The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-12-17
ITEMS OF INTEREST.


the action of a new instrument invent
ed by him for the cure of deafness.
He calls it the electrophone. 1t is an
electrical device, combining the prin-
ciples of the microphone and the tele-
phone and magnifies sounds at least
five times. 1t is intended to supersede
ear trumpets and conversation tubes.
The essential parts are a tranSmitter
and receiver, an especially constructed
induction coil and an electric dry bat
terry. The battery. requires renewal
about once a month. The instrument is
also said to possess some curative prop
critics by Cling activity to a dormant
auditory apparatus. 1t can be used
to advantage, according to DR.. Macy,
in about so per cent. of cases OF
chronic catarrhal deafness, and in "a
small percentage of cases of deafness
arising from other cause. 1t may also
prove to be a useful aid in educating
deaf nutes.
Something like an intelligent idea
of the growth of the live stock indus
try in this country during the last
thirty.thr years, says the Chicago
Ocean, or from the time when re-
liable figures were first collected, may
be drawn from these interesting facts:
The number of mich cows in the
OHllGQ OldlSS III IoOo W DIS oiOVA3 Ooo, var
ued at 1918, 6S1, 153. The number in
1900 was 1922, 300, valued at 1914, S12, 106.
The number of cattle other than cows,
that is to say, neat cattle, in 1868 was
IL 942, 4S1, valued at $249,144,599; in 1900,
27610,054, valued at $3.50, ,260. The
number of sheep in 1868 was 3S, 1891 ,912,
valued at $9S, 407, 500; in 1900 these fig
ures were increased respectively to A.
SS3,065 and $122, $685. 13. In 1868 there
were 24,317,25S hogs in the United
States, valued at $110, 766 266; in 1899
there were 3S,651 ,631, valued at $780,
100, 743. In 1900 the number of hogs
packed and marketed in the principal
slaughtering centers was 2S,172, 900. The
total value OF all farm animals in the
United States in 1868 was 81 2777 &c, eco S22
and $2,042, 650, S12.S1 in 1900, less the
value of swine. In making his esti-
mate of $4555, S27, 1875, the Secretary of
the National Live Stock Association
takes into account interests allied to
the trade, which are not included in
the usual statistics.
In the cellar of the City Hall of
Bremen is large vat of wine said to
be more than $50 years old, says the
Chicago Record Herald. 1t belongs to
the municipality, and is used upon oc-
casions of official festivity. The Conn
mon Council gives a banquet every
year. and the Burgomaster often en-
tertains distinguished strangers. When
the Emperor or a member of the Min
istry or some other eminent statesman
or soldier happens to be within reach
the hospitality of the municipal gov
eminent is extended to him, and at
the close of each banquet the glasses
are filled with this precious beverage,
and the toast to the health and pros
perity of the City of. Bremen propos-
ed. The wine is seldom used for any
other purpose, but the story that it is
$50 years old is only the partial truth.
The facts are that back in the fifteenth
century, when Bremen was one OF
the chief markets of the Hanseatic
League. this big tun was placed in the
cellar and filled with rare wine for
official entertainment. 1t was con-
sumed very slowly. and every time a
decanter was filled at the fount an
equal amount of new wine was poured
in at the bunghole, so that the guam
tity has never been allowed to dimin-
ish, although the quality may not be as
fine as formerly. Just how much of
the original wine remains is impos-
sible to say, but it is said that lit
| tie leaven will leaVen the whole lump
| 1t frequently happens, says the New
York Times, that a theory which would
satisfactorily explain certain facts of
momentous scientific interest is un-
able to find acceptance, for the reason
that the more closely it is Investigated
the less probable it appears. For ex-
| ample, the attraction exerted by the
| planets on the surface layers of the
| sun should account for sun spots, and
! a great many astronomers have insist
| ed it did. But Kirkland has examined
| this theory with reference to the at
! traction exerted by the planets Venus,
! Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn on the
suns atmosphere, and comes to the
| conclusion, which he has reported to
| the Paris Academy of Sciences, that
| the variations of the eleven-year-pe
riod cannot be traced to planetary in
fluences. It is certain. he says. that
the planets must have a tidal influence
on the solar envelope, but how far, if
| at all, that influence goes toward the
| creation of the spots is at present mere
| conjecture. So, exactly, is il with the
| lunar attraction on the earth's atmos-
! phere 1t assuredly exists, but how far
! it interferes with the readings OF the
barometer eludes all research Even
! the late DR.. Crolfs seductive idea that
the changes in the earth's orbit round
the sun would account for the glacial
/
| that captivated astronomers, physic-
| lists. and, biologists, alike, is now very
| generally given up or in allegiance. In
| each case the causation is real, not
| imaginary. but whether 1t is the vera
causa" of the effect to be explained Is
| doubtful.
Silk was too expensive at first for
ordinary humanity, says the New
York Press. Only princes could afford
to wear it. When a silken toga was
! offered to Aurelian he answered: "Ju-
| piter forbid that ] should wear a ma
! terial that costs so much gold and is
so thin" Greece early caught the silk
| fever. and the whole country became
a mulberry plantation. Roger, King Of
| Sicily, after conquering the Morea,
took prisoners of all the silk weavers
he could find and sent them to Paler-
mo to teach his subjects their mar
velous industry. From Sicily the art
spread to Genoa and Venice. 1t was
Colbert who established silk culture in
France by paying Italian workmen to
teach the art to the French, as he also
paid italian lace makers to teach their
art French lace and French silk,
! therefore, are only children of Italy
| About thirty-five years ago the head
of the Agricultural Department at
Washington interested the United
| States in silk culture. All over our
blessed country were enthusiasts who
spent small and large fortunes in the
| effort to introduce and acoIiuoata ~ 4.