The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1906-09-15
Correspondence Baltimore County linton.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

6OlMNIlHlO Hdl6OH1lANx
A New og-Sounder-Health History in
Hair Odors-A Trolley Observation-Disclosures
Another Exploded Myth-A House
That Grew-The Loftiest Kite Flight
Failure Of Gas Mantles-Electric Heat
Economy-Black Diamond Jewels.
The telemobiloscope, designed by Dusseldorf
inventor for enabling a pilot to detect ship
near at hand in fog, depends upon the fact
that electric waves are reflected when they
strike ametallic object. The apparatus consists
of long box or tube. pivoted at one end and
open at the other. containing q spark generator
near the pivoted end and and two lenses for
collecting the electric waves into bundle. A
uitable motor turns the box horizontally on the
vertical pivot. AS the box, slightly inclined
toward the water, is swung around, the electric
waves are projected outward, and If they strike
an object containing metal they are reflected
back. acting upon a receiver similar to that used
in wireless telegraphy. This receiver Is in
fuenced only by return waves. When vessel
is discovered. the apparatus is turned until the
reflection Is strongest, when good estimate Of
the distance can be made.
-
Ones hair, If never cut, would furnish q record
of his health during life This is the interesting
discovery of Matsura, Japanese psychologist,
who shows that the hair-like the hnger-nails-
grows smaller in disease, and that the duration
of the maIady may be estimated from the length
of the thinner section of the hairs. The varia-
lions are most striking in the coarse-haired
races of people.
If odors were solid particles, they would tend
to form nuclei of cloudy condensation in super
saturated air. DIR. John Aitken has tested musk
and twenty-three other odorous substances
without finding such nuclei, and he concludes
that odors are gaseous and that smell has gas as
its fundamental basis.
%4%
A novel electric Observation-Disclosures, the inven-
ton of a Danish engineer, is in use upon
Berlin tramway. The apparatus is contained in
a glass faced wooden case, and shows the name
of the next station in a conspicuous place over
the door of the car. The names of the stations
are on a roll or paper which is moved over two
drums by a clockwork motor, ratchet wheel
stopping the roll at each name. At proper
places along the overhead wire are annex wires
or bars and when one of these comes in contact
with tongue or extra wire on the trolley pole.
a current impulse passes to an electro-magnet,
which releases the ratchet and allows the
cylinders to move forward to the next stop,
showing the station name next in order.
-
curious victim of hasty conclusion seems to
be the kea, whose determination is likely to re-
suit from its reputation throughout New Zea-
land as a sheep-killer 1t is generally believed
that this parrot kills many animals by cruel
way of pecking into their sides, but recent
careful investigation fails to give the slightest
evidence Of this habit. The investigators decide
that the birds i'll repute has arisen from its
fo~T4 4svnr
at the inference of slaughter when it was simply
inspecting dead CARCASS
*.%
A singular maple tree on the left bank of the
Ober, in Germany. is at least century old. and
has been twisted and cut into kind of circular
house of two stories. firm leafy. floor has
been formed by causing the branches to become
gradually woven together. Above this Is
smaller second floor, similarly formed, and the
ends of the branches have been woven into
solid walls, in which eight windows on each
story have been cut.
The highest kite ascent was lately made at
Lindenberg, Prussia. 2l,1OO feet being reached.
with six attached kites and 1900 yards of wire.
The temperature fell from 41o at the surface to
18o below zero; the wind-1S miles at surface
was 56 miles an hour at highest point.
80
In using incandescent mantles for gas light
ing, the illumination is found to increase for
time, then it steadily diminishes. The rise at
first is thought to be due to gradual shaping
to the flame. and the subsequent gradual failure
is attributed to two causes. Dust particles of
silica drawn against the mantel by the air cur
rents form infusible silicates of small iluminat-
ing power. The more important cause of de-
generation. however. is the slow volatilzation
of the ceria, to which the incandescence is due.
The amount of moisture in the air has slight
effect on the light of a mantle.
80
Luminous electric radiators are claimed by
H. ]. Dowsing, the British electrician, to offer
important advantages. They can be taken from
room to room where needed, they can be placed
in the most effective positions, the rays can be
applied to heating the lower part of the room
or the part where heat is needed, the heat can
be turned on and of instantaneously, there is
no combustion, and no special ventilation is
required. For cold days or cold parts of room
they are specially economical. The ready eff
cheney goes far to Offset the loss in converting
energy into electric current and then into heat,
and makes electricity a competitor with gas for
heating.
The production of coal ornaments is one of
Japan's interesting industries. The hardest
and best pieces of coal are carefully saved by
the miners, and these are cut into great variety
of shapes, and mounted in rings, trinkets and
chains, or used for the heads of canes and UNI
brellas or for other novelties. A chain lately
sold is of solid black coal, each link being per-
fectly cut.
r.
A superior fuel brick of equal parts of peat
and coal has been evolved at Bremen brick
yard. The mixture resulted from many ex-
periments, and after failure to put the peat to
use for paving bricks.