Scientific and Useful.

Western Star, Issue 1244, 21 April 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

Scientific and Useful.

TEA. Prof. Germain See, in a lecture on the die fc of patients, delivered at the Hotel Dieu, Paris, the other day, referred to tea as the best of beverages. It is the best digestive drink, but should be taken after quick infusion. P rof. See ridiculed the remarks made about teadrinfcing in this country, and declared that it ivas the surest means of sustaining intellectual energy. TO TELIi THE AGE OF EGGS. Dissolve two ounces of salt in a pint of water. When a fresh laid egg is placed in this solution, it will descend to the bottom of the vessel, while one that has been laid on the day previous will not quite reach the bottom. If the egg be three days old, it will swim in the liquid, and, if it i* more than three days old, it will float on the surface, and project 'above the latter more and more in proportion as it is older. EtECTBIC SUNSTROKE. M. H. de Parville, in the Journal des JDehats, gives an account of some cases of “ electric sunstroke.” At the Creuzat works steel is melted and welded by the aid of electricity, and it is stated that while at five yards’ distance the thermometer scarcely moves, bystanders suffer “ strokes ” at fourteen yards. The skin ef the face and forehead assumes a coppery tint, and when it peels off the complexion is left of a fine brick colour. * This is, we suppose, another wonder of electricity. THE MEEOCIPEDB. Imong cycling curiosities is to be numbered the * melocipede,’ or musical bicycle and tricycle. We are not aware that this instrument of torture has made its way, as yet, to England ; but it seems to be known in America, and particularly at Baltimore. It consists of a musical box, which the cyclist works with the pedals as he rides along, causing strains of music to accompany bis progress. It is to be hoped that the invention will not become popular here. i ; GERMAN TAPER. 5 - .'•

Germany produce* and exports (says Kuloto’a German Trade Review) more paper than any other country; Her superiority is test seen in wood-pulp paper and wood-pulp, the conditions being nowhere else so favourable. It is well known that cellulose prepared from wood is used as a substitute for the rags in the manufacture of paper. The consumption of paper has become so great that the supply of rag* would long ago have been unequal to covering the demand. Germany manipulates yearly in some 60 factories about 600,000 cubic meters of wood (for which seven hectares of forest must be cleared). All in all, the German cellulose manufacturers turn over 80,000,000 mks. yearly ANTIQUITIES OF TUBKEBTAH.

In a late issue of the Izvestia of the Russian Geographical Society, M. KrasnofE makes some interesting remarks on the antiquities of Turkestan. He points out that in the stone inscriptions he has seen in the Tian-Sban the men are always represented on horseback,, armed with bows, arrows, long pikes with flags and cuired swords. Their dress is like the present khalat of the Mongolians and the Turks. The scenes represented mostly relate to hunting, and the men are surrounded by stags, arkhars (wild sheep), foxes, tigers, wild bears, and some very big animals with a thick hairy tail, and with tusks like those of the mammoth. In the gorge of the Unun-su, M. Kransnoff saw the drawing of a camel. There are no inscriptions proper by the side of these drawings: but plenty of wild sheep, like the tau~tek of our days, are represented in files along the mountain-paths. AN EIiECZBIC LOOK, A new electric permutation safe lock has been brought out in Chicago, which differs materially from all other safe locks, in the fact that there is no orifice to speak of in the door of the safe. The dial rests in a magnetic block from which wires extend and communicate with magnets which set up the tumblers in the lock, and so permit of the throwing back of the bolt bar. ;This releases a spring or body of compressed air, as the case may be, which in turn releases the heavy bolt work. The wires penetrate the top plate of the safe at the jamb of the door, and more in a zigzag course through the inner plates to the lock The wires are so small and their course so crooked, that it is claimed they cannot be traced by explosives. A current of electricity is obtained from several small batteries by pressing down a key on the vulcanite block that holds the dial.

SALT WATEB JOB CEMENT MOBTAB IN WINTEE.

The folio wing German experiments designed to ascertain the effect of frost upon hydraulic mortars and cements gauged with and without the addition of salt to the water have been quoted in the Revue Industrielle, Cubes of stones were used in these experiments, and were joined together with cement mixed with water ranging from pure rain water to water containing from 2 to 8 per cent, of salt. While the cement was jet fresh, the blocks were exposed in air at a temperature of 20 deg. to 32 deg. Fah., after which they were kept for 7 days in a warm room. At the end of this time the specimens were examined. The cement made with pure water was quite crumbled, and had lost all its tenacity. The cement mixed with water containing two per cent, of salt was in better condition, but could not be described as good ; while that contain ing 8 per cent, of salt had not suffered from its exposure to the lowest temperature available for the purposes of experiment. It is possible that the salt merely had the effect of preventing the water in which it was dissolved from freezing at the temperature named, and so permitted the cement to set in the ordinary way. These results may, however, be usefully cited at this particular season, when outdoor building operations are liable to be suspended on account of frost, and the stability of green work is threatened by the same influence. WATEESPOUTB. Waterspouts are sometimes seen on the Lake of Geneva, and M. Dufour has made a study of one which occurred on August 19, about 7.30 A.M. It seems to have risen on the lake at the meeting of two winds, one from the south, in the eastern part of the lake, and the other from the west, in the western ; and its path was along the line of demarcation, changing direction womewhat as it neared the northern shore. Some testified to a rising of the water, which was in violent rotation (in the direction of the hands of a watch). The base of the column was like whirling opaque smoke, which rose in widening spiral, lost hove in the cloud. The column was conslat ibly inclined, the upper part advancing moi quickly than the lower. In the rear was heavy rain. It is estimated that the troth oe was about 2 to 3 metres in diameter at foot, and about 106 metres high, and its rate of progress about 760 metres per minute (the speed of an express train). On reaching the shore it disappeared, doing no harm either to vineyard or railway, and had the look of a serpent drawing in its tail. The weather was e ry variable that day, from hour to hour, nd from one part of the lake to anotherThere was no thunder nor lightning.—Nature