SCIENTIFIC MATTERS. INTERESTING VARIOI S TOPICS. Experiment* on Living Animals— Mvlnllic Envelope Fnntener—Steam Tree Fellln< —Electric LlKht Wire* —Half u Century of Tclegriphy. The vivisection question, which has la*ely been discussed with much heat In England, appears to be one on which unanimity of judgment can never be hoped for. On the one hand, if it be necessary to medical science, it is evi dently closely connected with the health of the community.. On the other hand, if it be irreconcilable with moral con duct, it is the duty of the community to prevent it at any cost On the admission of the most learned theolo gians, the infliction of pain, and even of death, is permissible under certain circumstances, and the concensus of opinion is that the pain inflicted in vivi section is justified by the beneficent re sults attained through its infliction in the three fields of research alone—phj s iclogy, pathology and therapeutics. One journal in taking up the cudgels for vivisection, states that one of the most remarkable results ever immediately obtained from it is the successful treat ment of “myxoedema,” a horrible and loathsome disease. The symptoms are a scurfy growth all over'the skin, ac companied by the falling out of the hair, but the chief feature is a gradual loss of strength and development of the most painful kind of idiocy, ending in death. Patients suffering from this complaint were formerly hidden away in asylums. Now, thanks to the vivi section, they are restored to health and sanity in the course of a few months. Previously to 1859 the action of the thyroid gland in the throat was an unsolved mystery. Patients suffer ing from goitre were in many cases treated by removing this gland, and in all cases they died. Schiff, of Geneva, a most eminent physiologist, experi mented with dogs to see whether it was the removal of the thyroid gland that caused death, and found that it was. Horsey took up Schiff’s work, and discovered that the loss of the thyroid gland produced myxoedema in monkeys, and that they died of it. He succeeded, however, by grafting in a thyroid gland from a sheep in curing the disease and averting death. Act ing on this suggestion. Dr. Murray in jected into a myxoedema patient an extract of the thyroid gland. The result was successful, and, eventually, it was found that a patient need only swallow this extract, and the cure of myxoedema was established. Very ex tensive work is being carried on in vivisection in Great Britain. The total number of experiments performed in 1893 was 4,046. In 1,201 case the ani mal suffered no pain, because complete anaesthesia was maintained from be fore the commencement of the experi ment until the animal was killed. In 2,254 experiments, the pain of the op eration (which was practically always of the nature of hypodermic injection or inoculation), was trivial. It was al ways made a condition of the certifi cate, under which these experiments were permitted, that “if severe pain has been induced in an animal after any of the experiments has been performed under the certificate, and if the main result of the experiment has been at tained, it is a condition of this license that the animal be immediately killed under anaesthetics.” In 591 experi ments, the animals were anaesthetized during the operation, but allowed to re cover. These operation were performed with as much care as are si nilar opera tions upon the human subject, and as the wounds were dressed autiseptically, no paiu results during the healing proc ess. Stenni Tree Felling, Tree-felling by means otfier than manual labor has been an engaging subject to many inventors, and for some time past a more or less interest ing array of appliances designed to ac complish it has been paraded before the readers of mechanical journals. One of the more recent of these machines, brought out in England by Allen Ran some, of Chelsea,, reminds one very much, in appearance, of the now famil iar rock drill, the drill proper, of course being supplanted by a reciprocating saw blade, substantially in the manner shown in the accompanying sketch. The piston to which the saw blade is attached works in a cylinder of small diameter but rather long stroke, pi votally supported on a pair of wheels, so that the whole arrangement is readi ly portable. Steam is intended to be supplied to the machine from a porta ble boiler through a long steam hose so that the boiler can remain in one place until the machine has felled all Tree Felling; Machine. the trees within • a considerable circle around it, the space cleared, of course, depending upon the length of the hose. Cutting down si tree, however, is not the only function to which the machine is limited. By partially rotating it on its axis the saw can be sot to cut in a vertical direction, or at any angle be tween the horizontal and vertical posi tions, so that, after having been felled a tree may be quickly cut up into desir ed lengths. It generally happens that when a large tree falls it does not lie flat, as its branches hold the upper par? of its trunk from the ground, and in order to squarely cross-cut trees lying in such a position it is necessary to incline the saw somewhat from a ver tical line. This is readily done by the adjusting capacity just mentioned.