Volume 38 (1879) (440 pages)

Y 7 March 15, 1879.] MINING AND SCIENTIFIC PRESS. 167 Central American Telegraphs and Railways, The telegraph lines of Nicaragua and Honduras have lately been joined together by the completion of the missing link in Nicaragua territory between Chicbigalpa and the houndary hetween the two conntriea at Rio Negro. Tele. graphic communicatinn is thus cnmplete throughout the four Republics of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Honduras, from San Juan del Sur to Mexico. A moderato tariff is tn be enforced for through wessaves, In Houduras further extensions of the telegraph system are beiug made, aud 150 miles of new Wire are iu course nf completion, in addition to the 500 already opened, This republic is giving further evidence of its desire to advance hy organizing an "‘exhibitiou” ona modest scale, which was open fora short period towards tho end of last year. Happy augury for tho bondholders! Mondaras houds at £3 per £100 boud! Honduras having an exhibition ! The Government of Costa Rica is enconragiug the introduction of immigrants for the purpose of constructing railways on the Atlantic coast, and improving the eommunication between the terminus at Pacuore aud the interior by meaus of carriage roads. ‘he carriage road from San Jose to Las Palmas and the river Sucio is being rapidly pressed forward. Of the total lenzth of about 80 miles only 29 miles are required to complete the work, hy which a saving of 20 miles will he eticetcd, compared with the old apology for a road via Cartago. A new port is being constructed nn the Pacific coast, at Cocos, on the Bay of Calebras, The erection of public offices and other works has been ordered by the government, and the port will he, for the present at least, entirely free from all harhor, light, anchorage and nther dues, —Britth Trade Journal. Prewistorrc Remains.—Georgo Carr and others, mining on Lynx ercek, says the Arizona Miner, have unearthed a bonanza of human remains and curiosities consisting of jaw-hones, ollas, beads, stone-knives, metat-stones, ete. The beads are interspersed witn curiously wrought pendants, or flat pieces of blue and green stones of very diminutive size, each punched or drilled in one edge or corner. The heads are of irregular sizes, hut all quite small, some black, some white, and otbers of various shapes and colors, and when strung as they are now, hy the finders, form a very curious and unique specimen of the ornaments, or perhaps charms of a hygone and unknown age. Perhaps the straugest and most interesting phenomenon of the collection is 2 jaw-bone, which in shape, size and every other feature except that it has not, and evidently never had but three or four teeth, and they directly in front, is that of a human jaw, Whether its possessor in his lifetime was a grass-eater, which after biting it off he swallowed while and afterwards chewed hia cud, or whether this is an exceptional case, and a deformity, some one more learned in anatomy tban we, will have to determine. The mctat-stones are of malpice and very small. These relics were found on the top of the hard cement or false bedrock, some four feet from the surface of the ground. A Perririep Human Hanp.— A curiosity which astonished scientists and puzzled them to account for is now on exhihition in Gould’s eahinet at Mill City. Itisa perfectly formed hand, which, apparently, helonged to a hoy ahout 14 years of age. The hand is open, the fingers heing slightly hent toward the palm, on which the thumb rests. The hack of the hand seems tn have been crushed or decomposed hefore it was petrified, hut the palm, thumb and fingers are perfect. We were informed that it was found at the sulphur beds near Rabbit Hole, hy one of the men employed in shoveling crude sulphur into the refining retort, and is supposed to have heen imhedded in the sulphur bank for ages, The fingers are comparatively short, a fact which indicates that it did not belong to an Indian, as the red men’s fingers are generally longer than those of the white; hut the thumb is rather longer than the average. Tn what race the owner of the hand helonged, and how and when it was imhedded in the sulphur, will probably remain unknown, nnless some scientist should investigate the hand and the sulphur bank where it was found and explain these mysteries.— Winnemucea (Nev.), Silver State. Tur New Gotoip Doitar.—The first specimen of the metric gold double eagle on the golnid principle, of the full value of $20, coined at the Philadelphia United States Mint, has heen received at the Treasury department. It is a heautiful coin of the size of the old douhle eagle, having a very rich hue, The design of the ohverse side is a head of Liherty surmounted hy 13 stars, hetween which is the metric inscription ‘30g, I.5s. 3.5c, 35 grains,” helow which is 1879, On the reverse is the double eagle, surmounted by the words “United States of America” and a circlet of 13 stars emhlazoned. Within the circlet is the Latin inscription “Deo est Gloria,” in a scroll held hy the eagle the words ‘‘E Plurihus Unum,” meaning, when translated, ‘“‘The United States of America—to God is the Glory—of many one,” Beneath this the words ‘‘twenty dollars.” The coin has heen handed over to A. H, Stephens, Chairman of the Committee