326 Chronicles of Science. [April, 



stance thereby suffers a change, in consequence of which, it sinks far 

 below bismuth in the thermo-electric series. Consequently it is only 

 the mineral in its natural state, which can be employed for such 

 thermo-electric piles ; in that state, however, it can be easily worked 

 into any required form. 



It is stated by Mr. Bicher, that a disc of sulphur makes an ex- 

 cellent machine for frictional electricity. He melts it and cools it 

 rapidly three or four times, and then moulds it into a disc, which may 

 be two or three centimetres thick, and a metre in diameter. Unless 

 sulphur possesses some very remarkable properties in this respect, 

 it is not likely that this brittle material will replace ebonite, a sub- 

 stance which appears to have been sent for the especial gratification 

 of all who are in any way connected with electrical experiments. In 

 reference to this paper, M. Deville has recalled the fact mentioned by 

 M. Dietzenbacher some time ago, namely, that the addition of a little 

 iodine or bromine gave great plasticity to sulphur. 



The fable of Mahomet's coffin, said to be suspended in mid-air by 

 means of powerful magnets, has attracted some small amount of 

 serious attention on the Continent, and M. Plateau, of Ghent, has 

 been at the pains of calculating whether it would be possible by any 

 arrangement of magnets to suspend a magnetized needle in the air in 

 a state of stable equilibrium without any point of support ; and he 

 announces, with regret, " Helas," that he finds it utterly impossible. 



The sulphurous waters of Bagneres de Luchon, are said, by M. 

 Lambron, to show, when received in a glass or bath, an excess of 

 positive electricity on the upper surface, and of negative electricity on 

 the lower surface, and when a person is in a bath he completes a cir- 

 cuit, and has a stream of electricity running through him. Moreover, 

 when a patient gets a douche of the water, the part of the body soused 

 is negatively electrified, the other parts of the body being positive. It 

 is supposed that these currents must produce a certain action on the 

 animal economy, and it is noticed that the waters when transported 

 from their source do not lose their electrical properties. 



The adaptation of electricity to the production of motive force is 

 attracting considerable attention in France just now. MM. Bellet and 

 Bouve are exhibiting at Versailles a small locomotive driven by elec- 

 tricity. This certainly merits some attention, since the inventors do 

 not seem to claim any extraordinary powers for their machine. They 

 only propose it for carrying light weights, such as letters by an under- 

 ground railway. The driving-wheel of the engine is made of copper, 

 through which at equidistant intervals pass a series of horse-shoe 

 electro-magnets — twenty in the whole circumference. The current is 

 made to pass successively through these magnets, contact being made 

 and broken by means of two discs at the axis of the wheel, the iron rail 

 attracting these magnets causes the rotation of the wheel, and in the 

 absence of great weight the vehicle progresses at an extraordinary speed ; 

 locomotives on this plan being asserted to be able to travel with 

 ease on existing railways at a rapidity of 120 miles an hour. The 

 batteries are placed at the termini to save the weight and the carriage, 

 and the current is conveyed by insulated wires running between the 



