Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-06-16
WITH THE SCIENTISTS.
New Use for Peat Bogs-An Antidote
for the Venom OF Reptiles.

for the venom OF Heptfies'
AS sources of energy it has been pro-
posed to use the peat boys OF North Ger
many, and what is now practically waste
land is expected to become available tor
manufacturing on a large scale. Inc
boys of the valley of the Ems, for ex-
ample cover some - 900 square miles, and
the proposition has been made to erect
I'm this section a ,O00-herse-power cleo
trio plant which would consume annual-
ly some 10000 tons OF peat, equivalent 10
the amount yielded by 200 acres. one acre
Of bog averaging ten feet in thickness
contains about 1000 tons of dried peat
and the amount produced on 45O square
miles would afford as much heating power
as the $1,000, 600 or more tons or coal an
nually mined in Germany The proposed
plan contemplates using the energy on d
canal and in the manufacture OF calcium
carbide.
Some interesting experiments have re-
Gently been made with regard TO the
venom of reptiles. A mixture Of the
venom of three snakes whose poison was
considered most deadly was employed
and different doses were given 10 rap
bits One of these animals received by
injection into vein of the ear dose
five times the amount usually considered
fatal and died in the course of twenty
minutes. In the meanwhile, DIR. Chal-
mette. the Investigator of these phe-
nomena, injecsed two cubic centimetres
of serum into two other rabbits, and IN
a few moments gave them the same
dose that had proved fatal 10 the nrst
The serum protected the animals perfect
w. and there was not the slightest trace
of the action of the poison 10 De oo-
served Two new rabbits were then used,
one of which was inOculated with the
serum. Ten times the fatal dose was
given, with the result OF killing, within
three minutes. the rabbit which had not
been rendered immune by the serum
while the other was in no way afected.
Professor Chalmette has stated that the
results of the action of reptile poisonS
could be calculated with considerable pre-
cision. Knowing the weight OF the per-
son or animal, it was possible to state
how much poison would destroy and how
much serum would save life. The serum
is now being sent to India, and 1t has
been found to be stable in quality and
able TO last any length Of time.
Professor A. f. Dolbear is responsible
for the interesting statement that the
variation Of speed in the chirpng Of
crickets depends so closely on tempera-
ture that the height Of the thermometer
may be calculated by observing the num-
Der of chirps in minute. At % degrees
Fahrenheit the rate Is eighty per min
ute. at 70 degrees Fahrenheit 10 per
minute and the rate increases four
chirps to the minute with, n change Of L
degree Below a temperature OF 30 de-
grees Fahrenheit the cricket is not likely
to make any sound. When alone a cricket
does not observe any great regularity in
his chirping but at night, when num-
Der are collected they appear to chirp
spontaneously, and observe the time
perfectly Crickets in an adjoining field
will have the same rate, but there will
be noticed a different beat.
The Importance Of considering air re-
sistance in cycling is shown in a recent
review Of a book on cycling by Profess
sor Boys. He says that II only the road
and machine resistance had TO be over
come, a man who could. under ordinary
conditions, drive his bicycle at rate of
thirty miles per hour. would be able to
make 800 miles per hour; or. IL he could
actually make twenty miles an hour he
would go 100. The amount that pace
making plays In record-breaking may
be seen from the foregoing while the
question of barometer height also has
been considered. According TO the Pro-
fessors calculations, a difference of one
inch in the height of the barometer
might make a difference of a second in
a minute, if the corresponding dimunl
ton Of oxygen in the riders lungs did
not compensate for the reduced resist
ance.
The cultivation of the camphor tree In
Florida has been so successful that this
section promises to be formidable COM
petitor with the far East In China,
Japan, and Formosa, but a small portion
of the great camphor forests now remain,
owing 10 the wasteful methods Of OBJ
tanning the gum from the trees. which
I'm many were cut down entirely. In
Florida, on the other hand. 1t has been
found that camphor could be produced
profitably from the leaves and twigs, OBJ
tanning a pound OF the gum from sew
enty-saven pounds of the cuttings. The
tree requires no fertilization, and is ex-
tremely ornamental.
In view Of the contemporary interest in
the various methods for obtaining gold
from sea water the most recent analyses
made by Don Of New Zealand are re-
ferred to in a recent issue of the En-
cheering and Mining Journal. He treat
ed six samples OF sea water by different
methods. and found quantities OF gold
varying from 06l grain 10 .07S grain, the
average Of the six determinations being
Oh grains per ton Of sea water. The
value of the fine gold would be three
tenths OF cent per ton OF water The
analyses are considered most trustworthy,
and, according 10 the Journal. render alb ]
surd the claims OF those who pretend |
10 be treating sea water for it's contents |
In gold with commercial results.