on Coinage, It ia patented hy William Wheeler Hubhell, and is the companion coin of the goloid dollar. Usefue INpoRMaTion. Fresh and Stale Bread, The celebrated French chemist, M. Bouasingault, has recently investigated the nature of the change which Lread undergoes when it hecomes stale. Up te the present tiinc this has not heen well understood. A circular loaf, 12 inches in diameter and six inches thick, was taken from an oven heated tn 240° Neaumer, and a thermonieter immediately forced three inches into it. The thermometer indicated 78° KR. (207.5 I.) The loaf was then taken to a room at a temperature of 15° R. (G6" Fj, and was found to weich seven anda half pounds. In 12 hours the temperature of the loaf sank to 19° Rt. (73° F.), in 24 hours to 15° (66° F.), and in36 hours to 14° (63.0° F.). In the first 48 hours it lost only two ounces in weight. After six days the loaf was again put in the oveo, and whon the thermometer indicated that its temperature had risen to 45°R. (136° F.), it was cut, and was found to be as fresh, and to possess the same qualities, as if it had beon takeu out of the oven for tho tirst time; but it had now lost 12 ounces in weight. Experiments were also made on slices of tho loaf with similar results, proving that new bread differs from old, not hy containing a larger proportion of water, hut hy a peculiar molecular condition. This conimences and continues to ehange during cooliug, but by again heating the hread to a certain temperature it is restored to its original state. Itis this mechanical state which makes new bread less digestihle than old. The former isso soft, elastic, and glutinous in all its parts that ordinary mastication fails to reduce it to a sulliciently divided condition, It forms itself into hard balls, which are almost unaffected by the gastric juice. ‘These halls often remain in the stomach, and, like foreign hodies, irritate and discommode it, inducing all sorts of unpleasant feelings. ELEcTRO-Bronzinc on iron has heen brought toa high state of porfection hy the Philadelphia Smelting Company. Jhis company has taken out patents covering the process for putting on iron a durahle electro-bronze tinish, which is claiined to possess the beauty aud finish of real bronze ata very much lower cost, and to be wholly unaffected in color, ete., hy the action of the atmosphere. The following is the process adopted: The articles to he bronzed are first put ina bath of paratline, which stops further oxidation; they are then coated with a metallic substance and subjected to the electro-hronzing bath, after which they are treated with a peculiar protecting varnish, and are then ready for use. The metallic substance with which the articles are coated is called ‘* Deoxidized Bronze,” and is claimed to possess in a remark-: ahle degree all those features for which alloys are valuable, It is composed entirely of copper and tin, the peculiarities in the resulting texture being entirely due to to the flux used and the method of treatment. It is said to possess superior malleability, approaching gold alloys in this respect, while its tenacity and solidity are very great. Specimens eight inches long admit of heing douhled up without apparent injury to the structure. It flows readily, is easily haudled by ordinary workmen, aud is capable of reworking from old scrap. It is also receptive of a high, smooth finish, wears well, and is largely used for machine journals, car bearings, and other purposes of a similar natuve, where a durahle anti-friction metal is required. New VARNisH FoR Founnry Parrerns.—A varnish for foundry patterns and machinery has been patented in Germany, which dries as soon as put on, gives the patterns a smooth surface, thus insuring an easy slip out of the mold, and prevents the patterns from warping, shrinking or swelling, us it is perfectly impervious to moisture, This varnish is prepared as follows: Place in a vessel 50 pounds of shellac, 10 pounds of manilla copal, and 10 pounds of Zanguebar cdpal, and heat it by the external application of steam for four or six hours, stirring it in the meantime constantly. Then add 150 parts of the finest potato spirit, and heat the whole during four hours to 190deg, Fah, This liquid is then dyed by the addition of orange color, and can he used for painting the patterns. When used for painting and glazing machinery, the varnish may consist of 35 pounds of shellac, five pounds of cocoriel copal, 10 pounds of Zanguebar copal, aud 150 pounds of spirit. Similar varnish to the ahove is used quite extensively hy pattern-makers in this country, and much of the superior appearance of American castings is duo to its use. To Cast Brass Sorin.