Morris tribune., 1889-06-19
Scientific Miscellany.
For the TaIBuNE, by e. r. cHADBouRN.

Of from twelve to thirty pictures rep
resenting successive instantaneous
phases of movement. About 500 of |
the plates represent men, women and
children, nude and semi-nude, In
successive phases OF walking, rum
ming, jumping, dancing, bathing,
fencing, wrestling. boxing, aud other
exercises. The rest Of the plates give
similar studies OF the various gaits Of
horses, asses, mules, oxen, deer,
elephants. camels, raccoons, apes,
sloths, and other quadrupeds, as well
as of the flight of birds. Many of these
photographs We're lately exhibited in
London, exciting much interest.
INTERMITTENT SENSE OPERATION.
The tick Of watch withdrawn
gradually from the ear begins to be
heard, by turns, distinctly and Indis-
tinotly, the times of silence alternate
with the sound. NJ. Couteux records
an analogous experience in the case
of vision. He could not determine
whether distant windmill, with
four-vanes, was slowly moving, for,
OF the three vanes projected against
the sky, he saw now one, now another
the intermittent failure Of vision pre-
venting him from observing two sue
oessive positions.
DIR. J. A. Cones records the case of
q man who was observed to be sweat
ing sixteen hours after death, con-
tinuing to perspire freely for at least
eight hours.
M. Cheryin shows that 8 per cent
of marriages In France are sterile, Is
per cent yield one child, and 100
families average only 259 children.
FIRE-RIsK FROM HEATING-PIPEs.
In paper read at late meeting of
the Scottish Royal Society of Arts,
Mr.. A. d. Mackenzie stated that his
experiments have proven that, under
ordinary circumstances, wood, wool,
cotton, paper, and like substances,
| Will not take fire under or even at the
boiling point of mercury $3.50 de-
grees), and probably the temperature
at which they will ignite readily is
nearer 800 degrees than 700 degrees.
By hard firing and loading the safety.
valve, he was able to heat a high
pressure hot-water pipe to 500, de-.
grees, but the usual high-pressure APP
paratus seldom reaches 400 degrees.
It must be concluded, therefore, that
such pipes cannot originate fire un-
der ordinary conditions.
SoAPsToNE Decentralization has
been called to the little-appreciated
value OF soapstone as protective
against the dislntegrating influence
of the atmosphere. 1t has long been
used In China to keep sandstone and
similar materials from deterioration,
and perishable obelisks have been
preserved In that country for many
centuries by paint made from pow
dered soapstone. The substance is
said to be especially adapted as a
paint to prevent the corrosion of iron
and steel.
Prof. Renzi, of Naples, reports that
numerous physicians have success,
fully treated tetanus by rest. The
ears Of the patient are closed with
wax, and he is placed in perfectly
dark room far from any noise.
Liquid food is given, so that mastica-
ton is not necessary.
A hitherto unknown treatise on
electricity, by Galvani, has been dis.
covered in the Commercial Library OF
Bologna.
By mixing chloride Of zinc with
the pulp, European manufacturers
are producing paper as tough as
wood or leather.
Mr.. w. FL. Dimes, F. r. M. g., finds
that pressure of one pound per
square foot is caused by wind OF q
little more than seventeen miles an
hour.
SILK FROM CoTToN.-The new art
ificial silk of nj. Chardonnet is likely
to prove a textile fabric of value IL its
present inf1ammability can be over
come. The material Is prepared by
treating cotton with mixture Of ni-
trio and sulphuric acids, as for the
making ofgun-cotton, then dissolYing
In mixture of alcohol and ether, to
which is added some perchloride of
iron or protochloride of tin and tam
mic acid. The solution Is run through
a small tube or fine holes into water
Slightly calculated with nitric acid.
The fine fluid filament Immediately
solidifies, forming thread very close
| ly resembling silk, and equally strong
and elastic. Any desired coloring-
matter may be added to the solution.
/ PoTAToEs IN SURGERY.-The eat
ing Of large quantities Of potatoes has
been tried as means of relief from
foreign bodies that have been acci-
dsntally swallowed. The whole in
testinal canal is thus dilated proper
tionatsly, and the foreign body is
carried through. Prof. Billroth and
DR.. Ealzer affirm that many surgical
Operations might be avoided In this
way. such articles as q twenty
gramme weight, set OF artificial
teeth and needle having been sue