New-York tribune., 1879-08-30
SCIENCE FOR THE PEOPLE.

| IMITATION OF AMBER.-CDOheIS VIII po
startled learn that false amber can now be pro-
duced so like the real that the most experienced eyes
may be decelved. The genuine article is simply fossil
resin and the mtators, starting from that point, nave
adopted as basis OF their als1catOps fresh resins
which they treat such as 10 give their pro-
ducts all the appearance and most OF the ouaites OF
the true article The most esteemed specimens OF the
latter procured the coasts OF the Baltic and come
submerged forests Of pine, very similar to those
now I'm being which are Of Ignite that is to
say between the condition OF coal and that OF peat Ihe
amber accompanying this Ignite is generally found' In
rounded masses the form ordinarily assumed by oozng
gums The substance principally used in the imitation
article is colophony Ia resin produced by the decom
position turpentine but many other ingredients are
made use of to give the requisite qualities So perfect
is the imitation the false amber has the electrical
properties O. the true, and some ingenious producers
have even ma. aged to introduce into the substance
foreign bodies insects etc., TO render the resemblance
| moro striking, and enhance the value accordingly
Notwithstanding the accuracy Of the imitation, means
exist of readily detecting false from the true Genu
Inc amber requires heat OF from 1850 to 290o Ceng
45o to $500 Fahr) to melt II, while the spurious sub
stance becomes liquid at much lower temperature.
Moreover while the real article is only slightly attacked
after very long time by ether and alcohol the lmta-
tOn rapidly it's polish in contact with these liquids
and soon becomes soft With numerous small pieces OF
true amber lump o much greater value can be formed
All that has to be done 10 mosten the surfaces 10 De
united with cause notass ana press togSher gS %
mogeneous mass.
A New THERMo-ELECTRIO BATTERY.-M.
Clamond French electrician. has succeeded in devils
ing hermo-eeCtrc battery, producing current suf
oienty powerful yield the electric light factory In
PARIS is now, indeed lighted by this means The appa
raus consists of three parts inner one composed OF
pieces ofiron arranged the form Of crown, which
can be heated in the interior This is called the collector
its purpose being collect the heat and then commun
cate 1t to the adjacent thermope proper This consists
of flexible chain OF any desired length composed OF
cubes Of antmony and znc sodered together by sheets
of tiu In the complete apparatus there are 5000 OF
these couples" outside which are fixed the plates Of
copper to dise the heat Of the collector large sur
face is thus exposed to the air IN order that as great
difference Of temperature possible may be maintained
between the collector and the duser for upon this diff
ference the strength OF the current chiefly depends NJ
diamond has been successful that with one OF his bat
teres he has been enabled light Of serrin lamps
| and with smaller but equally powerful battery he
can light tour less brilliant lamps. THIS is done with the
consumption OF nine HiIioyrammes, about twenty
pounds OF coke hour for the arQe and SIX and one
half pounds for the smaller therDg ectc battery Ihe
| apparatus moreover gives warmth as well as 1ght,
since It's large exterior surface 1t to radiate
| considerable quantity OF neat
MORAL DIETETICs.-Dr. Book, Of Leipsic,
writes as follows the moral effect Of different articles
Of food and drink The nervousness and peevishness
OF our times are chiefly attributable TO tea and coffee
the digestive organs OF confirmed coeedrnkers are in
a state OF chronic arrangement which reacts on the
brain, producing fretfu and acbIymose moods. Fine
ladies addicted TO strong coffee have characteristic
temper which might describe a mania for acting
the prosecuted saint Chocolate neutral in its psychic
Effects and really the most harmless of our fashion
able drinks. The snappsb. petulant humor of the Chi
nese can certainly be ascribed TO their mmoderae fond
| moss for tea Beer is brualizng, wine impassons,
whiskey infuriates, but eventually humans. Aconoc
drinks combined with flesh and fat diet totally sub
jugate the mora man. unless tner influence DO counter
acted by violent exercise But with sedentary habits
they produce those unhappy fesl Aponges which may
be studied in metropolitan bachelor halls, but better
yet in wealthy couvents The soUl that may still I'm
ger in fat Austrian abbot Is functional 10 his body
only salt is to pork-n preventing Imminent putre-
| faction"
! FLASHING SIGNALs.-The interest which has
recently been taken in England IN the sunsnas which
were flashed between Lord Chemsford's army IN Zulu
land and Major Pe8rsons advanced positiO at Ekowe
has suggested the directors Of the Polytechnic Ins
tuition popular subject which has been introduced in
the of illustrated lecture. The flashing of sig
nails may and is done great variety of The
fundamental principle OF the language flashed is the
Morse teegraphic alphabet or special series of hume
rails composed OF long and short signs, which read
of by specially constructed dictionaries of sentences
| Thus one, two. three. four, five short flashes
respectively /, q g. A, 81 one lOng-susained light rep
resents @. one long short z, shoot long
! two short one long o. aud long two short 10.
pause is made between each figure, and the signal s
peaed by the sender until Is repeated by the receiver
Thus three short flashes would be g. two short one long
would be o. and two short would be 2; the full signal
392 Looking to the book Of sentences, 1872 would be
found 10 Je Enemy the alert" The sun flashes
made by specially prepared instrument called hello
graph the principle OF which simply the anguated
mirror which every sehoOl-boy is thoroughly familiar
with. Whea the days dull and tue not available
other resored TO. of the most effective
being large erection the pri1cipe OF the Venetian
blind When the laths oeen the structure at few
miles distance is invisible; but when closed the form
OF a large dart tower is presented TO The distant OBJ
server which appears aud disappears at short long
Intervals and gives thus the like teegrapbic language
I and conveys the same signals. The cOliapsble drum
the CoOub MAGNESIUM lamps the electric light the fog
horn and steam whistle are all similarly employed for
the purpose aud upon the same basis both ashore
and ahoat that under all circumstances Of weather
signals Of Importance always be got through dis
| taIfees OF ten fifteen miles.