—The metal should not he run auy hotter than is necessary to insure sharp castings. The most prohable cause of the honey-comhings of castings is that the air can not get out of the way; and there ought to be proper vents made for it from the highest parts of the mold; the metal should he run in near or atthe hottom of the mold, If about one pound of lead he added to every 16 pounds of old hrass, when just at the melting point, solid good hrasses will be the result. In melting old hrass, the zinc, or lead, contained in it . (when fluid) oxidizes freely, consequently the proportions of the metals are altered, and require an addition similar to the ahove, If the hrass has not heen recast, a little less lead will do, hut if recast several times, it may take the ' full quantity. Rearing Sponges by Artificial Means. During the past few yeara, Dr. Osear Schmidt, Professor of Zoology, at tho University of Gratz, and a well-known authority on sponges, has employed several weeks of the early summer in artificially producing and reariug the bath sponge. His labors have met with such success that his system has been adopted by the Austrian government, and is now carried outon the coast of Dalmatia, It has for some time been a well-known fact that several fautilies of zoophytes have such great powers of reproduction, that a portion of one will grow aud form on an cntire new body, Dr. Schinidt has taken advantage of this property, his process being to ent the sponge iuto picces, fasten each portion to a pile, and immerse it in the sea. The pieccs thon grow, and eventually from each one a sphorical sponge is obtained. According to the estimates of Dr. Schmidt, a small piece of sponge at the eud of three years ak represent a value of about 10 ceuts. The total cost of raising 4,000 spouges, including tbe interest on the expended capital for three years, is estimated at $45, and the income at about $S0, leaving, therefore, a net profit of $35. There is no doubt that the practice of this new branch of industry will prove a source of considorable benefit to the inhabitants of the Idrian and Dalmatian coasts, WatTERPROOF SoLes.—W aterproof soles which are either inserted into ordinary leather soles nr laid into the boot are prepared in Germany as follows: A mixture is prepared, eonsisting of 60 parta of rosin, 80 parts of tallow, 5 parts of wax, and 5 parts of turpentine. In this mixture linen is soaked. This is therehy rendered watertight. he sheet of linen is then united to a sbeet of wool hy heing passed through rollers. On the linen side the sole is now covered with a solution of glue, to prevent the resinous surface from sticking to the stockings and shoes in walking, How to Distineuish Diamonns.—M. Rabi‘net, of the French Academy of Sciences, gives the following test for distinguishing colnrless gems from diamonds. Ifa person looks through a transparent stone at any small ohject, such asthe point of a needle, nralittle hole ina card, and sees two small points, or two small holes, the stone is nota diamond. All white colorless gems, with tho exception of the diamond, make the ohject examined appear double; in other words, douhle refraction wbenever exhibited by a stone, is conclusive proof that it is not a diamond, Geop HeastH. “Modus Operandi” of Skin Grafting. — Pinch un a small amount of the cuticle from the inside of the arm with a small pair of forceps, and divide it with a small pair of concave scissors, being careful not to draw blood, and get the slip free from adipose tissue ; insert this piece of skin into the granulations about one inch from the margin of the sore, and repeat in a similar manner uutil you have slips within an inch of one another all over the abrasion, The size of tho piece of cuticle is uot so material ; the object to be attained is to have it grow, and it can’t take root unless it be buried into the ulcer, A piece of, skin the size of a pin’s head is large enough. ‘When the grafts are all inserted, dress the sore with au artificial scah, made nf adeps porci, nine ounces, and thickened into a paste with English prepared chalk, twelve ounces, and spread over the sore and margins, retaining it there with a roller nr adhesive plaster. Let this dressing remain on for three days, then redress by removing this artificial scab, and wipe the sore with a soft clotb. Never use any water in dressing old sores, for it seems to make them take on those horrible nocturnal neuralgias the night following. Then remove your paste carefully and wipe dry ; wherever a slip has taken you will notice a small depression at that point, and if you think advisable you can insert other grafts, and dress as before, and so on, until cicatrization is porfected. How Long to Continue Transplanting. Until the sore is studded full of grafts, and the ulcer, to all appearance, about well. If the sore is on the lower limb, quietude in the recumhent posture should he observed, and the leg elevated, as any pressure upon the ulcer at this time would cause most serious interference with the new granulations, as well as destroy the newly formed cuticle within the sore, which resembles so many small islands in a hody of water; these little islands of skin will meet the skin from eithcr side, and therehy hridge the abrasion over. By carefully watching at this stage the new skin will hecome permanent, so that your patient may he allowed to go ahout. If the sore is on an upper-extremity, the patient can have more liherty to go round. As regards the dietetic plan in these cascs, as a general thing, the regimen should he articles of diet containing fat nitrogenized, and phosphatic combinations, together with milk and eggs. Stimulants should he avoided.—Afedical and Surgical Reporter. ANTIMONY IN THE System.