The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1902-09-13

An Electrical Puzzle--LasJ century
Rain--The Aurora Borealis Repro
duced-The Photographer in Regions
NeW-Shell-F Fish as Poieon-C Collectors
Heights to be Reached-Fusion of Car
bon-Salt and Cancer-Massage for
Hay Fever.
How the electric waves used in wireless tele-
graphy follow the earth's curvature is still an
unsolved problem. E. Lasher supposes that
the waves run along the surface of the earth
and especially of the sea, in the same manner
that they follow wire, and that part of the
electric energy enters the earth's surface as.
part Of it penetrates the wire. A suggested
test of the theory is signalling between two
balloons, when the difficulty of communication
should increase with the height. The electrical
oscillations being at right angles to the wire or
earth's surface, another interesting experiment
would be the sending of signals up precipice,
using both horizontal and vertical antennae.
~
The rainfall variations of the nineteenth CEN
fury have been traced by Herr Ham from tie
monthly and yearly means of Padua, Klagen-
furt and Milan. The rainfall of the driest year
was from AZ to 81 per cent. of the general mean,
and that of the wettest year was Isl to 152 per
cent. There were IS dry years and 20 wet years.
A 35 year period, corresponding to that of
Bruckner, seems to be shown the wet years-as
recorded since 1725-having been 1913, 177S, 1908,
1S43 1878, while the extremes of drought were
reached in 1883. 17SS. 1928 1859 and 1893
~
The spectrum of the aurora borealis seems to
be practically identical with that of krypton as
produced by the electric spark. BY an cleo
trode-less discharge in air, Prof. W. Ramsay
makes visible the leading green line of krypton,.
and this is DETECTED in streamers by magnet,
thus reproducing the main phenomena Of the
aurora.
80
Two plumb-lines, 1850 feet long, suspended in
a mine shaft have shown Prof. F. W. M'Nair a
spreading of an inch. DETECTION by air currents
seemed the only explanation.
"a
Submarine photography is not likely to be-
come popular pastime. But it is leading us
into unknown regions, and NJ. Louis Boutan.
who began by investigating the animal life of
the waters has been an enthusiastic sea-bottom
camerist. He has lately published some of his
remarkable photographs of submarine scenery.
He uses camera, enclosed in a copper box hav-
ing plateglass window. and is mounted on a
cast-iron tripod. Suitable mechanism is pro-
vided to expose and change the plates The
even at 20 or 30 feet was an early difficulty, but
this was counteracted by means of rubber ball,
holding about gallon, from which air was
forced through tube into the box as the pres
sure increased. Light fades rapidly in sinking
below the surface, daylight exposures being i'm
practicable at depth of % feet. Magnesium
powder is burned in oxygen in a suitable glass
globe, and by this powerful illumination instan-
taneous exposures are made, with interesting
results.
Poisoning by shell-fsh is not yet fully under
stood. Prof. Thesen. of Norway, finds that is
not due to the substance on which they grow
such as the copper sheathing of vessels-but
that 1t depends on impure water The poison
however. does not seem to be produced by bac-
terra. 1t is concluded that the impurities of the
water-even such poison as strychnine and
curare-are readily absorbed and stored away
by the mollusks, but that the storing is only
temporary. for mollusks in foul water are not
at all times poisonous. Whether the poisons
are made harmless or returned to the water
unchanged remains to be proven.
~
That the highest mountainsmay be climbed is
the conclusion reached by Signor Mosso after
many experiments and observations Aconca-
qua in the Andes 1893 feet high, is the Hottest
summit yet reached, and Himalayan peaks
tower vertical mile above this, but it is be-
lieved that the difficulties of ascent may be
overcome by very slow rate of travel. This
will acclimatize the climber and enable him to
endure the rarefed air.
-.
The possibility of melting carbon and main
tanning it in the liquid condition has been DEM
onstrated by DR.. A. Ludwig. The heating was
effected under great pressure in the electric
furnace, and curious phenomenon noticed at
1900 atmospheres was a very brief failure of the
electric arc, the current refusing to pass even
when the voltage was much increased. 1t is sup
-ee-i that 90 the carbon passeA '-ste - :, 49,.
and transparent state, it assumed rare alo-
tropic form, becoming non-conductor. The
experiment was too brief for study of this
condition, but was made to include sudden
cooling of the molten carbon by flooding with
water of the interior of the pressure vessel
Though minute-diamonds were recognized in
the gray powder thus obtained, the result was
not wholly satisfactory.
-.
study of the cancer and peculiarities of
diet of certain districts has led ]. Braithwaite
to conclude that excessive use of salt is lead
ing cause of the disease. With this there is
probably some local irritant or stimulant, and
either an over-nourished condition of the body
due especially to much meat, or loading of
the cells of the body with effete matter, as in
the aged, the indolent and those who live in
door lives, or locally in organs that have become
disused. The theory is confirmed by the facts
that cancer is rare among active workers in the
open air and practically unknown among ami
mails that do not use salt.
~
The nasal passages are stated to have a sur
face area of not less than 20 square inches. A
new preventive of hay fever is the rubbing
with surgical cotton twice daily of as much of
this inner surface, or mucous membrane, as can
be reached. The massage hardens the mem
brane, lessening its over-sensitiveness.
-
The volcanic dust from Mont Pelee proves to
have little fertilizing value. An analysis by an
American engineer of specimens from Barba-
dos, where-though 90 miles away-the fall on
May was about three inches, has shown only
O.6T5 per cent. of potash and DIAL of phospheric
anhydride.