The Waco evening news. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 1891-1894, 1893-02-04
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

A tableau curtain of crystal prisMs
by electric lamps is scenic novelty
of London.
The temperature of the electro arc,
as recently determined BY N. Wolfe,
is $500 per cent.
A French companys plan for light
ing the Atlautio route from Ireland to
Newfoundland consists in mooring ten
powerful floating lights 200 miles
apart, connecting them by electric
cables.
Somewhat different physiological
action has been ascribed theme from
tea and caffeine from coffee, but two
British chemists have just made expe.
riments that are held TO establish the
complete identity Of theme and caf-
feine. The observed differences in
effect are supposed to have been due
to impurty Of the alkaloid, or to vari
atoms in the animals.
Different authorities, according to
Prot. ke,not, q victorian engineer,
give estimates of the average weight
of crowd ranging from Al to l475
pounds per square foot. Prot. Ker
not's conclusion. from actual expert
ments, is that a dcnse crowd of we'll
grown men weighs between 14O and
$50 pounds per square foot, each man
occupying about a square foot OF
space.
A study of the records OF the last
ten years has shown Habenich., of
Gotha, some unmistakable comedian
ces between the frequency of icebergs
in the Gulf stream and the weather in
Europe some six mopths afterward.
The number of icebevgs reported has
varied from 10 in 1883 to GA in 1890.
The iceberg minimum Of 1888 was
followed by the warmest year of the
series; and the remarkable maximum
of 1890 was followed by the coolest
winter and spring known for twenty
years.
RUSSIAN SUNFLowERs-The cult
vatlon OF sunflowers in Russia was
begun in 1912 at Varonezh The
Industry has proven so profitable that
in 1881 not less than 367 800 acres
had been given up-to it. and 10 1887
the area planted had increased to 704,.
500 acres. The chief product is the
oil from the seeds. The residual oak e
has considerable value and is 10 con.
slant demand from abroad, while the
shells or husks of the seeds, as we'll
as the stalks Of the plants, are useful
tor fuel
PAsTEURIsM IN AUsTRALIA:-A
source of great loss TO Australian
farmers is inc pleuro.pneumonia of
cattle Protective ino cua;ion against
this disease is extensively prac'iced, a
lymph being now obtained in larg"
quantities by method Of inoculaung
calves suggested by Pasteur. A
report of the Pasteur Institute of
Sidney shows the efficacy of this
practice. a herd of 1000 inooulated
and 10 uninoculated cattle was driven
some 1900 miles, when it was found
that not one of the inoculated animals
had contracted pleuro pneumonia,
although s of the 10 unprotected ones
had suocumhed to it.
THE WEATHER AND PNEUMONIA -
From Statistics of many years, DR., 2.
}. Kolski finds that, though the wealth
er may not be the main cause OF
croupous pneumonia, as was formerly
believed, it plays not unimportant
part in the development Of the disc asc.
Abnormal weather in general has an
influence. In Moscow the most fav
orable conditions for the prevalence
of monia seem to be low tt m =
perature, with slight daily variations,
abnormally high barometric pressure,
north wind of less than usual force,
and a small amount of rain or snow
High winds and much moisture, con-
trary to general belief, do not !syor
pneumonia.
A New Fibre 1t is expected that
considerable quantity of new fibre
from Cuba will be produced this yesr,
tn experimental lot OF fifteen tors
having sold for about $3.50 ton IN
the London market. The plant, which
L.