The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1885-07-04
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.


ANOTHER METAL.
Increasing knowledge of simple substances ex-
listing only in very minute quantities bids fair to
eventually extend our list of the elements making
up the universe considerably beyond the 65
or 20 thus far catalOgued by chemists. newly
discovered element is "norwegium," found
by DR.. T. Dahl in nickel ore from Kragero, Nor
way. 1t is malleable metal, of white color
slightly tinged with Brown, hardness about
equal to that of copper, specific gravity of
9.444l, and melting point of $50 degrees Fab
renheit. 1t appears to differ in physical proper
ties and chemical reaction from every other known
metal.
FAUNA OF CENTRAL ASIA.
In work soon to appear in London, Rev. DR..
Henry Lansdell proposes to make generally ac-
cessibly what is known of the animal and vege-
table life of Russian Turkistan. The animals of
Turkistan he finds to embrace over so species Of
mammals nearly 400 species of birds, with an
additional q frequenting the Pamir 80 species
of reptiles; probably more than so species of
fishes; SO species of mollusks; SO species of
crustaceans; AZ species ofspiders probably 900
species of beetles several hundred species of
hymenopterous insects, including SO of ants !;
several hundred species of butterflies and moths !;
over go species of dragon-fies and other neurop-
ferrous insects; 40 species of locusts, crickets,
and other orthopterous creatures; AZ species of
intestinal worms, and an unknown number of
other insect species.
HOW FAR CAN WE SEE?
discussion is going on among European
objects on the earth's surface may be visible
Emil Metzger mentioned that he once saw, with
some difficulty, Keizerspick in Sumatra when
distant ITO English miles and he has also made
out Merapi in Java when $50 miles away. From
the Piz Muraum, near Dissetis, E. Hill has seen
Mont Blanc, the intervening space measuring
about ITO miles. j. Starkie Gardner states that
Mont Blanc is visible from the Piz Lanyard,
though distant about three degrees. In Green
land, Mr.. Whymper beheld mountain from which
he was separated by $50 miles and from Mar
settles. Zach saw Mount Canigon at distance
of 15S miles. The whole range of the Swiss Alps
has been looked upon by ]. Hippisey when 200
miles away; while Sir W. Jones has affirmed that
the Himalayas have appeared to view the great
distance of 244 miles.
GERMS TAKING ROOT IN THE LUNGS.
"In the ordinary healthy lung" says DIR. Curt,
"perhaps even in persons who have a consump-
tive heredity, the germ which causes the break
down of the lung may not be able to make an i'm
preston but if the physical integrity is destroy
ed by poor food, or any facilitating influence, or
by cod then the germ is able to get in its work,
and fill the lungs with tubercles."
MISCELLANEOUS.
The anaesthetie effect of sapid breathing-like
that of inhaing nitrous oxide-is ascribed by DIR.
Bonwill to the influence of the surplus of oxygen
thus forced upon the lungs. In variety of cases
remarkable insensibility to pain, without appre-
ciabe loss of consciousness has been produced, in
one instance a boy of eleven, after breathing rap
idly about a minute, having had four permanent
molars removed, the operation being painless and
lasting twenty seconds.
Remains of gigantic birds lately discovered in
the Thames valley show, according to Mr.. G.. E.
T. Newton of the London Geological Society, that
England was once inhabited by birds as large as
the famous Moa of New Zealand, or much larger
than the ostriches now existing.
Of at least dozen fishes having electric organs
the electric eel of South America is the most pow
erful. 1t reaches length of six feet, and is pro-
vided with pair Of batteries, containing some
hundred minute nerve-supplied cells, which ex-
hibt the same phenomena as artificial batteries.
forks, grindstones, rails and sleepers made
from the former houses, furniture and clothing,
car-wheels and boats, are among the applications
of the latter.
Mr.. John Mcguire has informed the Royal
Astronomical Society that in the period from A.
D. S7S to 1724 the sun has been totally eclipsed
in every spot in the British Isles except a small
place on the coast of ireland. Twice-in SIS and
in 1715-London came within the narrow path of
totality. Twice also did the moons shadow fall
on Dublin, and five times on Edinburgh.
1t has been found that compressed teak may be
made to serve some of the purposes for which
boxwood-which is rapidly becoming scarce-is
used. powerful hydraulic press for COM
pressing teak for oom-shuttles has just been made
in Manchester, England.
The British experiments to test the relative
merits of oil, gas and electricity for lighthouse
illumination have resulted in demonstrating the
superiority of electricity over all other lights,
even-as has been generally doubted-in dense
fogs.
The phenomenon of red hail, the coloring mat
ter being difused throughout some of the stones,
and the others being white, lately observed
in the English county of Down.
An audible demonstration of the earth's mag
netic induction has been given by DIR. Schaper.
series of telephones placed upon one circuit,
and telephone or simple magnet was then re-
peatedly turned end for end, that its north and
south poles were uppermost alternately. At each
reversal q crack was heard, resulting from the
earth's induction on the reversed magnet.
An international congress of botany and horti-
culture will meet at Antwerp from Aug. to 10.
Questions of great commercial as yell as scientific
Importance will be discussed.