al night, they viii not enter the room as
long as the odor remains
A scientific school would be about the last
thing one would expect to find in Siberia, but,
according to Mr.. kennan, in The Century,
the town of Tiumen has a well equipped
school of this kind 1t has mechanical de-
partment, with a steam engine, lathes and
tools of all kinds, and a department Of
physics, with fine apparatus, including even
the Bell, Edison and Dolbear telephones and
the phonograph, very complete and we'll
equipped chemical laboratory, a good library
and a department of art and mechanical
drawing.