The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-01

from the axle and so arranged that II Is at
rest when the speed of the train is less
than twenty kilometers thirteen miles) an
hour, the battery then supplying the cur
| rent One-haf or all the lamps can be
switched on by the conductor. The weight
Tor each car is $50 pounds, and the appara-
tus costs $3.50.
The pigment in the human skin has
been a recent subject of investigation by
NJ. Breul. who finds the coloring matter to
be distributed in patches in the interior of
the epithelal cells. the tissue between the
eeils being colorless even in black races.
The pigment itself may be quite black, or
or any shade up to a light yellow. The diff
ference in the color of races depends upon
TINS dlnerence In the shade OF the pigment
the distribution of the coloring matter be-
ing the same in all races and the actual
amount probably the same.
The singular action of certain metals and
other substances on Photographic plates
has been described to the Royal Society by
Mr.. W. ]. Russell. Not only do uranium
salts and oxides act slowly on sensitive
plates in the dark, bur the property is
shared by metallic zinc, cadmium and mag
neSium, as well as by copai. straw board,
wood, some kinds of paper and other sub
stances. The action was at first thought to
depend on contact, then it was supposed
feeble carnations might be given off
Neither supposition proves to be true, how
ever, for zinc acts equally we'll when not in
contact with the plate, and even when var
nished.
Life was once a fight with wild beasts or
fellow man; it is now a struggle with the
invisible germs. Among new methods of
terrifying ones person, NJ. G Lemoine
recommends morning and night rinsing of
the mouth with a glassful of fifty grams of
Labarraques solution diluted with one
liter of water and spraying the nasal pas
Sages and throat with an ordinary toilet
atomizer, containing some such solution as
one-half gram of phenolsalyl and three
fol Ia flxrA H~od n 9
OF distilled water. A few menthol drops may
be carried in the pocket and dissolved in
the mouth occasionally. 1t is by such
means, this author tells US that many eX-
tremely sensitive persons keep the upper
air passages in an antiseptic condition. and
through it they have been able to pass the
winter and rainy spring without once tax
ing cold.
1t was about twenty years ago-in 1877 or
1S7S-that astronomers were startled by the
sudden appearance in the equatorial belts
of Jupiter of marking of such unusual
size and depth of color that it has been
known since as the great red spot Though
remarkably persistent, this spot has not
been seen lately. it's place showing very
light color. A recent discussion by the
British Astronomical Association reveals a
tendency to regard this spot, however as
a permanent feature of the planets solid
surfaced kind of Sahara desert or dry
region, one astronomer contended, sur
rounded by a cloudy region. while another
supposed it to be an elevated portion of the
body of the planet. Observations by Cas-
SIM indicate that the spot had been seen
two centuries ago, although no mention
was made of its color. Some fifteen or
eighteen years ago the whole equatorial
region of Jupiter was of an orange color,
with no white portions in it, though previ-
ously it had been nearly white for some
years and this tends to confirm the idea
that the unclOuded planet is OF WarmlSh
hues of varying depth.
Some interesting experiments on the eff
fects Of weather on plants are given in "a
little work by Mr.. John Clayton, an Eng
lish naturalist. Twelve bean plants were
placed in the ground so that one-half of
them would receive all the sunshine of the
day, while the others remained continuous
ly in the shade, and the crop of beans
grown in the sunshine weighed three times
that produced in the shade, The expert
ment was continued in succeeding years
All seeds were planted under the conditions
of the preceding year, the differences be-
sively increasing until in the fourth year
the plants of exclusively shade-groWn an
cestors Powered. but failed to mature fruit.
Measurements of the contraction OF trees
in winter We're also made. The glrtnS OF
sycamore trees were from two to three
SiXteenths of an inch and of oaks from
five to siX-siXteenths of an inch less IN
February, at a temperature of three de-
grees Fahrenheit, than in October, after
panded to their original size on March 2, at
temperature of 80 degrees. The frequent
splitting of forest trees is due TO this con-
traction by cold.