The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-07-15
POPULAR SCIENCE.

The husk of maize is being used in the
manufacture of paper.
Liquid chlorine is now supplied as an
article of commerce by chemical estab-
lishment on the Rhine.
A spirograph for drawing spirals and
volutes in simple manner as one draws
circles has been devised in Paris.
The Manila hemp plant, which is very
similar to the banana, is found to thrive
best in soil composed of decayed yege-
table matter. 80
The sun is tremendously large. It is
equal to 1900, 900 earths, but owing to
its small density its weight equals that Of
only 332, 900 earths.
Strychnine has been found to increase
the amount Of gastric juice secreted in
the stomach, the general acidity and the
quantity of tree acid in the secretion.
Recent German tests have shown that
the loss in wei ght of steel rails from
wear and rusting is in about an inverse
proportion to the tensile strength Of the
metal. -
Among French dairymen the use of
bot water for milch COWS is growing in.
favor. 1t is alleged that one-third more
milk is yielded than when cold water is
given.
A "pneumatic bridge" has lately been
designed for comparing the resistalces
of various orl6ces, as electric resistarc ces
are compared by the "Wheatstone
bridge"
The idea that the action of light on
fugitive dyes will eventually teach US
something concerning the character and
size of molecules has been advanced by;
Captain W. de W. Abney.
Nitrate of soda has again been tried as
a fertilizer of tomatoes. The result was
a very marked increase of crop in every
case, the most profitable increase coming
from the use of nitrate alone. y
Late statistics credit Prussia with nine |
ty-one persons over 100 years old, and /
show that of over 1000 persons Of mere
than 100 who died between 1864 and
1883 not less than 155 were more than
100. u
It has been shown that the climate Of
many Italian provinces has beeen changed
by the steady destruction of the forests. !
The Government is seeking to remedy
the matter by offering valuable prizes for
tree planting. Il
A new switch for electrical work looks !
like an ordinary door-bolt. When the
bolt is thrown forward it makes q con-:
tact between two lugs on split copper (
ring. When thrown back the contact is
completely broken. 4.
Hitherto all the fuel used on the !,
Italian. railways has been imported, but
an attempt is now being made to use the
Ignite OF which the country possesses
large beds. Very satisfactory results
have so far attended the experiments. d
A woman in one of the London hospi-
tails is afflicted with an ovarian cyst
weighing more than 154 pounds-mucb
more than the patient herself. Such NOR
bid growths Of great size are not rare,
but this is the largest on record. In more
than 1000 cases known to Sir Spencer
Wells, none had exceeded 125 pounds in
weight.
The great prevalence of locusts in Cyl
prus in modern times is believed by Sir
Robert Biddulph to be due to the de.
struction Of tn. forests. The resulting
barrenness of the soil has favored locusti
life, and, as the wood growth is not.
likely to be restored, the crowding out
of the pest depends on the increase OF.
population and cultivation.
The use of nitrogen as an anesthetic
was recently successfully tried in Eng
land. Nine patients took the gas, and!
in every case the result was the produc-
ton of complete anesthesia. The pulse
was first full and throbbing, then feeble.
In the advanced stage the respiration was;
deep and rapid and there was ividity OF
the surface, the pupils were dilated, and
there was more or less jactitation OF the
limbs. 4.