Dec. 1st, 1S87.] 



SCIENTIFIC NEV/S. 



223 



The deposited metal is very pure, and its magnetic capacity 

 does not appear to be high. The dies for the Jubilee coins 

 were made by this process of electro deposition. The 

 designs, modelled in plaster, were reproduced in " intaglio " 

 by the electrolytic deposit of copper, and on the copper 

 moulds, so prepared iron was deposited. It is of hard and 

 excellent quality, and dies of all sorts for coins have been 

 produced by the reducing machine from such deposits. 



Capabilities of Australia. — We copy the following 

 passage from an Australian paper, in proof that there, even 

 more than in England, the capabilities of the land are not 

 fully appreciated : — " Among the long list of products 

 which we might grow is coffee. That we can grow it has 

 been conclusively proved by Mr. A. H. Leu, of Goonella- 

 bah, near Lisniore, Richmond River. This gentleman has 

 twenty acres of land on the sunny slope of a ridge, about 

 two miles from Lismore. The soil is a volcanic loam, 

 interspersed with large lava blocks or bluestone. In the 

 face of this slope he has, with great labour, constructed 

 terraces, upon which he grows numerous products, consist- 

 ing of Brazil cherries, coffee plants, guavas, olives, almonds, 

 nectarines, apricots, walnuts, mangoes, pears, peaches, 

 citrons, figs, wild goose plums, bananas, pineapples, com- 

 mon apples six inches in diameter, custard apples, date 

 plums, vines, etc. That all these fruits will grow and 

 mature in the same garden speaks volumes for the pro- 

 ductiveness of the soil and the evenness of the climate. 

 Many more products could be added to this, such as tea, 

 arrowroot, tapioca, linseed, oranges, and cotton. It is, how- 

 ever, with coffee we have now to deal. The plants are of 

 the famous Mocha variety. They are still young ; and 

 there are only few of them. Great difficulty was ex- 

 perienced in obtaining plants or seed. The trees are as 

 healthj'-looking as plants can be, free of insect and scale 

 pests ; and they are fairly loaded with fruit." 



Water Power at Schaffhausen. — The large installation 

 of turbines and telo-dynamic transmission of energy by 

 wire rope which has existed at Schafthausen during the last 

 twenty years has, according to Inditslrics, been so successful 

 as a commercial undertaking, that the company owning the 

 plant and goodwill intend to extend their operations. A few 

 days ago they asked the town authorities of Schaffhausen 

 for an additional concession, empowering them to supply 

 electricity as a motive power and for lighting purposes, to 

 private houses and factories at once, and for street lighting 

 as soon as the present contract with the gas company has 

 expired. The project is for five additional turbines, each of 

 300 effective horse-power, and the necessary electrical plant. 

 The power for two of these turbines has been already en- 

 gaged by the Kammgarn Spinnerei, Schaft'hausen, where 

 electromotors will be used for working the mill, while the 

 power from two other turbines will be mainly used for 

 lighting purposes in the town and neighbourhood. The fifth 

 turbine is in reserve. It is proposed to instal the turbines 

 a few miles above the falls of the Rhine, so that this project 

 will, in no way interfere with the natural beauty of the dis- 

 trict. In determining the site the promoters of the scheme 

 have thus wisely avoided the mistake made by the engineers 

 who projected a short time ago the use of the fall itself for 

 driving a large factory for the production of aluminium bj' 

 the electric furnace, and which was opposed locally, because 

 it would have deprived the neighbourhood of one of the 

 greatest attractions to the tourist. 



Wood Pulp Pails. — We extract the following from an 

 account given by the Railway Revieiu of the process of 

 manufacturing these pails. The wood, preferably spruce. 



is first cleared of its bark and is then cut to a length of six- 

 teen to twenty-four inches. It is then placed against the 

 face of a rapidly revolving grindstone, the grain of the wood 

 being parallel with the axis of the stone. The woodj' sub- 

 stance rubbed off by the stone is washed off by a shower of 

 water, and after being screened it forms a milk-white fluid. 

 When the water has been sufficiently removed there 

 remains a wood pulp which is used in the manufacture of 

 paper and indurated fibre ware. The process of making 

 the ware from the pulp is very simple, and is similar for a 

 great variety of objects. To make a pail, for instance, there 

 is a machine for moulding it from the pulp, and this 

 machine is provided with a hollow perforated form of cast 

 iron, shaped like the inside of a pail, and covered first with 

 perforated brass and then with fine wire cloth. This form is 

 pushed up into a large cast iion "hat," which fits over it 

 very tightly. Within this hat is placed a flexible rubber 

 bag, and between this and the inner form just mentioned 

 the pulp is admitted in a liquid state. The pulp being 

 pumped in under pressure, the water immediately begins 

 to drain off through the wire cloth and perforations, and the 

 rubber bag swells until it fills the hat. The supply of pulp 

 is then shut off, and water under high pressure is admitted 

 within the hat and outside the rubber bag, thus squeezing 

 much of the water from the pulp. After some eight to ten 

 minutes the pressure is removed, the inner form is lowered, 

 and the pulp pail is taken out. At this stage the pulp still 

 contains nearly fifty per cent, of water, but it is sufficiently 

 strong to be handled. The water is afterwards dried out 

 in kilns, and then the pail is trimmed on the outside with a 

 gang of saws. After being sand-papered inside and out the 

 pail is then charged with a waterproofing compound which 

 permeates thoroughly the material of which the pail is 

 made. It is then baked in ovens at a high temperature 

 after each dip or treatment, and the polish which the goods 

 present is the result of the final treatment. After this the 

 handles are riveted on, and the pail is then ready for the 

 market. The pail is in one piece, without hoops, so that it 

 cannot leak or fall to pieces, and it is much fighter than any 

 other material with which such vessels can be made. 



THE SANITARY CONGRESS OF VIENNA. 



THE second section discussed the question referring to 

 the medical supervision of schools, and arrived at the 

 following conclusions : — 



1. The interest of states and families required a perma- 

 nent participation of competent physicians in the adminis- 

 tration of schools. 



2. The aim of this participation should be to protect 

 both male and female pupils against the damaging influences 

 of overwork and the bad atmosphere of schools. 



3. The means which had to be availed of were, in 

 part, certificates by competent persons, and periodic school 

 inspections in the presence of the managers of schools, and 

 especially during the hours of instruction. 



4. Before all, an hygienic revision by the State of all 

 public and private schools, including preparatory schools, 

 was necessary, and the bad sanitary conditions to be at once 

 rectified. 



5. In each body of school inspectors, and in places where 

 there is a physician, he must have a vote and a seat. 



6. Hygienic inspection of schools must be intrusted to 

 competent physicians, and it was indifferent whether they 

 held a public office or not. 



7. Starting from the above-mentioned points of view, the 

 participation of physicians in the matter referring to schools 

 was to be considered as an integral part of school ad- 

 ministration in the different states. 



