Frederick citizen., 1895-01-04


lary temperatures have this property |
greatly increased when cooled to the |
polling point of liquid air. Gelatine,
paraf1ine, ivory, horn, rubber,
cotton, wool, linen, paper, leather,
sponge, eggs, milk and feathers are
among the substances that become dis
Iinctly luminous after cooling to 1902
e. below zero and being stimulated By
the electric light. A large number of
salts and of definite organic
compounds are brightly phosphores-
cent. Photographic plates are still sen-
sitive at this temperature, but Capt.
Abney has calculated that photograph
lc action is reduced by about so per
cent.
When leaf is placed in vacuum,
NJ. Maquene has found, there Is an in
crease in the proportion of oxygen alb
sorbed and carbonic dioxide given off.
This leads him to conclude that the
respiration. of plants is the result of
the slow combustion of a highly OXi-
diZable principle, constantly secreted
by the living cell when sheltered from
light, and accumulatiug there when
the air is deficient in oxygen.
A committee of the British Associa-
lands can boast of IA very respectable
animal world Of its own All the land
and freshwater shells are peculiar to
the locality, while 81 of the rs species
of birds and 700 Of the 1000 species of
insects do not exist in any other por-
ton of the globe.
The Russian Government has not
only been drying Its marshes by works
on vast scale, but is seeking to restore
water to land that has become too dry.
Prince Vassiltchik"ff caused small
river on his estate to regain its former
size by planting trees, and this has led
the Minister of Agriculture to adopt the
of scientific con-
mission for restoring the water to the
dwindling Volga.
The direct conversion of the energy
of coal into electricity is one Of the
creates of the scientific problems now
attention. In some recent
experiments in Germany, DIR. w. Bor-
chers has constructed battery cells pro-
ducing an electric current from the OK
idation of combustible gases, and even
pulverized coal, but regards the use of
the gas element as the probable road to
success. He found cuprous chloride to
be the most suitable electrolyte. After
many trials, his latest design for "a gas
element consists of an outer vessel of
copper, and an inner one of earthen-
ware-the latter having double sides,
which are perforated. The outer YES
sci contains the cuprous chloride elec-
trolyte, which is capable not only of
oxygen and combustible gas
es like carb0nic oxide, but even dis
solves hydrocarbons. The vessel il pro-
vided with a lid having two holes for
the inlet and outlet of the gas, and an
aperture IN the center through which
"a carbon rod passes down to a carbon
plate at the bottom of the inner vessel.
The space above the carbon plate may
be filled with broken coke to increase
the surface of contact, copper clippings
being placed in the outer vessel for the
same purpose. Provision is made for
supplying the cuprous chloride solu-
ton and drawing it Oft, aud for cir
of air in the upper part af the
copper vessel. Tests of this new ele-
ment have not been reported. In the
more imperfect apparatus with which
The experiments were made, the com
bustlon of carbonic oxide or of coal gas
yielded electric current corresponding
TO ab ,ut one-iourth To oue-third of the
chemical energy of the fuel-resuts that
are at least encouraging to further ef-
fort
The conversion of green fodder into
'ilage produces two kinds-acid and
are chiefly determined
)y the temperature during fermenta-
ION. Mr.. A. B. Griffitns, an English
chemist, states that he low 81 degrees
;. tne principal mcrob4 is Bacteriuna
tceH ( he acrti acid ferment) but be-
~een 81 degrees and 40 degrees Bacter-
um tdctis Qhe lactlc acid fermeut).
Bacillus butyricuS tine hutyric acid fer
nent), and Bacillus Subtiiis are also act
We. These are the InicrObes of acid silage.
Between So degrees and 70 deglees
hey are rendered inactive, and sweet
lage results; two hitherto undescribed
bacillus UdiericltS and Ba-
Nus Notwithstanding developed and
ppearlng to he the active agents in
Producing the characteristic odor.
Acid silage, well made, may be kent
ound six months or more when ex-
'osed to air, but sweet silage quickly
noulds.
The idea of an Italian bacterologist
hat old age is due to "A specific germ is
"a extreme case of bacteriomania,
which has been received with little
eriousness, but the editor of Modern
Medicine points out that the tissue
llanges characteristic of advanced age
nay perhaps be traced Indirectly to
erms already known. The pto-
names, which are poisonous substan-
es produced by microbes, are capable !
4 setting up various degenerative pro-
esseS in the joints, the liver, the kid
eys and other organs. This writer
elieves that the degenerative changes
old age, are also due to toxins, alb
orbed from the alimentary canal, in
'hich they are always present in de-
rec varying with the Preventative
nd putrefactive processes that prevail.
'hese processes depend upon the di-
estlve condition in the individual and !
pom the character Of the food. AS
ne toxins favor the degenerative
hanges, the food furnishing the high
1t proportion must tend to the great
vt degree to hasten the advance of old
5e, and we should accordingly ex-
-ct to find the greatest longevity
nong animals and men subsisting OH
he simplest and purest diet, other con-
Itions being equal. There can he no