The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1885-01-31
Correspondence Baltimore County onion.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.
BODY HEAT.

BODY HEAT.
From experimental measurements of the tenn
perature of the body during acts Of motion the
following conclusions have been reached by a
French observer: That the lowest temperature
in man, following period of rest, is 9s.4 degrees
that the temperature rises under the influence of
an ascending effort to 1905 degrees, and under
the influence of descending effort to 1908 de-
grees; that it increases after sny exertion, but
more after an ascending than after descending
one; and that the chemical actions Of the organ
ism are augmented after every movement. .il
RESPIRATION OF OXYGEN AND OZONE.
A very general but erroneous belief is that the
breathing of pure oxygen would rapidly destroy
animal life by quckening the combustion in the
body as the same gas hastens the burning of the
fuel of an ordinary fire. A German Psychologist
has just shown by exact experiment on men and
dogs that the inhalation of pure oxygen produces
no eaects-at least upon pulse, respiration and
body temperature-which distinguish its: action
from that of pure atmospheric air; and that its
use in cases of poisoning with chloroform, alco-
hol, sulphuretted hydrogen or carbonic oxide
offers no advantage over that of pure air. The
same experimenter has determined that diluted
ozone does not possess the narcoticl influence
usually ascribed to it, and that concentrated ozone
causes an injurious irritation of the mucous mem
brane when breathed.
TRACING A LOST RIVER.
The remarkable river Reka rises in the Austrian
province of Carniola, and disappers in the Karst
caves. There are reasons for believing that II
flows a long distance underground, emerging
twenty miles away as the Timavo, a stream which
mysteriously pours out Of hillside. Members OF
the Austro- German Alpine Club have lately at
tempted an exploration of the subterranean course
of the Reks, and have succeeded in following it
about one furlong, passing six waterfalls ana
reaching a seventh, which proved to be lmpassaoie
without special apparatus. One of the caverns
encountered is reported to be capacious enough to
contain St. Peters Cathedral of Rome.
puosPHoR1c GLASS AND CREMATION.
variety of articles made from so-called phos-
>phoric glass, which is composed simply OF phos-
nbate of lime. have been exhibited to the French
Academy of Sciences BY Mons. SidOt. Unlike
ordinary kinds, this glass ressts the action OF
Auoric acid, and it win probably be useful to
chemists and others on that account. A novel use
of;t IN connection with cremation is suggested by
Mons. Henry de ParveilIe, who proposes that the
nbosnbate of lime remaining as the ashes OF each
burned body be converted into phosphoric glass,
and then nodded into vase medallion, or statuette
of the person from whom it has been derived.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The Aexibility of itacoumite-a remarkable
sandstone existing in Georgia and North and
Sonth Carolina-seens to be surpassed by that OF
= maonesian limestone found at the entrance OF
the TYNE. in England. This limestone is reported
70 be 80 flexible that thin layers three feet or more
IN lsnotb may be bent into circle while damp,
rs.o;n;nc that form on being allowed to dry
mountain explorer just returned from Asia,
states that during four months residence at
beioht of more than Is 900 feet above the sea his
mise normally only sixty three beats per minute
psoido1, fell below one hundred beats per minute,
and his respiratlons were oilen '"i0e 40 mum
as at ordinary levels.
Al Engl;sh chemist has confirmed by analyses
+ha on;nion that the lack of maeability IN heated
ironLor redshortness," as it Is caiied-ls que 10
tha nresence of oxygen. A red-short specimen
contained l 1884 per cent. OF oxygen, Wnlie sam
nIes free from the defect hsd only .75O per cent.
or less. - -, =.
Wet winters in Germany have been found 70
result disastrousy to insects, each season OF HOOD
greatly lessening the "bug crop" OF the following
summer.
After many observations at sea level and at
IL O00 feet above, Prof. S. P. Langley concludes
that the mean absorption of light and heat by the
atmosnhere is at least double the usual estimate OF
twenty per cent He believes, also, that dust par
tieles play more important part IN THIS aosorp-
ton than is generally supposed
A new building materials mixture Oh CORK
silica and lime-is coming into extensive use In
Germany. 1t has the advantage of keeping out
heat and cold and is also claimed to be an excel
lent preventive of dampness and deadener OF
sound. It is substantial light and durable, and
seems to be especially adapted for ceilings ana
wall Innings O..
To recent progress in sanitary science or
Joseph Fayer, formerly surgeon general OF the
army in India, attributes the fact that England
death-rate has decreased during the present cen
fury from forty in the thousand to twenty IN the
thousand.
The Royal Geographical Society, OF London,
has published list of 100 stations occupied oy
Europeaus in Central Africa in 1884, with their
latitude and longitude. OF these, sixty -one are
situated between the equator and the zamoezi,
east of the twenty degree of east longitude;
aud ffty-nine are west of that meridian, between
the equator and the kuimen or cunene
permanent school of forestry will probaoly De
established in connection with the University Oh
E1inhurOh !"