The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-03-21
POPULAR SCIENCE.

Carbonic acid gas produces sensation
of greater warmth on the skin than air
of the same temperature. ..,,. !.
Pasteur's plan of exterminating rab-
bits by inoculating them with chicken
cholera has been tried at Rheims with
success.
Australia has some giant caterpillars
seven inches long. and specimens OF
larve of two other species measure eight
inches in length.
A Baltimore company proposes to
sharpen the shoes of car horses in icy
weather by means of electricity, without
removing them. from the stable. -. =
Scientists tell us that mans brain
decreases in size as he grows old. The
human brain, it appears, weighs the
heaviest between the ages of fourteen
and twenty. .-
A prize of $1,000, instituted by the
king of the Belgians, is to be awarded in
1893 for the best paper on means for
abundantly and cheapiy providing large
towns, especially Brussels, with the best
quality of potable water. ~ -.
The big British war ship Imperieuse, q
ten gun cruiser of the first class, is now
under inspection, being practically use
less at sea because she won't mind her
helm under steam, "and with any wind
requires great deal of weather helm, as
much as two turns having been needed
with fresh breeze abeam."
Two hundred and seventy-one aste-z
roids had been discovered at last ac-
counts. These little planets, thought by
some to be the remnants of formerly
existing, but now exploded, larger
planet, are constantly receiving new ad-
ditions to their numbers by the dis
coveries of later observers. :.
Professor Tyndall has shown that at
mospheric germs do not pass through
LAYER of cotton wool; and the discovery
has been applied to keep preserved fruit
by covering the jar, holding it, with cot
ton batting. The germs of putre action
in the fruit are said to be rendered harm
less by cooking, and the cotton batting
keeps out those of the air.
Russian observations have shown that
teeth decay in quite regular order, the
lower third molar being the frstattacked,
then the upper, then the lower fourth
molar and so on, the lower incisors and
canine teeth being the last affected. Up
per teeth, as o rule, are more durable
than lower, right than left, tn. Sc OF dark
persons rather than those of blondes,
those of short persons than those OF tall
A writer in Science says that, while as
yet we have discovered no way OF avoid
ing contagion which comes to US IN the
air, we are just beginning to find out the
extremely important fact that the air does
not become contaminated with bacteria
unless they are allowed to dry. Recent
investigations, he adds, have shown q
smaller number of bacteria in the air of q
well-kept sewer than in that Of poorly
ventilated school-room.
It has been stated that since the sun.
flower has been cultivated on certain
swamps of the Potomac, malarial fever
has decreased. At the mouth of the
Scheldt, in Holland, it is stated that
similar results have been observed. The
sunfower emits large volumes OF
water in the form of vapor, and its aro-
matte odor, as we'll as the oxygen it ex-
hales, may have something to do with
the sanitary influence in question.
One of the largest naphtha fountains
yet known has lately broken out near
Baku, Russia, which threatens to lnun-
date all Balakhani. The naphtha, owing
to the pressure of the gases which ac-
company it, rises to q height of from,
$50 to 42O feet, and is carried away by
the wind to great distance, falling like
fine rain at the more distant parts OF the
district. but near the fountain coming
down in torrents that form rivers and
streamlets. Further on it falls like sleet,
and settles in layer on all the buildings
in the neighborhood. ~
s. I. Barrett, an electrician, was SEN
fenced to Jail in Houston, Texas, for
period of twenty days for using pistol
in the county courthouse. While IN
Jail he invented an instrument that ne
calls micro detecter. While in work.
ing position it will warn jailor If pris-
oners are attempting to escape by saw.
Ing, filing, or using any other adrolt
means. It was tested by number of
citizens, they posting thems selves in 9
front room in the back part of the prison,
with the doors closed. A clock was put
in motion. Every click could be dis
tinctly heard in the room. A saw was
used gently on the bars, and produced a
loud, saving noise. The instrument IS
worked by electricity on single wire,
the various noises of the cells coming
over it distinctly. 1