The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1904-06-04
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

0O4EN4 m4GOG4A4A4N4
An Economical Engine Thought Located
by N-Rays-The Suns Ring-Telegraph
and Transport in the Body-The School
Day-Fleas as Plague Carriers-Stone
from MIRA Mine of Epson Salt.
The new motor of Peter Thornley,, Manches-
ter engineer, is expected to revolutionize the
use of steam. In existing engines steam is not
admitted until the piston has moved some dis
lance, but the new arrangement supplies steam
at the very start and in quantity just sufficient
to finish the stroke, thus avoiding waste. The
purpose is accomplished by q new rotary
valve fitted to the top of twin cylinders. Two
slotted discs, revolving In opposite directions,
permit the steam to enter the cylinder as the
slots pass, and third disc serves as cutoff for
regulating speed or reversing. A model about
the size Of typewriter gives 800 revolutions
per minute, developing about Is horsepower,
under boiler-pressure 200 pounds. The saving
Is estimated at IS to several hundred per cent.
ssA
The N-rays of Blondlot are not only emitted
by the nerves and muscles of man and animals,
but 1t appears that they increase with activity
In the body. Continuing his experiments, Au-
gustin Carpenter has found that the whole
spinal cord increases the prosphorescenceo of the
Lc5bODJ6cbs NOubxdCbtOu Va AA0SCACS 10 AuAACASCAs
and the "motor-centers'' of the cerebrum are
manifested when called into activity, even the
center of speech showing its location by extra
N-rays when the person is speaking.
sss
A reddish ring enclosing whitish glare was
seen around the sun after the Krakatoa erup-
ton Of 1883, and has been named Bishops ring.
Keen observers have noted similar appearance
in recent months. This ring had q diameter of
700 In August, 1902, but had diminished to 200 in
December, 1903, although settlement of coarse
dust was expected to make 1t larger.
80
The messenger service of the body is one of
the most surprising marvels of living mechan-
ism. We are familiar with the impressions tele-
graphed to the central station by the nerves of
touch, heat, sight, hearing, taste and smell,
but the work of the blood's body guard of
thousands of members Is less well known.
These white blood corpuscles-thel eucocytes-
are intelligent carriers for the system. They
seize, absorb, assimilate or carry away germs
and poisons, and in health they transport drugs
to the liver or marrow, while in disease they
carry them to the centers of irritation. They
can be depended upon to convey iron to the
blood-making organs. iodoform to tuberculous
LESSONS, and so on, recent research has proven.
Ass
Important physiological experiments have
been made in Russia to test the endurance of
school children. The results prove that in the
lower four classes study may be continued for
81 to 35 hours daily, or % to q hours per week,
but that excessive fatigue results from longer
continuance of brain work. This time for
teaching these glasses has been fixed by the
latest order of the ministry of public instruc-
ton. 1t is urged. however. that this should be
the outside limit. and that no lessons should be
studied at home.
From an investigation of the Sydney plague
epidemic of 1902 DIR. A. Thompson concludes
that both this and previous epidemics were un-
doubtedly spread by rats. Just how this was
done has been matter of much doubt, as to the
theory that fieas were the carriers It has been
objected that the species Of ieas living on rats
do not bite man. The question seems to have
been settled by the discovery that one species
Pulex serraticeps-is common to man, rats and
other animals.
: Settlement of the tropics by Europeans is
pronounced impracticable by F. Hueppe. an en-
inent authority, who finds that only the strong
est become acclimatized, and they soon degen-
crate.
For many years unsuccessful attempts have
been made to produce useful substitute for
celluloid from the casein of SKINNED milk. 1t
is claimed that the difficulties are now over
come in the ''galalith,'' or milestone. that in
Germany is being made into many articles hay
ing the appearance of horn, ebony or marble.
The material is made by rendering the casein
insoluble by acetate of lead or other metallic
salt, then freeing from water and drying, and
finally adding formaldehyd. SCOT or other sub
stance is used for coloring. Galalith has the
advantages over celluloid of igniting less easily
and being odorless, and, unlike other casein
products, it absorbs only small percentage OF
The Gulf of Kara-bughaz lately explored by
Col. Spindler, covers 1880 square miles, and has
a depth of only "a to 36 feet. Through chan
mel only SO fathoms wide it receives constant
flow of water from the Caspian. This water
rapidly evaporates, raising the salinity of the
gulf to 1863 per cent. and covering the bottom
with vast deposits of gypsum and EPSON salt.
1t is estimated that the EPSON salt covers 1900
square miles, with a thickness of Z Feet or
more.
Artificial phosphate, claimed to be superioras
a fertilizer to the natural, is now made at Madge-
burg, Germany. The process, that of Herr
wolters, consists in melting in reverberatory
furnace a mixture of 100 parts Of soarsely
crushed phosphorite. 20 parts of acid sulphate
of soda, 20 parts of carbonate of lime. ~ parts
of sand and parts of cinders. The melted
mass is poured into water dried and crushed to
fineness.
Electric incandescent lamps have been sup
posed to be perfectly safe in surgical opera
tions, but recent explosion of ether vapor was
traced to the spark made at contact in turning
on the light.