Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-02-07
SCIENTIFIC GJEANINGS.

new process of amalgamating zinc
! and quicksilver without the admixture of
any other material has just been invented
Without taking into account the small
variations due to refraction, ETC., the
days and nights are always of equal
length at all points on the equator with
out regard to the position of the elliptic.
According to Dr.. Howship Dickinson a
furred tongue is not necessa rily an alarm
ing symptom. To some persons it is
normal to have clean tongue, and to
| Others equal normal to have coated
| tongue, so that it is impossible to fix any
degree or limit of coating as necessary
accompaniment to perfect health.
In an elaborate paper upon the differ
ent methods of measuring thin films, M.
Wiener makes certain measures of the
thickness of the film of silver which can
just be perceived by the eye, and arrives
at the conclusion that OF millionths of a
millimetere is an upper limit of the di-
amiter Of silver molecule.
It is stated that vessels built of Afri
can teak wood have lasted 100 years, to
be then broken up because of faulty
models. Its weight is from forty-two to
tifty-two pounds per cubic foot; it works
easily but wears the tools rapidly on &C
count of the quantity of sick in it. 1t
also contains an oil which prevents the
iron in contact with it from rusting.
The interinfection of diphtheria be-
tween man and the various lower animals
from peigons and fowls to cats, horses
and sheep has been pretty well establish
ed by DR.. George Turner, who reports
the results of his Investigations to the
British local government board. He
found that the gapes in chickens was
frequently complicated with diphtheretic
membranous growth.
Among the latest English inventions of
interest is one by 6. Bishoff of London,
called process and apparatus for purl-
flying water. According to the inventor
water is purified by mixing with 1t iron
In state of fine division, allowing sub
sidence of part of the iron and effecting
preci pitation of further quantity of the
iron by aeretiDg the liquid.
French physician mentions a curious
case of lefthandedness. One Child in a
certain family was left handed, and a
second appeared at the age of one year,
also to be left-handed. It was then learn
ed that the mother always carried her
child on her left arm, She was advised
to carry her child on her right. The
infant having it's right arm free, began
to grasp objects with it and soon became
right handed.
Two French biologists have been max
ing experiments in typhoid fever vaccin
alton. In mice inooulated with cultures
of typhoid bacilli, genuine typhoid fever
seemed to be produced, but in mice in
oculated with broth in which the germs
had lived, but no longer containing Them
subsequently incubation with the most
intense typhoid virus was resisted.
Mrs. Shaffer, of Chicago, has lately in
vented garbage crematory built on the
plan of large oven. 1t is fed from the
top, the ashes sitting through iron CRATES
into four wheel carts, SO that they may
be conveniently hauled away. 1t is so
constructed that all the smoke and smell
is carried by pipes into Il large smoke
stack. She has also constructed a
machine for washing windows.
Another important invention in rail
way practice is the method invented by
Baltimore electrician for welding steel
rails by electricity, which will enable
track layers to lay a continuous track.
The ends of the rails, after they are
placed in the track, are welded together
through the application of transformed
electric current, and are afterward tenn
pered so as to make the joint as hard as
the rest of the rail.