Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-04-22
y = III
r. - * ~.
I'M .%&
KIN oa.l.s,x
w. @<a


THERMOMETERS to be of any practical
service should he compared with stand
ard" explained an official of the weather
bureau to a Star reporter, so that II can
be ascertained whether they are properly
adjusted or not. and if not correct. the
variation after having been ascertalned. can
he calculated There is but little attention
given in the manufacture of cheap ther-
morneters to seeing whether they are cor
rect or not. for the reason that even II
they are correct when they leave the rae
tory they are very liable to get out of ad-
justment in handling them. Recently IN
looking at dozen thermometers sold as
correctly rated Instruments / found that
none Of them was correct, and that some
OF them were as much as ten degrees out
of the way. One of them registered nine
degrees too high. while another was seven
degrees too low. Under the circumstances
f. person who depended upon either of these
Instruments was no nearer the standard OF
the real temperature than II he mad none
at all and simply guessed at the tempera-
ture. 1t il not necessary that THERMOMETERS
should be compared with the official stand
ard, for the reason that there are num-
her of carefully adjusted thermometers IN
various parts of the city. and the compari-
official standard instrument In case II Is
found that thermometer does not register
correctly the mercury or spirit tube can De
moved up or down the scale so that 1t Will
be correct. 1t is a simple matter to adj
lust them. and the average thermometer IS
absolutely worthless unless it has been
compared and adjusted. Some of the adj
vertisement thermometers which hang III
stores and markets are ludlcrousiy lncor-
rect. This is apparent when any two OF
them are read in comparison with each
other Some of these thermometers are
rather pretentious affairs and have every
look of reliability, but beyond looks there
is nothing about them, for accuracy APP
pears 10 be the last thing thought of. The
spirit or mercury tube does its work acCu-
rately enough but if they are not properly
adjusted to the scale, and so fixed that
they cannot get free from the scale. they
are deceptive as indicating the true state
OF the temperature. In ordinary weather
a Thermometer plays but little part and
is rarely consulted. but let sudden very
cold or very warm spell arrive and every
one cOnSults them, The value of a proper
adjustment based on a comparison with
the standard is therefore apparent"
*
Plaster casts are now entirely relied
upon in sprains as far as the limbs are
concerned explained a well-known sur
geOn TO a Star reporter. las well as in the
treatment of fractures, And beyond the
cast there is no further treatment neces-
sary. The cast should. however, not be put
on until the Inflammation in consequence
of the injury has disappeared. To reduce
the inflammation continuous application of
hot water is found to be the most effica-
ctous remedy. When once the Inflammation
has gone down an antiseptic bandage
should be put on the injured part and on
this the plaster bandage and splints. This
encases the hand. arm, foot or leg in
plaster boot, which keeps it's place and
keeps the injured part intact. The old-time
idea that SprainS should be treated with
slrbree3t lions and ltrliments- which hung
lor 50 EolS mas about disappeared in the
modern method Of treatment. and expe
Fence mas shown that a cast is a much
safer way Of treating a sprain than by
rubbing 1t with Hniments. 1t is besides a
much more rapid way of restoring the
functions OF the injured part. The case
should be kept on as long as possible-at
least a week under all circumst ances and
IN cases Of spTaincd foot. ankle or leg for
ten days OF longer. In cases of injury caused
ny Sprain Of tine ankle or foot the plaster
cast should under no circumstances be re-
moved in less than d week for the greatest
care Is required in their treatment, other
wise the injury becomes permanent"
The greatest novelty in the way of a
bicycle railway" observed an official of the
naval observatory to a Star reporter, runs
between Snithfeld and Mount Holly, n. j.,
a distance Of about three miles. The fare
Tor the ride Is five cents, but each passen-
ger has To work his own TRANSPORTATION
1t is simply a One-track road, about tn,
height Of the second rail in the ordinary
country fence Indeed. II seems as if one
Vas riding on the top of a fence Tremen-
doUs bursts of speed cannot be made on it
Tor the reason that it is quite dangerous to
60 as fast as you can. for there are breaks
In the rail at a half dozen places. or AZ
least places where there would b. breaks
II the gates were not closed. Three or four
country roads cross the rail at diffArao+
points. The bicycle used is of sn.ai,I hniId
anu DeSldts having the wheel which takes
the rail. has TWO smaller ones below which
run along on either side of the lower rail
OF the fsnce. thus keeping the bicycle on
the fence rail There is hut on, tr,+.Iy "a
Nheh parties meet one has to get off mi
take MS machine from the rail So as J., -
the other pass. Notwit his anding this an1
other peculiariticS of the road il NAYS and
1T summer time pays Handsomely R.siIns
ti.ree miles Of country. a Wide rivsr "a
Ihree large streams are traversed. via n
singIe-rali bridge"
& s. X
The Georgia watermelon cron was NOT
injured il the slightest by the Eebr,ar,.
oizzard- explained a prominent Georgia
watermelon grower to q Star reporter "for
TIE reason that il had not been planted At
that time. The early truck suffered how
ever, very SeriouSly-so much so that a re-
P4dNihs was necessary. The product will
therefore be- a couple Of weeks later in h.
ing marketed than Usual This was also the
case WITH Fl"rlda-grown truck rcplantinu
being necessary. Since this blizzard tbo,,cb
there were occasional cold spells. there wera
no serious setoIckS The Georgia nalo,
tIop was never as large as was planted this
spring and all the indications point to II
being very good in size and flavor The ar
ranEeHents for handling ii are very com
pIrtt. Tor much more depends upon how ii