The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-01-28
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.
Wireless Weather ecasting-Japanese
papera-Novel Ovskor-Feed inQ-Vibra-
Navigation Novelty-A Light Weight
Building Stone-Direct Medication of
the Lu4gs-Bee Poison.
Weather forecasters on the British Isles have
worked at disadvantage. The disturbances
largely approach from the west and southwest
and in these directions the Atlantic has kept the
observing stations too far away for effective re-
port. The aid Of wireless tclegraphy Is now be-
ing invoked. Efforts Of the Meteorological
Council to make arrangements with Lloyde have
failed; but the approach Of future storms is to
signalled from ships crossing the ocean. It is
expected that Ia winter, when the western coasts
Of Europe are often swept by severe gales, the
warnings will be Of great value.
-
The Japanese excel in the making Of paper
from the bark of trees and shrubs. Among the
remarkable varieties, D. g. FairchiId mentions
the thin rain-proof paper used instead Of glass
for windows; the oiled papers serving for cover
ings and clothing and the oiled tissue for wrap
ping delicate articles. The bark paper employed
nUCM1
trated BY weevils and other insects. Mostinter-
esting Of all, perhaps. are the leather papers
from which tobacco pouches and pipe cases are
made, these papers being almost as tough as
French kid. translucent. and as soft and pliable
as calf-skln.
One Of the recent interesting food discoveries
Is that the growth and fattening of oysters may
DO promoted by supplying with commercial fer
tilizer the minute diatoms on which the bivalves
thrive. This discovery is due to DR.. H. f. Moore
oftn6 o. s. Bureau Of Fisheries.
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BY substituting lines Of small ball bearings for
theordinary Rrovings OF rifle barrels,an English
man claims to increase by forty per cent. the
average velocity penetration and range of the
projectible.
The application Of vibrations to the treatment
Of nervous disorders has been receiving consid-
cradle attention. The new apparatus of W. F.
Blocker, an American teacher of chemistry Is
called the radio-vibrator and it is externally
nickel-plated metal box about four inches long.
three inches wide and one inch Deep Two wires
about four feet long extend from one end.
Small circular discs are attached to the wires,
and when these are placed on the affected parts
Of the body, chemical action in the box sets up
vibrations that are claimed to be potent in re-
storing health to the nervous system.
~
Fire sand Of carborundum is being tested as a
lining for furnaces exposed to extremely high
temperatures. 1t is an electric furnace COM
pound Of carbon and silicon. and grayish green,
granular, easily crushed, and poor conductor
Of heat. It is applied as a mixture with tenth
as much silicate Of soda. Itresists temperatures
that cause high grade friedrich to give way and
It is especially convenient as paste for making
repairs or restoring Worn-out parts.
81
The navlmobile of C. A. Marker is boat that
is raised out Of the water by turning under the
Wave-lines. This is affected by giving the vessel
concave bottom. and the application of the
new principle results In surprising lessening of
displacement. Speed is much increased, as high
as forty to sixty miles an hour being expected
~
Another link connecting birds and reptiles has
been discovered by DR.. E. Lonnberg, Swedish
naturalist, in the horny beak-sheaths Of petrels,
albatrosses and other birds. The sheath is COM
posed Of several distinctspieces, and proof is
offered that these are identical with certain
scales of the head and lower jaw Of lizards and
other reptiles.
Infusorial earth is the latest base for artificial
building stone. The product is made in Ger
many under the name Of "Guhrolit," and is very
light, lreproof and resistant to chemicals and it
can be easily sawed, bored and nailed.
Sc
In the treatment Of consumption, the lungs
the seat Of the disease-are rarely reached by the
medicines used. This is remedied by Prof.
Jacob, of Berlin, by direct injection into the
lungs. He had previously been successful with
similar treatment of brain and spinal diseases,
but did not experiment upon human tubercu-
losis until animals had been found to bear the
treatment satisfactorily. The larynx and wind
pipe being first made insensensible by cocaine q
small rubber tube is introduced through the
mouth. directly into the lungs. With small
syringe the medicament is then blown into the
lungs, the whole operation requiring ten
minutes and being well borne by the patient.
In this way baciln in the lungs were completely
destroyed in four to eight weeks.
Investigation of the poison of bees has shown
NJ Phisalix three distinct principles. one Of
which produces Inflammation and the second
causes commissions, while the third stupefes
The poison is secreted by two glands, the acid
one yielding the Supplying and inflammatory
substances. and the alkaline one the substance
causing commissions. The observations included
poisoning of a sparrow by the stings of two or
three bees. The bird showed weakening within
i've minutes, then progressive increase of the
partial paralysis, which at last became a mere
trembling interrupted by periods of somnolence.
Death came in two or three hours.
s~A
A recent statement that the present ivory
consumption represents the annual Slaughtered of
10000 elephants is denied. At least IS per cent.
Of marketed ivory comes from the cemeteries to
which the elephants have long resorted, and
much of it may be hundreds of years old.
-
Exposure of the retina to blue light for three
minutes is claimed by two Swiss dentists to have
given insensibility so complete that tooth was
-extraetgd without pain.