Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-06-21
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

Eggs-Temperature Without Change.
The influence of health upon mental
activity has been receiving attention
from Prof. Robert MacDougall Of New
York. From the traits Of five Ameri-
can men of science, as estimated by
twelve Independent judges, he infers
that executive ability, with breadth
and sanity Of mind, vary directly with
physical health, but is inclined to sus-
pect that general mental efficiency Is
promoted by conditions Of unsound
health. The central nervous system Is
perhaps over developed at the expense
Of the rest Of the body. Original mem
tai endowment, quickness and clear
ness of grasp appear to be Independent
Of the health. The virtues of will-en-
ergy, courage, capacity for leadership
fall off rapidly with extreme weak
ness, but are often highly developed IN
medium health. Reasonableness, un-
selfishness and the like appear to be-
long neither to the strong nor the frall
or nervously unstable. Emotional SEN
sibility and refinement reach maxi
mum in the delicate and a minimum IN
the strong.
Magnetizable alloys from practically
magnetic elements Is the interest
ing and surprising report OF F. Heus-
ler. An alloy Of copper with 26.5 per
cent of manganese and 14.6 per cent OF
aluminium gave the best results, and
showed strong susceptible ity to mag
netization, which was increased by
by boiling in toluol for two days. With
the aluminium reduced to 3.6 per cent
the alloy ceased to be magnetic. Tin
in place of the aluminium had similar
effect, and arsenic, antimony, bismuth
and boron also yielded magnetizable al
loys.
The erstwhile ridiculed idea Of the
transmutation Of the elements is likely
to become a subject of experiment by
sober twentieth century chemists. Sir
VIM. Ramsay suggests that the i'm
mense energy Of radium may be made
to cause constructive chemical change,
such for example, as that Of bromine
into iodine.
The chief causes Of rain are stated
by the Hon. +. A. Rollo Russell to be
only four. and in paper to the Royal
Meteorological society he describes the
following: %. The forced ascent of
moist air by the slopes Of mountains.
(2). A mass of air invading rather
suddenly another mass moving from an
opposite direction and maintaining Its
flow below the opposing current which
it displaces. (3). The ascent Of more
or less moist air through heavier and
colder air to a height where condensa-
ton of vapor takes place, increased ra-
diation of heat towards space, and Of
ten electrical developments producing
further condensation. increase Of tenn
perature, and renewed ascent with the
same results. (G. The mixture OF cur
rents Of air from different directions.
A novel device for making visible the
variability in the revolutions Of an en-
gine has been brought out by DR..
Berkitz. an Austrian, and consists OF
heavy disc or fy-wheel mounted loose
ly on the engine shaft and driven by
the latter through an elastic magnetic
coupling, no springs being used. An
arm rigIdly fixed to the shaft outside
the fiy-wheel carries two solenoids, the
cores of which are fixed to the fly
wheel and can have limited vibration.
A system Of levers connecting the fly
wheel and the arm tilts small mir
ror and this reflects a ray of light up
on a screen. With absolutely steady
running the light describes a circle,
any deviation showing the extent and
character Of the speed variation.
Serum obtained from animals inocu-
lated with the pollen toxin of golden
rod has been experimental with as
remedy for hay-fever, and report of
ten well-developed cases shows graft
flying results in the treatment Of nine.
The application of the serum to the
nose relieves hay-asthma, but has no
effect upon similar conditions due to
other complaints.
Mixtures of zinc and aluminium In
various proportions have yielded nine
different well-defined alloys.
A new German anti-friction metal,
also recommended for dynamo
consists Of copper intersected with par
ticles of graphite. The material Is
produced by sprinkling plate with
graphite and dipping into an electroly-
tic bath until deposit Of copper COW
ers the graphite. then withdrawing
sprinkling again with graphite, and re-
introducing into the bath, the opera
tions being continued until the requir-
ed diameter is reached. Friction on
the alloy produced in this way slowly
releases the particles Of graphite,
which then act as a lubricant.
Poisoning by white of egg has been
reported by ]. R. Clemens in boy or
fourteen months. The addition Of the
white of an egg to his usual milk diet
caused him to be suddenly seized With
an attack of nettle-rash, with greatly
swollen face and ears. and alarming
collapse. Injections of strychnine
seemed to rescue him from death. A
repetition of the milk and egg meal
brought a similar attack a few days
later, a third attack followed the eating
Of custard, and after eating ginger
bread in which two eggs had been used
the child's feet became extremely swol-
len and covered with purple spots.
An even temperature is a chief re-