Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-01-22
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

- NC" " 9en FToSooo 'SS'S'
veIopment of Hearins-A Mechanical
Drill HoIder-EIectrieity For Con-
sumption-Silver For Wounds.
The N-rays of R. Blondlot should in
terest us especially because they are 80
common about us. They were discov-
cred while the light from Welsbach
burner was being concentrated by
quartz lens on a sulphide OF calcium
screen, the lens causing the luminosity
Of the screen to persist after the light
was removed. They are now known to
exist not only in the incandescent gas
but also in the ordinary gas flame
burning without chimney, and IN the
radiation from a red-hot plate OF sill
yer or tale, and they excite radioactive
ity in various substances, such as a
plate of lead. The invisible rays can
be detected by the slight increase OF
luminosity Of q phosphorescent screen
or of very small gas flame. These
rays seem to be given of by the human
body, and D'Arsonval has shown that
a screen Of platinocyanide Of barium'
made slightly luminous by radium,
lights up on approach to a muscle, and
| Is so sensitive that 1t can show the
course of a nerve under the skin.
| While hydraulic cement .om blast
furnace Stag was made In London many
years ago, the industry does not'seem
to have become permanent. The man
ufacture of Portland cement from stag
and limestone has now been begun in
Germany and Belgium, and the product
is claimed to be cheaper and more
Trustworthy than that from the usual
materials. Mortar Of one part OF Stag
cement to three Of sand had tensile
strength of 3s3 pounds per square inch
after seven days, increasing to 5ol
pounds in twenty-eight days.
| In late experiments Of Jensen, isola-
ted cancer cells retained their vitality
for eighteen days at to degrees c.
twelve days at room temperature, ana
perished in "a hours at body tenn
perature. Bright light was rapidly de-
structive as was also carbolic acid.
A still unexplained effect Of the elec-
trio light somewhat resembles milo
lsunburn and sunstroke. The heat OF the
electric arc employed in the reducing
furnace Is so concentrated that 1t melts
steel like tallow, but the thermometer
dozen yards away is scarcely affected.
Even at this distance from the heat,
however persons experience a burning
Of the face and other exposed skin
much like that produced by intensely
lhot sunshine. The skin becomes deeply
bronzed, and thereis temporary. blind
ness in natural light, with pain In the
eyes, followed by headache and inson-
MIA ...... .'-.. ..... 49,.
In certain open coke furnaces, where
air is admitted through opening and
the gas from the bituminous coal Is
burned In the apparatus, carbon Is de-
posted in the singular form Of masses
of fine theads. These deposits, which
they call carbon wool, are found by two
French chemists to occur in geode-like
cavities in the coke, and the finer fila
ments are about 0.0008 inch in dame
ter while the coarser ones range from
0.OO12 to 0.O035 inch, the length being
usually about inches. The filamenta
are formed Of rings, of which six we're
seen in 1-250th of an inch.
Oxygen has been obtained from liquid
air by distillation, the nitrogen passing
off first and the last 10 per cent being
about 80 per cent oxygen. The oxygen
yolatilizes first but also condenses while
the nitrogen is still in gaseous form'
and M. Georges Claude has devised a
new apparatus in which a partially
frozen stream Of air is made to return
against fresh air, when it gives up nj
trogen and takes oxygen. One end OF
the apparatus Is thus made to give out
nearly pure oxygen, 1900 cubic feet OF
90 per cent oxygen per hour having
been obtained.
Radium has been found to have a dis
tinct but variable influence on the
growth of tadpoles, development being
slowed, quickened, or perverted.
To train deaf-mutes to hear and to
measure their sense Of hearing have
been subjects of experiment In Europe
by Dr. Marage. A siren giving Vo"ei
sounds was used, and the intensity OF
the sound as it became audible became
progressively less, many cases OF COM
plete deafness being thus made to give
place in six weeks to the power OF
hearing ordinary sounds. The treat
ment proved to be pleasing instead OF
fatiguing or painful. The hearing was
measured at different stages Of the
treatment by the air pressure necessary
to make the siren audible, and the re-
suits were claimed to indicate that
few persons are deaf and dumb beyond
all cure.
The novel drilling tool of Mr.. Charles
Simmons of London, enables one man
to do mining hitherto requiring two
men. To an iron upright or spreader
bar, about nine feet in height, Is attach
ed small cylinder, and an ordinary
2-foot drill passing through this cylin-
der is held in rigid position by pow
erful spring and grip lever. The drill Is
revolved by foot lever working In
conjunction with a piston.
An alternating current Of high fire.
quency is used by DR.. J. Cunningham
Bowie in the electric treatment Of con-
sumption. In practice it has ranged
from 300 to 800 milliamperes and from
Id