The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-03-17
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

A MuGh-Prized Horn-The Coming
Stage COach-A misunderstanding
Game-Hair Growth-Dlrect Photo
graphic Posttives-crabs as vsge-
tarians and Soil Tillers-The Gun
ner's Fredericksburg by Elec-
trolysis-An Acoustic Paradox.
The most magnificent Of the wild cat
tie OF Europe (called urus, or sometimes
aurochS, a name more often given 10
the blson) was described by Caesar a8
having been nearly the size Of an ele-
plant, and seems to have become ex-
tinct between two and three centuries
ago. It was probably domestieated by
the Swiss lake dwellers, our modern
breeds Of cattle being al least partially
descended from It. It's immense size Is
evident from skull In the British Mu-
scum, which measures a yard IN length,
while the span Of the horn cores IL 81
feet, A horn Of this splendid animal 10
unique relic that DR.. Nehrlhg has Just
reported from peat bog in lower POM
eraniR. Such horns have been unknown
Of late. although they were quite COM
mon at public resorts In South Germany
and Alsace-Loralne until a quite recent
date, one known in the starsburg Cath
edrai as late as the hrst French revolu-
ton having measured 61h feet.
A problem that may mean much 10
rural districts Is receiving attention
NEAR Paris. A pair OF trolley wires has
been stretched along the highway for
half a mile, and a double trolley. driven
By little motor along these wires, car
fies cable. twenty-five or thirty feet
long, conducting current 10 the motor
Of an automobile. The length Of the
cable permits the carriage to run on
either side Of the road, turning out as
may be necessary. II tS predicted that
trolley-fcd carriages win become valu-
able extensions Of railway systems, and
that the wires will also provide farmers
with a source Of needed power for agri-
cultural work.
Why chess playing should lead to In
sanity 10 a question raised In Germany
by the melancholy condition OF Steinttz,
the great master OF chess. The list of
mad chess players" is q long one, every
country furnishlng Victims vet great
nlathemalcians, who might be supposed
to suffer as much from mental strain,
do not become insane.
The hygienlc- dletetic treatment has
been found by " SchrotteF, In an ex-
perience OF fifteen years, capable Of cur
INK many cases Of tuberculosis, even in
advanced stages.
Cutting the hair close to the head in
small patches on several persons, T.
Pohl has carefully measures the Bubse
quent growth and made other interest
Ing observations. The cutting checked
the growth for q month. when It re-
turned to the normal. The average rate
Of growth proved to be 2-6 to little
1RRHA a L., No. II
10 II years Of age; 3-6 Inch at q to "a
years. and a little over 2-5 inch at 90.
In a number Of insane patients the rate
was less, A curious discovery was that
each 2 to hairs form distinct group,
In which one takes the lead in growth
for time. then the second. and so on in
continuous rotation; and that the hairs
reach regular life limit, and fall out
In similar succession in each group. The
Same singular phenomena were found
In the hair on the back OF the fingers.
The life period Of hair is to years,
In which time It grows 20 to 40 inches,
the most rapid growth being In the mid
die Of the period.
The production OF direct posltives by
the simple method OF ]. p. Thornton
and G. +. s. Rothwell IL held to be an
important advance In photography. The
process consists essentially In the use
Of thin transparent film OF Eelatino-
bromide emulsion coated upon an
opaque flexible backing, such as black
paper or Gelluloid and treatment OF the
picture with a whitening solution utter
the usual developing and fixing. Tho
black or Goiorcd base forms the dark
portions Of tho picture. The whitening
OF the image Il erected by solution OF
mercurlc bichlOr1de, oupric bromide or
chloride, ferric chloride or other chem
lcRl having the desired action on the
silver When made IN rolls the pre-
pared Aim, protected by the OPAQUE
backing, can be transferred to the cam
erh by daylight.
During a recent visit TO Christmas
Island, 200 miles south Of Java, G. W,
Andrews. OF the British Museum, was |
able to verify by photographs the story |
that the palm crab (birguS latrO) climbs |
trees, which 10 done not only 10 secure |
the fruit but also to feed an iriieea |
from cuts In the tree.topB. Some Of the |
smaller land crabs do great service IN |
renewing the soil by continual burrow.
inE, doing work performed elsewhere by
earthworms.
A study OF GcuFry in Russian prov.
inces, where II has been epidemic for |
many years, leads Prof. A. N. Levin Ia |
conclude that It 10 a chronic form Of