West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1890-04-24
scientific AND INDUSTRIAL.

= There are, il is said, over 1 200. 600
miles of telegraph wire in the United
States, or enough to cncirclc the globe
forty times.
II is reported that n Japanese drug
Bist has succeeded In converting wild
hemp into substance possessing all OF
the essential qualities of silk.
I 1t is believed that the varieties of the
domestic dog owe their origin to wolves
and jackals, the habit of barking hav-
ing been acquired under tho influence Of
domestication.
t'Somc odors, though mingled together,
can still be ASSOCIATED and recognized
by the olfactory nerve-ends, whereas
Others, on the contrary, overwhelm one
another, so that one only may be per-
ceivcd, the others being completely sup
pressed.
I DR.. Arapad Bokai, professor OF the
University of Klausenburg, Germany,
claims to have compounded solution
which completely neutralizes the poison
introduced into the system by the bite OF
a mad dog. This solution consists of
chlorine water, salt brine, sulphurous
acid, permanganatc of potassium, and
eucalyptus oil.
+ There is growing tendency among
chemists to regard the elements "a vary
ing arrangements-produ at success
sive stages in the process of cooling-of
one original form of atom. Evidence in
favor of the hypothesis is claimed in the
fact that some elements seemed not TO
have formed in the sun, while yet more
are absent from still hotter stars.
The question of the wholesale dcstruc-
ton of swallows by electricity has Mt last
been taken up in France. In. the south
OF that country long wires are systcmati.
cally erected along the seashore, aud
when the tired swallows alipht on them
they are stunned or killed by an electric
shock. The birds are then sent to Paris
where they are used for decorative pur.
poses.
l. Recent observations OF the waters of
Great Salt Lake prove conclusively that
the statements made that no form of ami
NAL or plant life exists in the lake are
erroneous. No fish or other large form
OF animal life has been discovered, but
the presence CT vegetable organisms in
the lake may be considered fact from
the abundance of minute animal exist.
ences.
!. English manufacturers have lately pro.
duced new waterproof fabric which is
claimed TO possess some special advan-
tages over ordinary materials of the kind,
being free from the objections pertaining
to those that are impervious to air, the
result ofthe coatings of India rubber and
other non-porous substances which are
applied as film over the textile base OF
the cloth.
The opening of the first submarine
telephone cable has recently taken place
The cable runs between Montevideo and
Buenos Ayres, South America, and il
thirty-two miles long, the total length
with the overhead line being $50 niles
On this line there are five intermediate
stations, all of which can telephone and
telegraph simultaneously with ali tn,
other stations.
Those who have spent half hour OF
30 trying to ring up man at the other
end of telephone line, and have found
out after much effort that there was nc
one there, would feel better il there wa,
on the market something which woulG
mt once, when box was rung up, give
signal stating that there was no one tc
receive a message, and how convenient
If some attachment could be devised foi
communicating the time the person woul6
return to receive the message.
One of the most remarkable products
OF French ingenuity at the present tim,
is fibrous substance called celluiose, an6
which, by some secret mechanical pro.
cess, is obtained from the ordinrry cocoa.
nut husk. When compressed, its specific
gravity is far less than that of cork-it i,
claimed, indeed, that it is the lightest
solid known, and, therefore, Of peculiar
value for life belts and life mattresses.
while in large quantities its buoyancy
would render large vessel absolutely
non-sinkable.