Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-06-03
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

Poor Living-Rivers as Fences-
Radium In Meteorolosy-Porpetual
Motion at Last-AnnuaI Rings Of
Fishes-Food-c coIored siIk-Linen
Observation-Disclosures Path
Finding.
In his studies Of the effect Of COM
preston on finely divided metals, Prof.
Hof. Of Witten. Westphalia, has taken
turnings of steel, copper, and bronze,
and placed half pound Of each IN
turn in a steel cylinder Of two inches
bore, gradually increasing the pressure
to so tons. With a pressure of ten
tons the structure Of the turnings
could still be seen. The final pressure
of so tons, however, gave perfectly
homogeneous block, and this could be
moulded so nicely as to be ready for
nickeling without further finishing.
Not least important Of the results is
the suggestion that turnings may be
compressed into many objects more
dense and satisfactory than ordinary
castings.
Leprosy has been investigated by
Jonathan Hutchinson, the great Eng
lish pathologist, in all parts of the
globe where it prevails. He finds
nothing to justify the idea Of contag-
ion, as attendants in leper hospitals
do not contract the disease, nothing
like an epidemic is ever known. and
even transmission from husband to
wife is rare. He attributes the disease
to decayed or badly cured flsh-not
to any excessive use Of fish in good
condition.
Rivers seem to have played a con-
siderable part in limiting the distri-
button of animals. A notable instance
of many noted by w. L. Distant, a
British zoologist, is that Of the vis-
cacha, a rabbit-like rodent Of South
America which Is abundant south of
the Uruguay, but Is unknown to the
north, where the country seems quite
as we'll adapted to its habits.
Radium promises to fill a need OF
the Paris municipal laboratory. Meas
urement Of the electricity Of the air
has depended upon water, which gives
trouble by freezing in winter, but ra-
dunn offers means Of measurement
unaffected by cold.
The radium clock Of Harrison Mar
tindale, English physicist, practically
gives perpetual motion through the
dissipation Of negatively charged rays.
A small quantity of radium supported
in an exhausted glass vessel by a
quartz rod is placed in a small tube,
to the lower end of which is attached
an electroscope Of two long strips OF
silver. The activity Of the radium
causes an electric current minus beta
rays to be transmitted to the silver
strips, which expand until they touch
the sides Of the vessel. when earthed
conducting wires instantly discharge
them and they fall together. This is
repeated every two minutes, marking
time in beats of that duration, and
theoretically the action will continue
until exhaustion Of the radium-in this
case computed to be 10000 years In
the future.
A new theory Is that the age of fish
es of the cod family can be determin-
ed from the periodic growths of scales.
Such growths are known to be annual
in the carp, and it is therefore proba-
BILE that the same is true for saltwater
fishes. The view is confirmed by OBJ
servations on various Gods by Mr.. j.
S. Thomson, British biologist. Annual
rings seem to be traceable, giving the
ages, and it is proposed to test the
truth of the theory by returning label
led fishes to the sea for future OBJ
servation after first recording the pres
ent condition of their scales.
Experiments in coloring silk by feed
ing dyes to the silkworms date back
sixty years or more. In the first trials
greenish-b and rose-tinted cocoons
resulted from feeding indigo and mad
der, and many other coloring matters
have been tried since-mostly with
unsatisfactory results. Late attempts
by C. de Labonnefon and others prove
that this method Of coloring silk Is
quite possible, perhaps even CONNER
cially practicable. though not with all
colors or with all kinds Of worms.
The Ambidextral Culture society of
England seeks to increase the ability
to use the left hand, but without aim
ing to add to production in the arts
by the simultaneous use Of both hands.
Considerable artistic advantages are
claimed for photolinol, the new photo
graphic material. This is linen which
has been saturated with sensitizing
solution, and on development it yields
a Photographic image that shows on
both sides. The picture appears as If
woven into the material, the double
image giving a stereoscopic effect Of
relief. By reflected light the more
clearly defined portion on the face or
the fabric forms the picture, but by
transmitted light the fainter image on
the back is brought out and reinforces
that on the face. When colored, the
effect Is that Of a solid oil painting by
reflected light and Of a colored trans
parency by transmitted light.
The great eddies, or cyclones, of the
atmosphere rotate with the hands OF
q clock in the Southern Hemisphere
and in the opposite direction In the
Northern Hemisphere. Investigating
many small rapids of Central Europe,
Jean Brunhes has found a similar
tendency in the water eddies. Piles