OLLA PODRIDA.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 753, 6 August 1886, Page 5

OLLA PODRIDA.

RESTORATION OF MAGNETISM BY HEAT. Writing to the Scientific American, Mr Charles H. Roberts says:—‘To heat magnet to a red heat has long been known to destroy its magnetism ; but from a recent experiment of mine with two sound magnets that have from want of care lost nearly all their magnetism, I fully restored them byrubbing a red hot iron, J inch, over them until it had become quite cool. The magnet* are better now than when new. This experiment was prompted in my desire to prove magnetism bears to heat as close a relation as electricity. Thus we hope soon to be able to make a clearer demonstration.* ANTI-TRAMP PROTECTOR. A recently-married electrician, says the Electrical World, who lives near Sacramento, California, has devised a scheme for protecting his wife from the annoyance of tramps. The vagrants invariably Bought the kitchen via a rear stairway, so the electrician detached the four bottom steps from the others, and attached a powerful battery to them. A wire from the battery runs into the kitchen, and when a tramp is seen approaching all that is necessary is to touch a spring at the proper moment, and the astonTshed seeker after provender is thrown nearly over the back fence. ASBESTOS DISCOVERIES IN SIBERIA.

Advices from Moscow state that the Russian Technical Society has received from the Ural region some fine specimens of asbestos recently discovered in the province of Ekaterinburg, together with a scientific report stating that carefully conducted have revealed the existence of unusually large deposits of that mineral. It is only a year ago that a similar discovery was made in Krivoy Rog district of South Russia, bat in that case the mineral was of a somewhat inferior character, whereas that from Ekaterinburg is pronounced to be equal to the finest in the market. The Siberians are well aware of the importance of their discovery, and are already looking forward to the visit of foreign manufacturersof asbestos materials, particularly from this country, where the industry is rapidly on the increase. The deposits lie close to the Ekaterinburg Railway, and the facilities of 'transport afforded by the line, and the Volga River system, will enable a ready export trade to be opened up. A suggestion has already been thrown out that Russia should attempt the manufacture of asbestos materials herself, and it is said that if this were done encouragement would be given to further investigation, and other discoveries would be made. Siberia is known to possess in abundance almost every conceivable mineral, and her resources have only failed to attract the attention of Europe because the communications withthe country were so difficult. Now, however, the steam communications exist from Western Europe to 2000 miles east of theXJrals, there is every probability that European capitalists will be attracted to the country, and we should not be surprised if the abestos discovery should invite the enterprise of German manufacturers, who are now overrunning Russia. —Engineering. COAL EXPERIMENTS IN THE PACIFIC. Some prolonged experiments of Pacific coal of various kind, conducted by the naval authorities at Vladivostoek, have yielded results of a very unsatisfactory character to Russia. The samples employed were obtained from the coal mines of Doue, on the Island Saghalien, from some newly discovered deposits in the province of the Amoor, from the adjacent country of Corea, and from the immediate neighborhood of Vladivostoek. Cardiff coal, as at present used by the Russian Pacific fleet, was accepted as the standard, and the question confided to the commission to solve was whether any of the rival sorts obtained in the Pacific were sufficiently good to permit of Russia dispensing with the further use of the English article. The trials were very carefully conducted, and, according to the newspaper "V ladivostock, the commission pronounced all the coals to be too smoky, and expressed the belief that the Russian Pacific fleet could nob do without Cardiff coal. This decision is very disappointing to those who have pinned their faith on the Saghalien coal mines, and is not very agreeable to the Russian Government. In 1878, when war between England and. Russia seemed probable, the Russians, in default of supplies of their own, had to purchase at any price all the coal they could lay their hands on in Japan, at San Fransisco, in Australia and elsewhere, and after all their exertions, were able only to concentrate a very inadequate quantity at Vladivostoek. Taught by experience as soon as the Treaty of Berlin was signed, the Government set to work to develop the coal deposits in Saghalien, an island which Russia had recently siezed from Japan on account of its known supply of fuel. To Saghalien since then 4000 exiles and 1000 troops have been sent, and probably the sum expended in settling them theie and opening up the mines, which are further protected by batteries, has not been much under a million sterling. In spite of this outlay, when the war scare took place last spring, and the English authorities suddenly bought np *ll the available Japanese coal, Russia again found herself provided with *.

