The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-02-17
WITH The SCIENTISTS.


Spread of Malaria by Insects.
New York Post: Interest has recent
,y been aroused in the question OF using
pIneapple fibre as q substitute for flax,
and It Is claimed by many that this
uu,eral not only possesses all the es-
seutill characteristics OF flax. but that
II has In addition advantages OF its own.
4 number OF years ago English spin
rers made an attempt to use pineap.
ME but did not meet with success, and
in Burmah also where the plant Is very
ohundant. no serious attempt has ever
been made TO spin the fibre. In the
philippines n variety of cloth IS made
jr1m pineapple fibre, which Is celebra-
,cI for It's fine llair-like iibres, but the
plaut from which the fibre is obtained
4 thought to be OF different species
rom the usual form. In Singapore L test
was made 4 few months ago with some
pineapple fibre. and 1t was found to
susiain $50 pounds as compared with go
bounds supported BY an equal amount
n, flax. The pineapple fibre Is said to be
impervious 10 moisture. and ropes made
If IL can be used continuously In water
without rotting. and 1t Is used in lndio
FOR threading the beads Of the neck
Ioces. II is claimed that in flneness
mud lustre the pineapple fibre is SUPER
Tor 10 fax, and the process OF bleaching
is sufficient to destroy the adhesion ex-
listing between the bundles or tibres 80
ms 10 render them available FOR spin
ming. It is also believed that the fibre
can be used as Z substitute for silk In
mixtures with wool and cotton. and for
Ir,rv trst lot
TRIMMINGS, laces, and curtains II is con-
sjicred particularly suitable. The fibre
can be obtained from both the wild and
cultivated varieties OF the pineapple:
and Ir textile workers can make use OF
# In spinning with any success. there
seems 10 beeno reason why 1t should not
enter into n number of manufacturing
processes. However, the outcome of
numerous recent schemes to utilize var
ions kinds OF hbrcs has been rather un-
successful in the majority of cases, and
pineapple fibre must undergo extensive
trials both IN manufacture and actual
use before II will be used by the spin
ncrs
Accounts OF recent performances Of
French submarine torpedo-boats indl-
cate that no small amounted attention
Is being paid 10 this form OF naval
eluipmer; across the Atlantic. From
competition the most promising plans
were selected by the French. officers. and
all example OF one has rece..'y been
seen in the Gustave Xede, wnlch has
manoeuvred in the harbor of Toulon. II
is stated that this torpedo-boa ap-
preached 10 within five hundred metres
OF a large hattle-ship, rose to the sur
face Of the water 10 take aim. and then
sunk before any guns could be trained
upon Il. II subsequently appeared at
about iT2O hundred metres distance from
the vessel and discharged 4 torpedo,
which passed between her fuanels. The
torpedo boat Is propelled By storage
batteries, and is Intended chiefly for
harbor defense. as its sphere, of action
Is limited. Another craft that French
naval officers are devoting considerable
attention 10 IS the Naval, which will
be completed In the course OF two or
three months. This vessel is somewhat
larger. being propelled by steam, while
at the surface. and using the accumula-
tors when under the water The Narval
Is said 10 carry sufficient fuel for a
voyage Of GA miles 1t eight knots, or
- niles in twentc-four hours at twelve
knots. Under water. 1t Is claimed, TWEEN
iy-ilvc miles Al 4 speed OF eight knots
will oe attained. \ number of appli.
anceS are 10 be introduced on these
c"lf; the nature Of which Is being care
fully kept close secret by the French
authorities. but 1t is now generally
Known that they are considering sub
marine warfare on an extensive scale.
The French artillery Is now being
armed with new quick-firinS guns. and
II Is stated that $50 batteries will be-
supplied with the new weapons by
spring. This will require the manufac-
inre Of some 1000 quick-tiring guns,
1900 ammunition carts, and 5000 other
vehicles, Not only are the guns in pro-
cess % making, but also the necessary
ammunition. and it Is believed that thu
new equipments will put the French
army at an advantage over the Ger
mans il this respect. The new gun has
calib:e Of rs en-. Chree inches APP
rro%lnatcly). and will discharge shrap-
mel prOlccties ut the rate of twenty per
minute. The cartridge weights 6.5 kilos
,ltout fourteen pounds), and the pro-
jectle has u muzzle velocity of GOO me-
tres. ~
The borinGs which have been carried
on FOR some time at the coral reef, or
a,oI!. o. Funafuti. have now been dis
Gahtsared, depth Of 1.ll4 feet having
bec' coached. The cores obtained by
the dtsN nave been preserved. and the
material penetrated Is said TO be. for the
must part, q coral reef rock. The up
yer part OF the boring consists OF a
mNtnr" oi sand composed OF cllcercous
oFSaNistls with reef coral. but at n
u"ptA oil 600 feet there was a sudden
'hAHEe % hafd limestone. The obServ-
aHO"S o. 'ac party engaged in the
WITH are awaited with considerable in
'efest as II is believed they will throw
'G"siGefable light on the much discuss
lands
iAe progress OF the various researches
INTO the origin OF malaria is a subject
oi considerable interest, and medical
n'eH are Sratitied to hear OF steady ad-
."HSeS IN the prosecution OF several in
designations. In the proceedings OF the
nei!e Academia del Lucel the work oil
MesSFs. bastianClli, a. Bignami, and
'tfasSi is described. and Il Is stated that
'Hry nave succeeded IN tracing the de-
,,'Yphcnl OF the semilunar bodice In
we medal Intestine of Anopheles CLAW
.1t' hfPt AT suitable temperature after
NEST insects had drawn hoods from In
r'y'1hais suffering from acstivo-autum-
''i naiaria. They have also been able
- o1'ain spflna-fcver by allowing one
". Slf insects to pierce the skin OF
r"'sol VINO had not previously been af-
geacH ny malaria, and who was living
III q loc'lity where the disease was not
rApeiiehced. In an elaborate series of
, ,esga'cnes they have proved that the
niI.atial parasite Is an authentic case Of
.ns.9Ioecism, where the same organism
%i,nra'S under different conditions In
tt,'i"sht forms. 1t Is OF interest to
H'.o" that concurrcntly with these OBJ
,S''"u0ns the life cycle OF a parasite OF
,.' oa' has been studied. which appar-
c cn.t HHdcrsoes similar alternutIons Of
i Hv.tr1 Ions. the intermediary host be-