—It has lately heen established that antimony, unless taken in extremely large doses, will quickly eliminate itself from the system, The Progress of Dentistry. Some hopeful results in the practice of dental grafting have been recently brought tn the notice of the French Academy by MM. David and Magitot. Two principal forms of such grafting are distinguished—tbe graft by restitution and the graft hy borrowing. In the former a tooth is retmplanted, after having beeu extracted with a view to certain operations, which would be impracticable in the mouth. M. David has adopted this method for rectifying the direction of teeth, for treatment of carics in the extracted tooth, for stopping and also for facilitating operation on another tooth, or in another part of the mouth. ‘he consolidatiou of the tooth restored to its socket occurs genorally on the tenth or twelfth day. In the graft by borrowing, a sound tootb niay be substituted for a decayed nne. As regards transplantation from the lower animals, of course no zoological species has hitherto furnished teeth similar to ours in form, dimensions, color, ete, Still, sound roots (from a lower animal) may bo suhstitnted for bad ones, and may serve as a solid hase for pivoted artificial teeth. Tbe transplantation from nne human heing to another would generally involve objectionable nutilation, But sound teeth may bo utilized for the graft when their extraction has become othorwise necessary. A tooth may he transposed from one part of the mouth to another, Practicing the dental graft by restitution, ML. Magitot has aperated in 62 cases, and 57 of these have been decided cures —a snecess amounting to 92/,—Scientific American. Tue Hisrory oF Dipuraerta.—tit is often said that diphtheria is of modern origin, a penalty for the unsauitary condition of modern civilization. Dr, Mackenzie, senior physician to the Hospital for Throat and Chest Discases, in London, finds the disease to he a very ancient one. The first description of it occurs in the writings of an Indian physician, a contemporary of Pythagoras. He next identihes it with *askara,” a fatal epidemic frequently mentioned in the Talmud. In the 17th century diphtheria was widely prevalent in Europe, and extensively fatal, In 1802 Dr. Cullen, of Edinburgh, seems to have described the disease under the name of cynanche trachealis; and in 1826 Bretonneau’s classical work appeared. ‘* After this,” writes Dr. Mackenzie, ‘‘the disease seems to have passed from the minds of English physicians and its very existence to have been almost forgotten.” From such forgetfulness the medical profession was thoroughly aroused hy the great epidemic of the years 1858-9, since which time diphtheria has not appeared in England with anything like the same malignancy. Recureratinc THE Braiw.—An intelligent writer on this subject thinks the use of stimulants to fortify tho exhausted brain an unwise measure. Tbe best possible thing, he says, for a man to do when he feels too weak to carry anything through is to go to bed and sleep as long as hecan. This is the only recuperation of the brain power, the only actual recuperation of brain force; because during sleep the hrain is in a state of rest, ina condition to receive appropriate particles of nutriment from the blood, which take the place of those which have been consumed hy previous lahor, since the very act of thinking hurns up solid particles, as every turn of the wheel or screw of the steamer is the result of consumption hy fire of the fuel in the furnace. The supply of consumed hrain substance can only te had from nutritive particles in the blood, which were obtained from the food eaten previously, and the brain is so constituted tbat it can hest receive and appropriate to itself those nutritive particles during the state of rest, of quietness and stillness of sleep. Rest ror HrAnacnEs,—Dr. Day says, in a late lecture. Whatever he the plan of treatment decided upon, rest is the first principle to inculeate in every severe headache. Rest, which the husy man and the anxious mother cannot obtain so longas they can manage to keep about, is one of the first remedies for every headache, and we should never cease to enforce it. The hrain, when excited, as much needs quiet and repose as a fractured limh or an inflamed eye, and it is ohvious that the chances of shortening the seizure and arresting the pain will depend on our power to have this carried out effectually. It is a practical lesson to he kept steadily in view, in that there may lurk behind a simple headache some lesion of unknown magnitude which may remain stationary if quietude can he maintained. There isa point worth attending to in the treatment of all headaches. See that the head it elevated at night, and the pillow hard; for, if it he soft, the head sinks into it and hecomes hot, which with some people is enough to provoke an attack in the niorning if sleep has heen long and heavy. Hor Water vs. Fever Geros.—According to Dr. Richardson, hot water at 120° Fah. will kill typhus germs, and soap acts as a poison to them. The remedy against typhus, then, is to he found in every household, and more’s the pity if it he not applied. Considering the deadly nature of this fever, and the fact that 50,000 typhus germs will thrive in a space no bigger than a pin’s head, it is clear, the Christian at Work thinks, that in such a matter, a quart of prevention is worth several hogsheads of cure,

