The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1900-03-24
Correspondence Baltimore County Onion.
SCIENTIFIC MIS- CELLANY.


The Primary Battery for Carriages
World History Taught by Flea-Frogs
Tending Their Young-The Diamond In
Metallurgy in Hibernation
Cause of Aluminium Failure-Gas-
Calcium Observation-Disclosures Cop
per.
A compact and economical primary battery
would overcome many of the objections to auto
mobiles. A new automobile tricycle. exhibited
at Berlin is claimed to have practical battery
of this kind, consisting of "a cells, with cleo
trodes of zinc and peroxide of lead, the positive
plates containing in themselves the electrolyte
in concentrated form. With the plates charged,
1t is only necessary to fill the battery with
water The battery weighs 176 pounds. the total
weight of the vehicle being 4s4 pounds. and with
two passengers run of 81 miles can be made.
To continue, It is simply necessary to empty the
battery, exchange the positive plates and refill
with water. In trials made, the total running
expense on bad roads is stated to have been
about two cents per mile, and 1t is claimed that
theoretically the cost should not exceed l.3
cents.
The importance of small things is exemplified
by recent discovery which makes single fea
serve as a link in the chain of evidence tending
to prove former land connection between Aus
tralia and South America. This flea belongs 10
a new species from Argentina. where the only
specimen yet known is believed to have lived on
a rat. The species is assigned by N. Z. hotns-
child to the genus Stephanocircus, which has
been hitherto represented by single species OF
Australia, and the two forms are evidently very
closely allied. although now separated by the
ocean.
In case of nursing habits among frogs re-
ported by a German naturalist. the eggs are de-
posted on the ground and brooded by the ADULT
probably the male. On leaving the shell. the
larvae have posterior extremities and q long
tail. and they finish their development on the
back of the adult, to which they fasten them
selves by the ventral surface, not by the mouth.
So
1t is thought that the lately discovered infun-
dibula gland supplies the brain with an indis-
pensable substance better knowledge of which
will greatly aid treating brain disease.
The Star Of Luxembourg is the name given to
one of the most interesting of diamonds. Though
only a fftieth of an inch in diameter it ranks as
of enormous size in its class for it Is of artificial
origin, and it is further remarkable as being a
specimen of the diamonds that are being made
accidentally every day in different parts OF the
world. 1t was found in steel from blast fur
mace at Esch sur rAlzette. Moissan's work In
crystallizing carbon by suddenly cooling iron ID
which it was dissolved has suggested to Prof.
Rossel. of Berne. that commercial steel should
contain microscopic diamonds and investiga-
ton has shown not only that this is true but
that the number and size of the crystals-as in
Moissan,s results-increase with the tempera-
ture used in making the steel. The hardness of
high temperature steel is believed to be in part
| due to the enclosed diamonds.
"a
Contraction of the pupils and closing of the
eyes we're effects found by Du Bois-Raymond tc
be produced in frogs by long exposure to cold
DR.. G.. Abelsdorff has now noticed that the color
| of the pupil changes during Information from
| black to gray or white, and that this due tc
the formation OF a temporary cataract which
causes the frogs-and perhaps also other hiber
| Mating animals-to be blind for a short time
after recovery from their semi-frozen condition
The cataract gradually disappears.
In experiments by A. Ditto, the heating and
cooling of an alloy of aluminium with three pei
cent. of copper have caused the metal to become
roughly crystalline and full of cracks. NJ. Mois
san urges that the aluminium used for cooking
utensils must be pure. to resist corrosion, ant
that other metals must be kept from contac
with it, to avoid possible electroytic action. II
the French army aluminium cooking vessel
seem to have been very durable.
| -
Magnalium, an alloy of 10 to % parts by weigh
of magnesium, with 100 of aluminium, is elaine
to have all the advantages of aluminium, an
also to be adapted for working with tools, Will
even lighter than aluminium.
80
Ice making by electricity is suggested for Ger
trail t'es 1yEjD
7 5rerIric furnace, prepared by carefully heating
| mixture of cilcium phosphate and lampback
The same compound In an amorphous condition
| is obtained by heating metallic calcium ant
phosphorus together in a vacuum. This ant
other binary combinations of calcium are readi
ly decomposed by water, giving calcium hydratt
and hydrogen compound of the other origina
constituent. Calcium hydride with cold water
for example, evolves hydrogen; calcium car
bide, acetylene; calcium nitride, ammonia; ant
calcium phosphide, phosphoretted hydrogen
Similar hydrogen compounds are formed from
calcium arsenidcs and antimonides under like
conditions.
Copper reduced from the oxide at the compar-
atively low temperature of about 200o is found
by French chemist to show remarkable differ
ences from copper prepared at high tempera-
ture. 1t is set on fire by drop of dry bromine
this property being retained in extreme cold OF
in a vacuum or in dry air, but lost in moist air
This copper does not give the protoxide of nj
trogen when acted on by nitric acid. 1t is like
other copper in appearance, and has the same
density and magnetic properties.
.**
The multiplication of new compounds in or
ganic chemistry is something appalling. In 1888
the total number of carbon compounds recor-
ded was 10000, but a newly revised list by Dr. NJ.
NJ Richter enumerates not less than 81, 1000 And
the end seems yet far Off.
"a
Recent photometric determinations have
shown that. il sheet of Bristol cardboard at
one meter from a standard candle be rated at /,
the candle flame itself is from Il, 900 to % 900
kerosene lamp flame, 1900; and platinum at its
melting point, 1,OOs.OO0.
-
An analysis has been made by NJ. Demoussy,
of Paris of the little shavings of clay that are
baked on bricks and eaten by natives in some
parts of Tonkin. The material is like kaolin In
appearance and composition, and contains no
nutritious substance whatever.