Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-10-24
in Harper's Magazine
SCIENTIFIC GLEANINGs.

1t is reported that foreign scientists have
discovered minute diamonds in meteorites
found in Siberia.
The increase in the amount of tonnage
passing through the Suez Canal is claim
ed to be due in great measure to the
lighting of the canal by electricity, adj
hitting of its use by night as well as by
day.
Russia is very rich in mineral wealth,
especially in coal. In the basin of the
Donetz river, tributary of the Don, Prof
Mendclieff shows that there are nearly
twenty-one thousand million tons of coal
awaiting working.
Frozen milk, it is asserted, may be kept
in fresh state indefinitely, and many
steamers sailing on distant VOYAGES are
now provided with steam refrigerators,
in which milk and other foods may
readily be preserved for any length of
time.
From the general appearance of the vege-
tation, together with a discussion of the
origin and relation of the flora. it is con-
Guided by eminent botanists that Green
land is not European province from
the point of view of botanical geography,
but has nearer relations to America.
The gold used in the United States as
say department for testing is absolutely
pure, being lone thousand fine, and for
convenience is usually run into long, thin
strips. resembling very much lengths of
tape or ribbon. There is exactly $50 in
twenty dollar gold piece, the alloy used
being in excess of this valuation.
An ingenious contrivance is about to
be brought out by Capt. Woodward, of
the royal mail steamer Don, by which it is
proposed to do away with oars as a means
of propelling ships life-boats. 1t consists
of hand power screw propeller, which
enables the boat to be driven by any one
in it though unacquainted with rowing.
This. Capt. Woodward points out will
obviate the chance of passengers who may
get away from a stranded ship finding
themselves in boat without oars or hav-
ing them without any one skilled in their
use. The machinery takes up little room
and seems to be both efficient and simple
When a storm is advancing the wind
blows to meet it. Thus a wind blowing
from the east or southeast indicates the APP
proach of storm from the west. When
the storm center has passed, however, the
wind changes and follows the storm If a
person has a good barometer and a wind
gauge he can tell pretty correctly when a
storm is coming. Without the inst'u-
ments the clouds may be watched, and
when seen to be moving rapidly from the
southeast, and there are indications of the
presence of much moisture In the air, a
storm is not far away.
DIR. Squibb, of Brooklyn, in a recent adj
RI 11,ol,, bn
vention of infectious diseases, directed at
absence of moisture, the penetrating
power of sulphurous acid gas is only slight
and for this reason there should be an
ment in which the sui phur is burnt
this fact which is not known to the laity
The Medical News recommends that
water be kept boiling in the room in
which gas is being generated. DIR. Squibb
also calls attention to the relative use
lessness of chlorine gas as a disinfectant
In the absence of acqueous vapor.
M. Leon Esquine, a Mexican, it is
stated, has perfected marvellous inven-
ton in electricity and photography. By
speaking In photophOne transmitter.
which consists of a highly polished
diaphragm rejecting ray of light, this
ray of light is set into vibrations, and
photograph is made of it on travelling
band of sensitized paper, Now comes the
wonderful part. If the image of the
tracing is projected by
means of an electric arc or oxyhydrogen
light upon a senlenium receiver the
original speech is then heard. 1t is
evident that there is no limit to the de-
velopment of this peculiar combination
of methods. This is very important if
true.