Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-03-02
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

EXPERIMENTING WITH COLD.-Th,
laboratory of Prof. Pictet, at Berlin, i
designed for thss investigation of th
effects of cold. Tie refrigerating ma
chlnery, driven by>seyeral powerful
walton at ang teSpa:Je oJek kure between 20
and ao0o below zep G rs long as ma.
be required. The Sooi &ng is effeetea b!
the evaporation liquids, and i
divided into threeNtages, each with it
special apparatus. For the first stag,
is used the mixture of sulphurous ant
carbonic acids known as 'Pictet'
fluid" which is condensed at pressur,
of about two atmospheres in a spira
tube cooled by water. Oxide of nitro
gen Laughing gas) is the liquid choser
for the second stage. 1t is condensed
at pressure of 10 or 10 atmospheres il
tube kept at about 800 below zero by
the action of the first circuit For the
third stage air is employed, and passe.
into the liquid state at pressure of Z;
atmospheres when the temperature il
kept at 1852 below zero by the Other
circuits. The evaporation of the lique
fed air gives cold of about 2000 below
zero. Absolute zero is placed at 273
below zero c., but Prof. Pictet regard.
1852 below zero as about the lowest at
tainable artificial temperature. One o.
the effects of great cold has been the
conversion of quicksilver into beauti
full fern-like crystals. Glycerine also
has been crystalliZed; and cognac has
been given by freezing the peculiar
mellowness commonly attained only by
long keeping. The most important re-
suit thus far, however, has been the
publication of chloroform, the crystals
that form in the commercial chloro
form at about $50 below zero being al
most abs olutely pure.
MAGNESIUM LIGHTING.-A new mag
nesium lamp, devised by M. Dronier
burns without attention for regular
periods of "a hours. A pound of mag
nesium is consumed in about 100 hours
giving a light equal to that of 13(
pounds of candles, 80 pounds of petro
leum, or somewhat more than 100 cubic
yards of gas. The advantage is offered
of freedom from risk of fire. The pres.
ent running expense of the lamp ex
ceeds 80 cents an hour, but with the
anticipated great reduction in the cost
of the metal, lighting by magnesium
may be made fairly economical
Projected RAPID TRANSIT.-The
schedule time for cars on the proposed
electric railway between Vienna and
Buda-Pesth is expected to be rs min
utes for the entire distance of $50 miles
As planned, the road will have two
main power stations, with 100 sub
stations, but only three or four stop
ping places. Each car will be about
$50 feet long, fitted with four bogie
trucks, and an electric motor at each
end will receive current through con-
tact wheels running on conducting
rails. The ends of the cars, to dimin-
ish air resistance, will be shaped like
those of ship.
POWER FOR SMALL BOATS.-The
novel feature of a new electric boat,
the idea of a French engineer, is sea-
water battery. The zinc and copper
plates are under the boat and can be
raised or lowered by pulleys, serving
as a kind of keel while at the same
time driving propeller by means of a
motor.
THE MAGIC OF MODERN SCIENCE
In paper on ''The Ignis Fatuus of
Photography" Mr.. F. AdoIphe men
tiOns the following as among the speci-
alties which modern men of science are
seeking as a means whereby their re-
suits may be indirectly turned into
gold: 1. The artificial production of
the diamond from carbon, which means
the capitalization of carbon. 2. A
prevention or cure for epilepsy and
consumption. 3. The complete COM
bustion of coal, of which but five per
cent is now available. 4. Photography
in natural colors 5. The direct utiliza-
tion of solar heat. and the ebb and
flood. 6. The production of ''attar of
roses" from worthless substances. Even
the alchemist's original dream of direct
and genuine transmutation is being
revived, for the indications are increas-
ing that the present elements are not
the simple substances they have been
supposed, and should gold prove to be
a compound it's artificial production
would be but question of time.
JAPANESE LACQUERING IN EUROPE.
The juice of the lacquer-tree (Rhats
UernicJerG) is the natural varnish up
on which depends the famous lacquer
work of the Japanese. Specimens of
this tree were brought from Japan is
years ago and planted in the Botanical
Garden at Frankfort, where they have
hourished and have yielded seeds from
which thrifty young trees have sprung.
This place now has "a healthy trees 80
feet high. To determine whether the
juice is affected by its changed condi
tions, Prof. Rein has sent samples to
Japanese artists for trial, and is having
analyses made by eminent
chemists. If the reports are favorable,
it is expected that the lacquer-tree will
be quite extensively planted in Ger
many, and that Europeans will be in
structed in the lacquering of wood by
some worker from Japan.
WEIGHT OF LIGHT.-Prof Oliver J.
Lodge calculates that the impact of
from the sun produces a
pressure on the moons surface of about
1000 tons. In total eclipse of the
moon this force is withdrawn, but since
the total attraction of the sun on the
moon is to be estimated in millions of
tons, this slight apparent diminution
gives no appreciable effect. Upon a
very small body, however, the pressure
of solar light might be equal to, or
even greater than, the attraction of
gravitation. Such body need not be
infinitely minute, but of size compar-
able with that of grain of dust. 1t is
that the dropping off of
comets tails on their approach to the
sun is due to this action.
REMAINS OF BIRD GIANTS.-Bones
recently found in New Zealand are esti-
mated to represent 500 specimens of
the moa. This immense wingless bird,
now extinct, seems to have been hunt
ed and eaten by the early inhabitants
of New Zealand, and is believed to have
stood at least 10 feet high. Madagas-
car had another giant wingless bird,
whose eggs-10 or 12 inches in diane
ter, three times the size of those of the
been discovered.
A Chance to Make $500-Or Better!
A slim chance, you fancy. Well,
read and judge for yourself. You have
Catarrh. $500 is offered for an incura-
BILE case of Catarrh in the Head, by the
of DIR. Sage's Catarrh
SYMPTOMS OF CA1 RH.-He
obstruction of the nose, discharges
falling into the throat sometimes pro-