The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-08
SCIENTIFIC.

A full-grown Shetland pony owned by
the Marchese Carcans. of Milan, is but
twenty-four inches tall. being the smallest
horse in the world.
Asteroid hunting is becoming more ardu-
Gus, and only eight of the little planets were
added to the list last year. increasing the
total to 433 The asteroids are no longer
named, but are designated by letter COM
binations, the discoveries OF 1897 being
known as OH, DI, DJ, DIX, DI1, DIN and
DO.
While the killed and fatally wounded of
the American civil war have been estimated
at $1,000 the deaths from infectious diseases
in the same period have been placed at
twice the number-or 1874 900. medical au-
thority argues from this that microbe war
fare is more important study for our
schools than military tactics.
Germany is pre-eninently the land of
chemistry. It's great chemical society-the
Deutsche Chemische Gesellschaft-is prob
ably the largest scientific organization in
the world, having 1858 members over az
per cent of whom, however, are from other
countries. All nations are represented, the
United States having 285 members and Great
Britain 232
AS many as seventy-five deaths from
chloroform in year have been reported in
England. DR.. E. A. King. however, pro-
nounces it perfectly safe when properly adj
ministered, pointing out that the Hyderabad
direct action on the heart, the thing neces-
sary being to avoid suffocation by properly
d1Iudng the yapor with air.
A simple and accurate method of measur-
ing the speed Of trains has been adopted
by railroad authorities IN Berlin. A make
and-break contact on one Of the axles inter-
rupts the current Of a battery at every
half revolution of the axle, and registers
the breaks on an ordinary Morse recorder
In one compartment of the car The record
SrriD gives exact Of bo the
rate Of movement during the entire trip.
Anatomical explanations of right-handed-
ness are rejected by Dr. George M. Kellogg.
He believes that the child is born equally
expert in both hands and both legs and
that right-handedness is due to careful
training, left-handedaess being probably
started by some slight accident In the riyht
hand in babyhood He recommends the chi
tvation of ambidexterity, which has been
of great advantage to such men as Alex
Morse, Leonard da Vinci and Michael An
gelo.
The record Of the ordinary tuning-fork
chronograph is traced on a surface black
ened by smoke. A new and far more deli
cate chronograph consists of cylinder ro-
tated with surface velocity of one hundred
feet per second. on which is photographed
pencil of light which has passed through
a mole IN the end Of a rapidly vibrating
that OF the compression OF q copper cyIin-
der by blow. A thirty-three-pound weight
falling, hfteen inches permanently com
pressed the cylinder 1858 inch and the
chronograph curve shows the progress of
the compression during it's Interval of
.0o3OS17 of second.
A French paper product, the invention of
NJ. P;lnchon, resembles the hardest woods
in many of its properties. 1t is called
''ebonite" and is made by treating fine chips
CT resinous woods with Ives of sulphates
or sulphites. then pounding the softened
chips to pulp and treating the latter dur
ing refining with such chemical or 1coloring
substances as will impart desired qualities
The prepared pulp may be made into paper
and by hydraulic pressure built up into
thick masses FOR working or it can be
nodded. The articles made from III are
proof against atmospheric changes heat
and moisture, and can be rendered incom-
bustible
Investigators have demonstrated in vari-
Gus ways the influence OF Roentgen RAYS
on living organisms In recent experiments.
Messrs. Maldiney and Thourenin have
proven that the rays hasten the germina-
ton of seeds and that the result. which Is
Of no practical value. is not due to heating
OF the SOIL They conclude also that the
rays do not hasten the formation of chloro-
phyn DR.. Edward Schiff, of the Vienna
University. has shown more important e.
fectS, having ON the one hand removed
slightest Inflammation. while on the other
hand &c has successfully treated lupus by
an artificial Inflammation that could 81 reg
uuateo IN antennlty ~ WILL In these two