Y 7 March 15, 1879.] MINING AND SCIENTIFIC PRESS. 167 Central American Telegraphs and Railways, The telegraph lines of Nicaragua and Honduras have lately been joined together by the completion of the missing link in Nicaragua territory between Chicbigalpa and the houndary hetween the two conntriea at Rio Negro. Tele. graphic communicatinn is thus cnmplete throughout the four Republics of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Honduras, from San Juan del Sur to Mexico. A moderato tariff is tn be enforced for through wessaves, In Houduras further extensions of the telegraph system are beiug made, aud 150 miles of new Wire are iu course nf completion, in addition to the 500 already opened, This republic is giving further evidence of its desire to advance hy organizing an "‘exhibitiou” ona modest scale, which was open fora short period towards tho end of last year. Happy augury for tho bondholders! Mondaras houds at £3 per £100 boud! Honduras having an exhibition ! The Government of Costa Rica is enconragiug the introduction of immigrants for the purpose of constructing railways on the Atlantic coast, and improving the eommunication between the terminus at Pacuore aud the interior by meaus of carriage roads. ‘he carriage road from San Jose to Las Palmas and the river Sucio is being rapidly pressed forward. Of the total lenzth of about 80 miles only 29 miles are required to complete the work, hy which a saving of 20 miles will he eticetcd, compared with the old apology for a road via Cartago. A new port is being constructed nn the Pacific coast, at Cocos, on the Bay of Calebras, The erection of public offices and other works has been ordered by the government, and the port will he, for the present at least, entirely free from all harhor, light, anchorage and nther dues, —Britth Trade Journal. Prewistorrc Remains.—Georgo Carr and others, mining on Lynx ercek, says the Arizona Miner, have unearthed a bonanza of human remains and curiosities consisting of jaw-hones, ollas, beads, stone-knives, metat-stones, ete. The beads are interspersed witn curiously wrought pendants, or flat pieces of blue and green stones of very diminutive size, each punched or drilled in one edge or corner. The heads are of irregular sizes, hut all quite small, some black, some white, and otbers of various shapes and colors, and when strung as they are now, hy the finders, form a very curious and unique specimen of the ornaments, or perhaps charms of a hygone and unknown age. Perhaps the straugest and most interesting phenomenon of the collection is 2 jaw-bone, which in shape, size and every other feature except that it has not, and evidently never had but three or four teeth, and they directly in front, is that of a human jaw, Whether its possessor in his lifetime was a grass-eater, which after biting it off he swallowed while and afterwards chewed hia cud, or whether this is an exceptional case, and a deformity, some one more learned in anatomy tban we, will have to determine. The mctat-stones are of malpice and very small. These relics were found on the top of the hard cement or false bedrock, some four feet from the surface of the ground. A Perririep Human Hanp.— A curiosity which astonished scientists and puzzled them to account for is now on exhihition in Gould’s eahinet at Mill City. Itisa perfectly formed hand, which, apparently, helonged to a hoy ahout 14 years of age. The hand is open, the fingers heing slightly hent toward the palm, on which the thumb rests. The hack of the hand seems tn have been crushed or decomposed hefore it was petrified, hut the palm, thumb and fingers are perfect. We were informed that it was found at the sulphur beds near Rabbit Hole, hy one of the men employed in shoveling crude sulphur into the refining retort, and is supposed to have heen imhedded in the sulphur bank for ages, The fingers are comparatively short, a fact which indicates that it did not belong to an Indian, as the red men’s fingers are generally longer than those of the white; hut the thumb is rather longer than the average. Tn what race the owner of the hand helonged, and how and when it was imhedded in the sulphur, will probably remain unknown, nnless some scientist should investigate the hand and the sulphur bank where it was found and explain these mysteries.— Winnemucea (Nev.), Silver State. Tur New Gotoip Doitar.—The first specimen of the metric gold double eagle on the golnid principle, of the full value of $20, coined at the Philadelphia United States Mint, has heen received at the Treasury department. It is a heautiful coin of the size of the old douhle eagle, having a very rich hue, The design of the ohverse side is a head of Liherty surmounted hy 13 stars, hetween which is the metric inscription ‘30g, I.5s. 3.5c, 35 grains,” helow which is 1879, On the reverse is the double eagle, surmounted by the words “United States of America” and a circlet of 13 stars emhlazoned. Within the circlet is the Latin inscription “Deo est Gloria,” in a scroll held hy the eagle the words ‘‘E Plurihus Unum,” meaning, when translated, ‘“‘The United States of America—to God is the Glory—of many one,” Beneath this the words ‘‘twenty dollars.” The coin has heen handed over to A. H, Stephens, Chairman of the Committee on Coinage, It