Amador ledger., 1906-06-01

ing of the Laugh. -AcetyIene as an
Explosive. Blasting with LIQUID
Air. = Lightning's Regularity. -
Rock Bombs.
By 'galvano o-faradlzation, DIR.
Lewaldowski, an Austrian physician,
claims to have solved the problem oi
removing troublesome scars. A gal.
vanic battery and an induction coil
are so connected that either the direct
or the alternating or faradic current
can be used, or both together, and q
large plate electrode at the negative
pole of the coil is passed over the
scar for Is to 30 minutes, another
large electrode at the positive OF the
battery being applied to the sacral
region. In 80 to 60 sittings the scars
nearly disappear, the disagreeable
redness being quite removed, while
the tissue is made soft and f1eyible.
A specimen of about 80 bad cases
successfully treated is that of a
soldier, whose chest was covered on
one side with the scars of an enorm-
Gus powder burn and who had the use
of his arm restored and the scars
nearly obliterated.
A testing apparatus for varnisb,
supplying needed standard, has
been brought out IN Scotland by Prof.
BaiIy and DR.. Laurie. 1t includes a
blunt steel point pressed down by a
spiral spring, and this point is drawn
over dry coat of the varnish on
glass, the pressure being increased
until the varnish is scratched. The
pressure being known, definite
measure OF the toughness and hard
ness of the varnish is made available.
In liquefying helium, the last of
the gases that have been thought to
be permanent, Olszewski has reached
a temperature of 271.3 degrees below
zero centigrade. This is cold about
II degrees greater than Dewar OBJ
tanned three years ago in liquefying
hydrogen, and is within about 2
degrees of the supposed absolute
zero. The question has now been
raised whether 273.7 degrees below
the freezing point OF water is really
the absolute zero.
While the artificial diamonds so far
have been very expensive
and are too small to have any com
value. the manufacture of
rubies seems to be developing into a
industry. The process
of making these Geneva rubies," as
they are called, has been supposed to
be secret one, but it is understood
that the apparatus used by Par,sian
chemist includes blow-pipe like
that used by glass-workers and heat
ing pipe In the latter a pointed
sugar loaf is built up in strata by
sitting in finely pulveriz-
ed alumina and chromium oxide.
This makes possible gradual heating,
the molten mass takes a spherical
form, and on slow and careful cooling
the oxide of aluminium forms regular
and perfectly clear crystals. Great
care is necessary to avoid bubbles.
In this simple way it is possible to
make three or four stones at a time,
often quarter of an inch across and
weighing Is to 16 carats, and as they
are genuine rubies only experts can
distinguish them from the natural.
The explanation that laughter is
disappearing on account of the sad
ness of the modern view OF life is dis
carded by Signor +. Franceschini, an
Italian psychologist. He concludes
that mlrth, like poetry, depends upon
the Imagination, and that the develop
ment of the reasoning powers has
tended to Danish the distortion that
makes things seem funny. The more
control of logic the less do we laugh.
Education is now scientific and
practical. and to more than smile is
becoming characteristic of a simpler
and more natural culture, where
Imagination still holds sway and
people have not forgotten how to
laugh.
Acetylene is being used as an ex-
plosive in Germany, where it has
proven disappointing as an illumi-
nant. Each Cartridge contains an
ounce and three -fourths of calcium
carbide, yielding abont 16 quarts of
acetylene, and after wetting the car.
bide the confined mixture of generated
gas and air is exploded by an electric
spark. In blasting, the rock is not
thrown out, but is broken up into
pieces small enough to be readily
removed.
Liquid aIr blasting cartridges, as
described by M. Jacquier, are made
by packing powdered charcoal in a
case of stout paper, and covering this
with an asbestos wad through which
a paper tube passes to the bottom OF
the cartridge. When ready to use,
liquid air is poured into the tube, the
cartridge being fred by illuminate
cap in the usual way. The firing
should follow the filling within ter
minutes, as the liquid air gradually
evaporates, and after half an houl
''missed fire. cartridges offer ne
danuar to tha wnrkman These cart