Hillsboro recorder., 1888-07-26
POPULAR SCIENCE.

The fact has been noted that seanen,
ss rule, are peculiarly subject to color
/ blindness. In tests made In the British
mercantile marine standard green was
pronounced red in 107 cases out Of 1897
One of the three finest collections Of
butterflies ia the world has been made by
Mr.. Berthold Nermoegen, of New York.
1t contains 100. 1000 specimens, and has
cost twenty years in time and $4,000
in money.
An argument against allowing children
to drink milk in summertime is drawn
by DR.. v. G. Vaughn, of the University
Of Michigan, from the liability of the
fluid to develop the poison-tyrotoxicon
which is supposed to be the immediate
cause of summer diarrhpa.
Awire charged with electricity which
remained dull at ordinary atmospheric
pressure became incandescent in mod
crate vacuum, while, ON the other hand,
current which would fuse a wire at
ordinary pressure will scarcely redden it
if the pressure is sufficiently increased.
Snow produces, when melted, from
one-fourth to one.eighth of its bulk in
water according to the degree to which
it has been compacted before melting.
Taking one.fifth as arough mean, we may
estimate the weight of a snow drift at
12.5 pounds per cubic foot, or 100 cubic
feet per ton.
A well borer in st. Louis says that it
is very seldom he can penetrate the
earth to any very great depth without
coming in contact with magnetic in
fiuences- On withdrawing the tool
spikes and other iron substances will ad-
here to il. Sometimes he encounters
magnetism two or three times in the same
well.
The decay of animal teeth, and to
some extent the loss of teeth of all civil
lied races, has been accounted for by the
ablest English authorities on the score of
the heavier draughts made by the brain
on general physical and nerve systems.
1t is supposed that the force that would
he applied to repairing the teeth is used
elsewhere.
A curious effect of the wear and tear
to which the earth's crust is ever being
subjected, is exhibited in the singularly-
capped pinnacles existing on the South
river, in the Wahsatch mountains. There
are hundreds OF these slender pillars,
ranging in height from 40 TO 400 feet,
most Of them crowned by large caps Of
stone. They are not works Of human
art, as might almost be imagined, but
are the memorial monuments Of the once
rounded hills, from which they have been
cut by the action of air and water.
The affection known as writer's
cramps is not confined to users Of the
pen, but appears in telcgraphers and
others who make continual use Of one
set OF muscles. These cramps we're long
regarded as incurable. During several
years past, however, Wolff has been ap-
plying gymnastics combined with mas
sage TO the muscles affected, and has sue
ceeded in curing more than half Of the
many cases treated. His process is
neither difficult nor tedious, being
simply regular movements Of the fingers
or other parts, with rubbing or gentle
striking Of the muscles, continued not
more thar. an hour day for several
weeks.
A United States Navy officer has In
vented q life-saying device for the
dreaded emergency Of ''man overheard
which promises TO be of value. A raft.
buoy OF sufficient size to support man
is attached to long and strong but light
wire rope. The buoy is stocked with o
small supply Of provisions, and is fur
nished with potassium compound
which upon contact with the water
ignites and burns brilliantly for twenty
minutes. II the drowning man, aided
By the fame, succeeds in reaching the
raft, he can be drawn to the vessel with
out the necessity Of lowering boats.
Should the rope break and his own ves-
sci lose trackof him, he has, with the
provisions, a chance Of sustaining life
until picked up by Others.