Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-05-31
LCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

Snake venom, from which $4,000 peo-
pie die annually In india Ii poisonous,
when injected into the veins 10 all
animals except the snakes themselves.
The bite OF the cobra kills most animals
within two hours, but OF 100 persons
bitten only % succumbed In less than
two hours, while q survived more tnan
n hours. The poison IL chemical and
physiological states NJ. Antoine FuFe-
eur microbes having no part in ,ne
process. The blood globules ATE de-
formed, and coagulation stops clrcula-
ton 10 that partial paralysis may &C.
suit when the venom has not been SUI
fsient 10 cause death. Injections "
chloride OF lime tend 20 counteract tls
eject. But the one successful remedy
seems TO be DR.. Calmettc's serum, PIE
pared In graduated strengths by M
oculating rabbits with the venom Of
the COBRA OF other reptiles. and ,hls
is not only cure but fortifes against
subsequent bites.
Although silica has been reduced 10
silicon In the electric furnace. Nj. r.
8. Hutton has succeeded In fusing the
material without any partial reduction,
by admitting a current OF air The
quartz is coarsely powdered and held
on n carbon support, and tubes are
formed by moulding the powder on a
carbon core and moving the support
along so as TO expose successive por-
lions TO the electric arc. Quartz tubes
foot long are now made In this way.
The explosion motor holds the palm
for llghtness. The best electric motor
with its storage battery is stated 10
weigh nearly 100 pounds to the horse
power, and the Serpollet steam engine,
flashing water into steam from a coil
boiler, about IA pounds. But the Bour-
dlauX gasoline engine gives horSe-
power with a weight OF only pounds.
stellate designs on curious pebble
discs Of the Algerian Sahara are sup
posed by DR.. O. Abel 10 have been
etched by natural sand blast while the
stones were rolled by storms.
The mysteries Of acoustics still Of
fer little explored field for the inyes-
tigator Rev. J, NJ, Bacon cites
recent experience Of a half-dozen life
savers. one OF whom-left on "a high
cliff to watch-could hear distinctly the
cries Of drowning men. while his fell
lOws--rowing about the spot OF the sup.
posed dlsaster-could neither see nor
hear anything Who shall say whether
they reached the higher and more dis
tant observer by some easy route. or
whether the open doors OF the hont.
house behind the watcher acted as
shelter and sound receiver To aid his
ears2 The sounds OF sirens, as Is well
known. are often lost nj nearby points,
20 be recovered farther away. Heavy
gun salutes last year were lnaudihle NJ
places within 20 miles although easily
distinguished far beyond. and sound
signals between distant stations have
been interrupted by calm, slight,
hazy atmosphere but easily passed
across strong wind. Late balloon
experiments have shown the marked
effec, OF turmoil In the air In masking
certain classes Of sounds, and how con.
.tanty the play Of upper currents
must influence local phenomena. The
feebleness OF the earth echoes from the
explosions OF powerful aerial bombs
was puzzlng az first But II was soon
found that the thick stratum OF moist
air carrying the balloon at 20 miles an
hour was penetrated by streamleA of
opposed cold wind, the cloud masses
formed proving an Opaque sound bar.
rier while the casual but powerful up.
draughts seemed 60 account for any
fckleness In sounds coming far by sky.
The natural soap mined near Ash
- q A. A.