The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-08-19
C0Tresp0ndencs Baltimore County linton.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

Human Measurement by New Method
"A Sewage Success-Ancient Embalm-
ing-The Push Of Light Reinforced
Photographic The Tantalum Lamp
Gravity in Photography-Diag BY
the Nose-Fish Diseases.
A careful study Of the electrical resistance Of
the human body has shown e. X. Muller, Swiss
experimenter. an unexpected sensitiveness, and
has opened the way for some striking conclu-
sions. The resistance-usualy near 1900 ohms
varies with different persons and with every
emotion and sensation of the individual. The
entrance Of stranger during test caused in
slant variation, as did the exertion Of speaking,
the falling of ray of light upon the eye, the at
tempt to listen. or the perception of powerful
smell. Herr Muller believes that this sensitive
ness accounts in great part for the images seen
In dreams. The resistance is very low with
whele classes-such as the nervous and drink
ers or smokers-a and very even in undisturbed
hS7notized patients coupled with increased sen
sitiveness to external sights and sounds.
AFs
The sewage disposal plant of Barrhead, Eng,
consists of two grit chambers, four septic tanks
and eight filters, with total altering area of
$50 square yards. It was designed to take the
sewage Of 10000 people. with some roof drain
expenses-including an misunderstanding under
$500 year. The plant is still effective, although
1t has been in use six years without cleaning
The end of the tanks next the filters has an inch
of scum on top and three feet of sludge at the
bottom, but the inlet end is free from both.
AsA
After laborious examination of the sarcophagi
of the fifth and sixth dynasties-d dating back to
$500 B. C.-M. Berthelot has concluded that the
oil Of the embalmers was simply castor oil, as is
still used in Egypt. The oil has undergone some
oxidation. but has retained its preservative
qualities.
The pressure of light is pointed out by Prof.
Poynting. an English investigator. as a possible
key to some of the mysteries of astronomy, and
even as an aid in the measurement Of variations
in the light and heat of the sun. The existence
of this exceedingly slight pressure, first sugges-
ted more than thirty years ago by Clerk Max
well, has been proven and measured in recent
years. In the tropics. with the sun overhead, it
is found that the light waves would exert push
of something like the millionth of a grain on the
square inch, or about pound on 2O0-acre field.
This is equivalent to about 1900 tons for the
whole EARTH Such pressure is millions of
times less than the pull of the sun on the earth.
but on bodies of lessening size the SUMS attrac-
ton diminishes more rapidly than the light
pressure, so that pins head particles of dust In
space may be pushed harder than they are pull
cd. Among the subjects simplified by this
theory is that of comets tails. 1t is suggested
that portions of the comet explode on approach
ing'the sun, and that the particles thrown of
are forced by light pressure away from the head
of the comet, forming the tail.
~
The curious suggestion of a German photog-
rapher, E. Hofngheff, is that sensitive plates be
backed with phosphorescent material to in
crease the action Of light on the film. Exposure
would be as usual but development would be
delayed IL or "a hours and 1t is supposed that in
this time the weak positive image on the back
ing will be impressing the film from the rear,
strengthening the negative. 1t is claimed that
soft negatives result, with improved adjustment
of light to the different colors.
80
The new German incandescent lamp with
fament of tantalum has been under experiment
for two years. and it is claimed to yield the same
candle-power and useful life as the carbon lamp
with consumption of half as much electricity.
The ilament is necessarily very long-about 20
inches-and is mounted on a special support en-
closed in the specially shaped bulb.
sFs
The latest novelty in Photographic discovery
is the most puzzlng ofall, as it shows some effect
of gravitation on Photographic action. 1t was
recently announced at Bale, Switzerland, by G..
w. A. Kahlbaum. After other experiments
some Of them proving that the density of the
metals, except that of cadmium, is decreased
instead of increased at very high pressure-he
placed sensitive plate film upward in box
lined with black paper and over the film he laid
in succession strip of parafined paper, pieces
of cardboard and of sheet metal then reverse
Of this arrangement with Photographic plate
on top. The metals were aluminium, iron, zinc
and lead. After several days distinct photo
graphic action was seen on the film below the
metal, but hardly any on that above the metal.
the effect being strongest in the case of zinc.
Several plates in pile beneath the metal were
affected. Gravity seemed to play some mystic
rious part, yet the centrifugal force of a rota-
ton of 2.700 times minute in a special appa-
ratus did not increase the action on the outer
plate.
The probable Importance of the odors of dis
ease as an aid to prompt diagnosis is urged by
DR.. Charles Anderson, California physician.
Many of the smells are already known as charac-
teristic, while others are more uncertain. Mea-
sles, it Is said, sometimes has decided picked
goose smell, typhoid fever and CASTRO enterit:s
a mousy odor. typhus fever peculiar fetid
odor. continent smallpox the odor of rotten
onions and acute rheumatism a disagreeable
sour smell. The nauseating smells of gangrene
and pyemia are happily unfamiliar in these
days of antiseptic surgery.
-.
The Vienna hospital for diseased fishes is sur
prising the doctors. The patients have already
included carp having an Inflammation akin to
appendicitis, ten others with smallpox, por-
poise from the Adriatic with Inflammation of
the lungs, a trout with cataract in both eyes and
another with dropsy.
kLlac.n..a Ilalls