The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1893-01-06
Scientific Miscellany.
VARIABLE STARS.

Over 200 stars are known to vary il
brightness. Difference in the phenOmena
observed have led to the following class.
ification, proposed by Prof. Pickering
Of the Harvard Observatory: l. Tempo
rary or new stars. of which only very few
have been recorded. They blaze out sud-
denly. remain visible for short time,
then disappear. never to return. A small
temporary star discovered in ls4s in
Ophiuchus is still perceptible, but has
faded from the fourth magnitude to the
thirteenth. 2. Variable stars, with reg
ular periods of considerable length.
the periods ranging from about 100 10 700
days and the fluctuations in brightness
from about one to more than eight mag
ntudes. 3. irregular variables having no
definite period. and usually only slight
vriation. 4. Nariables Of short period. and
most of them under eight days. 1. Va
rables of the type Of AIgol. of which only
ten have been discovered. Al regular in
tervals the light suddenly fades. and con-
tinues diminished for only small portion
"A few hOurs-of the stars period.
TASTE AND SMELL.
Recent curious observations indicate
that our appreciation Of food depends
largely-if not chiefiy-upOn the sense
of smell. \ student q years old had in
herited from his mother the defect
plete absence Of smell and taste. other
sensations being unaffected. He could
detect 10 difference between coffee. tea
and water IN three trials out Of five he
confused bitter almond water and water,
but distinguished between ether and
water and ether and ammonia. Fruit
syrups were simply sweet. with no diff
ference of flavor. Cloves and cinnamon
were recognized. but mustard and pep
per gave only sharp sensation on the
tongue.
An APPLICATION OF ELECTRIC HEAT.
The warming of Conservatives by cleo
tricity. the idea of two Swiss electricians.
gives promise of good results wherever,
as in Switzerland, cheap motive power
may be had. A dynamo sends the cur
rent into receivers of special metallic
composition. which become rapidly heat
ed 10 a moderale temperature only. and
give forth the heat like steam radiators.
The advantages are considerable The
apparatus is very simple and clearly, in
furious gasses <lre avoided. and the tenn
perature can be readily controlled with
out risk Of fire.
PEANUT BREAD.
Health authorities in Germany. finding
that the refuse left after extracting the
oil from peanuts contains four times the
nutritive matter of wheat and rye -four.
have used mixtures of peanuts and of
peanut refuse with rye flour for making
very nutritious bread.
NEW BUILDING MATERIAL.
4 hotell of Hamburg is built entirely
of compressed wood. which is rs hard as
iron. and by chemical treatment has been
madeproof against fire and insects.
HYPODEHMOKLYSIS.
Certain Psychologists have been able,
with injected fluid, TO wash out the sys-
TEN through the natural channels of cir
culaton: and Or. Hildebrand, of San
Francisco, states that it is possible to in
fuse into the veins, without danger TO the
organism. an amount of fluid equal to
four times the normal quantity of blood.
In experiments made about three years
ago. Il o. per cent solution of salt was
injected directly into the veins Of dogs
and rabbits. At certain rate. the salt
water could be forced for hours. and was
promptly discharged in the urine, but too
great pressure was fatal. and the injec-
ton was safe only when the heart was
healthy. BY new method. due to Can
tani. the injections are now made hypO-
dermically without risk. the process being
called '.hypodermoklysis." 1t was first
employed TO prevent drying up of the It's
sues after great loss of blood and in chol-
era, but has given promising results in
cleansing the blood from peisons. such as
those of typhoid fever. uraemia. septic
blood poisoning. gastric or intestinal Ill
Ger. and snake bites. In asphyXia from
chloroform it has saved life when cleo
tricity and artificial respiration had
failed. The salt water. with antiseptic
precautions, is injected into the cellular
tissue under the skin, usually of the alb
domen. causing Il tumor which lasts two
or three hours. The usual time for in
jecting thirty ounces of solution is about
five minutes.
RECENT TELEPHONY.
During the last two or three years. tri.
ais have been made in the French army
of quite remarkable telephonic system of
Capt. Charollois, which depends upon
the use of the Martin bimetall9 wire of
steel core covered with copper. This
wire Is stronger aud ruStS less readily