The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1903-01-24
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
SCIENTIFIC MIS- CELLANY.

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Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.
Equatorial Climate--Glass--Dest
Microbes--A Novel Steamer--Above
Clouds and Storms-An Improved Fila
ment-A Test of Tires-No Intra Mercu-
rial Planet--Italian Sanitation--The
New African Pepper.
The scarcity of meteorological stations near
the equator gives interest to recent report of
the observations for five years of DIR. E. Goeldi
at fHra. The mean temperature for the year is
7SoF., and the annual variation is extremely
small-only 2.5-while the mean daily variation
is 1872. The mean annual rainfall is about 102
inches. wet season occurs from January to
April, with relatively dry season-in which
rain is somewhat frequent-from May to De-
cember. The rains are almost exclusively con-
fined to thunderstorms of the afternoon and
evening.
In TIE singular failure of the old windows of
York Cathedral, the glass has lost most of its
transparency, and in places has become so per-
forated that it crumbles at the slightest touch.
To stop the disease" some glass of the thir-
teenth and fourteenth centuries has been re-
moved. 1t is known that the hardest cement is
sometim disintegrated by chemical action set
up by minute organisms, and it is supposed that
the destruction of the glass has been due to
some fungus.
For shallow-draught steamers, both side
wheels and stern-wheels have disadvantages,
especially in the weight of their machinery,
while propelers-as they have been used in
fixed tunnels-lose efficiency through increased
a;r
In new English boat for shallow rivers, the
stern end of the tunnel is made adjustable by a
hinged flap. Raising orilowering the flap keeps
the tunnel opening just below the surface, and
ii is claimed that with moderate load the gain is
rs per cent.
Mirrors of platinum, palladium, iron, nickel,
cobalt, copper and bismuth have been prepared
by projecting the metallic particles by kathode
rays.
OF the balloon soundings of the atmosphere
by NJ. Teisserenc de Bort of Paris, not less than
25S have reached or exceeded 1000 meters
(0SS5 miles,. To avoid the direct influence of
the sun on the instruments, the balloons were
sent up at night. On one occasion, in March,
the exceptionally low temperature Of minus
750C. (minus 1030F.) was recorded and the OBJ
servatons brought out the remarkable fact that
decrease in temperature ceases at about II 600
meters, while beyond there may be slight
warming in zone of nearly constant tempera-
ture. This layer of uniform temperature falls
somewhat lower during a low barometer, while
1t rises 1000 meters higher during high pressure,
and in summer it is reached only at 1900 or
1900 meters. Other observers confirm the ex-
istence of an atmospheric stratum where de-
0f of1lra xuft bofo {o ix,@o
ed. In this layer, it is conjectured, the air cur
rents flow on without interruption. and the cy-
elonic whirls of the lower atmosphere canse
little disturbance.
-.
The flaments of the Crawford Voelker lamp
in which true carbide of several rare metals
or earths is formed-are claimed to have higher
specific resistance than carbon filaments, to dis
integrate more slowly, and to be practically
uniform in resistance. The lamps, which have
been made up to 500 volts, are less liable to in
jury than the ordinary 200-volt lamp. In COM
parsons by Sir VIM. H. Preece, this form of
lamp has shown an economy ranging from 1913
at the start to 5O4 per cent. after 500 hours and
still reaching 4.6 per cent. at the end of 1000
hours.
In his experiments with various vehicles, NJ
Mchelin has found that iron tires require great
er motive power than either solid rubber or
pneumatic An electric automobile running at
per cent. greater speed with pneumatic tires
took IS per cent. less power than when fitted
with solid rubber tires; and in stopping, the
solid tires required an increase of IA per cent.
in braking power.
The ife-preserver of Hamburg engineer
looks like an ordinary pocketbook, weighs but
IL ounces, and on wetting becomes inflated
with gas to sustain 200 pounds three days.
-.
The sky within the orbit of Mercury was care
fully photographed at the Lick Observatory
during the 1901 eclipse, in the hope that the ny
pothetical planet of Leverrier and others might
be discovered. Later examination of the mega
tives has practically proven that no such body
exists. An object of sufficient size to produce
the observed disturbance of Mercury's orbit
would be too conspicuous to escape detection,
and the possibility is small that it may have
been hidden by the sun or the bright corona, as
the area thus covered was only 1900 of that in
which the search was made. Prof. Perrine has
suggested that the finely divided matter caus-
ing the zodacal light may be sufficient in the ag-
gregate to produce the perturbations noted.
E.%
line DlrLH anu u6aLn TdueS OI Italy IOr IOrCy
years have been reviewed by Prof. Giuseppe
Sormani. The births reached their highest
point of 1894 per 1,OO0in 1875 and their minimum
was 3S.49 in 1898, while the corresponding limits
of the death rate were 34.39 in 1857 and 21.T in
1899. Both birth and death rates have been di-
minishing, although there has been constant
excess of births over deaths varying from 2.40
in 1857 to 1880 in 1897. Assuming the lessened
death rate to be a result of better control of in
fictitious Diseases it is estimated that 200 900 per-
sons have been saved from death and at least
satwenty times as many have been saved from
illness.
-.
Kissne pepper, new species described as
quite unlike any other, grows abundantly in
wild state in Guinea. Rich in piperine and vola-
tile OIL it is claimed to be valuable both as
spice and condiment. Its small grains, charac-
terized by pedicle at their base give reddish
brown powder, highly perfumed, and of pecu-
liar aromatic SAVIOR.
~
The mass of Saturn's ring as compared with
that of the planet is found by Prof. Hall to be
as to 1892, or only about twot thirds the mass OF
Titan, the largest of Saturn's satellites.
CTEVYEAICnM,C GOAT WARNS