ia patented hy William Wheeler Hubhell, and is the companion coin of the goloid dollar. Usefue INpoRMaTion. Fresh and Stale Bread, The celebrated French chemist, M. Bouasingault, has recently investigated the nature of the change which Lread undergoes when it hecomes stale. Up te the present tiinc this has not heen well understood. A circular loaf, 12 inches in diameter and six inches thick, was taken from an oven heated tn 240° Neaumer, and a thermonieter immediately forced three inches into it. The thermometer indicated 78° KR. (207.5 I.) The loaf was then taken to a room at a temperature of 15° R. (G6" Fj, and was found to weich seven anda half pounds. In 12 hours the temperature of the loaf sank to 19° Rt. (73° F.), in 24 hours to 15° (66° F.), and in36 hours to 14° (63.0° F.). In the first 48 hours it lost only two ounces in weight. After six days the loaf was again put in the oveo, and whon the thermometer indicated that its temperature had risen to 45°R. (136° F.), it was cut, and was found to be as fresh, and to possess the same qualities, as if it had beon takeu out of the oven for tho tirst time; but it had now lost 12 ounces in weight. Experiments were also made on slices of tho loaf with similar results, proving that new bread differs from old, not hy containing a larger proportion of water, hut hy a peculiar molecular condition. This conimences and continues to ehange during cooliug, but by again heating the hread to a certain temperature it is restored to its original state. Itis this mechanical state which makes new bread less digestihle than old. The former isso soft, elastic, and glutinous in all its parts that ordinary mastication fails to reduce it to a sulliciently divided condition, It forms itself into hard balls, which are almost unaffected by the gastric juice. ‘These halls often remain in the stomach, and, like foreign hodies, irritate and discommode it, inducing all sorts of unpleasant feelings. ELEcTRO-Bronzinc on iron has heen brought toa high state of porfection hy the Philadelphia Smelting Company. Jhis company has taken out patents covering the process for putting on iron a durahle electro-bronze tinish, which is claiined to possess the beauty aud finish of real bronze ata very much lower cost, and to be wholly unaffected in color, ete., hy the action of the atmosphere. The following is the process adopted: The articles to he bronzed are first put ina bath of paratline, which stops further oxidation; they are then coated with a metallic substance and subjected to the electro-hronzing bath, after which they are treated with a peculiar protecting varnish, and are then ready for use. The metallic substance with which the articles are coated is called ‘* Deoxidized Bronze,” and is claimed to possess in a remark-: ahle degree all those features for which alloys are valuable, It is composed entirely of copper and tin, the peculiarities in the resulting texture being entirely due to to the flux used and the method of treatment. It is said to possess superior malleability, approaching gold alloys in this respect, while its tenacity and solidity are very great. Specimens eight inches long admit of heing douhled up without apparent injury to the structure. It flows readily, is easily haudled by ordinary workmen, aud is capable of reworking from old scrap. It is also receptive of a high, smooth finish, wears well, and is largely used for machine journals, car bearings, and other purposes of a similar natuve, where a durahle anti-friction metal is required. New VARNisH FoR Founnry Parrerns.—A varnish for foundry patterns and machinery has been patented in Germany, which dries as soon as put on, gives the patterns a smooth surface, thus insuring an easy slip out of the mold, and prevents the patterns from warping, shrinking or swelling, us it is perfectly impervious to moisture, This varnish is prepared as follows: Place in a vessel 50 pounds of shellac, 10 pounds of manilla copal, and 10 pounds of Zanguebar cdpal, and heat it by the external application of steam for four or six hours, stirring it in the meantime constantly. Then add 150 parts of the finest potato spirit, and heat the whole during four hours to 190deg, Fah, This liquid is then dyed by the addition of orange color, and can he used for painting the patterns. When used for painting and glazing machinery, the varnish may consist of 35 pounds of shellac, five pounds of cocoriel copal, 10 pounds of Zanguebar copal, aud 150 pounds of spirit. Similar varnish to the ahove is used quite extensively hy pattern-makers in this country, and much of the superior appearance of American castings is duo to its use. To Cast Brass Sorin.—The metal should not he run auy hotter than is necessary to insure sharp castings. The most prohable cause of the honey-comhings of castings is that the air can not get out of the way; and there ought to be proper vents made for it from the highest parts of the mold; the metal should he run in near or atthe hottom of the mold, If about one pound of lead he added to every 16 pounds of old hrass, when just at the melting point, solid good hrasses will be the result. In melting old hrass, the zinc, or lead, contained in it . (when fluid) oxidizes freely, consequently the proportions of the metals are altered, and require an addition similar to the ahove, If the

