The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1903-07-18

MaCer1al-Dark Ecl1pS9S-VOlc6F lcJur0
Making-Life Given Up Too Soon-A
Wind Automobile.
In the new photograph of Emanuel Cervenka,
a Bohemian, the record is made by the vibra-
ton of pencil of light upon a Photographic
film, and the sound reproduced from this record
is to be free from the usual unpleasant metallic
rasping. The receiver is conical tube ending
in an extremely delicate membrane of fish blad-
der connected with liz inch mirror. A pencil
of electric light only 1900 inch in diameter is
reflected upon a rotating Photographic plate
which advances 1-100 inch at each revolution,
and when this plate is developed it is covered
by a spiral line in which sound-waves are re-
corded as undulations. The diamond or steel
tracing point of the speaking apparatus rests
in the sinuous groove made in the record. The
speaking apparatus contains two separated
strips Of wax, which are connected by a fork
and lever with the tracing point, and are en-
closed in an externally cushioned box opening
into papier-mache horn through cavity lined
with soft rubber.
Rancidity of butter has received variety
of explanations. A chemical study leads Jen-
sen, German bacteriologist, to conclude that
micro-organisms are the cause. three species
being especially active, and that the air plays
no part except in stimulating the growth of the
bacteria. Salt retards their growth. They re-
quire oxygen, and it is desirable to keep it in
large masses, exposing the smallest possible
surface to the air.
The Beede airship is slightly heavier than the
WORK beneath and screw Dro0eer Behind but
it is steered by front screw in a movable piv-
CIV -foNk n0Im IL To
easily raised lowered and steered in any direc-
ton.
The discovery of radium marks a new epoch
and has turned the worlds scientific thought
into new channels Well may we wonder what
the revolution-shall we say evolution 7-of
ideas may bring to us.
The old notion of the marvellous acuteness of
the senses of savages is being gradually dispeled.
The first scientific test of these senses has been
made bv the Cambridge Anthropological Expe-
dtion, which spent six months in the vicinity of
New Guinea, working chiefly In Murray Island.
and whose results have been just published.
In keenness of vision the natives were found to
be only slightly superior to the average Euro
pean, the knowledge of what to look for and
where to look giving them quick perception of
distant objects. Tests with dyed yarns suggest
ed that certain yellow fermentation of the
eye in some races may cause blue to appear
green, and it is probable that savages miss much
of the beauties of nature through imperfect or
undeveloped color perception. In perceiving
odors the Murray islander proved slightly SUI
perior to Europeans and far behind the Malay
and Japanese. The sense of touch was found to
be twice as delicate as that of the average
I-oIR
as great susceptibility to pain from pressure on
the skin.
The Finsen lamps are now credited with ten
cures of cancer of the skin out of twenty-five
cases treated. and with cures of obstinate acne
and badness due to bacteria. Erysipelas and
minor eruptions have been treated with good
results. At the Finsen Institute are rooms for
exposing patients to electric-light baths and to
sun baths, and an exhaustive and promising in
vestigation of the influence of light in various
nervous diseases and in insanity is in progress.
-.
"Siloxican," containing silicon, oxygen and
carbon, is obtained by the action Of carbon on
silica at temperature of 4,5000 to 5,0OOoF. in
the electric furnace, the carbon being INSULT
cient in quantity to cause complete reduction
of the silica. The new material is attracting
attention as a high-temperature resisting sub
stance for refractory clays magnesia, lime and
graphite.
In occasional eclipses-like that of last April
the part of the moon in shadow disappears
from view, seeming to be completely blotted
out. The theory that these dark eclipses are
diva tn,atyoasahRrio diasteis.c osDe ssooaEaos ~
-
The curious study of voice figures" has been
followed for years by an English woman, Mrs.
Watts Hughes, who has been entertaining Lon
doners with her remarkable results. She sings
into an 'eidophone-a simple instrument con-
sisting of tube, receiver and flexible mem
brane-and each note sets up vibrations that
cause tiny seeds, lycopodium and other dust,
and even 'color PASTE" to dance into definite
and constant patterns. The shapes include
snakes, spirals, stars and wheels. On one occa-
sion a beautiful daisy appeared, and she strove
for weeks to learn its secret, at last finding the
precise infection of the particular note that
yields it, SO that she now produces at will daisies
of great beauty, even with successive rows of
petals and petals delicately veined. Other notes
give pansies. Others picture sea-monsters, SER
pentine figures receding into infinity; and still
other form trees, even trees with falling fruit,
with a foreground of rocks, and with the sea
behind.
"a
With his new apparatus for giving artificial
circulation of the blood, DIR. Koulebko, of St.
Petersburg, has succeeded in terminating the
hearts of animals that have been dead as long as
129 hours While attaching no great practical
Importance to this achievement, he believes that
it shows greater possibilities in artificial respira-
ton than have yet been dreamed of, and that in
cases of strangulation, etc., where the viscera
are uninjured, many lives could be saved by
much longer artificial respiration than is now
practiced. This should stimulate inventors at
this season of drowning accidents, to produce
some simple device for persistently continuing
artificial respiration.
-.
With the new horseless carriage of George
Winter, an English experimenter, it is claimed
that thirty miles an hour can be maintained by
wind power in large open spaces, like deserts.
The wagon has four-foot wheels with seven
inch fiat steel tires, the front wheels being
twelve feet apart and the rear ones eight feet,
and the silk sail of 234 square feet is carried on
a thirty-foot bamboo mast. The wagon runs In
light breeze, and steers in any direction.
80
The dahlia was introduced into Europe for its
potato-like bulb-a wholesome food-instead of
its flower.