The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1902-08-23
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.


A New Photographic Lens--Germapy'
Practical Science-Harmless Tobacco
Light for Fogs-Pineapple Digestion
Writing on Glass--Varying Depth OF
Sleep-A Survival in Surgery-Butter-
fly Sleep.
The fluid lens. once tried as means of over
coming optical defects of the single glass lens,
was dropped with the advent of homogeneous
glass and successful combination tense. new
fluid lens has been used by DIR. E. F. Grun in
instantaneous photography by ordinary light,
and has given greatly increased activity of ac-
ton, opening up great possibilities in catching
theatrical and other night scenes that have
hitherto eluded the camera Kinematograph
pictures without special preparation gave some
what imperfect but very promising results,
striking merit being such depth of focus that
both the performers in the front of the stage
and the scenery at the back were sharply
brought out
Last year the Germans produced 100000 tons
of raw sugar, representing 10 per cent. of the
beet-root crushed, which was an increase since
1910 from 5000 tons of product as 5K per cent.
of the material used. The dyeing industry
earned $3O0OO,0OO last year against $6,OO0,0O0 in
1874, notwithstanding diminished prices and in
creased wages. Artificial indigo now employs
over 5000 men, including 14S scientific chemists,
although started only about IS years ago with
less than 40 men. In 1898 Germany employed
1900 persons in making scientific instruments,
the exports being three times those of 1888.
These are examples of the results of scientific
training in the land of its greatest development.
-.
Denicotinized cigars have been rejected as in
sipid. By the process of Gerold, of Halle, the
nicotin and other poisons are made non-volatile
by solution of fannie acid, and decoction of
wild marjoram restores the perfume. Physio-
logical tests of this treated tobacco which retains
its nicotin with scarcely changed flavor, has
given NJ. Bardet no symptom of any poisoning.
80
The process of Knopfis claimed to convert old
newspapers into clean white paper at half the
cost of paper direct from wood.
-
A portable street light of great Illuminating
power is the device of the Westminster County
Council for lessening accidents from London
fogs. A cylindrical tank eighteen inches in d.
ameter and two feet high is charged with TWEEN
ty-hve gallons of petroleum, and compressed
air forces vapor from the oil into standpipe
provided with burner. On igniting, the torch
flares up eighteen inches to two feet with
power of 1000 candles A certain number of
these fog-lamps are kept in readiness. and
when need arises they are quickly sent to the
most dangerous points.
A*s
A slice of fresh pineapple after each meal is
suggestion of the London Lancet. The fruit
contains much fiber, but its active principle,
''bromeln,'' is so energetic that 1t will digest
1000 times its weight within few hours. The
digestive activity varies with the kind of pro-
ted supplied. Fibrin soon disappears entirely,
coaguated egg albumen is digested slowly and
meat albumen is first converted into a gelati-
nous mass and finally digested. Precipitated
from the juice by salt, the active principle will
be found to have the powers stated. The ac-
tivity is destroyed by heat but pineapple pre-
served without cooking should retain its power.
80
One of the promising discoveries that have
been almost forgotten is that of writing on glass
with aluminium, magnesium and some other
metals 1t was five or six years ago that Prof.
Margot, of Geneva, announced that the metal
lie tracings adhere firmly and do not wash or
rub Off, the metal seeming to form some union
with the glass; The writing ressts even fluids
that corrode the glass. Prof. Berger, of Brus-
sells, has lately taken up the matter, and has
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pencil on glass moistened with sicate of potash
solution. The method has special value for
giving permanent labels to dangerous liquids,
like poisons and explosives.
Sc
The stick insect of Borneo, the largest insect
known, is sometimes thirteen inches long. 1t is
wingess, but some species of stick insects have
beautiful colored wings that fold like fans.
~
Exact measurement is one of the first pro-
cesses of modern investigation. The psycholo-
gist is now measuring the depth of sleep, and
uses so-caled Griessbach ethesiometer, which
prods with either a sharp or blunt point, and
shows just how much excitation is needed to
disturb sleeper or cause him to move, and
how much is required to wake him up. Two
physicians of Rome have been making studies
with this instrument for many months on a
number of subjects. including several epileptics.
The proddings have been performed after sleep
has continued for varying lengths of time, and
the results give the practical suggestion that
those who find it hard to wake in the morning
can lessen the difficulty by timing their sleep SO
that the waking point may be at minimum at
the desired hour of rising.
80
Trephining the skull is known as probable
treatment used by prehistoric surgeons. 1t ap-
pears that the ancient practice still survives in
Melanesia and Rev. J. A. Crump reports that
natives of New Britain treat fractures from
slng-stones by trephining with piece of shell
or flake of obsidian. In 80 per cent. of the
cases recovery follows in two or three weeks,
the deaths being mostly due to the original in
jury. In New Ireland trephining Is also per-
formed for epilepsy and certain forms of in
sanity, and the natives declare that the cures
are numerous while injurious results are rare.
"a
The butterfly is stated by an English writer
to sleep on the very top of grass stems, in
varably with its head downward and its eyes
looking toward the roots of the plant. Its
wings are folded to the smallest possible size.
This Is doubtless chiefly for protection against
cold, but it reduces the dimensions to those of
a narrow ridge, making the creature resemble
in shape as we'll as color the seed-heads on sur
rounding stems.
work by Mr.. F. W. Theobald on the mos
quitoes of the world, prepared to aid medical
men in Identifying the kinds suspected of
spreading disease, describes 300 species, 1876 be-
ing new. Most of these species are found in
and around towns or are pests known to tray
elers and traders.
The vibration of the diaphragm of a telephone
receiver is not easily measured but the best
calculation is said to show movement of about
one twenty-millionth of an inch!
A Great Kansas Farm.
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