Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-12
PREPARED FOR THE DrspArcH.,

fPREPARED FOR THE DISPATCH.
DR.. H. Hensoldt, in an eloquent incul-
cation, before the franklin Institute, of the
imperative necessity of the study, teaching
and dissemination in the widest sense of
natural science, which has advanced at so
gigantic pace in recent years, said: $50
day the education of the rising generation
should be so directed as to prepare it in the
best possible manner for the contingencies
of nineteenth-century existence, to equip it
for the desperate struggle which it cannot
escape. To-day we cannot afford to teach our
children a complicated ancient language like
the Latin. however perfect, grand and
beautiful, because we have to teach them
things of much greater Importance, not
only in direct and material, but in dis
ciplinary and intellectual sense. Some of
our modern pedagogues, no doubt, will re-
ply: How can we teach astronomy, geology,
physiology, botany, ETC., when we know
nothing aboutthese things? We have never
bothered our heads about the stars, about
minerals, rocks and fossils, about insects
and plants. We have taught our pupils
how to solve quadratic equations and have
devoted the rest of our time to the parsing Of
long sentences.
NY answer would be: It is not too late
for you yet to turn to natural science. You
may not master it after the manner of
Huxley or Tyndall, who themselves excel
only in certain directions, but you may
learn what has been done in general way,
and master the chief results Of inquiry in
every department of natural science, and
become adapt in their Interpretation. Ae-
quaint yourself with the best popular
science literature of the day; there lisa whole
world of fascination and delight in store for
you'll Read the popular lectures of Huxley on
mans place in nature, on piece of chalk,
on the lessons of paleontology. Read what
Sir John Lubbock has written on the won
derful relations between insects and flowers,
on the habits OF ants, wasps and bees, where
it is shown that the plant produces the flower
for no other purpose than to attract the in
sect, in order to make tool Of it in effecting
cross-fertilization. Read the essays on
evolution of Grant Allen, that charming
interpreter Of Darwin and Herbert Spencer;
the works of Richard Proctor on the
marvels of the stellar world, written in
language as beautiful as the very Flowers
of the Sky of which they treat. They will
fascinate you more than any novel ever
perpetrated; more than your 'She,' King
Solomon's Mines and Count of Monte
Christie Then your horizon will be
widened beyond measure, and you will per-
ceive the boundless opportunities you have
for the dissemination of knowledge.
Natural history is knocking at the door of
our public schools, clamoring for admission;
be wise in your generation, make some con-
cessions; do not let it plead in vain =
Chemistry Applied TO Railroads
The part played by chemistry in the
management of railroads has become of such
Importance that a paper on the subject BY
G. B. Dudley, chemist, and f. N. Pease,
assistant chemist of the Pennsylvania Rail-
road, has been largely circulated. One Of
the illustrations of the application of chem
istry to bad results obtained in service is
that special car after being cleaned by the
car cleaners was noticed to look badly. On
examination by the foreman of painters, it
was declared that the Yarnish had nearly
all been removed by the cleaning.
As a matter of discipline, the foreman
car-cleaner was asked to explain why the
varnish had been so badly used, and be
claimed that he could do no better with the
soap he had. A sample of the soap used
was submitted TO the chemist, who found
not less than per cent of caustic soda and
per cent of carbonate of soda, in addition
to the soda combined with the fat as legit-
innate soap. This, of course, explained the
peculiarly and justified the foreman, as the
soap solution used in washing the car was
in reality a concentrated solution of sal soda
and lye which readily dissolYes Varnish.
Another field for the activity of the chem
II fa 10 -
Attempts are frequently made 10 sell at ex-
cessive prices, under some special name,
common articles which can be obtained in
the market at very low figures. One of the
most compon of these attempts is that of
selling some cheap material for use as
anti-lncrustating boiler compounds. Dry
material has been offered at % cents per
pound, which, on examination, has been
found to be nothing but sawdust and sal
soda. Again, boiler compounds have been
offered al 30 cents per gallon, which have
been found to be apparently spent tan
liquor containing little sal soda, 95 per
cent of the material being water simply.
The principal work of the railroad chem
ist consists in the examination of samples
taken from shipments, to see whether they
fill requirements. To give some idea Of these
examinations, it may be stated that in the
Pennsylvania Railroad laboratory, at the
present time, four chemists are engaged on
this work the largest portion OF each work.
ing day. Samples from some 1000 ship
ments per year are examined, the average
number OF determinations per sample being
about five. This work, in addition to the
examination of miscellaneous samples Of
materials, either for investigation, or to set
tie some point connected with the service,
makes the total number of determinations
in the Pennsylvania Railroad laboratory
somewhere between $4,000 and $4,000 per
year.