Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-12-01
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.
Radium's Work-A Novel Danger
Severns of Comets TaiI-oxygen
HeaIing-A Store Of Food For Sleep
Electric Oscillations-Parks For
Preserving Rare Speeies-Eleetric
Medieafio

Medication.
From what is now known Of radium
DR.. S. G. Tracy reaches these conclu-
sions: The discovery may make 1t
necessary to change our theories about
matter and the conservation Of ener-
gy. Radium may possibly open up
the way for cheaper and more whole
some lighting Of houses by phos-
phorescence. 1t is a practical agent
to differentiate genuine gems from ar
tificial. 1t is a useful agent to kill
bacteria 1t may be considered val
liable agent for the treatment Of lupus,
cancer, tuberculosis; and possible
agent to improve the eyesight and
overcome blindness. Later discoveries
will doubtless show service in other
diseased conditions.
In June, 1885, the waters Of Lake
Rotomahana, New Zealand, seemed to
find their way to the heated rocks
near the surface Of the earth in this
locality, when there was sudden gen.
Grafton Of steam, and the lake was
emptied and an enormous mass Of
rock was blown out. In place Of the
old lake, which was one and three
fourth miles long and three-fourth
mile wide, much larger one Is FORM
ing. It Is now six miles long, contain
ing ten times the old volume Of water,
and may rise many feet more before
finding an outlet. A tremendous erup-
ton is feared If some shock should
bring this water in contact with mott
en- rocks.
The novel small boat Of an Italian
designer has framework Of small
steel bars, which Is covered with wire
netting and the latter with cement.
The surface Is then polished. The cost
Is less than that Of a wooden boat,
and it is claimed to have greater speed
despite it's greater weight.
From the latest earthquake data, 1t
is inferred that the crust Of the earth
is not more than forty miles thick, and
that the nucleus is more uniform In
chemical and physical conditions than
is usually supposed.
An extraordinary change in the tail
OF Borellys comet Is shown by photo
graphs to have taken place on July
oath. A section broke from the head
and travelled away at the rate Of 20
miles per second in a retrograde direc-
ton, or with an actual repulsion from
the sun of seven miles per second, the
comets motion being % miles per sec
ond toward the sun. Prof. Barnard
suggests that either the outbreak from
the head suddenly took slightly diff
ferent direction or else the existing
tail was forcibly detached by some un-
known body, like swarm Of meteor
ties. The severed section floated away
in it's old path, under the SUMS repul-
sion, until it was dissipated, or its
light emitting power died away, and
meanwhile the new tail was evolved
at mysteriously increased velocity,
giving the phenomenon of two tails
nearly parallel for some distance.
The oxygen treatment Of advanced
tuberculosis is claimed to cause speedy
reduction Of temperature and dlsap-
pearance of the tubercle bacilli. The
Oxygen hospital in London reports SS
cases treated in the past year, Of which
so were discharged cured and 13 were
greatly relieved, consumption being
arrested in nine cases. Only one pa
tient received no benefit. One Of the
cures was that Of a leg ulcer Of "a
years standing, the patient having
been confined to bed for several years,
and tried other treatment in vain.
Natures curious provision for long
sleep is shown by two English obser-
vers in the socalled alternating gland
of the hedgehog. Careful analyses
showed that the 40 per cent of fat con-
tanned in this gland fell to 1S per cent
during the winter sleep, but that the
proteids were only slightly reduced.
1t was evident that life during hiber-
nation is maintained practically upon
fat alone, Of which the alternating
gland is a store for the purpose.
The introduction of paraffin into the
tissues proves to be not entirely HARM
less, DR.. L. Hurd, of New York, having
reported Il case Of permanent blind
ness from three injections of paraff1n
to relieve nasal deformity,
The existence of oscillatory electric
currents and discharges is shown in a
beautiful way by A. Winklemann. The
apparatus consists of two vertical
vacuum tubes connected by a cross
tube, the tops of the tubes containing
electrodes, while a crystal Of corun-
dunn is mounted on a glass support in
the center of one bulb and one of
scheelite in the other. Cathode rays
cause the first-named mineral to shine
with a red light and the other to take
a blue color. When current is pass
ed. the cathode is shown by the shin
ing of the mineral under it; and both
minerals shine out when the current
is oscillating. For showing the transit
ton from one type of discharge to the
other, the two electrodes are Joined to
an influence machine. The discharge is
continuous when the discharging rods
are pulled so far apart that no oscilli-
tions take place. but both crystals
shine out when the rods are near
enough to let sparks pass.
Thoughtful nature lovers note the
rapid extinction of numerous species
of plants as we'll as Of animals. Prof.
ConwentZ of Berlin, mentions the de-
struction of orchids in Thuringen, the