Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-11-18
SCIENTIFIC GOSSIP.

Water from the holy well at Niece turns
| out to be ten times worse than the average
sewage of London.
Iron chess boards, and chessmen with
concealed magnets to steady them, are sold
in Berlin for convenience of travellers.
At Rouen the Municipal Council propose
TO use the current of the Seine to drive DIV.
namo-electric machines for lighting the city.
The Ctemiter Zeitung says that solu-
! ton of quinine hydrcchlorate acidulated
with hydrochloric acid will quickly and
entirely remove the odor of musk from any
object.
Ipcandescent electric lighting with the
Swan system has proved highly satisfac
tory in the Paris Opera House. The use of
! gas IN the foyer destroyed almost entirely
the fine decorations
Experiments conducted between Munich
| and Missbach have proved conclusively
that electrical energy capable OF being con-
verted into motive power can be sent over
an ordinary telegraph wire
| Two engineers have been sent to England
by the Alta Italia Railway Company to
/ study the working of the electric light
which has been adopted by the Directors of
the London and Brighton road.
Captain Webb seems to think that the
use OF porpoise oil rubbed all over the body
and even the face prevents the chilling
action of cold water affecting the vital parts
of swimmers who remain long time in
the water. All professionals, he says, now
use oil.
Artificial ivory of pure white color and
very durable has lately been made by the
inventor of celuloid. 1t is prepared by
| dissolving shellac In ammonia. mixing the
solution with oxide of zinc, driving eff the
ammonia by heating, and afterward DOW
dering the residue and strongly compress
ing it in molds.
From paper by DIR. W. Alexeew it ap-
pears that at temperatures between 81 and
| 80 3 salicylic acid forms, with water, three
kinds of solutions |. Solution of water in
salicylic acid ,. a solution of salic7lic
! acid in water, which, on cooling, deposits
the acid in crystals; 3. A solution OF sail
| cyhc acid and water, which, when cold,
deposits the liquid acid.
| Making such institutions as the pubIic
| schools residences for janitors and their
! families is very questionable practice. It
/ 10 hSSSsoai ~ nav Z u careful man ABOUT
! the premises. but not to have his wife and
children. When dangerous disease
! breaks out iu his household it is his policy
TO keep silent about it so as not to be
| turned ont of doors and probably for .
long time out of employment. Janitors
should have dwelling away from the
schools.
The following graceful and truthful
| words have been written of the late Pro-
| fessur Wobler, in the Nature, by we'll
/ known chemist " But what shall be said
of the Influence of this great student of
nature upon others. Many a chemist
| looks TO GottiRgen as the place where he
/ learned what research means. He lived
long and nobly; he saw chemistry grow
| from feeble plant to spreading tree,
and to that growth he in no small meas.
ure miuistered."
Writing on the action of the presence Of
! leaves of zinc in steam boilers, NJ Treve
says battery is formed by the presence
OF iron and zinc, which occasions con-
! tinuous decomposition of the water. The
oxygen combines with the zinc, and the
/ zinc oxide thus formed unites with the
| fatty acids of the feed water, forming a
! fine soap, which prevents the adhesion of
saline matters to the interior of the boiler.
The hydrogen set free prevents the danger
of explosion from the absence of gaseous
matter and consequent superheating.
When boiler has been kept for a consid.
cradle time with the fire banked up, the hot
water is totally deprived of air, and on
then raising the heat an explosion is posi-
sible. In such cases NJ. Treve recommends
that portion Of the water be run off and
fresh water containing air introduced in its
place.