limited stock of fuel, and that for the most part of an inferior quality. This has led to fresh activity in obtaining coal from the Amoor region and Corea, but the outcome after all is that Russia finds herself compelled to continue her dependance upon Cardiff. Such a result is discouraging, even though the Vladivostock authorities consider that the Pacific coal is less to blame than the incapacity of the Russian mining engineers to work the proper kind of coal and Bend it in a fit cendition to the market. When Donetz coal waa first extracted in South Russia the same objections were expressed to its quality, yet the industry has annually increased year after year and the quality is rapidly improving. In all likelihood, the same will be the ultimate result in the Pacific.

PLATING WITHOUT ELECTRICITY. A curious phenomenon ha 3 been observed bv M. Blondlot, and communicated to the French Academy of Sciences. A disk of platinum and a disk of copper, o‘o3 meter in diameter, were fixed vertically in front of each other, by help of two platinum stands. The disks were three or four millimetres apart, and both were placed, inside a bell jar of porcelain, open below. The apparatus was then heated red-hot for three hours by means of a gas furnace; and although there was no electric current, it was found that the face of the platinum disk was blackened with a deposit containing copper and platinum. . In short, the copper had crossed from the copper plate to the platinum one. M. Blondlot, by repeating the experiment in different gas, found that the nitrogen of the air was the agent in this transport of matter. The nitrogen combines ■with the copper, and lodges on the platinum, either incorporating ittelf with the latter or decomposing in contact with it under the influence of its high temperature. —Scientific American,

WORTH KNOWING. BRITISH CHEMIST AND DRUGGIST. The Vegetable Trocar is the title accorded by Dr. Rush to the root of Apocynum canna binum or American Indian hemp. Canadian hemp is perhaps a handier name for this drug, which has been attracting much attention lately in the States, where both the root itself, and the tincture are official. Dr. Andrew H. Smith lately read a paper upon this plant, before the New York Academy of Medicine, which was an interesting r<ssum<s of its general history and proprieties. Dr. Hutchens, over ten years ago, recorded a case of general anasarca, with pleuritic effusion and hydropericardium, extreme. dyspnoea, and enormous distension, in which the drug acted so that in 48 hours the man who had been so frightfully distended was reduced to a skeleton. Dr. Smith’s cases were three in number. One was a failure, perhaps owing to a bad selection of the drug. In another the apocynum excited profuse diuresis, and danger was averted. The third case was one of general anasarca, ascites, and cedemateous lungs, with extreme dyspnoea, face cyanotic, and mind wandering. All diuretics had failed, and it seemed unwise to annoy the patient with further treatment, but when apocynum was tried the quantity of urine was raised from between 6 and 12 to 30 ounces, and the urgent symptoms were relieved. Apocynum is certainly worth trying systematically in this country. Application of lodoform in Diphtheria. A correspondent, writing to the Lancet, says that he has cured a very severe case of diphtheria by means of iodoform only. It was applied to the patches on the palate and the fauces (with a camel-hair pencil moistened with mucilage) three times a day. The child also inhaled vapour of iodoform whenever he suffered from dyspnoea, and was invariably relieved by it. The vapour was produced by the lowest possible temperature, so as not to change its chemical and curative properties. The child was unable to swallow for two days previously to being seen by the physician, but within half anbour of the application of the iodoform he was able to take a little milk, and afterwards continued to drink with ease. The tongue became clean, and remained so. The same correspondent has also been using iodoform with marked benefit in the treatment of such complaints as phthisis, erysipelas, berpes, burns, and scalds. Professor Rouig recommends that in •epidemics of cholera, typhoid, small-pox, &c., the chambers which have been occupied by the patients should be disinfected by means of fumes of corrosive sublimate in the following manner : The room is closed and a vessel of live coals placed in the middle. Upon this fire about two ounces of sublimate are thrown, and the room is not opened for three or four hours. The most careful covering up of mouth and nose -is necessary on entering to open the windows. After free ventilation has been continued for several hours, the remaining traces of mercury may be rendered innocuous by fumigating with sulphur. - The Use of Kava in Gonorrhoea.— This drug is recommended by Dupony and Gubler as almost a specific in the treatment of: gonorrhoea and leucorrhcea. The active principles of the plant are a resin and a crystalline substance, called by Gubler kavaine. The administration of kava in gonorrhoea increases the urinary secretion, xeduces inflammation, and quiets pain. It has the advantage over balsam of copaiba in that it has a pleasant taste, and does not affect the stomach unpleasantly. The plant is a native of the islands of the Pacific. Deutsche Medicinal Zeitung. Carbolic Acid for Frecxles. Dr. Tlalkin’s procedure is as follows : The skin, being washed and dried, is put on the stretch with two fingers of the left hand, and a drop of carbolic acid is applied exactly over the patch. When it dries the operation is completed. The skin becomes white, and the slight sensation of burning disappears in a few minutes. The thin crust which forms after the cauterization should not be disturbed ; it detaches itself spontaneously in eight or ten days, leaving a rosy coloration, which is soon replaced by the normal color of the skin. —American Practitioner and News. Hamamelis in Congestion. —M. Campardon has published, in the form of a pamphlet, his paper, read at the Paris Society, on * Hamamelis Virginica.’ The author dwells on its power *.» removing congestion. He recommends it

