Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-08-29
SCIENTIFIC GLEANINGS.

4 unit OF heat is the amount of heat
required to raise the temperature of one
pound of water degree, or from 80 de-
grees to 33 degrees F.
Fifteen cubic feet of gas will give as
much heat as one pound of bituminous
coal. Tee cubic feet OF air are req uire d
for the perfect combustion of one cubic
foot of gas.
The experience of the Los Angeles,
Cal, lighting station with crude oil in
stead of coal under the boilers, but cor
roborates what was long since proved.
Oh gives an intenser and, above all, a
more even heat than coal, not TO speak
of its convenience.
Carpets and upholstery fade when ex-
posed to the sun, because of the actinic
or chemical power of the suns rays,
which deoom pose the dye stuffs. The
process is closely analogous to that
which occurs in the taking of photo
graphs.
Oil collects on the outside Of lamps,
because of the capillary attraction of the
wick, which draws it up from the inside,
and allows it to run over the top of the
tube in which the wick is placed. To
prevent this turn the wick down below
the top of the wick tube when the lamp
is not in use.
Baking powders are mixtures of chem
Icals which, when moistened, liberate car
bonic acid gas. They are added to the
-four used in breadmaking, so that the
gas, as it escapes, may puff up the dough,
rendering it spongy and light. Yeast
serves the same pur pose By causing a
fermentation in the -four, which also de-
velops oarbonic acid gas.
Recent ex experiments to ascertain with
In what limits the ear can distinguish
the difference in the pitch of two sounds
show that the smallest difference perceE-
tible by unframed or only slightly
trained ears appears to be from one-sixth
to one-fortieth of a semitone. It is said
that popularity that seems to apply
alike to trained and unframed ears is
that they detect upward differences
more easily than downward.
Cider is turned into vinegar upon ex.
posrre to the air, by the oxygen gas in
the air, which unites with, or oxidizes
the alcohol, changing it into acetic acid
of which vinegar is weak solution
Pickles are colored green by boiling in q
copper kettle, because the vinegar unites
with the cop per, forming green colored
salt, similar to verdigris. AS this color
ing matter is unwh lesome and poison
GUS, the practice is not one to be recon.
mended.
At recent meeting of the London
Meteorological Society, paper vas read
on the deaths caused by lightning in
England and Wales from 1852 to 1880, as
recorded in the returns of the Registrar
General. 1t was stated that the total
number of deaths from lightning during
the Twenty-Five years amounted to 546
OF which 442 were of males and I04 OF
females. Il is also stated that in con-
sequence of their greater exposure the
inhabitants of rural districts suffer n ore
from lig ginning than those of towns. Ii
was shown, likewise, that nearness 10
the west and south coasts reduced the
liability to injury by lightning and that
distance from the coast and high land
seemed TO increase it.
Not only are human beings black
in hot climates, but other animals vary
in like manner. Pigs are usually
black in hot climates. The carbon layer
in the skin of che negro, being Opaque,
like other forms OF carbon, must form an
effectual veil, and thus protect that most
important organ below, the true skin; a
bodily envelope of tissue presenting a
vast surface of circulating blood, which
| Is certainly subject to brilliant illumina-
tion when only protected from sunlight
by the thin translucent cuticle. Hence,
as we know tina sunlight has consider
able chemical energy, and also that sun
stroke. TO which light-complexioned peo-
pie are especially liable, is more depend
ent on light than on mere temperature.