The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1903-08-01
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

C0yresp0ndencs Baltimore County OntOn.
SCIENTIFIC MIS- CELLANY.
Our Neirhbors With Manias-GeeSraph
Made Easier-Dreams in Eye and Brain
Unknown Radiations--The Eartn's
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. in Electrtcutlon--
Scientific Life-Saving-A Melting lsiano
Cancer in Ireland-Central American
Cork.
Some of the victims of habit, who are always |
with us and are generally degenerates Oh
higher order, have been enumerated by french
physician. The NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., VINO
twists his moustache, becomes affected Win the
appearance of down on the lip, and, his disease
not being morbid, RECEIVERS later in LIE. Inc
madomaniac, with mania for piucklng out MS
hairs. loses all control of himself and is difficult
to cure. The rophomaniac has the curious ar
Fiction Of shifting. More offensive is the dis
order of the sorabdomaniac, who recklessly
twirls his cane or umbrella and may become
terror in the places he frequents. Musicians
are often otodactylomaniacs, placing the finger
in the ears and moving it violently. Most chill
dren are early acknowledgements placing the
fingers in the mouth, and may develop into tine
more morbid onyxophagiacs, who bite the nails.
Kratopodomaniacs usually clerks, have the naplI
of crossing the legs and pulling the skin, at the
same time assuming an attentive attitude. IRE
mopodomaniacs continually move the legs,
though free from morbid affection. Synophyro-
maniacs wrinkle the forehead on hearing of any
trivial matter, hormoniomaniacs breathe or act
in unison with others, sphingomaniacs move vio-
lently with utter lack of self-control, arithmo-
maniacs count many things in many ways, and
so on, the list of these nervous disorders being
almost endless.
TO- Inv fr0m q n
and unsatisfactory. Prof. Elisee Reclus, the
French geographer. urges the use of new and
e inexpensive relief maps of aluminium or copper.
which give elevations depressions and globuar
contour in correct proportions and show coun-
tries or slices of the earth on a much larger
scale than they can be represented on globes of
practical size.
The images preceding sleep are found by NJ.
Delage to be retinal; they persist as retinal
"glimmersr after the eyes are closed. and pass
to the cerebrum only when sleep begins
~
A blackening of Photographic plates by
metals and organic substances was noticed some
years ago by Russell, and was thought to be
due to the chemical action of hydrogen perox-
ide. Some late observations throw doubt on
this explanation and increase the mystery.
German experimenter, in absolute darkness,
suspended the film side of Photographic plate
an inch or so above some hydrogen peroxide,
and placed a copper cross or other metallic OBJ
ject on the opposite side of the plate. Develop
ment gave bright image of the metal on
dark ground. On interposing certain substances
between the metal and the plate, the image was
actually strengthened, and this was especially
true when the interposed substance was liquid
acting chemically on the plate In this way
Of
was obtained. The images were very sensitive
to temperature, and the warmer side of the
plate often appeared perceptibly lighter. The
experimenter can only say that the remarkable
phenomena arc not due to direct action of by
drogen, oxygen or ozone, nor to negative cleo
tricity.
Astronomical considerations have led Prof.
Wiechert to infer that four-fifths of the earths
radius is a nucleus of iron, with density of 82,
and that this is covered by shell having a
density of 3.2. Earthquake phenomena sug-
gested to Prof. Milne that the core must be a
material lighter than iron that transmits such
vibrations as earthquake waves half as fast
again as steel. He concludes that this unknown
material-which he names 'geite"-is fairly
homogeneous, and that it may find its chemical
equivalent in certain meteorites, consisting
proximately g. if we assume that the density of
the covering shell-with thickness of one
twentieth of the earth's radius-is 81, and that
of the whole world is 5.5.
-.
High and low tension electric currents, DR..
F. Battelli, of Geneva, finds produce death diff
ferently. Currents of 1900 volts act on the
nerve-centres and arrest respiration, but the
heart continues to beat and artificial respira-
tion usually restores life. Currents of low ten
sion stop the heart, evidently by causing irregu-
me kite OF Comte Brossard de Corbigny is
claimed by the inventor and other French ex-
perts to be the most important life-saving de-
vice vessel can carry. When ship runs ashore
the kite is released, is blown inland by the wind
likely to be blowing, and by ingenious manipu-
lation is lowered over the spot where the per-
sons on shore can seize the guide-rope. A pocket
carries signals and gives space for any commu-
nication the shipwrecked crew may desire to
send. The kite, moreover, carries a telephone
transmitter and receiver, and thus enables the
seamen to direct the work of rescue.
A+A
The famous North Sea island of Heligoland,
which is little more than a mile long is gradu-
ally slipping away from Germany. The cause
is geological, however, instead of political. The
island eight centuries ago five times as large
as now, and late investigation has shown that
nothing can be done to stop the disintegration,
which is particularly rapid in the region of the
grottoes on the5western side. The rock of the
island contains much salt, which is steadily dis
solving in the sea.
An investigation into cancer by the Registrar
General of Ireland, where in 1901 there were
1888 deaths from this scourge, or 6.5 in every
10000 of the population, gives these results:
Cancer recurs from generation to generation in
many families, which often are afflicted also
with tuberculosis, lunacy, idiocy or epilepsy.
1t frequently follows wounds or injuries, some
times irritation of the lip.from clay pipes, and
1t often accompanies unfavorable conditions of
residence, food, etc. 1t appears to be highly
contagious and somewhat infectious.
s%s
The forests of Nicaragua are found by Prof.
+. d. Baker to contain 800 distinct varieties of
trees. A bark that has been brought to the
United States as a substitute for cork proves to
be from the roots of the anona a tree of the lew
lands resembling the ordinary. cottonwood of
the United States.
The electric washing machine of Josef Macy,
of Szegedin, is claimed to cleanse clothes from
grease, stains, etc., without soap or rubbing.