The Snake Killers of France and Their Swift Hunts
An account of French snake hunters led by the famed Jean Serpent, real name Michael Versus, who has slain thousands of adders. The piece describes a serum called Vantiviperite, used to treat viper and adder bites, and details the hunter’s gear, methods, and the swift strike technique to subdue serpents in sun warmed, wooded, or muddy habitats.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Jean Serpent
Michael
Calmette
Prince
France
Why the Clinkers in the Coal
A reader notes the rise in ash and clinker in coal during 1917 due to government pricing and mine sorting failures. He cites higher noncombustible content cutting fuel value and increasing waste, with about 600000 cars diverted to transport ash.
Cleverest of All Plants Venus Flytrap Explains Its Noted Appetite
A 19th century note extols the Venus flytrap as highly intelligent among plants. It describes bog-dwelling traps with hinged leaves, nectar, and microscopic hairs that trigger rapid closure to capture and digest prey. The piece compares its actions to a nervous system and mentions rarity and cultivation limits.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
North Carolina
Gronund
Emshella
Ieak
Invisible Death in War Gas Science
A historical discussion describes the w ar gas race in World War I era, detailing the search for a silent odorless poison gas to devastate enemy troops. It covers chlorine, phosgene, and mustard gas, the use of gas shells, and the tactics of deploying chemical clouds and protective masks amid battlefield chaos.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Ita
Munk
Hanes
Fainting Goats Confound Tennessee In Odd Locality
A report notes Tennessee has a rare breed known as fainting goats confined to a small area. The goats react to sudden fright not with heart weakness but a nervous quirk, collapsing when startled or alarmed. The condition, termed a peculiar nervous complaint, affects ordinary goats differently.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Tennessee
Enom
Sand Box Blotting Rediscovered in Old Times
Blotters once used sand boxes for blotting ink, a primitive method that performed better than cotton pulp paper. The sand from Lake George, New York, and mineral blotters from hot spring sediment offered superior absorbency, though sand boxes faded with the rise of the quill and newer papers.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Sdad
Lake George
New York State
Dog Medicines and Human Ailments Warned By Doctor
A physician notes the broad use of patent medicines for people and animals. He argues that many remedies sold for humans may be ineffective and cautions that some doctors run dog medicine businesses, implying misdiagnosis and questionable professional standards.
Artificial eyes and the quest for perfect matches in wartime
A lengthy feature discusses the wartime demand for artificial eyes for blinded soldiers in France, noting high costs and maintenance needs, and detailing the history and craft of eye making from ancient to modern times. It covers domestic production hopes, smuggling risks, and the delicate matching of iris and sclera, with side notes on replica eyewear and related novelty items.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
France
Germany
Younr Tachire
New York
Wolf
Taxiderminte
Elise Syes
Bmisthaonian Institution
Dangers of Benzine Stove Polish Warned by Officials
Bureau of Standards notes over 404 serious accidents in eight years from benzine stove polish with several women burned to death. Despite quick-drying benefits, experts urge banning benzine. Warnings say do not use on hot stoves, yet many brands contain it and vapors can ignite, risking explosions. Fireproof polishes advised even if slower.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Cambrai
Cromarouta
Bureau of Standards
Mountains of Anthracite Yield to Modern Utilization
Mountains of anthracite in the Tahigh and Susquehanna valleys, estimated at Scranton to hold about 15,099,000 tons, are being mined for coal dust and lump coal. Hydraulic mining recovers dust to be used in briquettes, boilers, and cement, while ashing operations reclaim coal from the river, with 106,002 tons recovered from the Susquehanna in a year.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Tahigh
Suaquehanna Valley
Scranton
Hue
Fthem
Civers
Guaquehanna
Also Mentioned on This Page
Jones & Robinson
Botaniet
Garmans
Torew
Afteward
Nieuport
Syea
Benzine
Steve Polish
This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!