Scientific.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2191, 24 July 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

Scientific.

A Good Drink.— A capital substitute for beer in hot weather, and for harvesting and all out-door work can be made as follows : Put a quarter of a pound of fine ground oatmeal, about six ounces sugar, and two tablespoonfuls of Mont, serrat 'lime juice into a pan ; mix well together with a little witer, then add a gallon of boiling water ; or boil the oatmeal water, stir thoroughly, when cold add the lime juice and sugar, and then use. A. little extra lime juice, at a trifling additional cost, will add to the j pleasantness of the beverage. Must be made fresh daily. It is known as "stokos, 1 and is popular as the best drink for hard work. Ihe Montserrat is Nature's product. Employers and grangers should encourage the drinking of " Stoekos " in place of beer. Inflammability of Coal Dust.—According to some recent experiments carried out in the Konigs Mine at Neunkiichen, in Germany, the flame from a blast hole filled with coal dust attains to a length of from 26 feet to IG4 feet, according to the quality of the coal. Ignition was effected by electricity. The use of electricity and the electric light is referred to by the Eisen Zeitnng in connection with these experiments, late investigations having proved that electricity separates smoke, dust, gas, etc , from the air, and deposits them upon the walls of a vessel, tunuel, or shaft. By the use o\ hermetically closed lamps it is possible, moreover, to keep electric light from contact with gases in mines. Curious. — Take a piece of ordinary writing paper, fold it, hang- it conveniently, fill it with water and place alighted candle underneath. The water will boil in a short tim 9 and the paper remain undamaged. Even if the paper should not become damp, the heat imparted to it on one side would be rapidly conducted away by the other. Cod-Livkr Oil. — A cod-Hver oil dealer in Marseilles advertises {.Teat virtue in the oil, because the fish are caught in a safe and quiet harbour, where marine monsters canoot get in to frighten them into diseases of the liver "They live there," he adds, ' ' in peace and comfort ; their livers are healthy, and that in why my oil is the best." For Consumptives. — Consumptive patients are advised by a pupil of Liebig, in the Apotheko Verein, to live in rooms where one or two drachms of sulphur are melted on a hot stove. The first ten days bring increasing 1 cough and irritation, then these cease, and the patient improves rapidly. Magnetised Metals.— lt has been shown before the London Royal Society that iron bars are elongated by magnetisation; that steel bars are elongated, but not to the same extent, soft steel being elongated more than hard steel, and that nickel is shortened. Danish Eyesight.— The failure of eyenight among the young in Denmark is something astounding. In the classical department of the largest school in Copenhagen, 43.5 per cent, of the scholars in the upper class were found shortsighted. A Cure.— Ah the sting of a bee is acid, to neutralise its effects an alkali should be used. Fine-cut smoking tobacco i» said to be a good remedy. A pinch of it moistened and applied to the wound like a sponge gives relief in five or ten minutes. Headaches.— Dr. Lander Brunton said recently that headaches were usually dependent either upon the presence of decayed teeth or of some irregularity in the ey6s more especially in the focal lengths between the two.

Thk American Microscopical Society asserts that the. sponge, is a living, breathing animul. Any barkeeper could have told the society that long ago. At the age of 87 the veteran dramatist, Mr J. A. Herand, is about to publish what he announces will be his last poem, entitled ' The Sybil Among the Tombs.' Many years ago he produced a striking composition with a strange title, which will long be remembered in connection with one of the most caustic repaitees which Deuglas Jerrold e\er uttered. 'Have you seen my ' Descent into Hell V asked ths poet, a few days after its publication. • No,' growled the wit, ' but I should very much like to.' A farmer named Dickson, of Long Sleddale, Wentmoi eland, has just tried a novel and disastrous expeiiment with his cattle. Ten valuable beasts were washed with sheep dip in order to cleanse their skins ; but so poisonous were the ingied:ents of the dip and rapid its action that the whole of the beasts died before the veterinary surgpon could reach the farm. The above we ("Bruce Herald") clip from a Homo paper, but can equal it locally. A Milton resident, whose fowls became infested with lice during la-t summer, thought he would try sheep clip, aud prepared a weak solution, wherewith ho anointed tho birds. Result — lice killed, likewise half the fowls: the remainder, after a severe struggle were ultimately resuscitated by being treated j to a short atay iv a warm oven.