Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-02-16
SCIENCE. Il

o0xLxNSA
The system of canal towage worked out
by M. Galliot of Dion, is believed in
France to have solved a difficult problem
in a very satisfactory way. A large cleo
trio tricycle., with wide wheels and a cab
for the operator, is so constructed that
it can be readily driven along any tow
path. and fed with current from overhead
wires, easily hauls trains of barges that
a dozen horses could not move. No rails
are necessary, while two electric horses
on meeting can Ass by simply shifting
their trOlleys. This motor is especially
intended for drawing rains of boats, and
for single boats NJ. Galliot ropos to use
a propelling rudder, which is a narrow
iron box having a screw at it's rear, the
rudder itself containing the electric
motor, which receives current from the
tow-path wires through suitable trolley
cables. The propelling rudder can be sub
stituted for the ordinary one in a few
minutes.
A simple method of resuscitation from
a%sphyxia is reported by DR.. w. Freuden-
thai. He introduces the index finger into
the mouth and moves it to and fro over
the epiglottis, causing an effort to swal-
Nv AN 10 - ~ ~
return of respiration. This has proven
successful when the older methods have
failed, while it makes severe traction
upon the tongue unnecessary. "
A beautiful Shawl of transparent
calcite, or carbonate of lime, is one or a
number of remarkable specimens lately
taken from a cave near Sydney, N. 5. w.
1t is a slab about s by 6 feet in size. COW
cred with exquisite and wonderful
grooves and shadings, and with a thick
ness scarcely greater han that of a silver
half dollar.
Faith in the horseless carriage is shown
in Brussels by the organization of a COM
pany for establishing supply stations at
intervals Of 10 or II miles on the main
roads of France and Belgium. These VIII
not only recharge storage batteries, sup
Div Gil fue! and make repairs, but VIII
have the conveniences OF an Inn, not loi-
getting medical attendance.
A sociological problem of the utmost
concern to modern life has been brought
to notice by M. ZaboroWski. About a
mile from Ely, in Normandy, exists a
group Of long, disused wine cellars, or
artificial caves, which have fallen lnto
decay and for half a century have been
given up to estrays from clvlllzatlon'
who have here become isolated TO a rs.
markable degree. The adults, though not
really criminals, have been exiled from
society,". becoming inferior to the tramps.
The kitchen utensils Of these people are
old tin cans and other articles plckeu
from refuse heaps; their beds conslsl q
wooden hunks set up on stones ana Hlleu
with leaves, the coverings being wrap
ping canvas; their clothes are rags partly
covering portions Of the body, and the
Younger ones are even without these.
The settlement has grown to about ~
members, the increase being now rapid,
and five or six Of the families having
four or five children each. The children
are of shockingly low mental order, with
no desires beyond satisfying physical
cravings, n resist all attempts to in
duce them to attend school or to awaken
a care for any change from their life of
utter misery and degradation.
The making of Japanese swords, lately
described to the Japanese society by Gil
b~ertson, was long a secret. The blade
is formed from small strips of steel,
which are welded together, and doubled
in half and beaten out repeatedly, the
finished weapon being thus given as
many as 1,194, 304 layers of metal. The
work is slow, the inal sharpening, in the
case of very fine blades, sometimes re-
curing fifty days. In the forging pro-
cess, the metal is often hammered on the
edge and buIlt up of alternate layers OF
iron and steel, the result being a blade
beautifully marked with wavy lines or a
fine wood grain.
A shovelful of earth, Mr.. G.. Clarke Nut
tall tells us, contains eleven thousand
millions Of bacteria. These are of vari-
Gus species, performing such work as
breaking up refuse matter, and not the
least interesting is the neW-found germ
of earth-smell. This germ sets free a
little understood volatile compound whose
vapor is perceived as the familiar odor
of damp soil. The vapor is evidently
prevented by water from escaping, and
increases in the air after rain, when the
odor becomes most noticeable.
A singular bacterial disease proves to
be the cause of decay of ancient metallic
implements n other objects. 1t ap-
pears in the form of small excrescences
or CELEBRATIONS" which become the CEN
| tiers Of rapid oxidation; and DR.. w. Fra
ger, an Irish antiquarian, finds that all
antiques of copper or it's alloys with tin
are liab BILE to be infected. In bronze, re-
markable di~sintegratiop is produced, the
metal being gradually reduced to an
anonymous powder. The disease is be-
lieved with good reason to have infective
powers, spreading like leprosy through
the metal, and even being conveyed to
fresh surfaces from the affected spots.
Counterfeiters have not overlooked the
spots of bronze disease; from which, it is
asserted, they have inoculated their false
antiques to import a genuine appearance.
The "watpr-walker" who caused StIch