Science Siftings

New Zealand Tablet, 2 December 1909, Page 1915

Science Siftings

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In factories where neeales are "inflal line grindstones •Urrow^ojEL gr^ati 1 quantities of minute steel particles, with wtliclOfMS aftfßecola'e^.^^^i,ici|iarg^^lli6tfgfli the dust is too fine to be. perceptible to the eye. Breathing the dust^ shows noim'meaiatev'effeftt^bnij.^^dQ^tly sets up irritation,]* usually ending in pulmonary consumption, and formerly'^ workmen, almost, all died before the age of forty. Ineffective k a%iJ^ifipW ! 'wfere'-fnade" -to. s«rgeft^the~" air -by^gauze," or linen ft guards -f of noßSvanjd, v moutK"sMaLtJla.'Stythe(use of the magnet/l was suggest^ attd^ow. , masks s of .magnetised steel wire are'fy worn by workmen, and effectually remove the metal dust' before the air is breathed. - - - - ,«sj ~ "For"more--than-half~a"<jentuTy— it has been > under,stAO.(L jphat the lateral line of scales along each side of Connected to a special nerve. The use of these TStfriil "jbrgans'^Kas f be*eri a' 'matter~of -much speculation, but the r 'late experiments- of Hoferseerp. to show x tha£, their^chief .|uncti<^^s cur^b.*!?'-; j #-Th^&ri£pply C* '«, newjr^nsß'ijn p/Jafce sense'of " toucn ; *they* '^cause to 'ssp% and turn' aside -within an*inch o^^isolrdi object, leji,d toj]s%reams and spawning brooks and ke|g^^a> !f fishjs^rJditi|6tfoJ!3|^ed and warned. ■ - , - : ; f^^i^gl^tf Insect Life. j The. greatest^iaio'WTi. .'curiosity of insect iife, as far as .liabits are concerned at least, "is to be found in the queer J* parasol' or 'umbrella' ant, so common,, in, all parts of Hropical- America— from- -Texas -ta-^Vene'zuelal- -The' common " •-"name by which the creature is known has been bestowed of a queer habit this species "of ant has of stripping kinds q£ ttees.ancLsKFffgs of their foliage carry-^ 4ng th^leSM'^Jifstn».s%n agps #»#! ##h#f r =lave been tfff oA a^for^gmg expedit^M^se'seHtltifequejib'eSst© $ sight imaginable as they march in columns by twos, -fours,- -^n'dr'sixes*^actel*oldj#^ jaws, the leaf itself shading- the -fittlV-insecVs "fik'e '"&' \ paj^ol^dpes^he^faee^.aiad^ shoulder of a^lady. The early naitg^ajjsis i^agine4Hhst%^his^ a|k€s carried leavest. i%jptho Bole "purpose of p'rbtesting"tlieni!elv'e'§ 1 agaafistf'the i>ay^f 6$ the tropical sun, but investigatiqn shows that they have another use for the bits of green they gather. The' leaves are only wanted as soil \ipon whicK to grow a certain species of fungi of which the parasol ant-is~very fond. " Marvellotis Salt Mines.- -"•' > < The most interesting salt ' mines' in - the world are said to be those at Wieliczka, in Galicia,* which form an nnder--liground^ collection of streets, houses, , churches, and monu.ipents.,.;- Their .history/ can be .traced back a thousand years, and they are still being- worked 1 . 1 '" 4 -~ •■"?•" ' : ..'■tir.A Tourists are fitted out with : ' mines' '^shirts- and; hgpds, and are conducted by guides, one to each three visitors, 'ffie firlsfst'op "is at r St'/'A'ntbonys^Ghapel^ b.ewn r , two £ hundi'ed'years ago 'by 1 some -unknojy it, miner from, a single piece of rockasalti - r; .„• ir j c -i „ \^i". ""'„ , ''' """ IJJ '' V The altar has twisted "columns, and E there' are statues at each side, praying monks kneeling on the steps, and over the altar the bf acifixion and a statu©j,of the Virgin. Smaller altars at the sides and the pulpit are carved from pure sait spaV. Tliis chapeljwas£formerly^usedvfor religious, services, but they are now cbnducted y< in tne more modern chapel of St.- ■'Oun'eguhd. rt^^d"' v'.«.-?uy .Next '-qpnriSs a great dancin© ha^lj, bu,ng with (Chandeliers carved from crystal salfeJjcuJl^l* in honor of the visit of the ?aine^,^Thejcpsar 2 q j s^aii.ues., of salt^ here ? top, a - door .and f a lone i gallery. "* "VisitoTs^of ten-' dance lJiere t tQ^the' music 'of "ari/brchestfat"' :-..»••>' »>o»i. ? 'iw^ • Vf ,Next f '*ney £6 t r 6 4 -toe >j; chapel.'bf St.-^Gunegundy opened in cf iB9JB. •is'^ea l bb > ed?fby-:a ; Lde:Bcen N t!iot^6- < steps cvt v , in .solid salt. The chapel itself JuiJLSOft long, 45ft broad; 4< anct 30ft high. It contain^ statueSija^-b^au^jful pulpit, altars, and chandeliers, all of salt. -"-■"- > The -Michalowice -h*ll- is_B4f t long, _s4ft. wide, .and 108 ft high, tgi&&oflb Uplossal^^iandelier 7ift in -diameter,- containing "- 200 ca&H^O^^&Ks&i^l t other beautiful halls, one reache^mgfeS^feJpJm A fffcfioTpjli Grotto, where the lights and wmTO^carvingS fire wfiecled iin the. water of an undercjronnd lake. From the centre of, the \va&eTjzjmG§ s ßt ! W&tuerp?;*= ! «J r a^4L^%Stf r8& i^ surroun<^ e^ r * re^i^^" stalactites!" 4X4 X 1 I '«W» l^W S ( lnfi£!l r ss£y a * miles^^le^gth and^'ajf a leries at present accessible is upwardr*oi 65 miles, Aanct?vthSt-;~ of m&l^Uttttttlsße&s. -I / \f\ /%^

"- Ask tlU^^^l from Rheuiri ttism, "GButf^^^p^ttry; Lumbago the value of health. | i usk what he=*3swupV^iveto again mttveffrfeely and without «aiiw3?nen jjaMnayGtyey „ value of RHEUMO. It has cureff^ousanM,Jroi itre-^ chemist or store sen's it sarzs" 6d anU 4s pa. . g, X; / \ i f-faa n* sehrrfhV 'ff -Jhftffi V- 'X ■■'