The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1889-07-20
Correspondence Baltimore County Unton.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.
GOLD MADE FROM SILVER.

Three allotropic forms of silver-broadly dis
tinguished from normal silver by color, proper
ties and chemical reactions-have been OBJ
tanned by Mr.. NJ. Carey Lea, of Philadelphia.
The first is soluble, deep red in solution, lilac
blue or green while moist and brilliant BLUSH
green metallic when dry. The second is insol-
uble, dark reddish brown while moist, and
when dry somewhat resembles the first. The
third is insoluble, dark bronze while wet, and
when dry exactly resembles gold in FURNISHED
humps. Minute specks of this form have been
occasionally noticed in silver solutions, and
this has probably often led to the supposition
that silver might be transmitted into gold. 1t
may be formed in many ways, but by only one
process-in which silver tartrate is reduced by
ferrous tartrate-has Mr.. Lea succeeded in
making the gold-silver at all permanent, speci-
mems thus secured being unchanged after thir-
ty months. Each of the three forms gives
lIlstrous metallic films when spread out in
pasty condition, is easily crushed to fine pow
der. and is restored to normal silver by acids.
A paste of gold-silver on glass makes beauti-
full gold-colored mirror.
A REMARKABLE EXHIBITION.
Among the interesting scientific exhibits at
recent conversazione OF the London Royal So
cietv were the following: l. The electro
graphoscope." an adjunct of the magic lantern,
consisting OF white lath rotated like wind
mill by an electric motor, picture thrown on
the lath being visible in its entirety, on the
principle of retention of vision, and seeming to
=.
iron by a ray of light. 3. A shallow vessel of
water, with projecting pieces of zinc to repre-
sent Europe and America, on which adozen or
more pipes blew air-jets representing all the
trade and other regular winds, the arrangement
giving motions in the water initiating the Gulf
Stream and other oceanic currents. 4. A
Gramme ring made to rotate under the intiu-
ence of the magnetism of the earth. 8. Expert
ments showing that in perfectly dry oxygen
such substances as charcoal, sulphur and even
phosphorus may be heated to high temporal
lures without burning. 6. Also, some useful
applications of fbres of quartz specimens of
the rediscovered Egyptian blue and great
Photographic map of the solar spectrum.
ECONOMIC PROGRESS IN ELECTRICITY.
The progress made in the use of electricity
during period of only five years is strikinglly
shown by Mr. 4. X. FoOte, of Cincinnati, in
these figures. Dynamos, increased efficiency
% per cent decreased cost, 40per cent. Incan-
descent lamps, increased efficiency Hooper cent;
increased life, 100 per cent; decreased cost, 66
per cent. Cartoons, decreased cost, 75 per cent
Wire, decreased cost, 20 per cent. Line con-
struction, decreased cost, 20 per cent
THE sCAvENGERs OF NATURE.
Under the microscope" says Mr.. Henry j.
Slack, +. X. NJ. s., lit is seen that as animal
and vegetable matter rots away, swarms fer
ments come into existence. For example in
drop of water the flesh of dead water-hea was
noticed in connection while the writer was en-
gagged on this paper. Thousands of U-shaped
vibriOnS were living upon it all were in brisk
motion Strengthening and bending their bodies
with whip-like fiickS. They were company
of scavengers. sweetening the water by chem
zeal process necessary for their own nutrition.
Our rivers and ponds would become factories
of deadly pOisons, and all the earth S soil would
be contaminated. if inexpreSsible myriads of
minute plants and animals did not attack dead
organic matter, and cause its elements to enter
into new and useful combinations. If we find
thousands of such little ferments at work upon
fragment ofmatter no bigger than full stop
of this print, what must be the numbers in OPP
Grafton when tons upon tons are dealt with in
the contents of our sewers, in the manureS we
put on our fields and in the vast multitudes of
human and other bodies that perish on land or
in SEAL
FLORAL CoLoRs.
The statement that there are more flowers of
blue than of other colors is not universally ac-
cepted. Examining the seed-list of a leading
English 1oriculturist, Mr.. E. H. Robertson has
found 733 different kinds. of which 129 produce
red flowers, 10 white 50 yellow, 81 blue, Sc
purple, and II orange. Others give flowers of
various colors, a classification of which, if it
were possible, would not materially change
these ratios. Ascend seed-list, of 900 species,
confirmed these results; and, as the lists in
clude both native and exotic species, Mr.. Rob
ertsOn believes that they form fair index to
the actual proportion of the several cOlOrs eX-
isting in the floral world.
The system of building houses entirely of
sheet iron has been communicated to the So
ciety of Architecture in Paris. The walls, par
titions, roofs and wainscoting are composed of
double metallic sheets, separated by an air
mattress, which is surrounded by different
nOn-conductors of heat.
DIR. Nicolai, of Stuttgart, has recorded case
in which fistula opening in the breast was
connected with disease of the left lower first
molar. 1t closed in twelve days after removal
of the tooth.
\ consumptiye sanatorlum near Berlin is to
be a large cylindrical building in which pa
tients will be exposed to the alleged therapeutic
influence of eXhalations from cows.
1t has been noticed that jet of compressed
gas infiicts upon the body an injury of the same
nature as burn. DIR. b. W. Richardson has
accordingly suggested the use Of compressed
gas-carbonic acid as most cOnvenient-as a
cautery. with advantages in removing warts,
etc.
An Italian engineer has successfully pre-
vented the incrustatiOn ofsteam boilers by the
use of sugar.
A Berlin musician, DIR. Eisemann, has APP
piled electromagnetic to the piano so as to sus-
tain, increase and diminish sound. The timbre
of the tone may be changed also, as from a
viOlOncellO to piccolo.