The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1890-11-08
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.
ABOUT OYSTERS

ABOUT OYSTERS.
From a work by DIR. J. R. Philpots, it APP
pears that of English oysters l 800 are required
to make bushel, and of the American only
300. The largest edible oysters in the world,
however are those of Port Lincoln, South
Australia, specimens of which sometimes meas
ure foot across the shell. 1t was estimated 80
or 40 years ago that !, 600 600 600 oysters year
were consumed in London, and for 1864 the
number was placed at 700 100000. The English
supply is rapidly failing through reckleSsneSs
of the dredgers. In France single bank was
supposed to contain over 7O,OOO,OOO oysters IN
1917 but only 20 600, 600 in 1854, and 10000, 900
in 1860 But oyster cultivation beganTn that
country in 1859. and soon gave an increased
supply New York is said to consume 800 OOO,-
600 oysters year, and the entire United States
6,6OO,OO0, 600 The English oyster is computed
to deposit l. 12, 925 ova, and the American Oys-
ter 5000 600 so that little care is all that is
necessary to keep upthe supply ofthis mollusc.
ARE WE LOSING A TOE?
A study of the small toe in man has been
made in Germany by Herr Plitzner. In 80 per
cent of the persons examined-the proportion
being greater among women than men,-this
toe was found to have only two joints, instead
of the three supposed to belong to it. That
tight shoes had not caused the union of two
bones was shown by the fact that the proper
ton having the popularity was about the same
among small children as among adults. Inc
investigator concludes that the small toe is IN
course of degeneration, and is inclined to be-
lieve that man may eventually become four
toed.
CURATIVE MICROBES.
Dr. Fremont formerly chief of the I4abora-
tory of the Faculty of Paris, states that the Gu
rative action of mineral waters is not due ex-
clusiyely to the salts they contain, but also to
the presence of different heterogeneous. The
waters of the Vichy springs are all clear and
very alkaline with temperatures ranging from
so to ITO degrees, and they are found to contain
various microbes capable of producing veri-
table digestion. The beneficial effects OF the
several springs vary in manner that cannot
be explained by the differences of temperature
one being found especially desirable in dis
eases of the liver, another for those of the
stomach. third for urinary difficulties, and
still another for diseases of the bladder-and
there can be little doubt that these are largely
brought about by the different micro
organisms.
STEEL AND IRON FOR SHIPS.
Steel is said to corrode much more rapidly IN
salt water than iron. An English expert
menter, Mr. David Phillips. reports having
kept plates of boiler iron and of boiler steel.
each inches square and I of an inch thick,
immersed in salt water from 1881 to 1885, The
steels lost 40 per cent. more than the irons
during the first three years, when the plates
were in contact; 124 per cent. more IN the
second three years, when they were insulated
and 126 per cent. more for the whole period OF
seven years.
THE GREAT DESERT.
A trip through Algeria to the Sahara was re-
Gently made by DIR. John Murray, the learned
Scotch geographer. His investigations lead to
the conclusion that this vast desert is not, as is
generally taught, an old sea-bed, but that its
present features are chiefly due to atmospheric
conditions. The existing rock is not far below
the surface, and where exposed is seen to be the
origin of the everything sand. Rapid and ex-
treme changes in temperature have played an
important part in the process ofdisintegration,
the variations sometimes being from 100 de-
grees during the day to below freezing at night.
The sinking of artesian wells is being pushed
forward with remarkable success, forming
large and productive GASES, for which the sup
ply of water-believed to come from hills sur
rounding the desert and at great distance
from the wells-seems to be unlimited.
AN ELECTRo-TECHNICAL EXPERIMENT STATION.
A station to give companies and individuals
opportunity for making electrical tests and ex-
periments is to be founded at Madgeburg. 1t
is to be similar to an existing laboratory at
Munich, but on an expanded scale. 1t will
offer facilities for the examination of arrange
ments for lightning transmitting power, and
metallurgical purposes; the determination OF
theluminous power ofarc and glow lamps, and
of constants, such as intensity and tension OF
current the testing of carbon rods, of meas
embellishments, accumulators and primary
batteries; and the examination of conducting
and insulating materials, lightning conductors,
private telephone arrangements, etc.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Settler water is used as local anesthetic by
DR.. Votrriez. Two or three siphons of the
water produce insensibility of the surface to be
operated on, the effect lasting about five min
utes and being due to the carbonic acid in the
settler.
An English astronomer states that the Oldest
historical record of solar eclipseis in Homer's
Had (XVII: 367).
More or less successful attempts have been
made to graft nearly all the different tissues Of
the body. including skin, bone, teeth, muscle,
nerves, glands, eyes, mucous membrane, etc.
DR.. W. G. Thompson now reports successful
experiment in brain grating, small piece of
tsst4-Azain of @ cat being made to grow on the
brain of dog.
Dr. Gautrelet, of Vichy. claims to render
smoking harmless by inserting in the pipe or
cigar-holder piece of cotton wool stepped in a
or 10 per cent. solution of pyrogallic acid.
Candles containing bromine and iodine are
coming into use for disinfecting sick-rooms.
Artificial musk is a new chemical product,
with an odor to be distinguished from the real
musk only by the expert. Very cIIr1ously,
this odor is not possessed by one per cent. alco-
holic solution, but is only brought out by dilu-
ton with water. The new substance seems es-
pecially suitable for pertaining soap.
White pine boards are now made by reducing
small trees and limbs to pulp and pressing in
molds.