— Cassler’s Magazine. Electric Liffht Wiring. It was but natural that the first at tempt to account for the fire at the Tal mage Tabernacle in Brooklyn should re sult in a verdict of “electric light wires ” Although there is now rea- INFORM\TIOM ON son to believe that the fire was the work of an incendiary, no harm has been done in drawing attention to the very Important, question of wiring There is no department of el<*ctrical work on which the safety and the lives of the people are so dependent, and it is to be hoped that the criminal econo my of cheap wiring will eventually be so beset by heavy penalties that the public will no longer be menaced by its ever-present dangers. The practice of putting in imperfect wiring on board ship has just been severely criticised in an English electrical journal. Noth ing more horrible than a tire on board ship can be imagined, and it is a matter for wonder that shipping lines, and more particularly marine insurance companies should permit ships carry ing the electric light to go to sea with such inefficient workmanship as is of ten met with. One of the principals of n large firm of shippers in England de siring to install the electric light on some of their vessels, sent for their en gineer, and told him he must carry out the work. He confessed that lie knew nothing about eleetrio lighting, but was told that he would be held respon sible for the proper execution of the work. The result was that several ships were lighted in a rough-and tumble way. anil electric lighting plants were installed, and the firm considered that they had done rattier a clever tiling in thus avoiding the expense of an expert. In a case like this, the en gineer receives bids from a number of firms, and usually gives the contract to the lowest bidder. He does not know bad work from good, and if he meets with an unprincipled contractor, so much the worse for the safety chances of the ship and crew. There are many points on which the maximum effi ciency of a ship lighting depends, such as the methods of running the circuits, arranging the plants, etc., and it has advisedly been pointed out that as many firms are committed to special systems of ship lighting, the independ ent opinion of a professional man is highly desirable. Metallic Envelope Fastener. The device shown in the illustration affords an effective locking means whereby the contents of an envelope and the stamp may be secured to the envelope so that the latter 1 can not he opened or its contents tampered with Metallic Fnntener. without injury thereto. It has been recently patented. Fig. 1 shows the ap plication of the improvement, and Fig. 2 one of the fastening plates, Fig. 3 representing another form of such plates, which are preferably made of aluminum or some light metal. Each plate has a series of prongs stuck up and bent in a reverse direction, the prongs at the outer edge projecting downward and an inner series project ing upward, while there are grooves in side of each series of prongs. The prongs preferably have serrated edges and the plates are usually employed in sets or pairs, two plates being clamp ed together, but having their prongs and grooves so arranged as to be alter nately disposed when laid together. The inner plate is first secured by its prongs to the letter, and the letter with the outer prongs projecting is inserted in the envelope, to the rear side of which the prongs are clamped. The flap is then folded down, the other plate laid over the folded edge and in register with the inner plate, the stamp forced over the center outwardly pro jecting prongs, and the whole com pactly pressed together in any suita ble hand press. The plates thus used do not mar the face of the envelope, and the use of sealing wax. gum. etc., may be dispensed with.—Philadedphia Record. Ant< rt:i pli Time Recorder. An ingenious dock with special at tachment has just been put on the mar ket for recording the work done by individual workmen in electric light and power stations. The clock which drives the record dial is supported in a cast ing. the ends of which are securely fast ened to a wooden frame. The record dial is divided by parallel radial lines into thirty minute spaces, so that a rec ord can be made every half hour of the amperes, volts, steam pressure, vac uum, dynamos cut out and dynamos started, the space for each record being appropriately indicated. It is absolute ly necessary that the dynamo tender should make his record regularly at stated intervals, as in ease of failure to do so the portion of the dial which presents Itself at the proper moment for his inscription will pass on under the glass, and appear as a blank record of his negligence. The register show’s the exact time each dynamo was start ed and cut out, and the length of time each has been running, besides giving all the information necessary for ascer taining the average or total day or night load. This instrument can be adapted, by a single change in the printing of the dial, to any other kind of business where a half-hourly or hour ly record is desired. Foolish Hirds With String. Those people who cannot view’ the multitude of blossoms on their cherry trees with unmixed delight, owing tc thoughts of hungry robins later in the season, may like to try a plan recom mended for the discomfiture of these too aggressive songsters. This is to put a spool of the coarsest white thread on a long pole so that it will wind off when walking with it axound the tree, and with it make a sort of netted shield for the cherries. These numer ous cross-stretched strings, fastened on the outer margin of the twigs, frighten off the birds. Their cuteness suspects a trap. It is the one successful device against crows in a sprouting cornfield; a number of lines of string stretched around and across a corn field scare away the cunning and suspicious black marauders.