The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-24

SCIENTIFIC.

SCIENTIFIC. ne
Not less than thirteen comets of short
period are due to return to perihelion with
in the next two years but several of them
viii be likely to escape observation.
In French trials a mixture of ten parts of
air and one part of acetylene has proven
suitable for ordinary gas engines, giving
three times the energy of ordinary illumi-
mating gas
single bell is made by a German man
pfacturer to give more than one note A
number of dents divide the bell into sec
lions OF different sizes and each section
When struck, emits tone corresponding to
safe narcotic has been sought in the
hospitals for insane women in the City of
Mexico. simple product from the seeds
OF the white zapote has proven more salts
factory than anything previously tried as
II produces tranquil sleep, while deaths
from from cerebral congestion have ceased since
It's use was begun.
The falling sensation experienced on the
descent of a vessel in its pitch or roll is
attended by closure of the CLOTHS and sus-
pended inspiration. AS means of avoiding
the resulting discomfort Dr. Stocker of
OlasSoW, suggests control of this clos
9re by taxing full inspiration with each
descent, such remedy, it is pointed out
having the further beneficial effect of di-
Verting the attention from imaginings of
SeaSicknesS
a new mechanical movement, the idea of
Mr.. b. NJ Bowden, of London, consists of
stout inner wire surrounded by a close
coil of another wire, the inner wire pro-
Jecting beyond the other at each end and
having the projecting ends passed through
holes too small for the passage of the coil.
ON pulling the inner wire out of the coil AFT
one end 1T is drawn in at the other Power
may be thus transmitted around corners or
between points not fixed the flexible con-
ductor of motion working hanging loosely
and even tied in a knot The mechanism
was designed at first to operate a bicycle
brake.
A curious proposed railway, of which a
working model has been exhibited in Lon
don, consists of a row of columns, sur
mounted by a double string of rails on
which runs truck carrying a car or sa-
loon suspended from each side. The novel
feature is the method of operating by a
kind or travelling or continuous Inclined
plane. The rails are raised at the starting
point by hydraulic rams working in the
supporting columns, and as the double car
sliding down the incline reaches other
points the track beneath is raised in like
manner, forming successive inclines The
hydraulic rams act automatically on the
approach of the car.
Whether life is possible in the absence
of bacteria in the digestive tract is prob
lem not easy to solve. In the early expert
ments of Nuttall and Thierfelder, guinea
pigs were selected as subjects. but it was
afterward decided that more satisfactory
results could be obtained with chickens. as
II was DeneVed that these could be secured
free from bacteria from birth Eggs ready
TO be Matched were accordingly washed in
antseptIcS and placed in suitable sterile an
pParatus Despite the utmost care, however,
bacteria were always present and are found
10 De derived from the eggshell leading
to the unexpected conclusion that they ex-
ISL IN the oviduct before and during forma-
ton of the shell.
Glaciers vary in length from year to year
and apparently in cycles of years also,
those of the Alps having shown a general
diminution since 1850. An Investigation of
the changes of arctic glaciers has now been
made by M. Oh. Rabot. There is no sig.i
of a general retreat corresponding to thar
of the Alps, but in Greenland the ice is
at present at maximum, and stationary.
IN Iceland there was general increase in
the eighteenth century, interrupted by
partial decrease. Then came a very extern
sive advance during most of the present
century, slight retreat-not compare BILE
With that of the Alps--having begun in the
north of the island about 1S55-1S60 and
twenty Years later in the south
An interesting discovery by Jacuuemin is
that the leaves of fruit trees, having them
selves no marked flavor, may develop de-
cided bouquet of the fruit in solutions IN
dergoing alcoholic fermentation. Pear and
apple leaves, for instance, placed in 10
percent. solution of sugar, with the addition
of pure yeast, impaired to the fermented
product strong odor and excellent fla
vor which became even more marked-ia
the alcohoAc dlStillate. A similar effect
was had with leaves of the grape vine
Leaves from trees having fruits near ma
tur1ty gave the most decided results, from
which is drawn the important inference
that fruit fiavors are due to a body-possi-
bly, glucosidal in Observation-Disclosures in
the leaves and transferred to the fruits
only as the latter approach maturity de-
Yelop1ng distinctive f1avorS when acted on
by the special ferments of the fruit juices.
1t is computed that the star 1880 Groom
bridge is moving through space at speed
Of more than two hundred miles per second,
this computation being based on the stars
parallax and the large proper motion--or
change of place in the heavens as seen from
the earth-of seven seconds of arc per an
mum. How the star acquired this tre-
mendous velocity, beside which the rifle
balls fight is but as a snails pace, is per-
picking problem. Considering the universe
to have such an extent that light-at the
rate of 1856 600 miles per second-would take
thirty thousand years to cross 1t, and that
1t contains 1O0OOO,O00 stars of an average
mass equal to five times that of our own
sun, Professor Simon Newcomb finds that
it's gravitational attraction would give a
velocity of only twenty-five miles per Sec
ond in drawing this star from infinty to
the center of the systems of the universe.
This is but one-eighth of what the velocity
appears in reality to be. Professor New
comb is thus forced to conclude that either
the bodies of our universe are more mas
sive and numerous than telescope exemna-
ton would seem to Indicate or 1890 Groom
bridge is runaway star. flying on a bound
less course through infinite space with
such momentum that the attraction of all
the bodies of the universe can never stop it,
In a recent investigation Mr. Luigi
d AURA has sought to throw light on the
matter by assuming that the force has
been impaired by the interstelar ether
Giving the ether the density estimated by
Maxwell with the power of attracting
matter by gravity. he finds that this at
traction alone would give a body the speed
of 1890 Groombridge III passing to the CEN
ter of the sphere represented by the visible
universe from a distance in that sphere
equal to that traversed by light in 900
years; and that such body would oscil-
late about the same center, rectilinearly
with period of little over seven million
years which would be also the period of
oscillation of every other star.
LITERARY NOTES.