The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-04-09
SCIENTIFIC JOTTlNGs.

An average star OF the first magnitude
Is lG0 times as bright as one OF the sixth
magnitude.
The yield OF salt per ton OF water Is
eighsy-one pounds In the Atlantic ocean,
seveniy-nine IN the Pacific and 1877 In
the Dead Sea.
The falntest stars visible 10 the naked
eye are OF the sixth magnitude; the
fa'ntest telescope stars are reckoned OF
the sixteenth or seventeenth magnitude.
II has recently been claimed that iron
ships with electric plants suffer rapid
deterioration OF their pipes having direct
connection with the sea, due 10 electroly-
tic action.
Professor Harshberger says that. bn-
tanically speaking, the dahlil Is an
American genus confined to Mexico
When the Spanlards first visited MeS!-
co, they found the iahl!a cultivated In
the gardens of the natives. II was first
grown In Madrid TO 1859. and IN Eng
land In 1850.
Professor Krebs, OF Chicago, Is the
third soien:Is; who has discovered the
germ OF yellow fever. II the objects
found are identical. this will ne pre-
| sumptive evidence that the medium of
the disease has actually been found and
Its cure. Or rather It's avoidance. will fol-
low In due course.
The Geographic tournament which Is
TO take plncc In connection with the cleo
trical exhibition in New York In May Is
attracting considerable attention. A
\ photographic record is to be made nf
the best transmission. The same matter
| Is to be used rs that sent by +. L. Gavin.
who made record OF 2iS words In five
minutes In 1893.
That the cinematoEraph Is now a valu-
able aid TO scientific inventions was
shown In the eclipse observations. las,
| month In fndiI, and now Professor
FlammGrlon. the well known French as
! tronomcr. has used cincmatograph to
take during the night n cotinunus serics
! OF pictures showing senset. the appear.
ance of tho stars. the milky way. moon.
rise and the moons motion In the sky.
II Is n remarkable fact that nj over
100 finds OF iron mcteorltcs only nine
/ have been seen to fall, while over 400
| finds of stony mcteoritcs more than one.
half have been seen TO fall. II. L. Pres
| ton finds several reasons for believing
that the iron metcorites are merely tho
| crystallzed metallic nodules contained
In the larger and more conspicuous stony
meteorltes.
All fungi, says Professor Jeillffe, are
botanical beasts OF prey. The types that
| live upon the human body are the germs
that produce cholera, typhoid fever, con-
sumption. etc. Yeast lives upon tho
flour and sugar In the process of bread.
making. molds upon fruits. preserves,
etc Toadstnols and mushrooms, the
higher fungi. live upon decayed vege,a.
bic and animal matter.
DR.. Burton Ward, after n long cxncr,.
cnce In tho treatment OF cases OF Insani.
ty, says that there IL one infalllblc
symptom by which the question whether
4 person Is or Is not sane can be defer.
mined. Let a person speak ever go RAJ
tiOnnliy ard act ever so sednteIy, II his
or her thumbs remain Inactive there Is
no doubt of insanity. LunatIcs seldom
use their thumbs In writing, drawing or
salu,lng.
Aluminium mas been decided upon =,
take the place OF sheet Iron for the fol.
lowing camp utensils for use In tho
| French army: The Individual plate Az
bowl. canteen. quart cup and the boilInv
pot and bowl for use OF four men. AZ
appropriation Of 10000 francs fleur,s IN
the army budget to begin the nianufar.
ture and distribution OF the above named
articles, During the Madagascar exns.
dillon 5000 sets were used with great
satisfaction $50 80.