—Lewis ton J ournal. Far More Exclusive. She —As a society man would yon prefer to lire in England or New York? He —In New’ York. You see in Eng land there are ten thousand people and in New York only four hundred. PETER WAS A SAILOR. NOW HE IS A KING ON A SOUTH IVut His Subject* Number Only a Score mid the Product* of 111 k KiiiKs desire to in vestigate into the ways of the out side world seized him He told h s savage followers that he was going away on a short trip and promised them he wou d return Great grief followed t,.is announcement, and for du s 11 nla was m nour ting. The civilized world was not what Peter exoected to find it. It was cold, hurtles, ungenerous. Evon th? unit >rm - I ollleers of the steam ship Alameda that brought him from Aoiu to ban Francisco did not seem SEA ISLAND. to have as much kindness in their natures as the cocoanut-011-covered warriors of the reef. San Francisco was not as hospitable to him as the village at Karatonga Peter has unconsciously settled the problem of barbarism versus culti vation and progress with a good many people. Ho proved a failure as a citizen, and was unhappy dur ing the attempt ho made to convert himself. He had not been a marked success as a chieftain but he has de cided that it is better to bo a poor ruler in a savage country than a well-paid civilian in a land of prog ress. An Aged Man’* Vain Krranii In a Bow ery I'awn shop. In a Bowery pawn shop tho other afternoon a man shuffled tin to one of the clerks with a big bundle, which he wanted to pawn. The man was old and decrepit. His hair and beard were long, white and unkempt. His clothes were as ragged as the wrappings of his bundle. Ho laid tho bundle down on the counter, milled off the wrappings and dis played a bible of what is known as tho family sort. It had large heavy covers stamped in gilt, and looKed as if it might bo illustrated with full page steel engravings. •‘What’ll you give mo on that?” said ho to the clerk “Nothing,” replied the clerk,with tho most discouraging accent imagin able, and apparently without even a glance at tho bible. “Oh, yes, you will,” said tho old man. “Please give me something.” “No,” answered tho clerk; “not a cent. ” “But I’ve got to have it." pleaded tho old man. “I haven’t hud any thing to eat to-day. Givo mo fifty cents.” “Nothing to drink, you mean," with another glance at the trembling old man. “I won’t give you any thing. Wo don’t take bibles any way." The clerk turned to walk to a man who seemed to want to pawn a ring, savs tho Now York Sun. The old man hesitated a minute and then renewed his effort. “Well, givo me twenty-five cents, then,” he said. “I’ve had more than that on this before.” “Not here," answered tho clerk. “I tell you wo don’t take bibles. Go on. now." The old man gathered up his bible and shuffled away. The man who was pawning tho ring looked on with evident interest Ho was thinking of tho many stories ho had heard of mon who would pawn their family bibles for drink money, and redeem ing that hero was a pawnbroker whose heart was not as stony as tra dition makes believe, who had some taint of sentiment, if not of rever ence, left in him. “Is that a rule of tho house?” he said to tho clerk who was making out the ticket. “What?" asked the clerk. “That you don't take bibles.” “No," with a laugh. “That was just a bluff. Wo take anything. But that bible was worn out and wasn’t worth a cent." George Wiley, of Jones county, Mississippi, went fishing. Friends after awhile found him hanging by one leg to a tree over Pearl river and verv dead indeed. It was found that he had run his fish line over a limb and tied it to his leg for secur ity. A 150-pound catfish seized the hook and pulled Mr. Wiley up, hold ing him there until dead. CHARITIES IN ALL NATIONS. Italy has 270,000 inmates of the poor houses. The alms-houses of France > have 200,000 inmates. There are in Austria 290,000 persons receiving state aid. Germany has 320,000 paupers in the public alms-houses. The charitable bequests in London every year exceed $5,000,000. There are in the United States 73,- 045 inmates of the public alms-houses. The charitable associations of France give away in alms every year $25,000,- 000. The British asylums and homes for the aged and infirm cost annually $13,- 000,000. The French government annually appropriates $30,000,000 for various charities. Russia is said to have 350,000 pau pers in the various refuges provided for them. The organized charities of Great Britain give away every year over $50,000,000. The charity schools of Great Britain are maintained at an annual expendi ture of $21,000,000. The value of property held for char ity in Italy is £15,000,000, an average of sl2 to each inhabitant. Ireland has 107,774 paupers—that is, inmates of the alms-houses or in re ceipt of out-door assistance. One foundling asylum in Moscow receives 12,000 infants every year. The boys are trained for the navy. A regularly organized system of re lieving poverty has been in vogue in China for more than 2,00 ) years. One of the largest hospitals in tlio worl I is the