Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1888-03-03
SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL

In experiments during the past year.
cclluloid has proven an excellent sheath
ing for ships, in place of copper, over
which il has some advantages.
\ new tanning agent has been OH !
tanned by digesting coal dust with caus
tic soda at boil, and neutraliznC the.
resulting liquor with hydrochloric acid.
A solution composed of alum, two
pounds; water, sixty pounds blue vltrlo1,
two pounds; gelatine. one pound; ace !
tate of lead, half pound, thoroughly
mixed, will prevent mildew from affect
, ing wood. clothing, fabrics, etc.
A remarkable engineering fea. has
! been suco essfully accomplished at Go
! hak. India. where the $50 horse power
Of three turbines is transmitted by rope
gearing .39 feet away. the first 500 feet
being up the face of perpendicular
cliff.
a non speaking telephone is exhibited
ia Pittsburgh. \ sensitive plate presses
against the larynx and glands Of the
neck, and as the Jaws are moved in con
vcrsaton the motion sends the words
along the wire as distinctly as the tolc
phone now in use.
According to the Electrical Leri<s-
4nedicine may he ktroduced into the
human system by electricity. The cIec
trodes Of a battery are saturated with the
medicine and applied locally to the skin
Experiments show that there is an act
ua ABSORPTION of the medicine into the
system.
A vehicle wheel has been ratcned by
Mr. Walter knight, Of san Andrea>,
Cal. 1t has double series of inclined
metal spokcs, the wheel being made Of 4
combination of wood and metal. whereby
great simplicity, durability, and strength
are secured, and the wheel may be easily
repaired when required.
| According to Mr.. f. G. Ravcnstcin
the English foot is used as the standard
of length by countries having ibl 600,
600 inhabitants, the meter hy 81, ,oH1.
600 people, and the Castllian foot Ivy
5,o05, 600. Denmark and Russ a are the
only countries in Continental Europe
:. which have not adopted the meter.
A tricycle. which is designed to be
easily and conveniently propelled at a
high rate Of speed, without mu h excr-
ton on the part Of the operator has been
patented 1t consists Of a rocking chair
located on a suitable frame and operat
, ing at its free end on scgmental gear
wheel, connected bv a tram of gear
: wheels with the axle of a driving wheel
Curious effects are known TO be often
produced bv colors on persons and am
mails Tile sight Of an obno Nous color
? nav induce an attack Of MYSTERIES nausea.
or a headache, or it may cause pviolent
t fit of i'll temper The offending color is
! r. (,,,t
oftencr red or scarlet. Scientific attcn-
S ton is being directed TO these phenom-
ena.
Several Of the French railway compa
mics and other public bodies have resolved
to have their printing done on green IN
stead Of white paper. The reason of the
> +, change is that they believe the comblna-
ton Of white paper with black charac-
;, tiers endangcrs the cvcsight 81 their work
people Black on green has always been
i recognized as a good combination. and
: many railway tickets are 50 printed.
! Investigations concerning the effects
, Of different forms of artificial illumina
tion on the health have shown that tb,
G tallow candle Is the most unwhnlc>oms
= ! agent and the electric the best. The IN
candescent electric light produces only
about / 80 IS much heat as the talloH
: candle, while it gives out no carbonif
j., acid or water. one ga,Jet IN a room Is
: said TO vitiate the air az much a SIN per
U sons.
o According To the Imerlr<p DrDqYrt
s an excellent sui stItutc for gum arabic J.
4 made as follows Twenty parts Of pow
o dercd sugar boiled with parts Of fresi
o milk. and this then mixed with - part
Of .'G-per cent solution Of slIicatc o
IS sodium. the mixture being then cooled
to 1929 f. and poured into tin boxes
1t where granular masses will gradual
;, separate which look very much lIk
Il pieces Of gum arabic
:. Euston station, in London. England
TT is lighted bv a new light which is he
&c lieved to possess many advantages. 1r
J dnary coai ga MIXED in about the pro
portion Of one to eight Of common ar
is supplied under the usual gas scrvic
pressure to burner, over y nhich arc place
caps of rla'num wirc gauzc lheanIx
! ,ure. when lighted, hurns without fam
K around the cap, which i raised e
: brilliant white heat by the cnmbusHDn