The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1903-11-14

Doubied-Comets' Tails Mystery Still
"A Unique Phenomenon-Insect lnge-
nuity--Comfort at Sea--Penetrative
Solar Rays-Not So Mythical
"Catatypy' is the name given by German pho
tographic chemists to the new. process Of print
ing without light. Hydrogen dioxide is poured
over the negative, after which piece of paper
sized or unsized, rough or smooth-is laid on,
and by contact of few seconds this receives
the picture, hydrogen dioxide being destroyed.
Several prints can be made from single appli-
cation. The invisible image on the paper is de-
veloped by being drawn through solution of
ferrous oxide, when the protoxide is transform
ed into oxide, and the iron oxide gives yellow
positive. Instead of iron salts, those of chro-
MUM, manganese, etc., may be used, or pig
ments with glue solutions giving wide range
of possible tones of color. The process is sim
pie, the pictures permanent, and it is believed
that a new epoch in photography has been
reached.
Science" says NJ. Herrera made great
step when she succeeded in obtaining limitations
of protoplasm, whose structure was once look
ed upon as an almost supernatural phenomenon.
But the progress was still greater when she sue
ceeded in preparing perfect limitations of or
ganic bodies with inorganic material, such as
alcium chloride, sodium phosphate and calcium
Observation-Disclosures found everywhere. We
cannot deny the importance of the 600 organic
substances extracted from plants, but neither
can we deny that living beings proceed out Of
inorganic forces and substances If my views
are correct, living beings must be regarded as
mineral colloids, and zoology and botany as
chapters of mineralogy."
-
new improvement of the microscope made
at Java University consists in 80 arranging the
illumination that no light can enter the ebjec-
tive except that reflected by the object under
examination. This. it is claimed, brings into
view objects about half the size of those for
merly proving the limit of minuteness.
"a
Experiments made some time ago by Messrs.
e. G. Nichols and G. F. Hull were thought to
prove that the DETECTION of acomet's tail on ap-
proachfng the sun is due to pressure of light.
A mixture of dried puff-ball spores and emery
sand was poured through kind of hour-glass
hole in vacuum tube, beam of light forty
times as strong sunlight being turned on the
particles, and the light puff ball seeds-only
tenth as heavy as water-were blown aside while
the emery continued to fall vertically. Correc-
ted calculations now indicate that the problem
is not as near solution as it was supposed. The
effect is ten times as great as the pressure of
light could produce, some unknown force seem
ing to have taken part, and further expert
ments will be made, using, if possible, lighter
particles and more perfect vacuum.
-.
The most marvellous of all rocking stones is
that of the island of Cephania, off the coast of
Greece. This is a great rock. about rod
square, in the edge os the sea, and it is in per-
Ga oIxx frfrf hn LAM
and recedng from it about twenty times
minute. The regular oscillations of this natu-
raj pendulum are unaffected by Gains or by
tempestous seas that break completely over it.
The weight of ten persons did not perceptibly
change it's rate of motion, and when an English
captain attempted to drag it away the oscilla-
tious snapped his chains like thread.
sFs
Attention was recently called to a curious
crab Of Mauritius that continually holds sea-
anemone in each claw, presumably as means
of defense. A French biologist has now brought
to notice, as equally remarkable, an ant OF the
East Indies which, while having no spinning
glands at adult age, long puzzled naturalists by
building nests of leaves fastened with silk
threads 1t was at last discovered that the lar
vac of the same species were held by the work.
ing ants and caused to spin silk where it was re-
quired
Benzine locomotives Ola eight horsepower,
drawing freight trucks of capacity of % tons
on narrow gauge tunnel roads, are changing the
working of German, Belgian and Austrian
mines.
Remedies for sea-sickness are still being
sought. 1t has been noticed by Otto Dornbluth,
4Iok In ftfr, In
gins with the downward motion of the ship, and
he recommends that during this sinking mo-
ton deep inspiration be taken to throw the
abdomen forward and render it tense. This
method and tight abdominal bandage seem to
be equally beneficial. Particularly susceptible
persons are advised to take two or three grams
of sodium bromide in glass of water daily for
week before the journey, and after starting
to lave meals regularly and of accustomed
kind.
The experiments of NJ r. Blondlot seem to
show that certain rays of sunlight pass through
various kinds of wood, metals, etc. A fine tube
of phosphorescent material-such as calcium
sulphide-was made to glow by brief exposure
to light, and it continued to shine in dark
room behind half-inch oak shutter. Interpos-
ing lead plate, however, lessened the bright
ness, which again increased when the plate was
removed. An inch plank Of oak, piece of
cardboard and several plates of aluminium were
then successfully interposed without lessening
the phosphorescence, but thin layer of pure
water caused it to disappear. The new radia
tions are known as IN" rays.
"a
The unicorn, so long regarded as tabled crea-
ture, was horse like beast with single horn
sticking out straight from its head and it has
been supposed that it was suggested by the rhi-
noceros. Prof. Wilhelm Boelsche points out
that bones of a huge horse-like beast that
actually did carry such single straight horn
are now known. 1t is called elasmotherium, and
it was a contemporary of the mammoth in the
Rhine Valley and in Siberia.
-.
Piano-playing is found by German physi
cian to be a common cause of nervous disease,
600 girls out of 1000 being affected among piano
players under twelve, and only 100in 1000 among
non-players. The music lessons should not be-
gin before &c.
CASTORIA