Miscricordia of Rio Janeiro. It receives annually over 13.000 patients. There are in England and Wales 787,545 public paupers—that is, per sons who are either inmates of the alms-houses or who receive out-door assista nee. During the great Irish famine of 1847 and the following years it is com pute I that over $10,000,090 were sent to that country to relieve the suffer ings of tile people. HOCKING HIS BIBLE. Ind of a FiHliermaii. REPUBLICAN MATTERS. DEMOCRATIC LOGIC. Wool Ih Ranr Material and Coal Is n Finished Product. That was an ingenious if not a can did explanation which was niado re cently in the tariff debate by Senator Faulkner of West Virginia, that the reason why wool was placed on the free list while coal was ••taxed" at forty cents a ton, was because wool was a “raw material” and coal was not- He said: “Upon the question of raw material 1 desire to say coal is not a raw material, in any sense whatever. * * * I hold that a raw material must be something in the mind of everyone that enters into and becomes a part of the fin ished product. When you take the coal from the ground and put it upon the cars it is a complete and finished product” Now that is a neat and simple ar gument. Coal is a finished product because it is consumed as coal. Wool is a raw material because the wool is spun and woven and made into cloth, which is the finished product. That is as good reasoning as nine-tenths of the arguments of the Democratic free traders —for in stance as good as the claim that the tariff is a tax, and increases the price of the commodity by the amount of the duty—which is a self evident lie. This claim of Senator Faulkner, as usual, ignores entirely the element of labor which enters into the pro duction of an article. Coal—This “finished product”—is the creation of nature. Through the 1< ng ages she found it and de posited it in the groat coal bods. No change is wrought upon it. It is simply removed from its bod by a single process of the least skilled labor, and lo! it is a finished product. Now take the wool of the Michigan or Ohio farmer, says the Detroit Tribune. The land for raising of the sheep has been cleared with great labor, it has been laboriously turned by the plow, and finally it has been seeded to grass for pastur age. The stock for the wool-pro ducing flock has been selected at great cost andcaro; the young lambs have been matured and tended; the flocks carefully cared for in summer and sheltered and fed in winter. In due season the sheep have been washed, and the fleeces clipped, bundled, baled, marketed, and scour ed, and still this is nothing but wool—a “raw material”—because it still awaits another process before it reaches its ultimate form. Coal makes tho steam that turns the wheel that propels the looms, that weave tho cloth for man’s use. Wool furnishes the yarn that makes the cloth for man’s use. Coal is wholly tho product of na ture, requiring only to bo removed. Wool is the result of man's effort in overcoming and directing nature, and of his direct labors, going through many distinct processes before it reaches the stage for final use But, according to tho Democratic logic, which seeks to sustain the present monstrosity called a tariff bill, wool is raw material and coal is finished product. It is by such al leged arguments that this unnatural product of dicker and sale is to be commended to an intelligent people! But the argument, is too gauzy, and the people will not bo fooled. Drive on, gentlemen, your days aro few. The people are noting your doings. Lucky. Tho president’s countenance was transfigured with happiness. “Hoke,” he called. The secretary of tho interior as turned an attitude of polite attention. ••Your excellency.” “Very good, Hoke,” Mr. Cleveland exclaimed, “just remain in that atti tude until I got through. I was about to observe upon the great good fortune that seems to attend me at all times. 1 have been called a man of densi —destiny. I believe tha characterization is just, Hoke.” The president drew a deep breath. ••You will recall, Hoke,” he pro ceeded, “how shocked a number of my friends were when I said to Croker I’d be d—d if I would. They thought my goose was cooked. I was a little rattled myself at the time, and it made my knees shake to think of it, until after the votes were counted. But it is evident now that my benign fate was directing me when I swore at the boss. Sup pose for a moment I had said: ‘Dick, I am your huckleberry. What do you want?’ A due regard for my own interests, judged in the light of the outlook at that time, prompted such a remark. But just think where I would be now that Croker has found it necessary to skip to Europe between two days in order to keep from ruining his health. Only—” Mr. Cleveland shuddered. think of it, iloke. I toll you that was a great play although it looked pretty rocky at the time. A great play.” The president’s heal sank upon his breast. “I’ll be d-d Hoke.” But the secretary of tho interior had gone. Detroit Tribune.' ink. Wall street i»i Apart from his ollie at position. Mr. Cleveland’s views o.i finance uro of very little impt* 1 tic.