The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1893-03-18
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.


Platinum can now be drawn into
wire strands SO fine that twenty-seven
twisted together can be inserted into
the hollow of misunderstanding Ameri-
can.
"A ceratc for wounds, cuts, sores,
burns, scalls, and the like: Resin. a
pound; clarified beefsuet, 3 ounces; boil
a quarter of an hour; add two ounces
becswax; boil for an hour longer, and
allow to set.
The Milky Way holds probably ut
least 81. 19i, 900 stars, and as each is a
sun, w. presume it is encircled by at
least so planets. Counting up these
figures, we arrive at the magnitude of
LOCO. 955, 900 stars. A thousand million
of stars! Who can comprehend it? Still
this is only part of the universe. The
modern telescopes have discovered more
and similar milky ways still farther
away.
"A curious fact has recently been
noted by the fine steel workers at Shelf
field, England. 1t is this: Fine edged
tools assume n blue color and lose all
temper if exposed for any considerable
length of time to the light OF the sun,
either in summer or winter A similar
effect is exercised by moonlight, large
cross-cut saw with which the expert
mcnters were working having been
''put out of shape and its temper ruined
by single nights exposure to a first
quarter moon"
Countries in Europe with wheat
crop above the average this year are:
Austria and Nallachia, 10 per cent;
Hungary, 2 per cent; Prussia, per
cent: Saxony, IA per cent; Denmark
and Belgium, 3 per cent; Switzerland,
per cent, and Servia, per cent The
harvests below the average were those
of italy, 30 per cent; France, per
cent; Great Britain and ireland, Q per
cent, and Egypt. 20 per cent.
On clear night an ordinary human
eye can discover about 1000 stars in
the northern hemisphere, most of which
send their light from distances which
we cannot measure How large they
must bel Round these 1000 stars circle
so, 900 other stars of various sizes. Be-
side single stars we know of systems OF
stars moving round one another. Still
we arc but short way into space as
yet. Outside our limits of vision and
imagination there are, no doubt, still
larger spaces.
-Boro-borax is a new preparation,
discovered by Jaeniclze. which is formed
by mixing equal parts of borax and
boric acid in boiling water. When the
water cools the greater part of the sub
stance crystallizes out It's antiseptic
and therapeutic properties resemble
those of boric acid, but it has neutral
reaction and is much more soluble. At
ordinary temperature, IS parts of boro-
borax dissolve in 100 of water; at 100
degrees F., 80 parts dissolve in 100 of
water; while boiling water dissolves 20
per cent.
The coolest known spot on the
earth's surface is on the Eastern slope,
shelving mountain that runs down to
near the waters edge, on the eastern
bank of the Lena river. in northeast
Siberia The spot in question is nine
ifil a AOuESA AAOuA A1SA nCt SAAcOAs
about 81 north, and longitude 1874 east
Dr. Woikoff, director of tie Russian
Meteorological service, gives the mini
mum temperature ofSthe place as being
So degrees below zetp. 1t is a place of
almost perpetual calm. II the noun
tains near by, wi ERE windy weather is
the rule, it is moi nearly SO cold.-St
Louis Republ:cat.
AT the regent international con-
gress of physiold BY DIT Liege. Prof Her
mann demonstrated his method of
photographing Ahe sound of vowels
The vowels were sung out before one
of Edison's monographs Immediately
afterwards they were Reproduced very
slowly, and the vibrations recorded by
q microphone. The latter was fur
nished with mirror, which reflected
the light of an electric lamp upon q
registering cylinder, covered with
sensitized paper and protected by an
other cylinder with small opening
which gave passage to the rays of light
from the reflector BY this means was
obtained very distinct Photographic
traces, and the constancy was remark
able for the different letters