The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-05-10
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY
A SENSITIVE BALANCE-LoCOST
 INTERPRETATION.
Mosquito Hibernation-Work of the Pianist-Anaesthesia by Electric ity-Unsatisfactory Theremom- etry--Electric Insect Destruc-
 tion-A Disease of Diet.
 A Modern Detective.


 A most striking example of delicacy in weighing has been referred to by Mr. J. A. Brashear. the widely known nstru- mont maker. At the International Bureau of Standards near Paris. is a balance mounted in vacuum in a heavy glass ease. and provided with mechanism for handling the weights from distance great enough to give security against in nuence of the heat of the body. So per fectly made are instrument and access sories that when two kilogramne weights arc placed side by side on each pan the indicator finally comes to rest at zero. But when enc of the weights in one pan is placed upon the other the indicator shows the opposite psn to be slightly the hea vier. the almost incredible explana- ton being that one weight is made light CT by it's slight increase of distance from the caith's center!
 The gradual disappearance of locusts iIl Rhodesia and other parts of South Africa Is attributed by MT. J. M. Orpcn a writ CT on tine agriculture of the region to rapidly growing mould. The invisible seeds are scattered by the wind, and in favorab ble weather the growth attacks and destroys vast swarms of the insects. Since it's discovery during the last locust invasion. the mould has been regularly distributed by the Department of Agri- culture. The disease thus artificiaily spread has been very effective. but dry ness has caused some failures.
 Mosquitoes are known to live through tho winter. awakening with the first warmth A late investigation by MT John B. Smith proves that certain species hibernate in the adult state. others in the Iarval state also. others only in the lar val state. and some in the eGg. Many larvae survive repeated freezing and thawinE.
 A lately tested section of the submarine cable laid twenty years ago between Cie'- fuegos and Santiago is in excellent con dition. proving the durability of rubber covered cables
 Quite astonishing is the rapidlty of working of brain and nerves in modern piano playing. At the Conference of Mu- s!clans in Dublin it was shown that the ordinary player must cultivate the eye tn sec about 1.sGl signs per minute. the fin gers to make about 1000 movements. and the brain to perceive the 1.500 signs while issjling 2,00O orders. In a part of Chopin s TEtude In E minor the rate of reading must reach 3.a50 signs in l2 minutes. This is equivalent to nbou. ?6 notes per second. and, as the eye on receive only about ten consecutive impressions per second, it appears that in very rapid mu- sic the notes must be read in groups in- stead of singiy.
 In his experiments in electric anaes' thesia. NJ. Ieduc has used maximum current of 5o volts. and this was passed through electrodes of cotton moistened with saline solution. one of which wa' applied over the kidneys and tine other upon the forehead. The current was in- creased to the maximum in five minutes A numhness of the limbs was followed by Ioss of speech. and then by a suspension of the other faculties. The only disagree otIo ,-epeat,on was ni-htmare. The breathing was somewhat obstrueted. but the heart was not affected. and conscious ness with sense of invigoration, came l instantly on breaking the current. There seems to bc risk ifl the stoppage ol breathing by too long application. az From al bout 400 pounds of gaseous air Sir William Ramsey has found tho kFyp- ton to equal 1 part hy weight in about :. .c00 oNO. or 1 part by volume in 2o,0OoOS and the xeuon. part by weight in 4non'' 0N0. or 1 part by volume In l19Noo.ooe. Ordinary thermometers are known te he very inaccurate, varying many de Rrees. and this fact throws doubt or many reports of extreme summer or winter temperatures Even the scientific thermometers of the cheaper grades prove to be unreliable although their indica- tions have hcen placed on record as re- suits of great precision. Medical men