-. lie is completely under tlx: in iuence of Wall street bankers, ami his views are but a reflection of those the bankers express. One should re member thut a man may be a very good banker without, being a good financier. The influence of Wall street upon financial legislation would be much less than it is, if the people u.ways bore the truth in mind .Mr. Cleveland, in harmony with his Wall streoi prompters. thinks that there is little significance in the heavy shipments of gold to Europe. But a year ago it was different. Wall street was making war at that time upon the Sherman law, and so the outflow of gold was represented to be a national disaster. Whenever Wail street says: “Thumbs up!” Mr. Cleveland promptly le sponds. -Denver Republican. NOT ENOUGH OFFICES. The Major** Heart Is Sore for a I»cm>»- cr.it Unable to Itcach (he l‘le. My proud heart was wrenched out of its socket last week when it was reported to mo that a high-toned Southern gentleman and son of Vir ginia had fallen down in a fit of ex hostion in the Smithsonian grounds in lliis city. Starved almost to death in sight of the W hite house! His name is A. C. Chewning and ho camo up here from Basie City some months ago to get a plais under tho administration. A better Democrat and a truer Confederate never breathed but he got jollyed by every body here and he lived on husks and promises tell his money give out Like a noble Southron he was too proud to bog or even to mention his condition, and so ho wasted away until he went over to tho Smithsonian grounds to eat grass. Ho was found there dyin of hunger and taken to tho’ hospetal. When tho facts come out his poor wifo and children wore sent; for and the sum of S7OO was raised for them. Colonel Chewning will; have a job in tho treasury for Secret tary Carlisle has promised it to hlini now. When 1 mentioned Home time’ ago that hundreds of poor, promt Southern Democrats was star vial here in Washington while waitin for oftis some people was inclined to re gard mo as oxaggeratin facts. You see I knowd what I was a tai kin about for I was minglin with the un fortunate and disappointed mon. I started a society hero to aid just such people, but I couldn’t got hard ly enough money out of It to keep' myself comfortable, though I did re-j Hove a number of sad cases. I I tried to touch old Cleveland’s heart, but I might us well of tried to get a smllo out of that In dian squaw on top of the eapitol. Ils didn’t pay no more attention to the misery around him than a bull a browsin’ in a clover modder pays to the killin’ of a sheep up at tho barn, lie said to mo when I spoke to h.m about it that ho didn’t invito any body to come hero lookin’ for oills, as though it wasn't «tho sacred right of every man that votes tho Demo cratic ticket to ask for a reward when his party is able to extend It. 1 have seen mon here sloepin' in open parks on benches that had slate rep utations when <». Cleveland was Rangin' people in Buffalo. I’ve seen gallant Confederate soldiers in bur rooms hero waitin’ to bo invited to out and drink when they hadn’t tho price of a segar in their pockets, writes Major Randolph (loro Hampton to tho Now York Advertiser. I’ve run pretty close to tho lunch rations my self but 1 haven’t ast for an oills and nobody has promised me any thing outside of lyin’ about what they'd do to got Southern war claims allowed. I wouldn’t give two whoops in tho buck alley of Jericho for all tho promises ever made by tho head of a department here and a damd sight less for tho promise of a congressman unless 1 have a ring in his snout. When I fall down hungry hero in Washing ton it will be about two days after the bottom of tho last Hour barl in the town has been scrapot I ain’t built that way, but this hero Colonel Chewning is a sensitive, proud, aris tocratic man with blew blood in his veins. When ho saw that ho was bein trifled with ho just pined away and sagged down. Ho ought to have gone up and kicked some of the mon who promised him plaisos right through their suspenders. That’s what I’d have done. How ever, all’s well now and Chewning and his wife and his two babies aro in clover, and, as Lem Tolliver says, is chewning his harp to sing old Cleveland’s praises. The theorists at homo and on the tramp who think it is the duty of the government to furnish employment to the unemployed should not over look the fact that the question has been put to a popular vote and over whelmingly lost. The measure came up in tho form of a referendum in Switzerland,the oldest of republics and tho stronghold of socialism.. After duo discussion It was voted down by a majority of more than four to ono. There is no doubt that if it were put to a vqto in this or any other country it would bo defeated by a still heavier majority. The scheme is impracticable and would swamp any government which at tempted to practice it Times-Star. It is more than merely interesting. It is almost a liberal education, to lea.-n that in exchange for their in come tax clause tho Populists have surrendered every other demand ex cept that for free barbed wire. Im agine a partv solemnly calling upon the muse of history to put it down in black arid white us the agglomera tion of mankind that discovered the place of wisdom, liberty and govern ment to Le between free barbed wire and a two per cent tax on incomes above % l.Obb a year! The kidnapping and tarring and feathering of Adjutant General Tars noy, of tho Colorado militia, is the legitimate fruit of Waiteism. When the chief executive of a state is a lawless old lunatic hi nself, tho tar ring and feathering of the military arm of the government follows as the night the day. I mpractlcablo. A Barb Wire ullliuilum. V nltcism.