SCIENCE AND INVENTIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15056, 27 July 1912, Page 4 (Supplement)

SCIENCE AND INVENTIONS.

A 54,000-TON SHIP.

The North German Lloyd Steamship Company, it is announced, has let a contract for the construction of a 54,000-ton Transatlantic liner. This marks' a great advance even upon the huge ships which have made their appearance during the past fire years. The largest of the North German Lloyd existing fleet is the George Washington* of 27,000 tons. The next largest vessels are the Mauretania and Lusitania vof 32,000 tons, the Olympic of 45,000' tons, the Iraperator, of the Ham-burg-American Line, now building, of 30,000 tons. The new North German Lloyd ship is of just twice the tonnage of the George Washington. THE "EYES" OF SNAILS. We are all familiar with the peculiar stalked structures which the common snail protrudes from its head as it travels along, seemingly exploring the territory around by what we are accustomed to describe as "eyes," situated at the end of the stalk. According to a note published in La Nature, this is a misapprehension. It appears that if the ends bearing the so-called "eves" are cut off these stalks the snail after a little while proceeds on its way in exactly the usual way, thrusting out its tentacles and behaving much as before. It is, therefore, doubtful whether this eye has anv visual function at all. It seems rather that the tentacles, by touch or in some other way, inform tho snail of the presence Sand character of neighbouring objects.

( PHOSPHORESCENT BAIT. - j It is stated that the fishermen of Ozimbo, Portugal, have a somewhat novel method of catching fish by the use of a I natural phosphorescent substance. This is obtained from a fish known as Malacocephalus laevis, which, ' although rare in most parts of the globe, is frequently found in this locality. Upon pressing ! the abdomen of this fish there exudes a j thick yellowish fluid, which possesses _ a bluish "phosphorescence in the dark, which I is considered to be due to presence of a luminous microbe. The fishermen rub this substance upon a muscular tissue, such as a piece of cuttlefish, and this is used as bait. The light appears to last for a. long time, at least for several hours, and has a brighter glow when dipped in the sea. Fish aro attracted to the' bait by the light and are thus caught.

CORNEA GRAFTED ON BLIND EYE. * Mr. Magitot has been engaged on interesting work at Paris in the way of grafting of the human cornea on the eye of a blind man. A young. man of 15 years (says the Scientific American) had almost lost the sight of one eye from a burn byquicklime, and an opaque layer covered all over the cornea, so that all light was cut off from the retina. Seven months ago Dr. Magitot cut in the middle of the opaque tissues an opening of about 1-5 inch square, and then fitted in a miniature window pane in the shape of a square piece of transparent cornea. This ho had taken from the eye of another person eight days before. The tissues joined up completely about a week after, and .the person thus partially recovered his sight. It is to be remarked that the piece of cornea was preserved in the living state before the grafting process, according to a method similar to the one followed in America by Dr. Carrel. AX IXSEGT TIGER. The mantis has been, well named the tiger of the insect world." Concealed from observation by shape and coloration, it lurks in the foliage of trees and destroys great numbers of flies, grasshoppers J and other insects. The larger species of j South America and Northern Africa will : even attack small frogs, lizards, and birds. In "La, Nature" a French army officer j describes the capture of a willow-warbler |by a mantis. Attracted by a tremendous ! fluttering in some ehrubbery, the officer discovered that tho noise was made by a willow-warbler that seemed to be caught by the neck in a noose of green silk. When the officer went nearer tho noose released its grip and the bird fell to the ground lifeless. The officer then discovered that the warbler had been grasped about the | throat by the powerful epined claw of a J large mantis. The insect had succeeded in inflicting in tho throat of the bird a cut !so deep that the warbler had bled to i death.

DENTISTRY AMONG ANCIENTS. Dentistry is often supposed to be among the peculiar triumphs ot our own civilisa- '■ tion, but the dentistry of antiquity was not one whit inferior to that of to-day. Die oldest example of all is a Phoenician specimen of bridgework found in a tomb near Sidon, in which the teeth are united ! by gold wire, two of the teeth having been transplanted. In the museum of Corneto are a number of fine specimens' of dental work of the sixth and seventh centuries, B.C. Thev consist' of bridgework made by riveted bands of metal. One of them supported three artificial teeth, i two of them being made from a, single ox ! tooth grooved to imitate human teeth. ! Martial speaks of an old woman who was! so frightened that her teeth fell out,' and ; elsewhere he compares the fine teeth of one i woman with the poor teeth of another ' and explains that the former had purchased her deutal equipment, while the latter still depended upon Nature. The 1 tomans were very particular about their teeth. They had them filled when necessary, and were experts in the making of washes and dentifrices.

WOODEN TIKE FOR MOTOR TRUCKS Among the many ingenious substitutes that have been evolved to supersede the expensive rubber tires for the commercial automobile one that has appeared in England has a distinct, claim to novelty, inasmuch as it is made of wood. For some years past, in view of tho advance in the price of rubber, Mr. John Henry Knight, of Fain ham, has been endeavouring to us© , wood as a substitute. An excellent in- j stance of tho elasticity of wood is afforded by the archer's bow, which retains its qualities for half-a-cent-ury or more. Innumerable tests show that the tire is resilient and springy, will carry a load of 6001b or more, rides over inequalities in the road surface with ease, prevents skidding, and seems to possess remarkable wearing qualities. The tire is built up of sections of ash, bolted on the rim of the wheel in two or more rows. The blocks break joint with one another. In the ends of the blocks are saw cuts, while a wedge- I shaped piece is cut away to give greater ' elasticity. Before the blocks are bolted to 1 the wheel they are bent by steaming but are given a somewhat greater curve than the circumference of the wheel. The vSpuSf* 1 ckals - ih ™ "> preDRIED AIR IN SURGERY. i It is a. matter of common knowledge I among the imitated that in the tropfes even severe wounds heal with remarkable , rapidity. The cause for this phenomenon is not completely explained. It cannot be ascribed merely to the heat, for in our latitudes we do not experience any advant- ' age of this kind during the summer. The ' active factor must be the great dryness I us that a eiy few bacteria are capable of us tliat \ety few bacteria are canable of 1 living 111 dry air. The idea very naturally ! suggests itself to apply socially dried air for the treatment of wounds catarrhs Jll An apparatus for this purple has recently been constructed by Dr. R Knln« ? is described in " Prometheus " The' r " passed through a number of flasks of which the first contains paraffin oil 'erv ing merely for washing the air ' ti, second and third flasks contain pumice soaked m strong sulphuric acid, and lastly, two Husks are provided with a charge of lime and caustic soda. If desired suitable medicinal vapours may be added to the air. which may also be heated a thermometer indicating its temperature' A ■ blast of air may thus be directed to anv I portion desired or may be inhaled from a j suitable mouthpiece. Reports on the rei suits obtained are favourable, and hitherto j no ill-effects have been observed as the I result of its use, , :i