The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1888-08-18
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY,
THE ONWARD Marco

The ONWARD MARCH.
Scientific activity will be stimulated in 1889
by variety of remarkable exhibitions and
meetings. The most interesting of these dis
plays and gatherings will, of course, be those
connected with the Universal Exhibition at
Paris, the scientific features of which will in
clude congresses of zoology, anthropology,
physiology, electricity, dermatology, hygiene,
etc. Among the noteworthy exhibitions plan
ned outside the French capital is one OF apph-
ances for saving human beings from accidental
injuries, which will be held in Berlin during
April, May and June.
SOLID PETROLEUM.
a successful Russian method of solidifying
petroleum consists simply in adding to the
heated oil from one to three per cent. of soap,
which dissolves, and on cooling the mixture
becomes cement-like mass having the hard
ness of compact tallow. This forms cOnTe-
nient and economical fuel, which is hard to
light, burns slowly and without smoke, but de-
velops much heat, and leaves about two per
cent. of hard black residuum.
AN IMPORTANT INNOVATION.
The possibility of welding by electricity has
been known longer than is generally supposed,
Prof Elihu Thomson having accidentally
melted together the wires of an induction coil
some eleven years ago. This mishap was the
germ of process likely to ind an almost inn
mite variety of applications, such as the welding
of gold rings steel axes parts of locomotives,
boiler plates tubes, wire lines, lead pipes, etc.
Among the advantages of electric welding, ac-
cording to Mr. o. K. Stewart, are an absolutely
pure heat (that is, a heat free from harmful
gases, absolutely perfect means Of regulation,
heating constantly before the eyes of the opera
tor, a neatness to which ordinary methods can
not at all be compared, an increased economy
of at least 300 per cent. in most cases, absolute
safety of handling apparatus, and portability
Of the apparatus for use in repairing, etc.
LIGHTNING PICTURES.
Amateur photographers may find interesting
scientific work in securing photographs Light
ming flashes, specimens of which are requested
by the Council of the Royal Meteorological So
ciety. No particular difficulty need be encoun-
tered, for if a rapid plate and an ordinary rapid
lens are left uncovered for short time at night
during a thunder storm, flashes of lightning
will, after development, be found in some cases
to have impressed themselves on the plate.
The focus should be that for a distant object.
In response to call made last year, about sixty
photographs were received, and these have dis
closed facts about lightning which were before
quite unsupported.
SHADOW ART.
The making of shadows is becoming matter
of high art in France where the recent work of
q young artist, Caran dAche, has come to be
distinctively known as French shadows"
Historical military scenes are favorite repre-
sensations of this artist at Partisan theatre.
Entire armies in their various movements pass
across the screen, and in the curious PROFESSIONS
the figures of celebrities are so accurately cut
that they can be recognized. Great combats
and the capture of redOubts are shown. The
figures are of sheet zinc, about eighteen inches
high, and are moved before apowerful lamp by
several operators, causing the enlarged shadows
to be projected on the screen. The flash OF the
artillery is produced by wad of gun-cottOn,
the roar of the cannonading by the big drum Of
the orchestra, the discharge of musketry by
large rattle, and the smoke by a cigarette.
Many of the silhouettes, as in the drill where
the guns move in unison, act through mech
anism and some are colored in parts by having
apertures covered with transparent paper.
RHEUMATISM.
An interesting analysis has been made of 500
consecutive cases of acute rheumatism admitted
to a London hospital. Of these patients 235
were males and 265 females; and males and
females died. Only were over 60 years of
age; 10 were between so and GO; % between 40
and 80; 80 between 30 and 40; 154 between 20
and 10; and only under s. The number of
Cases admitted IN January was 81 in February,
a; March, a; April, 80; May, % June, 80;
July, IS; august, As; September, AZ; October,
Sc; November, "a December, 50. In 10Y cases
acute rheumatism had occurred in near rela-
tives in As cases, in one or both ofthe parents.
In 3S cases only, there was family history of
govt; in 80 cases, of nervous disease; in 50
cases, of consumption; and 267 cases were COM
plicated with heart affection.
MISCELLANEOUS.
A remarkable strip of the new railroad from
Buenos Ayres to the Andes is probably the
longest tangent in the world, extending 211
miles without a curve 1t is further notable as
having no bridge in the entire distance, and no
cut or fill exceeding about yard in depth or
height.
A curious phenomenon of last January has
Just been reported from the fishing village of
Kerschkaranza, on the White Sea. The shore
ice, piled to height of several hundred feet,
suddenly commenced moving from the north
west and in four hours extended mile inland,
burying the village.
The singular canals seen on Mars are ex-
planned by M. Fizeau on the supposition that
the planet has glaciers much larger than those
of the earth, and with greater crevasses and
movements.
The death of Cleopatra has been investigated
by DIR. Grand-Marais, of Nantes He finds evil
dence that she was not bitten by viper, but
was suffocated by carbonic oxide.
Numerous cases of diarrh9a have been traced
by DIR. L. w. Sedgwick to the use of fruit from
tin cans. Such fruits invariably contained salts
of tin which have been hitherto supposed to be
harmless.