SCIENCE, MECHANICAL INVENTIONS, ETC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11520, 3 November 1900, Page 4 (Supplement)

SCIENCE, MECHANICAL INVENTIONS, ETC.

TRANSPLANTING NERVE. The American Journal of Medical Science lately had an article by Dr. R. Peterson, describing the transplantation of about two inches of nerve from a young bloodhound into the right wrist of a man which had been injured by a circular saw so that the hand lost its sensibility. The dog's nerve was sutured between the ends of the median nerve with kangaroo tendon. A similar operation was performed! on the ulnar nerve. Next day a distinct return of sensibility was observed in the thWnb, and three months after the operation sensibility was almost complete. There are now some 20 cases of transplanted nerve on record, all more or less successful. In most cases the nerve of dogs was employed, but in some the nerve of rabbits, a kitten, and also of recently amputated limbs. Catgut, silk, and kangaroo tendon were used to join the nerves. As a rule, sensibility returned! in about ten days, and motion in two and a-half months. AN INVENTION IN MATCHES.^ An important invention in matchmaking is again claimed to be made by a couple of Swedish engineers, Messrs. Laudin and Jernander, who have composed a match entirely of poison, and which has tho advantage, that like the phosphorus matches they can be lit against any unprepared surface, aucl besides they possess a resistance against dampness, which the others have not. The matches will light against any surface, and even against window glass, and they in every instance light well. Tho new matches have also been soaked in water for a quarter of an hour, then taken up quit-., wet, and proved to light about as well ..s before. As far as the price is concerned, these matches will not be more expensive than the common matches now in use. They are not more dangerous as far as inflammability is concerneu than other matches, as the packing need not bo so complicated as for these. Samples of the new matches have' been sent to the largest manufacturers in the world, who have all expressed themselves very favourably towards the new invention. THE CLINICAL THESMOMETER AS A GERM CARRIER. It is pointed out by Conklin (Buffalo Medical Journal, February, 1900) that physicians are not always as careful as they might be over the sterilisation of their clinical thermometers. The degree marks, scratches, and other imperfections in the glass of the instrument form excellent situations for the lodgment of micro-organisms. A degree mark, for example, magnified 1000 diameters, would measure live feet in length and nearly a foot in width! In this area 280,000 tubercle bacilli could be accommodated in a single layer. Conklin urges that not only should the thermometer be washed and wiped after use, but that the case should be large enough to contain some strong antiseptic solution in which the instrument would soak until used again.

INGENIOUS USE OF WAVE POWER. A new type of buoy and floating beacon, used to mark the dangerous spots round British coasts, has recently been subjected to exhaustive tests, and there is little doubt that the near future will see its general adoption. The utilisation of wave-power is a question that has long vexed the minds of inventors, and an ingenious method of turning to account some of this wasted force is shown in the new buoys. The action of the waves is employed to generate within the buoy a supply of electricity which either furnishes a powerful fixed or flashing light as required or works an apparatus for sounding blasts on a syren. Both work automatically, the mechanism being surprisingly simple, and however slight the movement of the water it is sufficient to serve the purpose.

NAKED-EYE ASTRONOMY. Of all the subjects for study open to the astronomer who has no optical assistance at his command, none can be so easily or so frequently observed, none afford him such an opportunity for really useful work, as do meteors. And the meteors may be observed practically the whole year round, except when cloud or moonlight interferes; yet one month ranks pre-eminently as the meteor month— month of August. ... It is only in recent years that our knowledge of these natural fireworks has made any real advance. By the labour of a very few observers, one of whom, Mr. Denning, may be said to have outweighed all others put together in the value and number of his results, we know of many hundred of radiant points and they have been shown to be not mere distempers of the air but bodies of a truly planetary nature travelling round the sun in orbits as defined as that of the earth itself.—E. W. Maunder, in Knowledge. CARVING BY MACHINERY. Wonderful results are being wrought Tn America by the new system of carving by machinery. The marble carver can with a pneumatic hammer strike two hundred, two thousand, or even five thousand blows in one minute without any exertion on his part. Tho mason can, of course, regulate the number of blows to each minute. The flying hammer fits any form of stoneworking chisel, to the guidance of which the mason is free to devoto the whole of his attention and skill. The new system was employed in the decoration of the interior marble of the) Appellate Court recontly erected (in Madison Square, New York. The work was executed in the best possible manner, and in less than one-fourth the time it would have taken if the ordinary mallet had been employed. THE MOST INTERESTING PLANET. " Jupiter is the most interesting planet of the solar system, considered as a subject, for telescopic investigation; and he is certainly one of the easiest objects we have, on account of his large size and the conspicuous character of many of the markings he displays." So writes Mr. Denning in the current number of Knowledge. lb is in the study of changes in the figure and motion of these markings that Jupiter offers attractions of a mora distinct and special kind than those of any other planet. Venus is beautiful, as a crescent, but her disc shows no more than mere suspicions of dusky areas, of which it is exceedingly difficult to trace the outlines or discern variation. Mars displays an interesting configuration, in reference to which we have still much to learn, but he is of small dimensions, and only visible to tho best advantage fit comparatively long intervals. Saturn exhibits a novel and picturesque effect, but his details are somewhat faint, and this, combined with his great distance and relatively small apparent diameter, has occasioned a good many dubious observations of late years. No doubt there are occasional irregularities in tho belts, and definite spots now and then appear, for there is every reason to believe that the surface phenomena of the planet is somewhat similar to that operating on Jupiter. In 1878 and 1879, when the great red spot dteveloped into striking prominence and became an attractive object for study, the planet Jupiter was surveyed in nearly every telescope, and our knowledge of his phenomena was much enhanced. . . The spots having considerable proper motion, and being subject to extensive changes, cannot be regarded as material parts of the planet's surface. . . During the last few years Jupiter has received much further investigation. The rca spot is still present, though only as a (frisky stain in the bay or hollow in the south side of tho great southern equatorial belt." NEW FIREPROOF MATERIAL.

A new fireproof substance has been recently tested by the British Fire Prevention Committee. The material, which is known as "gypsine," is manufactured of plastic hydraulic lime, mixed with coke or sand, and asbestos. It is compressed into bricks. In the experiment to prove its fire-resisting qualities, a partition, 10ft in length and 7ft 9in in width, was constructed with these bricks, whicu" were laid in hydraulic mortar with joints thick. The side of the partition exposed! to the fire in the test-hut was coated with a thin layer of fireclay. The fire was maintained for an hour, during which time tho temperature rose to 2050 degrees Fahr. Notwithstanding this tremendous heat the material successfully resisted the flames. At no period of the test did the temperature of the exterior surface of me partition attain a height sufficient to ignite a match..