hrass has not heen recast, a little less lead will do, hut if recast several times, it may take the ' full quantity. Rearing Sponges by Artificial Means. During the past few yeara, Dr. Osear Schmidt, Professor of Zoology, at tho University of Gratz, and a well-known authority on sponges, has employed several weeks of the early summer in artificially producing and reariug the bath sponge. His labors have met with such success that his system has been adopted by the Austrian government, and is now carried outon the coast of Dalmatia, It has for some time been a well-known fact that several fautilies of zoophytes have such great powers of reproduction, that a portion of one will grow aud form on an cntire new body, Dr. Schinidt has taken advantage of this property, his process being to ent the sponge iuto picces, fasten each portion to a pile, and immerse it in the sea. The pieccs thon grow, and eventually from each one a sphorical sponge is obtained. According to the estimates of Dr. Schmidt, a small piece of sponge at the eud of three years ak represent a value of about 10 ceuts. The total cost of raising 4,000 spouges, including tbe interest on the expended capital for three years, is estimated at $45, and the income at about $S0, leaving, therefore, a net profit of $35. There is no doubt that the practice of this new branch of industry will prove a source of considorable benefit to the inhabitants of the Idrian and Dalmatian coasts, WatTERPROOF SoLes.—W aterproof soles which are either inserted into ordinary leather soles nr laid into the boot are prepared in Germany as follows: A mixture is prepared, eonsisting of 60 parta of rosin, 80 parts of tallow, 5 parts of wax, and 5 parts of turpentine. In this mixture linen is soaked. This is therehy rendered watertight. he sheet of linen is then united to a sbeet of wool hy heing passed through rollers. On the linen side the sole is now covered with a solution of glue, to prevent the resinous surface from sticking to the stockings and shoes in walking, How to Distineuish Diamonns.—M. Rabi‘net, of the French Academy of Sciences, gives the following test for distinguishing colnrless gems from diamonds. Ifa person looks through a transparent stone at any small ohject, such asthe point of a needle, nralittle hole ina card, and sees two small points, or two small holes, the stone is nota diamond. All white colorless gems, with tho exception of the diamond, make the ohject examined appear double; in other words, douhle refraction wbenever exhibited by a stone, is conclusive proof that it is not a diamond, Geop HeastH. “Modus Operandi” of Skin Grafting. — Pinch un a small amount of the cuticle from the inside of the arm with a small pair of forceps, and divide it with a small pair of concave scissors, being careful not to draw blood, and get the slip free from adipose tissue ; insert this piece of skin into the granulations about one inch from the margin of the sore, and repeat in a similar manner uutil you have slips within an inch of one another all over the abrasion, The size of tho piece of cuticle is uot so material ; the object to be attained is to have it grow, and it can’t take root unless it be buried into the ulcer, A piece of, skin the size of a pin’s head is large enough. ‘When the grafts are all inserted, dress the sore with au artificial scah, made nf adeps porci, nine ounces, and thickened into a paste with English prepared chalk, twelve ounces, and spread over the sore and margins, retaining it there with a roller nr adhesive plaster. Let this dressing remain on for three days, then redress by removing this artificial scab, and wipe the sore with a soft clotb. Never use any water in dressing old sores, for it seems to make them take on those horrible nocturnal neuralgias the night following. Then remove your paste carefully and wipe dry ; wherever a slip has taken you will notice a small depression at that point, and if you think advisable you can insert other grafts, and dress as before, and so on, until cicatrization is porfected. How Long to Continue Transplanting. Until the sore is studded full of grafts, and the ulcer, to all appearance, about well. If the sore is on the lower limb, quietude in the recumhent posture should he observed, and the leg elevated, as any pressure upon the ulcer at this time would cause most serious interference with the new granulations, as well as destroy the newly formed cuticle within the sore, which resembles so many small islands in a hody of water; these little islands of skin will meet the skin from eithcr side, and therehy hridge the abrasion over. By carefully watching at this stage the new skin will hecome permanent, so that your patient may he allowed to go ahout. If the sore is on an upper-extremity, the patient can have more liherty to go round. As regards the dietetic plan in these cascs, as a general thing, the regimen should he articles of diet containing fat nitrogenized, and phosphatic combinations, together with milk and eggs. Stimulants should he avoided.—Afedical and Surgical Reporter. ANTIMONY IN THE System.