for fevers, haemorrhage, exaggerated arterial tension, varicose veins, and congestion ; in anaemia and aortic valvular lesions it ought not to be used, as it has a depressing influence. M. Campardon prefers the tincture of hamamelis virginica to any other form. He gives it in doses of five drops, repeated according to circumstances. Napthaltn for Dressing Ulcers.—According to Dovodtchikoff, napthalin is an invaluable dressing for ulcers. .He writes m the Vracht that it is inexpensive and easily used, therefore of great service to poor people. After its application, granulations quickly appear, and cicatrisation is rapid ; its antiseptic properties serve to remove false membranes and bad odors, Naphthalm dressings do not irritate ulcers nor produce any pain, and patients can continue their avocations without any difficulty. Intermittent Fever Treated by Carbolic Acid. —Dr. Narich, of Smyrna, narrates a case of intermittent fever extending over a year, not susceptible to the influence of quinine. From January 20th to 27th, an injection of 40 centigrammes of crystallised phenic acid, and 50 grammes of distilled water was made, night and morning, in the left arm. From the time the first injection was made, a period of nine months, the patient has been entirely free from the attacks. M. Du Castel’s mode of treating small-pox by the simultaneous administration of opium and ether is making headway in I ranee, the former drug being given by the mouth, in doses of 15 or 20 centigrammes, and the latter injected hypodermically. MM. Balzer and Dreyfus-Brissore have just reported in favor of the new treatment, which causes the papules to become abortive, even in con fluent cases of very severe type. Friedrichshall Water Constipation.— Dr. A. S. Gubb, in the Med. Press and Circular, says the class of cases, iu which he has found Friedrichshall water of especial service, comprises haemorrhoids accompanied by habitual constipation, hepatic congestion, and the constipation of pregnancy. It acts well, he says, as a continuous means of lessening venous congestion. Cancer Cured by Resorcin.— A case of epithelioma is said, by Dr. Antoni, to have been cured by the application of an ointment twice s day, consisting of 15 parts resorcin to 20 parts vaseline.

Muller has given the composition of an ink which can be used with an ordinary pen for etching on glass. It consists of hydrochloric acid, ammonium fluoride and oxalic acid thickened with barium sulphate. He had also proposed a better substitute made in this way : Equal parts of the double hy drogen ammonia fluoride and dried precipitated barium sulphate are ground together in a porcelain mortar. The mixture is then treated in a platinum, lead or gutta percha dish with fuming hydrofluoric acid until the acid ceases to react. One of the most beautiful processes in enameling, according to the Duet Ind. Zeitung, is accomplished by using gold thread rubbed with the juice of an onion, which causes it to adhere to the surfaces, the figures being afterward filled out with emanel. This is the art known as cloisonne, the method pursued being to bake the article in a furnace until the enamel exhibits a lustre or a glossy surface, which is an indication that it is melted. The process has to be conducted with care, for if it is overbaked the enamel /burns and falls off; it may also happen that, in places where the enamel burns it thinner, it also burns. When cool, the roughness is removed by careful hand polishing, with a fine sandstone, and lastly the enamel receives its finishing polish.