The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-03-25

MISCELLANY

/ The ripening of cheese is not yet I'M
lderstood, much as it has been studied.
One authority supposes that in hard
cheese the effect is due to outside bacte-
! ria that make their way inward from
the surface; but another student of the
subject believes the cause to be Tactic
bacteria that are present in the milk and
are distributed uniformly through the
cheese. Recent evidence in favor of the
latter view is the finding that ripening
occurs with absolute uniformity through
the whole cheese.
] A novel apparatus for inspecting boiler
tubes is the invention of Nj. Vinsonneau.
1t consists of an extension tube, at one
end of which is an incandeScent electric
lamp, with an angular plane reflector,
while at the other end is a similar re-
fiector to receive the rays, and an eye
piece ma nifying the image. In the tests
made this apparatus has shown serious
internal defects in boiler tubes that out
side seemed quite sound.
In a trial trip of two Liverpool steam
ships the remarkably economical results
have been equivalent to the carrying of
a ton of cargo more than $50 miles with
a pennyworth of coal. Quadruple-expan-
sion, five-crank engines are used, work
ing at a pressure of PSI pounds per
square inch, with steam superheated to
nearly 800 degrees F.
| The sudden demand for calcium car
bide and carborundum, it Is pointed out,
has caused other similar products of the
electric furnace to be overlooked. That
some of these will prove of great impor-
tance in the future seems more than
probable. Moissan finds that, in general,
the carbides of the metals are decom-
posed by water, like calcium carbide but
| Those nf ia nnt ~
bides of tungsten vanadiun, chromium
and iron form an intermediate group.
Carbdes of the alkalies and alkaline
earths give acetylene; of aluminium and
beryllium, pure methane; of manganese,
equal volumes of hydrogen and metbane;
and of the rare earths, cerium, ETC., mix
lures of acetyleHe, methane and ethy-
lene. Besides yielding these gases when
water is poured on them, the carbides
have the valuable property of a power
full reducing action on metallic oxides.
The various silicides and borides, as
prepared in the electric furnace, are
among the most stable substances known,
and their great hardness fits them for
lcutting grinding and polishing. Silicium
carbide, carborundum, is now made
on large scale for these uses.
The Oldest mummy vet discovered, the
unique relic lately acquired by the Brit
ish Museum, is the body OF a man about
yet remaining suggests that its original
color was fair; the hands and feet are
small and the intellectual formation of
the head indicates that the man was of
| a superior race. 1t is believed that he
represents the original Inhabitants of
Egypt. who were conquered by Asiatic
invaders about 5000 B. c., and subsequent
| ly intermingled with the conquerors to
form the race known as Egyptians. The
oval grave in sandstone rock was COW
cred with large slabs of stone, and sur
rounded by fints and earthenware pot
| terry.
AS disinfectant, alcohol is placed by
Drs. Salzmedel and Elsner between car
bollc acid and corrosive sublimate, and
| 1t has the advantage of being much less
| poisonous than either. Its most power
full germicide action is in strengths be-
| tween so and S. per cent.
Viscin. new base for ointments, is
| a benZine solution of a glutfnous SUBJ
stance obtained from the bark OF twigs.
1t Is syrupy, very adhesive liquid Of
J dark green color.