—It has lately heen established that antimony, unless taken in extremely large doses, will quickly eliminate itself from the system, The Progress of Dentistry. Some hopeful results in the practice of dental grafting have been recently brought tn the notice of the French Academy by MM. David and Magitot. Two principal forms of such grafting are distinguished—tbe graft by restitution and the graft hy borrowing. In the former a tooth is retmplanted, after having beeu extracted with a view to certain operations, which would be impracticable in the mouth. M. David has adopted this method for rectifying the direction of teeth, for treatment of carics in the extracted tooth, for stopping and also for facilitating operation on another tooth, or in another part of the mouth. ‘he consolidatiou of the tooth restored to its socket occurs genorally on the tenth or twelfth day. In the graft by borrowing, a sound tootb niay be substituted for a decayed nne. As regards transplantation from the lower animals, of course no zoological species has hitherto furnished teeth similar to ours in form, dimensions, color, ete, Still, sound roots (from a lower animal) may bo suhstitnted for bad ones, and may serve as a solid hase for pivoted artificial teeth. Tbe transplantation from nne human heing to another would generally involve objectionable nutilation, But sound teeth may bo utilized for the graft when their extraction has become othorwise necessary. A tooth may he transposed from one part of the mouth to another, Practicing the dental graft by restitution, ML. Magitot has aperated in 62 cases, and 57 of these have been decided cures —a snecess amounting to 92/,—Scientific American. Tue Hisrory oF Dipuraerta.—tit is often said that diphtheria is of modern origin, a penalty for the unsauitary condition of modern civilization. Dr, Mackenzie, senior physician to the Hospital for Throat and Chest Discases, in London, finds the disease to he a very ancient one. The first description of it occurs in the writings of an Indian physician, a contemporary of Pythagoras. He next identihes it with *askara,” a fatal epidemic frequently mentioned in the Talmud. In the 17th century diphtheria was widely prevalent in Europe, and extensively fatal, In 1802 Dr. Cullen, of Edinburgh, seems to have described the disease under the name of cynanche trachealis; and in 1826 Bretonneau’s classical work appeared. ‘* After this,” writes Dr. Mackenzie, ‘‘the disease seems to have passed from the minds of English physicians and its very existence to have been almost forgotten.” From such forgetfulness the medical profession was thoroughly aroused hy the great epidemic of the years 1858-9, since which time diphtheria has not appeared in England with anything like the same malignancy. Recureratinc THE Braiw.—An intelligent writer on this subject thinks the use of stimulants to fortify tho exhausted brain an unwise measure. Tbe best possible thing, he says, for a man to do when he feels too weak to carry anything through is to go to bed and sleep as long as hecan. This is the only recuperation of the brain power, the only actual recuperation of brain force; because during sleep the hrain is in a state of rest, ina condition to receive appropriate particles of nutriment from the blood, which take the place of those which have been consumed hy previous lahor, since the very act of thinking hurns up solid particles, as every turn of the wheel or screw of the steamer is the result of consumption hy fire of the fuel in the furnace. The supply of consumed hrain substance can only te had from nutritive particles in the blood, which were obtained from the food eaten previously, and the brain is so constituted tbat it can hest receive and appropriate to itself those nutritive particles during the state of rest, of quietness and stillness of sleep. Rest ror HrAnacnEs,—Dr. Day says, in a late lecture. Whatever he the plan of treatment decided upon, rest is the first principle to inculeate in every severe headache. Rest, which the husy man and the anxious mother cannot obtain so longas they can manage to keep about, is one of the first remedies for every headache, and we should never cease to enforce it. The hrain, when excited, as much needs quiet and repose as a fractured limh or an inflamed eye, and it is ohvious that the chances of shortening the seizure and arresting the pain will depend on our power to have this carried out effectually. It is a practical lesson to he kept steadily in view, in that there may lurk behind a simple headache some lesion of unknown magnitude which may remain stationary if quietude can he maintained. There isa point worth attending to in the treatment of all headaches. See that the head it elevated at night, and the pillow hard; for, if it he soft, the head sinks into it and hecomes hot, which with some people is enough to provoke an attack in the niorning if sleep has heen long and heavy. Hor Water vs. Fever Geros.—According to Dr. Richardson, hot water at 120° Fah. will kill typhus germs, and soap acts as a poison to them. The remedy against typhus, then, is to he found in every household, and more’s the pity if it he not applied. Considering the deadly nature of this fever, and the fact that 50,000 typhus germs will thrive in a space no bigger than a pin’s head, it is clear, the Christian at Work thinks, that in such a matter, a quart of prevention is worth several hogsheads of cure,