The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1900-03-17
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
SCIENTIFIC MIS- CELLANY.

Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.
A Chapter In Engineering Evolution-A
Harmful Frien d-Electrically-S
lated Trees-Improving on Spongee-
Sanitary Floors-The Eyes and the
Stomach-A Promising Metal-Plating
Aluminum-Gases by Electrolysis.
The great "ocean ferry" gives a striking Illus
tration of mechanical progress in sixty years.
Speed, says Sir William White. has been in
creased from-sK to 22K knots; the time on the
voyage has been reduced to about 3S per cent.
Of that in 1910. Ships have been more than
trebled in length. about doubled in breadth, and
increased tenfold In displacement. The pas
senger list has been increased from about 100 to
1000 on a single steamship. The engine power
has been made 40 times as great. The ratio Of
horsepower to weight driven has increased four
fold; the rate of coal consumption per horse
power hour has been reduced to one-third. To
drive 1900 tons across the Atlantic at Sx knots.
about $50 tons of coal were burnt in 1910. Now,
to drive 10000 tons across at % knots, about g.
600 tons are burnt. Each ton of propelling ap-
paratus. with steam pressure of only IL pounds,
then gave only 2 horsepower for continuous
working; each ton now produces from to :
horsepower.
The curious fact has been noted that the nj
trifying bacterium, which renders such service
In purifying sewage and other matter, is the
greatest destroyer of the works of the water
engineer. The gradual crumbling and turning
to mud Of cement mortar, an effect formerly at
tributed to the carbonic acid and other mineral
substances of the water, proves to be the work
of the nitrifying organism, and is difficulty not
yet easy to overcome. In this case we have
helpful bacteria that also do great harm.
"a
The trees on one side of an avenue in Brussels
have developed the singular habit of shedding
their leaves in August and budding and even
blossoming again in October. On the other side,
the trees retain their foliage until late In au-
tumn. Botanists are inclined to see In this an
effect of current leakage from the electric rail-
way.
Electric blowing on the Prussian royal farms
has been found to cost little less than SIS an
acre; steam blowing, over $50.
a~s
The production of artificial sponges, by the
process of DIR. Gustav Pun of Graz. depends
chiefly on the action of zinc chloride solution on
pure cellulose. This product swells up with
water, but turns hard and horny after drying.
and to retain the property of absorbing water
readily, treatment with some such salt as sodi-
UNI chloride is included, and the plastic mass is
made porous by compression in press mould
lined with perforatng pins. The excess of salts
is afterward removed by washing day or two in
alcohol and water. These artificial sponges not
only serve all the ordinary purposes but are
especially recommended for sanitary and in
dustrial hltering. filling life preservers, making
anchor buoys, and in surgery for absorbing Sc
cretiobs.
The parafining of floors In schools and hos
pitfalls is a recent advance in French sanitation.
The cracks and joints are first puttied with
mixture of $40 parts of Spanish white, $50 of
glue, $50 of sienna, ITO of umber and 20 of calca
reous earth; and the parafin is then applied
either in solution In chloroform or melted. The
latter is preferred, as the hot liquid penetrates
the wood to the depth of sixth of an inch. The
putty requires two days for hardening before
application of the parafiin. and when the latter
has solidifed, the superHuous material is
scraped off, leaving smooth, glossy surface.
This resists acids and alkalies, while preventing
the Judgment of infections germs.
srs
considered, In the view of M. Grandelmont. of
Lyons. To faulty assimilation of food may often
be traced, for example. diffused pain in the eye
ball. darkness, half sight. double vision. and
moving objects. Such disturbances may be
cured or lessened by attention to diet and n.y.
giene, and by the use Of moderate doses of saline
laxatives and alkalies.
A"s
In 1877, the squirrels inhabiting North Ameri-
ca north of Mexico were found to number six
species and seven sub-species, but DIR. Allen.
who has just revised the list now finds 1t neces-
sary to, recognize at least ten distinct species,
besides large number of suo-species.
"a
A lightweight alloy that seems to be in favor
in France for cars, automobiles and other pro-
~ nsse5pecinc gravity or ABOUT s.cs, winch
~ increased to 81 by rolling. While much
cheaper than aluminium, the alloy is claimed to
be much stronger, and it is but little heavier.
In works at Puteaux it has been used for very
speedy motor-cars, the bodies being entirely
constructed of the alloy, and for various pur-
poses on steam vehicles.
-
For coating aluminium with other metals,
Messrs. Lanseigne and Leblanc, French electro
platers, use the following electrolytic solutions
For silver-20 grams of nitrate of silver, 40 of
cyanide of potassium, 40 of phosphate of soda,
1000 of water; gold-40 grams of chloride of
gold. 40 of cyanide of potassium, 4Oof phosphate
of soda, 1900 of water; copper-3O0g grams cyanide
of copper, 450 of cyanide of potassium, $50 of
phosphate of soda, 5000 of water; nickel-70
grams of phosphate of soda, 20 of chloride of
nickel, 1000 of water. The anodes are of the
same metal as that in solution, and the bath is
kept at 14O0 to 1852 Fair.
81
Electrolytic hydrogen is a regular product of
a German accumulator factory. The apparatus,
devised by Herr Schoop, consists of lead cyl
inder anode containing the dilute solution, and
catholics of four perforated lead tubes in the
middle. The hydrogen escapes through glass
tubes in the upper part of the cathode tubes.
The gas is pure and odorless. The cost of the
hydrogen and oxygen is stated to be less than
half that of the gases by chemical methods.
"a
Rancidity in fats has been subject of study
by A. Nitikin, of St. Petersburg. Rancidity is
due to the formation of free acids, small por-
ton being VOLATILE and it results from the stimuli
taneous influence of oxygen and light, neither
alone producing it.
Chopped straw is a new German extinguisher
for burning oils and fats, and it was recently
put to satisfactory test in a large fire.
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miscellaneous.