The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1902-08-02

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Twentieth century chemistry embraces two
important new fields-that of high tempera-
lures, made easily available by the electric fur
mace, and that Of low temperatures, economic
ally produced by liquid air. Among numerous
interesting products of great cold, N. D'Arson-
val mentions liquid ozone, which is easily pro-
duced, its boiling point being 11S0C. below Zero
and which is perfectly stable at the tempera-
ture of liquid air about ZOO below zero) but at
its own boiling point detonates on the slightest
shock. The most powerful explosive now
known is mixture of liquid ozone and solid
acetylene. Certain of the lighter petroleums
separated out by fractional distillation at low
temperatures, are perfectly fluid at 1902 below
zero and can be used in the construction of low
temperature thermometers. Pure hydrogen
can be economically produced in large quanti-
ties by new system of fractional distillation at
low temperatures.
Celluloid, for which such varied uses have
been found, was originally produced as a sub
stitute for DISTINGUISHING ivory. The imitation
itself is now initiated by the remarkable prepa-
ration of a Dutch inventor, who treats with
acid and glycerine the waste pulp from the
manufacture of potato -four, and dries and
grinds the resulting compound. Mixed with
Paris, forming easily worked substitute for
ivory, bone, celluloid and other materials.
-
In pulverization, by the electric furnace, the |
metal is heated to volatization. and forcedinto
the collecting chamber by jet of air or inert
gas. Among the useful powders produced in
this way are those of bronze, tin, and alumni
mum of litharge, or lead oxide and of chrome
steel, used as abrasives. Variations of the pro-
cess give such compounds as white lead.
81
The suns photosphere is supposed by c. Nord-
mann to emit not only the short waves per-
ceptible as light but also non-luminous vibra-
lions of great length that give rise to electro
magnetic phenomena. Hertzian waves should
be produced chiefly in the sun-spot zone and at |
times of maximum solar activity, and it is prob
able that these waves give the added incandes-
cence of the upper parts of the solar atmos-
phere during sun-spot maxima, when the suns |
heat radiation should be reduced. The iaments
of the corona, supposed to be due to pressure of |
light, are shortened during sun-spot periods. |
The spectra of comets show that their mean
descent gases have low temperature, like the
rarefied gases artiicially lighted up by Hertzian
waves, and as a comet approaches the sun its |
spectrum is changed like that of an electrified
gas under increased current.
~
Comparing modern statistics with researches |
on the ages of Egyptian mummies, M. Henry |
de Varigny concludes that longevity is not in |
creasing. Sanitary science has greatly reduced |
infant mortality and given adults greater ex-
pectation of average life, but it has not added |
to the chances of the aged. Mans evolution
has been in intellect rather than in body. He |
has not gained in vitality and is possibly weaker
than generations ago; and Egyptian who
1000 years ago had reached the age of 6S was |
likely to live longer than modern English
man of the same age.
~
Electric tests have shown Prof. T. c. Bose
that the pulsation in plants is similar to that in
man and animals. Poisons kill in the same de-
gree, chloroform gradually lessons the pulsa-
tions, recovery follows anaesthetics and poison
GUS drugs stimulate the pulsations and benefit
as in human beings. A continuation of these |
experiments, Prof. Bose believes, may yield |
some solution of the great problem of life and
death.
~.
Among the industries of organic chemistry,
that of chemical perfumes has lately taken a
place second only to that of making dyes. The
development of these perfumes has been almost
exclusively the work of France and Germany.
~
Potatoes are claimed by DIR. Mosse, French
PHYSICIAN to be valuable in certain forms of
diabetes, cures having resulted from their use.
He supposes that the treatment gives the same
alkalinization as that by the mineral waters of
vichy; and that the ferments brought to the
tissues aid in oxidations that are retarded in
diabetic patients. The quantity prescribed is
from two and half to three times that of the
bread eaten. In spring, when potatoes are not
very good, potato bread may be desirable and
may be made by mixing washed potatoes with
X or as much wheat flour. Sprouting
and otherwise altered potatoes, which contain
sugar and perhaps solanin, are to be avoided.
Phosphates are lost by the reduction of the
bread consumed, but may be restored by using
more eggs.
French experimenters have added picric acid
to petrol for motor cars and the great explosive
force of the mixture is claimed to reduce by so
per cent. the quantity of fuel needed, The
mixture however. appears too unsafe to be-
come popular. 1t tends to deposit by-product
in the combustion chamber and exhaust pipes,
and this is so explosive that when much heated
by the sun or otherwise, disastrous results may
follow.
During the ten years ending with 1900 syste-
matte record of all Italian earthquakes was kept
by the Central Meteorological Office at Rome.
DR.. A. Caneani finds that not less than 1851 were
noted, only those shocks perceptible without
instruments being counted. The results seem
to indicate that January and March are more
liable to earthquakes than other months, and
that the shocks occur most often in the first
hour after midnight and are fewest between
and p.
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Hertzian waves from lightning flashes at enor
nous distances have been studied by f. Lar
rogue. An interesting fact brought out is that
the waves from great distance are practically
horizontal, but those from not more than 200
miles are more vertical than horizontal.