The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-05-20
Scientific Miscellany.

The new stars" of history have not
been numerous, only twenty having
been noted since 134 B. c.. the date of
the first authentic record. Yet thir-
teen were observed in the nineteenth
century, and six in the last decade.
nee OF the latter being found on Har-
ward photographs. OF the total thir-
teen were bright enough to be seen by
the naked eye. The number has shown
very rapid increase with progress In
star surveying, and, as the largest
telescopes show some 10000 times as
many stars as the unaided vision, it
may be assumed that complete and
constant observation of the entire
heavens to the limits of telescope
range would make the flashing up of
some distant sun an almost daily oc-
currence.
Green hair, which has been known in
coppersmfths for centuries, is stated
by German Investigator to be by no
means common. Individual suseepti-
bliity varies greatly, and anything
more than superficial coIoring results
only after years of work in copper
dust, but the color-once impaired
persists for number of years after
work in such dust ceases. The beard
is more affected than the hair of the
mead, the eyebrows least of ALL AMI
mails are sometimes dyed In this way,
and sheep that had been exposed for
years to copper fumes and dust. drink
ing at the same opper-conlaminated
water, had fine green fleece Health
d1d not seem to be impaired
Lignin, which with cellulose makes
up the cells and fibers of wood. is a
nard and elastic material of uncertain
composition. BY the new process of
Drs. Zuhl and Eisefnann, of Berlin, it
Is separated from the celiulose by boil
ing IN aniiine under pressure, and is
freed from the resulting solution by
distilHng off most of the aniline and
precipitating from the residue by the
addition of ether. The product retains
little of the aniline as fmpurity
Thus obtained, lignin is a deep-brown.
puppy mass, which may be used as a
yarnlsn, and when applied in layers
dries slowly into an elastic. lustrous
hard and odorless coat.
An interesting solution of the prob
ZEN OF cooiing gasoline motors has
oeen reached by Herr Kainz. Alum
mum rings, having diagonal blades in
sue, are arranged around the cylinder
ana are rotated rapidly on bail bear.
ihgs. current of air being thus forced
against the cylinder and around the
combustion chamber. Little power is
required to drive this blower. In this
respect II is more economical than the
water Jacket, and for automobiles n
offers the great advantage of avoiding
the addition to the weight carried Of
supply Of cooling liquid.
difference in expansion soon causes
the silver backing of searchlight mir
rors to peel off. even though the heat
Ing is but slight. In a new process
the silver film is reduced in thickness
to few millionths of an inch. and is
backed with an alloy of silver with 80
per cent of platinum. AS the plati-
mum and the glass expand in almost
the same ratio, the backed film remains
in perfect contact with the glass at ali
temperatures.
The addition to steel Of a minute
proportion Of copper-from 0.078 to
0263 per cent in soft Bessemer steel
has been found to reduce corrosion
very materially.