The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-04-07
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

Life for Hot Places-Chemical Rays
from an Electrified Point-A Cool
Summer for London - The Micro
scope in Metal working-oil Rein
ing by ozone-The Loftiest Flow
ers-Atmospheric Electricity and
Disease-Improved Miners Hose.
What life in other worlds may be is an
ever fascinating theme for speculation.
Two English biologists, Mr.. Godfrey
Martin and DR.. F. j. 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 equilibrium at life temperatures
Mr.. Martin, however, looks upon car
bon as the fundamental life element
while DR.. Allen finds nitrogen the es-
sentlal substance. Mr.. Martin thinks
that in the high temperatures OF some
celestial bodies series OF complex ana
instuble silicon compounds may be form
ed and that in warmer worldG than
ours silicon life may be possible. Pos
sibly our silica-secretinG diatoms and
sponges are link connecting US with
a silicon fauna Of hotter age on earth.
Ultraviolet rays are produced by S.
Leduc, a French electrician, by con-
Meeting a fine point with the negative
Of an clectrostatic machine and insulat
ing the positive; and he recommends
this as a simple means OF applying the
well-known chemica, effect of these
rays to medical uses, such as the treat
ment Of lupes. Though the point shows
only a barely visible violet glow, 1t
emits a powerful non-luminous radla-
ton. This may be photographed and
has all the properties Of ordinary ultra
violet rays. with no resemblance to
Roentgen rays.
From Greenwich records since 1870, an
English meterorologlst finds that when
the first three months of the year are
wet there is a tendency for the summer
to be cool. The first quarter OF this year
having been wet he Is able to say that
II next summer Is hot, or II II has more
than sixteen hot days, II will be the
first occurrence OF such sequence in
sixty years.
A specimen of edible earth lately
brought from Fila eoft, pale pink
clayey ubstance-proved to be an UNI
mum, probably kaolin, with about &c
per cent. OF iron oxide as mechanical
impurlty.
An important work upon which Mr.
j. C. Stead, a British chemist, has been
engaged for a number OF years, Is the
microscopic study of metals. Expert
ence has made IL easy to cut, grind, pol
Ish and etch ordinary metals and alloys,
and specimens can now be prepared for
the microscope In few minutes. The
results have been largely unexpected.
In a recent demonstration pig iron was
shown to have its constituents gath
cred into separate centers' the carbldes
being in Isolated silveTy crystals, while
the phosphorus and sulphur compounds
were each distinctly separated. a Drill
llantly polished piece OF white pig IRON
containing carbon, sulphur and phcs-
phorus, was then heated until II became
purple. Under the microscope the con-
stltuents were found to have diverse
colors. the iron being fine sky blue
the carbides an orange color the phos-
phIdes pale brown yellow, and the
sulphldes a slaty blue. This method OF
Identifying phosphides Is new discov-
cry WHICH viii be OF great value to iron
manufacturers as a simple means OF
telling whether iron contains phosPhoF-
us. The microscope shows that alloys
instead of being homogeneous as mas
been thought, are built up OF various
crystals, and is likely 10 prove OF prac-
teal service to metal workers In many
ways.
The use Of ozone for purifying llnseed.
olive, palm. COLA and other oils. seems
TO have proven very satisfactory. AR
rs dried in n chamber containing burnt
lime. passed through the oZomiZers. and
then compressed In an Iron reservoir.
This ozonizcd dir Is used for rectifying
the oils. a ton of llnseed oil requiring
40 10 3l6 cubic meters OF the air. This
quantity OF ozoniZed air Is estimated by
pr Lew KowstBch to cost francs. and
the total cost OF treating fiVe tons OF oil
daily does not exceed francs per ton
OEonIzInE the OIL is said TO give legs
wnste, quicker refinement and a hand
somer product
Flowering plants arc not certainly
known TO reach n greater height than
N 0OO feet In the Alps At least half
dozen spccIcs--includinE a snNifraEe,
mniow, valerlau and several com
posltae-havc been brought by SIR
Marlin Conway from hciGhts Of 1900
10 1890 feet in the Bolivian noun
taing.
The most complete collection Of works