The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-20
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

much the bottom fact now known about
such metal is, briefly, that all original
pyrites of small grain texture contain gold
to greater or less eXtent-this, of course,
not covering such secondary large crystal
pyritOus deposits derived from veins. 1t
is not yet known, however, whether the
sold in these pyrites is in chemical COM
biuation with the sulphide of gold or
whether such particles are in the metallic
state, but alleged with silver or other
metal which combines more rapidly with
sulphur than the gold does, and conse-
quently forms a coat of sulphide of silver
over the gold. The particles of gold are
SO minute and the combinations follow so
rapidly during the splitting up of these
pyrites that the finest Instruments and
tests known to chemistry have as yet been
unable to settle this part of the question to
the satisfaction of all concerned-this fact
showing how easy it is 10 put in a mill
that Will not save the values.
The removal of a brick chimney 1876 feet
in hight by Blasting was recently accom-
Dlshed in Hungary, under the direction of
an artillery officer. The blasting agent
employed was "ecrasite," which is essen
TALLY picric acia, and three mines, aggre-
eating thlrty-seven pounds, were placed
against the outer surfaces of a pillar that
mad been left by the construction of two
openings at the base. The direction in
which the chimney was TO fab had been
carefully determined, and at the explosion
of the mines It was seen that the chirI-
ney toppled slowly and fell exactly in the
| required direction. The debris resulting
| from the fall was in the outline of a bot
tie 1870 feet in length. The bricks from
| the upper part of the chimney fell apart
| intact, while those of the lower third were
Tor the most part broken. In the direc-
| ton of the fall the air pressure was suf-
ficient to break windows at a distance of
| almost 500 feet, but observers standing on
either side did not notice any rush of air
in their direction.
owing to the outcry against the dangers
| experienced in the manufacture of phos-
phorus matches, a French government
commission was appointed in 1905 to find
a substitute for yellow phosphorus At
| ter considerable search and investigation
| nothing was found to answer the purpose,
| until two of the chemists of the state
| mandatory submitted samples of matches
| of their own invention, in the making of
| which phosphorus sesqui-suphide and
| chlorate of potash were used. The secret
! sulphide is a gray-yellowish substance
! prepared by heating amorphous phos-
! phorus, which is non-poisonous, and sui
/ phur The combination with chlorate of
| potash makes a match which ignites at
203 degrees F., and consequently has only
to be rubbed as any ordinary match. 1t
| burns quietly, and the general public does
not notice any essential difference in the
new matches from those it has been &C
| customed to use. They are not poisonous
and to effect death a would-be suicide
would have to eat the ends of some 5000
| matches.
While the general public has heard
considerable about the operations of the
medical department. of the army during
the Spanish war, it is hardly probable that
the medical statistics given in the recent
report Of the surgeon general have receiv-
! ed as much consideration as they merit
The report gives the strength of the army
| during the period of time from May 10
September as 167 ,16S men, and the deaths
| reported in that time LIS. OF these ty-
| phoid fever was responsible for $40 ma
larial fevers. 81, and diarrhoea and dysen-
| terry, 363 During the months of May and
| June the death-rate was 46 and 20, be-
low that of the army under conditions of
| peace. In July it increase to 2.15 for the
| month, or $3.50 per thousand for a year.
| which is but little above the average of
| city with good sanitary conditions. In
| August the death-rate was considera bIy
above normal, being 4.0S per month or As. SO
per 1000 for year, while in September
! there was marked Improvement. and the
rate fell to 2.45 or 29.40 for a year. In
the civil war high death-rate in August
| indicated a continuation of such conditions
for number of months afterward and
the surgeons of the army believe that the
great improvement in the figures for Sep
TENDER is due to the precautions adopted
and the strict observance of sanitary CON
| ditions.
The following table. from Engineering
News, conveys much information relative
to the guns and projectiles now in use in
the United States navy.