The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1904-04-16
OorrsspoDdencs Baltimore County Union.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.


riously Associated Sensations--Th Q
Coming Teeth-Gas for Heating-Fall
Blossoming Due TO Injury-A Quickly
Formed Coal Seam-Roaring Of Muscles.
Besides occasional discharges in thunder
storms. induction from neighborfng charged
wires. and currents due to chemical action Of
moist earth on buried conductors, telegraph
and telephone wires are being constantly trav-
ersed by earth-currents. These are sometimes
so strong that the lines cannot be worked. n.
Emile Guarini, the French electrician, finds the
cause to be still q mystery, although n. de Ia
Rives has attributed the currents to chemical
action in the earth's crust, while sun-spots,
earthquakes. and storms have been suggested as
causes. and increased scintillation of the stars
has been noticed at times of strong disturbance.
Perez del Pulgar. in Spain, has lately shown
that they are affected by clouds, sunshine, fog
and wind. An automatic recorder, called the
ectro-telIurograph." has now been devised
by Prof. Lancetta. an italian. and will be used
for collecting data to show the changes in earth
currents with varying atmospheric conditions.
The hydrobion of DR.. N. Won Lorenz, of
Marienbrun. Austria, greatly simpIifes the car
rage Of live fish. The apparatus is placed at
the bottom of the tank of water, and it consists
Of cylinder Of compressed oxygen, with pro-
tecting grills, regulating valve, and a porous
cylinder through which the gas is slowly diffused
into the water. The supply Of oxygen is easily
adjusted, as the inventor has calculated the
quantity needed by the fishes likely to be trans
ported alive.
Inrecent European experiments, corpses have
been been kept for a certain time in bath Of
chloride of calcium heated to 1899, then taken
out and stepped for "a hours "a a cold solution
of anlphnts Of sodium. The bodies are trane-
formed into perfect mumm:es, to be kept in
definitely.
The association of colors with sounds, or
'color-hearing. = is believed to be a faculty of
one healthy person in every ten. This and
other mixing of sensations occurs in certain
abnormal conditions, and the peculiar state of
mind giving rise to I'll now being studied under
the name Of 'synthesia." In remarkable case
reported by DIR. Alfred Ulrich, of Zurich, the
senses seem to have been all involved at once
boy OF nervous temperament, who developed
epilepsy in his thirteenth year, had always
heard cOlored sounds, different sounds of the
voice and the cries of animals having each its
characteristic color. The sounds of the yowels
gave especially vivid colors A being light green.
yellow, black, o red, U dark green. and
white. Some sounds gave also sensations of
taste, of temperature, and of form. Sensations
Of form were associated with color and sound
smells had colors; tastes had colors and colors
had taste and temperature. Cold was green and
heat was red.
False teeth as firmly fixed in the gums as
natural ones are claimed by DIR. Znameusky. a
Russian dentist. as a solution of difficult prob
lem. The teeth-which may be of gutta percha.
porcelain, or metal-have holes at their roots.
and they are set in natural or artificial cavities
In the jaw. The teeth are soon fixed firmly in
place by gradually hardening growth into the
holes. Several operations on human beings as
well as on dogs are reported to have been sue
cessful.
Acetylene is found to develop 1850 heat units
per cubic foot, and coal gas only $40. the acetv
iene flame having a temperature of about
2,6OO0F. An acetylene burner consuming 9
cubic feet per hour raised a quart of water
from 6O' to boiling point in SX minutes while
illuminating gas. burning at the rate of I6 cubic
feet per hour, required 10K minutes
az
The Illuminating power of the sun at zenith is
estimated by NJ. Charles Fabry at 100 900 candles.
: A second blossoming of trees late in the sea-
son, after the usual forming of buds for the
next year. may result from some injury, such
as removal of the leaves, If the inference of M.
E. Apert is correct. In October, 1900. this OBJ
server saw white lilac in full bloom. the bush
having small green leaves and beautiful clusters
OF white flowers, while some hundreds of feet
away was another bush of the usual autumnal
appearance. Investigation showed that worms
had eaten Off the leaves of the first bush sew
erai months before. A return of the worms in
July, 1903, was followed by partial reproduce
ton OF the phenomenon, and N. Apert believes
that second Towering of ire-injured tree
heat was really due to destruction of the leaves.
1t is proposed to test the theory. rgmuvfuv..
sAS 1essscs u apple trees, pear-trees, etc., in
July or August.
The formation of a coal seam in half dozen
years or less comes as surprise in view of the
millions of years assigned by biologists. Mr..
Henry Hall has shown the Manchester Geo.
graphical Society piece of miniature seam
of coal that had reformed from dust in two or
three years, and had been deposited on the up
right sides of wooden trough which had re-
ceived water from a coal mine. The new seam
from sixteenth to an eighth or a quarter of
an inch thick-was hard, bright and crystalline.
The roaring heard when the opening of the
ear is stopped is due to muscle contraction. DIR.
w. Is. Scott states that the stethoscope reveals
III 1OQuu WUhlcVer IN q muscle at rest. and that
the sound when contracted varies with the diff
ferent muscles. He believes the muscle sound
may give the first indication of tetanus, serving
also as an aio TO diagnosis In other diseases.
The operation of removing the stomach has
been successfully performed oyer twenty times.
several little organs are far more important to
digestion.
In THESE days of patent medicines the good
old ''yarb" remedies of our grandmothers have
been overlooked or forgotten. But it now
seems they are to have public recognition by
the Agricultural Department making an ex-
hibit of them at the st. Louis Exposition. A
large and suitable building has been chosen
for the show, and it may be our grandmothers'
drugs will come to their own again aud the
cultivation of other medical plants, which we
now import, be encouraged. Among the
plants to have prominent place are yellow
dock, pokeweed, mustard, jimson weed, bur-
dock and dandelion, well known as weeds in
one part of the country or another. Aconite, |
belladonna, henbane and dgitalis, all poison |
Gus narcotic herbs, now grown principally
in Europe and imported in large quantities, |
are also shown. The mint family is represen-
ted by lavender, pennyroyal, sage, summer
savory, thyme. peppermint and spearmint.
SINCE LAST February the coinage of gold has |
been going on at the mint at San Francisco. |
Speaking of this the superintendent said: |
The mint has undoubtedly broken all records |
for gold coinage since the use of money began |
IN civilization. The amount coined this |
month has reached the enormous sum of $685. |
I13, 500, an average of more than 81, 900 900
lay. In fact, the deliveries to the superinten- |
lent from the coming department during the |
asst four days averaged 81. $50, 600 day. This,
With the sum of $21, $780, 900 coined in Febru-
lry. makes totol of s54.693. 500. In weight |
his amount would make more than ITO tons,
Or little more than four big carloads of 25 |
;ons each.
EATING HoRsEFLEsH is increasing among the L
poor of Paris to such extent that the abattoirs /
have to be enlarged. The present consump-
ion is $4,000 horses year Horsemeat is
iarker and stronger than beef, but not unpal-
table, and sells at half the price of the latter.
t is not likely or desirable that this eating