The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-08-28
POPULAR SCIENCE.

An electric motor has been applied in
Chicago for running brushes used in
grooming horses.
The assertion is made that the Ameri-
cans-a -eminently mixed race-are
fast becoming q dark haired and blue
eyed nation.
a Russian mineralog;st, <. D. Chrust-
schoff, claims to have discovered new
metal, which he proposes to name "Rus-
sum-" 1t resembles thorium.
A paper on the sardine read by NJ.
Boucher before the Paris Academy of
Science expresses the opinion that it is q
young fish which has not attained Its full
development.
A citizen of Winnemucca, COL, while
making some changes in his well, discov-
cred that trees 100 feet away had sent
roots to and down into the well How
did the trees discover the we'll?
DR.. Foster, director of the University
Ophthalmic Cinique at Breslau, believes
that common cause of short sightedness
in the young is restriction of the circula-
ton produced by the wearing of tight fit
ting collars.
The population of Norway exhibits 8
higher percentage (97.25) of light eyes
than any other country in Europe. Flaxen
hair occurs in SIS per cent, while abso-
lutely black hair is only found in the ratio
of two per cent.
The danger to life and property from
sparks emitted from electric light wires
has been so we'll recognized in London
that it is recommended that the city au-
thorities take the matter in hand and see
that the wires are properly insulated.
From recent study of the bones of
anthropoid apes it appears that the go
rilla and chimpanzce approach nearest to
man, but in different degrees, orang-
outang holding the third place. But
great differences exist between the pro-
portions of the human frame and those
of all the apes.
Probably the most important inven-
ton shown at the Paris Exposition is a
new railway, to be run by water power
at speed from eighty-seven to Ia
miles an hour with absolute safety. 1t
promises to revolutionize the railway
system, doing away with the locomotive
engine and dispensing with coal.
The floods of the summer have shown
how great a protection against the in
roads of water row of willow trees may
be. The engineer in charge of the Poto-
mac River improvements says that where
willows were planted the land was pro-
tected from washing, and practically no
damage was done, while in the improved
land not so protected there was great
loss.
The Indian Planters Gazette says that
"Dr. Lazarus, the well-known occulist,
has invented a shooting spectacle made
with adjustable shutters for use as ordi-
dinary distant spectacle for target shoot
ing, and which modified will be found
most useful to target shooters. This
useful invention will be found God
send to near-sighted soldiers and sports
men,"
It is stated that about five hundred
veterinary surgeons in Great Britain have
signed paper condemning overhead
check reins as painful to horses and pro-
ductive of disease. It distorts the wind
pipe, and is liable to cause paralysis of
the muscles of the face, apoplexy, coma
and Inflammation of the brain, all these
resulting in shorting the life of the
horse.
President Diaz, during the four years
of his administration in Mexico, has rem
dercd substantial services to science by
encouraging archaeological investigation
and taking measures for the preservation
of ancient monuments and historical re-
mains. The ruins of Xochicalco and the.
pyramids of Teotihuacan have been ex-
plored, and the searchers rewarded by
many interesting discoveries. An archao-
logical map of the republic has been
made, and the palaces of Militia inclosed,
for ~ o;r ,,roeoruot;on bp q orroot wall