Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1888-03-17
SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL.

\ VOWcr1Nl dlSlDItCtfHt. didpttt " 81
purposes. has been obtained in Paris
lom coal oil.
R~ccardin.t the effects Of scorpion poison
on the animal Itself, Professor Lloyd
Morgan write. to N4t4rf, corroborating
Professor Bournc's conclusion that the
poison Of the scorpion has no fatal effect
on the SANE individual or another lndl-
vidual Of the same or even OF another
species.
The possibility Of Infection from dis
ease germs escaping from hospital win
dows ixattractiug some attention, and a
.%,cciaI inquiry is recommended. Hos
pltal ventilation might be 50 arranged
that the foui air might be drawn through
i furnace before mingling with the outer
atmosphere.
The proportion Of water held by diff
fercn. wood, varies greatly. According
10 ScheuDicr and IIartig, freshly cut
horn bean contains le.b per cent. OF wa
ter willow, 20 per cent; ash, Isl per
cent. birch, so per cent; oak, 34.1
percent. pilc,;'3 per cent. red beech,
80. ler cent. elm, ito per cent. larcb,
f~.G per cent, and white poplar, 800
Pc cent.
\ curious fashion Of boring through
Europe. i row Of ron pipes is driven
through the Welding sand, and a freez-
ipg mixture, generally chloride Of mag
nr>.um toolcd hy. Expansion Of ammonia,
Is then I,a,asd through the pipes, return
me by means of smaller tubes ceatalned
,'ithIn the larger ones. BY the mixture
the vet sand = frozen for a considerable
distance round the pes, and IS then
easily cAln 2atrd and the pit shaft built.
Tie saAO plan wa, recently adopted in
mixing n tunnel under the city Of stock
holm.
The interesting fact is stated that so
indestruCtible by wear or decay is the
African lakewood that vessels built of
II rave lasted 700 years, to be then only
broken Up bceWls" Of their poor sailing
qualities from fully models. The wood.
III fact, is one Of the most remarkable
weight, hardness and durability, its
weight varying from AZ to - pounds
per cubic foot. it works easily, but on
account Of the large quantity of slick
contained in it tn tools employed are
quickly worn away. 1t also contains an
oil which prevents spikes and other iron
work with which it is in contact from
rnstlng.
As Illustrating the durability of gutta-
pcrcna, there WI recently shown aspcc-
Imcn Of it that had lam immersed in wa
ter between Blackwcll's Island and New
York for 4 period OF thirt y-scven years,
and i still IN first class condition. The
only indication OF wear on the gutta-
ucrcha IS Whcrc it rubbed against tn,
rocns on the bottom Of the river, and is
very slight, Another specimen is Of q
ten conductor ~uttl pcrcl,a insulated un.
~dc,oround cable, which was recently
taken from the grounds around the Cap
itol at Washington, where it was laid il
1913 The eahlc" Of which this is a sec
ton is still working, and the specimen
gives every ind cation of being as gooc
rs when first put down, fourteen year.
AFRO.
In some remarkable mathematical oh
scrvations by VI. iIcrlnltc, concernin:
the number Of stars, he shows that tn,
total number visible to the naked eve Q
an observe Of average visual power doe
no exceed 5000. and OF these the south
crn hemisphere contains somewhat tn
larger number. In order to see this nun
Der Of stars the night must he moonlcss
the sky cloudlc>~t and the atmosphcr
pure, and here the power of the unable,
eye stops an opera glass will bring on
2o.poa. while Il. small telescope vii
bring out at least lao, 600, and the mos
powerful telescopes yet constructed wi
show more than 100, O00, 900. NJ. IIcl
mite conclude, from his Narious observn
tions that the light emitted bv all tn
Stals upon the Whole surface Of the glob
IS ciull t. one tcnth Of the light of tn
full moo