The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-19
ITEMS OF INTEREST.


The story of the mutilated tele-
gram, which was transposed from 1900
leviathahs" to 900 live cats" reminds
a correspondent of the London Globe
of an incident said to have occurred
some years ago. An Italian gentleman
sent to a friend in Africa for lone or
two monkeys" or, as it was written
in the language of Rome, Il o mon
keys" BY next mail he received a
note saying that eighty-five had been
dispatched, and the remainder should
follow by another boat.
One of the largest checks ever
drawn was used in completing a deal
in Kimberly mines. 1t was drawn up
by the De Beerses for the round sum
of &5,000000 ($25,900,000). At the time
it was supposed to be the largest check
ever drawn, representing more wealth
in the smallest possible form than any
other object in the world. Since the
drawing of the De Beers check, how
ever several new records have been
made, including a check for 310000,000
($50, ,000), drawn upon the Bank of
England by the Chinese government
in settlement of the Chinese-J Japanese
War indemnity.
An instructive instance of the use
of electrical effects in legitimate way
for treating diseases is described in
recent issue of the Lancet, London.
The practitioner made use of high
frequency alternating currents to
cause electrical osmose, by means of
which drugs were introduced into the
tissues of the diseased part. In % per
cent. of the cases of cancer treated, the
treatment was successful. He has
come to the conclusion that a radio-l
active salt of strontium induced into
the tissues by cataphoresis by high
frequency currents would prove pam
acea for all forms of cancer.
lie Journal, Paris, deplores the
fact that French commerce is slowly
losing it's markets, not only in the
basin of the Mediterranean, where it
once was VIRTUALLY without competi-
tors, but in Asia and the New World.
The article ends by calling attention
to the example of the Americans, who
have suggested a floating exposition to
exhibit their merchandise in Pacific
ports; and states that NJ. Louis Olivier,
secretary of the Revue Genereale deS
Sciences, Paris, has taken advantage
of this idea by equipping a steamer as
a floating museum, which will visit the
important commercial centers of the
Levant.
The Japanese have attracted so
much attention and admiration by
their remarkable progress in the ideas
and practice of Western civilization, as
well as by their native genius in art,
that the results of an investigation of
the brain weight of the Japanese peo-
pie as compared with Europeans must
interest everybody, says an exchange.
For ten years Prof. Taguchi of Toxic
University has been studying the
brains of his fellow countrymen. He
shows that with adults the brain
weight compares faVorably with that
of Europeans of similar stature, and
may even be slightly superior. There
is one striking difference, however, in
the fact that the Japanese brain
grows more slowly during infancy and
early youth. than is the case with Eu-
ropeans. In Japan, as everywhere
else, there is found a positive relation
between brain weight and stature
that is. the larger brains, generally
speaking. go with the larger bodies.
Some time ago the London Lancet
published an article in which it was
stated that chickens had been Matched
from eggs which had been preserved
twelve months in a 10 per cent. Solu-
ton of sodium. A correspondent now
writes to that journal narrating some
experiments which friends of his I'M
dertook for the purpose of verifying
the statements made. Twelve eggs
were collected in June, and Immediately
placed in 10 per cent. solution of So
dunn silicate and completely covered
by the solution. On Sept. 5 four eggs
were taken from the solution and
marked, and with nine other newly
laid eggs, were placed under a hen.
All the newly laid eggs Matched out
within three weeks. but the four pre-
served eggs did not hatch. One of
these eggs was boiled and was quite
fresh; the other three were broken
and the yolk fell out separately from
the white. The whites were whipped
up and became quite stiff This is
stated to be the best test of fresh
egg. 1t is of interest to note that
these incubated eggs, even when they
had been incubated for three weeks,
still remain perfectly fresh, seeming
to indicate that the shells were still
impermeable to external Influences.
Among the worlds 100000 horses
there is believed to be only one that
has a name eighteen feet long, and it
glewood, Cal. Mr.. Zillgitt always
keeps the name braided and bound in
a net, except on special occasions. The
name of hair is so heavy that the up
per part of the braid measures six
inches in diameter. 1t requires an
hour and a half to unbraid the great
length, for the greatest care must be
exercised lest the strands become
twisted, and if they do it takes a long
patient struggle to untangle them. The
posseSsor of this name is a dappled
chestnut mare, and seems to enjoy
having her hair combed and arrang-
ed as much as any girl. Maud, as the
horse is called is now 10 years old.
weighs 1900 pounds, and is 15k hands
high She was purchased by Mr. Zill-
gift when she was 3 years old. At that
time she was in every way an ordinary
horse, and it was not until a year la
ter that the name showed unusual
growing abilities. When she was 6
years old her name was eight feet
long, and it has been growing ever
since. Once it was kept in net for
ten months, and when, at the end of
that time, it was taken down it was
measured, and found to be two feet
longer than when it was put up. The
horse is cared for and fed just as any
horse would be. Mr.. Zillgitt says she
is a remarkably small eater.
Recent mention of the disappear
ance Of the $3.50 gold piece from cir
culation and the premium this coin