The Savannah morning news., 1902-12-31
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

miralty."
The japanese induce sleep through
lessening the blood sent to the brain
by pressing upon the carotid artery on
either side below the angle of the Jaw.
Surgical operations are performed on
subjects rendered unconscious in this
way; and it is suggested that the
method might be introduced in this
country
M Pottiez, the distinguished
French bacteriologist. has just found
that the corks of long bottled wine are
full of microscopic spiders, a species of
tyroglyphus, repugnant mite which
feeds on detritus. Other microbes were
also found in large numbers in old
corks. Lovers of old wines must take
care that bottles are not only tightly
closed, but with good corks.
For the first time in five years the
great tunnel of the Niagara Falls pow
er company was emptled during the
past summer in order that it might be
thoroughly inspected. The managers
wished to know it's condition after 3d.
400, 900 cubic feet of water had rushed
through it every hour for five years.
Accordingly the tunnel was inspected
for signs of wear. Every one of its 49,
600, 900 bricks was in place and per-
feet. No signs of wear were found.
although one-thirtieth part of the
stream of Niagara is constantly in use.
1t is an evidence of functional dis
order, if not organic when the heart
beats ninety times minute. In most
cases of organic trouble it is apt to
beat rapidly. In functional disturb
anceS it is more apt to beat rapidly at
one time and slower at another, and
thus we sometimes find pulse of nine
ty, and again in the same individual
a pulse of seventy-two. Irregular
habits, worry, dissipation, overwork-
ing until the nervous system is wreck
is a sure way to create a ninety pulse
rate. However, when there is no or
ganic trouble the remedy is to correct
the errors of living, sleeping regularly
eating regularly, exercising well, thus
making better blood. If there is no
heart trouble this is the best way to
correct that condition.
-Chlorodyne is frequently taken to
check diarrhea or to relieve coughs,
says a Medical paper. This is an ex-
ceedingly active poison, compounded
of two substances, both of which are
taking ten drops of chlorodyne. Every
one has taken paregorie. This is a
great favorite with some mothers, who
give it habitually to their children
when the latter have a cold. AS this
medicine contains opium, and as opium
is one of the most active known pois-
ons, it is unnecessary to say how
foolish is the custom referred to. In
fact, the careless use of opium pre-
IN, NV ha T1IhIio ic
most reprehensible. Laudanum (Which
is also an opium preparation is a
household remedy for toothache, and
one is constantly hearing of disastrous
results attending its misuse.
"A novel idea in lighting trains by
electricity is the Gullott system, which
has been experimental with success
fully on a small scale on an important
road and is now to be applied to an
express train, says an exchange. AS
in the case of the "axle light" the
motion of the train is used to generate
the electricity. Instead, however, of
taking this power from the car axle,
it is furnished by rotary fan at
tached to the front end of the loco.
motive. The fan is close to the boiler
head and presents a moving surface
to the air pressure, causing the air,
blades until discharged. No air pres
sure is massed on the fiat surface of
the boiler head but the curved sur
faces of the fan blades utilize the
rtraNeling air and thereby generate
power. The fan cutting through the
air revolves swiftly and does not add
to the resistance of the air nor re-
tard the speed of the train. f.
Every one. says the New York Sun,
is familiar with discussions about the
rate at which the worlds coal supply
is being exhausted. Attention may be
called to the possibilities of wood sys-
tematically cultivated for fuel. Helm
holtz showed that in Germany the Their
NAL value of the vegetable growth on
a given area of land is about 1-1477th
part of the heat delivered by the sun
to the same area. By planting rapidly
growing timber in tropical countries
the German rate can be increased
about fifteen times so that about 1 per
cent. of the thermal energy poured
upon the land by the sun may be
stored as woodfueI. Taking 4,000, 600, 900
acres of land as available for forest
cultivation it follows that a perpetual
fuel product of thirty times our pres
ent coal supply might be secured And
moreover, it is hopeless to expect that
way will be found to store the energy
daily received from the sun and to do
away with fuel altogether?
Improved methods of preserving
foodstuffs devised by science are a
great blessing to mankind, increasing
the total supply available and enabling
lis to spread the good things of one
season over another, correcting the
shortage of one year or country by the
abundance of another. The market
need not be glutted with peaches or
eggs, as the cold storage man can put
the extra supply away to wait till the
temporary excess is past. The cold
storage thus increases the available
food supply and tends to prevent
waste, at the same time steadying
prices and preventing violent fiuctu-
atoms. 1t tends to bring higher and
more regular prices to the producer
Many persons are under the i'm
preston that cucumber is very indiges-
tible, and when they eat it they do so
under protest and with apprehension
OF possibly dire consequences How
this delusion can have arisen, remarks
a medical journal, it is difficult to say.
unless it be that cucumber is often
eaten with salmon and other indiges-
tible things 1t is not the cucumber.
however, but the salmon that causes
the trouble.
The year book of the English
Young Mems Christian Associations
shows $40 associations reported. be-
sides S64 additional centers. including
auxilierIes. associated unions and cor
respondents. The total memberships
Is l2o.550. One hundred and thirty