The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1900-09-22
Correspondence Baltimore County UniOn.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

Life for Hot Places-Chemical Rays From
an Electrified Point-A Cool Summer
for London-The Microscope In Metal
Working-Oil Refining by Ozone-The
Loftiest Flowers ATMOSPHERIC Eiec-
tricity and Disease-Improved Miners
Hose.
What life in other worlds may be is an ever
fascinating theme for speculation. Two Eng
lish biologists, Mr.. Godfrey Martin and Dr. +.
]. Allen, have been considering the matter, and
agree in the conclusion that vital processes de-
pend on the existence of an element whose
compounds are in condition of critical equi-
librfum at life temperatures. Mr.. Martin. how
ever, looks upon carbon as the fundamental
life element while DIR. Allen finds nitrogen the
essential substance. Mr.. Martin thinks that in
the high temperatures of some celestial bodies
series of complex and instilabe silicon COM
>pounds may be formed, and that in warmer
worlds than ours silicon life may be possible.
Possibly our silca-secreting diatoms and
sponges are link connecting us with silicon
fauna of hotter age on earth.
-
Ultraviolet rays are produced by s. Leduc.
French electrician, by connecting fine point
with the negative of an electrosatic machine
and insulating the positive; and he recommends
this as a simple means of applying the we'll
known chemical effect of these rays to medical
uses such as the treatment of lupus. Though
the point shows only barely visible violet
glow, it emits powerful non-lnminous radia-
ton. This may be photographed, and has all
the properties of ordinary ultraviolet rays,
with no resemblance to Roentgen rays.
.*s
From Greenwich records since 1910, an En-
glish meteorological finds that when the first
months of the year are wet there is tendency
for the summer to be cool. The first quarter OF
this year having been wet, he is able to say that
if next summer is hot, or If it has more than
sixteen hot days, it will be the first occurrence
of such q sequence in sixty years.
80
A specimen of edible earth lately brought
from Fila soft, pale pink, clayey substance
proves to be an aluminium slicate, probably
kaolin, with about rs per cent of iron oxide as
a mechanical impurity.
-
An important work upon which Mr.. ]. E.
Stead British chemist has been engaged for
q number of years is the microscopic study of
metals. Experience has made it easy to cut,
grind, polish and etch ordinary metals and
alloys, and specimens can now be prepared for
the microscope in a few minutes. The results
shown have been largely unexpected. In re-
cent demonstration. pig iron was shown to have
the carbides being in isolated silvery crystals,
while the PHOSPHORUS and sulphur compounds
were each distinctly separated. brilliantly
polished piece of white pig iron, containing car
bon, sulphur and phosphorus, was then heated
until it became purple. Under the microscope,
the constituents were found to have diverse
cOlors, the iron being fine sky blue, the car
bides an orange color the phosphides pale
brown-yellow and the sulphides a slaty blue.
This method of identifying phosphides is a new
discovery which will be of great value TO iron
manufacturers as simple means of3tellinR
whether iron contains phosphorus. The micro
scope shows that alloys, instead of being homo
geneous as has been thought, are built up Of
various crystals, and is likely to prove of prac-
tfcal service to metal-workers in many ways.
-
The use of ozone for purifying linseed, olive,
palm, COLA and other oils, seems to have proven
very satisfactory. Air is dried in a chamber
containing burnt lime, passed through the
ozonizers, and then compressed in an iron
reservoir. This ozonized air is used for rectify-
ing oils ton of linseed oil requiring $40 to 3l5
cubic meters of the air. This quantity of ozon-
lied air is estimated by DR.. Lew Kowstch to
cost francs and the total cost of treating
tons of oil daily does not exceed francs per
ton. Ozonizing the oil is said to give less waste.
Quicker refinement, and handsomer product.
-.
Flowering plants are not certainly known to
reach a greater height than 1900 feet in the
Alps At least half a dozen species including
saxifrage, a mellow, vealerian and several
Compositae-have been brought by Sir Martin
Conway from heights of lSOO0to 1S,500feet in the
Bolivian mountains.
The most complete collection of works on
costume, over 10000 volumes, has been given the
Prussian State. by Baron Won Lipperheide.
"a
EIectrifcation is likely to become an impor-
tant condition in the classification of climates,
with warmth and cold moisture and dryness.
This is the view of Dr. Schliep of Baden Baden,
who finds that the atmosphere is usually posi-
lively electrified, but that there are a few days
in every month when negative electrihcation
can be observed. and rare occasions when scarce
ly any identification Gamble detected The in
fluence of the variations on comfort and even
health seems to be very marked. Negative
electrifcation is tiring positive is exciting,
and stimulates the circulation and the nervous
system. Strong electrihcation may produce
nervous disorders and even Inflammation of
the respiratory organs-this being too much OF
good thing. Negative identification, on the
other hand. brings depression and its attendant
disorders, and is likely to be season when milk
sours meat spoils and bad smells come from the
cutters. The growth of plants and germs is
favored The soil itself being negatively cleo
trifed at all times.
A flexible metal hose is made at Pforzheim,
Germany, by rolling up a. metal band like
screw thread, the specially profled edges en-
raQinQ in one another so as to form continu-
GUS Joint, which is made tight by cord of rub
Der on asbestos. The metals chiefly used are
galvanized steel and phosphor- bronze. The pipe
is remarkably flexible, and its one disadvantage
of tending to untwist through rough usage is
overcome by making it double, with opposite
windnes. 1t is intended for mining purposes
instead of rubber hose. 1t is made up to
inches in diameter, and to Withstand pressures
up to 200 atmospheres.
AS cloud observatory the station on Ben
Nevis, the highest point in the British Isles, Is
unique. For thirteen years foggy and fair
weather records have been kept. and these show
that in continuous fog the rainfall averages an
inch day. This station in the clouds has an al
titude of 4,4O7 feet.
new system of gun-firing, consisting IN en-
larQing the chamber at the breech and filling it
with water between the charge and the projec-
tile, is claimed to give enormously high muzzie
velocities. with less fouling and corrosion.
s
rs..lto. g. Ohio R. Popular Excursions
to Niagara Thursdays, July IL,
Aug. Q, 10, 80, Sept. Is, "a, Oct.
1l-Round Trip $1,000.
ATen QO) Days Tour to Niagara Falls Amer
ica's greatest natural wonder, via b. 4 .. Royal
nine Line and the Lehigh Valley route, through
the Lehigh and Wyoming Valleys, the Switzer-
1ord of America. Special train Of elegant day
coaches and parIor cars will be run on above
dates on following schedule:
Lv. Washington, d. Co.. '.o.oO A. NJ
Laurel, i'ss a. ~.
Baltimore, Nd. Camden Stationl. ..sls A. NJ.
baltimore, Md. (Mt. Royal Station).s24 A. Nj.
!. v.r.,-,,.v+o, Del 1052 A. NJ.
:. r.-..- DE- .........1 IL 90 A. NJ.
o. A