Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-13
WITH THE SCIENTISTS.
Cloth from the Peat Ffbre-A Method
for Obtaining Pure Calcium.

| SlStS oil the mdNGldCluit Vi ttAihtS AiShs
peat fibre. The fibre is extracted from
the peat by a mechanical process. and
Is then mixed with 70 per cent. Of pure
wool and used In the manufacture or
yarn. This yarn has an appearance very
! similar TO common woollen yarn, and can
! be used in the same manner for weaving.
| NJ. Moissan, who is so well known for
| his researches with the electric furnace,
| has recently described two methods Tor
| obtaining crystallized calcium. which
| will contain less than / per cent. or I'M
purites AS calcium has the property
| of dissolving In liquid sodium at a dull
| red heat, and then separating INTO crls-
| tails on cooling, he Is able TO remove the
| sodium by treating the mass cautiously
with absolute alcohol, and then obtaining
| the calcium in the form OF brilliant white
hexagonal crystals. THESE crystals OF
| calcium have also been obtained by M.
Moissan by treating fused calcium iodide
electrolytically. Previously calcium was
thought to exist as yellow metal, but
1t is now believed that the substance
when obtained in such a form was con-
tamnated by impurities.
Professor Koch, Of Berlin. at recent
meeting Of the Berlin Colonial Society,
read paper on Tropical Malaria" In
which he detailed the results of some OF
his investigations into the causes OF TINS
disease. In order to find out the origin OF
the malady, DR.. Koch has studied some
what similar disease OF cattle, commonly
called Texas fever, and which is caused
by a parasite in the blood of animals
known as Parosoma bigeminum. the
germs of this parasite are spread by the
small insects called ticks" fact that
was proven by Dr. Koch in his expert
ments, and he was also able 10 obtain an
artificial immunity from this fever by
incubation. Carrying out the analogy TO
w s caused
cifc parasite 10 be found in the red cor
puscles, and which grows very rapidly,
he found that the climax of its develop
ment is coincident with the maximum
temperature during the attack. After
wards this organism breaks up into spores
which then invade other corpuscles.
There are two kinds Of malaria, accord
ing TO DIR. Koch, one occurring in Eu-
rope characterized by a regular course
of fever, as quotidian or teruan malaria,
while the second or malignant form oc-
ours only in the tropics. and is marked
by a very irregular temperature. The
connection of the parasites 10 the two
different forms of the fever is not as yet
known. The most important part OF
Professor Koch's investigation was rela-
tive TO the treatment of the
disease. He found that quinine will most
surely overcome the parasite If admins
tered just previous 10 the speculation al
ready alluded TO. This fact makes neces-
blood of the patient by the physicians.
After the fever the doses OF quinine must
be continued for two months. one gramme
being administered every five days. Just
how the infection occurs is not definitely
known, there being no infection from per-
son TO person, and IL is thought unlikely
that the disease is communicated by air
or water. IL has been suggested. however,
that the mosquitoes are responsible for
malaria, as the fact is well known that
where there are no mosquitoes malaria
does not occur. The theory had been ad-
vanced that they lay their eggs on the
human body. whence the parasites come
out. and when sufficient number de-
Velop the symptoms are felt the time of
incubation being ten or twelve days. If
the victim has recovered from the disease
without the use Of quinine he is apt 10 be
immune, and the immunity of natives is
doubtless due TO the fact that their an
cestors have experienced the disease and
recovered spontaneously. The great pro-
blem now is to discover a means of arti-
hcially producing immunity but until that
time ii is necessary TO instruct the colo
NAL physicians as TO when and how quiz
nine should be administered. and the
necessity of constructing dwellings which
will keep out the mosquitoes. Professor
Koch concluded his paper by saying:
when we are able TO destroy malaria
in our colonies. we shall have peacefully
conquered one of the most beautiful and
fertile countries of the world"
The question of the color of soldiers
uniforms has often been discussed from
many points of view, and a number Of
theories as to the best shades for the
battlefield have been proposed, only 10
be upset by subsequent experiments or
practical experience. In Germany the sub
ject has again been approached and the
results of a series OF thorough expert |
ments are not only most interesting, but
quite at variance with the ideas on this
subject previously held. A squad of ten |
men was selected for the tests, and two
men were clad in daSk-gray, two in scar
let, two in blue, two in light-gray, and |
two in green. AS they marched across the |
country their movements were carefully |
watched. and II was found that the first |
TO disappear from sight were those wear
ing the light-gray, and then successfully |
those in scarlet, dark-gray, blue, and |
finally the men in green. The next test |
was made at the rife-range TO find |
which color afforded the worst mark for |
the rifieman. and twenty soldiers, all cx- |
pert shots, were employed at the expert |
ments. Here II was found that the scarlet |
was by far the most difficult color TO hit, |
and there were recorded three misses for |
the scarlet target for one Of any other |
color. These experiments are quoted in |
the British army by those in favor of |
retaining the historic red coat as good |
and scientific evidence in favor Of the |
scarlet uniform,
Within few weeks party of engineers
examined at the Brooklyn navy-yard a |
number Of steel and aluminium plates that
were coated with various preparations
designed to resist the action of sea water
and then placed In cages and immersed
I'm water al point where IL was very
foul. The plates were allowed to remain
for six months, when a preliminary ex-
animation was made. These experiments
were continued. and the plates recently
inspected have been under water for thir-
teen months. The tests seem to afford the
conclusions as regards the be.
havior of the different classes of coat
ings: Varnish. when used as vehicle in
stead OF oil, makes the coating more ,
durable When varnish coating or a
pigment and varnish coating is baked
on IL endures sea water better than II
dried on by the action Of the air. White
zinc Is apparently the least acted on of
any OF the materials used Enamel coat.
ings baked on at high temperatures. are
the most durable.
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