Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-07-25
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

In the ore-hnder Of Daft and VIII
liams a high.tension electric current Is
sent through the earth between iron
spikes about 100 yards apart Waves
are radlated in all directions, and in
a sensitive telephone produce sounds
that are modified when any metallic
conductor is present in the ground. II
Is claimed that the receiving telephones
can pick up the waves four or five
miles away from the electric apparatus,
or even, with sufficiently powerful
generators, Is or 16 miles away. Not
only can the ore be thus located and
its richest parts be picked out. but the
sounds distinguish between iron pyrltes
and zinc blende, galena and zinc
olende, or between ores Of copper and
lead The Indications OF tin are uucer-
tain, while a small amount OF gold in
iron pryites Is not easy to detect. A
new set OF instruments for Australia
Is expected 10 indicate metals to a
depth of 1900 feet, and to show the
depth of the ore within 7ls per cent.
lreland's bogs are better than gold
mines and should transform the coun-
try, In the roseate view of Sir Richard
Sankey He estimates that these bogs
contain the equivalent Of 5000. 100000
tons OF coal, and he would create DOW.
er for varied industries by converting
the fuel into electricity on the spot. an
electric main Of $50 miles suiIicing to
reach any part Of Ireland from the boys
OF Mayo. In America electric current
Is readily transmitted 200 miles with
a loss of only 20 per cent
The attention OF q French society
has been called to the case Of wo-
man whose resprations have fallen In
a few years from the normal IL per
minute to an average of four or five
the number being three before break.
tast and rising to seven under vary
ing influences. \ dog whose pneumo.
gastric nerves had been cut showed ex-
actly similar slow breathing.
Sawdust Is very destructive 10 fishes
in aquarium experiments. but seems TO
prove much less 50 In rivers
The nests OF a caterpillar Of unde.
termlned species living in single for.
est OF Madagascar. offer a possible new
source Of fine silk. u. Thery, Of the
Madagascar forest department. states
that these nests, which are attached 10
trees, are OF dazzling whiteness. and
are about 81 inches long. consisting of
silk-lustrous, very flexible and very
tenadous-much resembling that Of the
common silkworm. From 100 to $50
caterpillars live in each nest. going out
at night for food The caterpillars are
very prolific, aud Il is probable that
they can be successfully introduced in
10 other forests Experiments are be-
ing made to determine the value Of
the silk
II is becoming understood that death
Is otten-if NOT always--a gradual pro-
cess, cells and tissues remaining ac.
tive for hours or even days after the
organism as a whole Is dead. Prof.
Herlno points out that this Is especial
~ noticeable I'm some lower animals.
The action OF clllated cells from the
gills Of clam or the trachea OF a dead
frog may be observed for a long time
under the microscope, and when sun.
piled with nutrient solution cells from
a frogs brain have even been kept
alive more than a week. Hearts of
animals often move long after removal
rom the body The heart Of q frog
viii beat for hours, and that OF a
turtle or snake sometimes for a week.
Rubber that grows underground is an
interesting new product OF the French
fongo' 1t Is obtained just beneath the
'ark OF several plants. the best sam
)les being from the root bark OF The
sandolphia Tholloni. and It Is Of the
inest quality When the bark Is
'roken, the two pieces are held to-
ether by the rubber lining, which Is
Y great elasticity,
A new albuminoid substance. which
las been named ''malslne," has been
btained by +. Donard and II. Liable
rom maize, OF which Il forms 4 10 as
er cent Il Ia an extremely light ana
ne white powder. and resembles wheat
luten In appearance, but differs from
In chemical properties, 1t Is in |
oluble in hot and cold water and saline
but dissolyes In alcohols. ace
one and alkalies
A mixture Of the essential oils OF |
hyme, eucalyptus. baptisia. willow and /
Amt has been named "Listerine." and |
'arisian bacterologists have found Ii |
luch more powerful as germlcide |
han any one OF the oils singly. II Is