The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1906-09-22
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

Co1fc4yVN0eNce 0otbtNtOTe COuUCV OUtOUs
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.
The New Economy in Bngines-In-B Breath
ing Wells-No Sleep at Great Heights-
A Gaeoline-ElectricC er-0aetric Juice
ADMINISTRATIONS Radium-Sterilized
acknowledgements Fuel.
A striking suggestion for outstanding Great
Britain's fuel resources was made the other day
by Mr.. George D. Bedlay, In alecture at Glasgow.
He showed that general use of the gas engine
and the steam turbin for power would reduce
the coal consumption to "a tons per indicated
horse power per annum, equivalent to total
yearly saving Of % OO00 900 tons, which, at shil
ings per ton, would represent value of R0,000.-
O00 As the cost Of the change would not exceed
450OO0,000, the saving in coal would return
1876 per cent. If the power were to be delivered
as electricity, the cost of change would be Geo.
100000, but the gain in efficiency and convenience
would in many cases equal the saving in coal.
sst
Drafts over deep wells are usually due to
changes of temperature or barometric pressure,
air being forced in as the pressure rises and
drawn out when the barometer is falling. But
two wells in the Vicksburg- Jackson limestone
of southern Georgia have shown the strange
phenomenon Of continuous draft. This has
been investigated by Mr.. 8. w. McCallie, who
has found rapid subterranean stream at a
depth Of about 100 feet, and it Is supposed that
the air is sucked In by friction and carried along
until the water rises as large spring.
Loss Of sleep proves TO be the curious effect
that may limit mans Notwithstanding. DR..
Bullock Workman mentions that in his camp in
the Himalayas at 1883 feet members of his
party were kept awake by lack of breath, and on
concludes that inability to sleep may itself be
sufficient to keep climbers from going beyond
1900 to 5000 feet.
The novel combination automobile of NJ Henri
Pieper, the Belgian inventor, is claimed to be
an important advance in several respects. The
car, which is known as the 'aut0-mixte," lie
equipped with a gasoline motor, dynamo. and
a storage battery of "a Tudor cells having total
weight OF $40 pounds. The gasoline motor is of
ordinary four-cylinder type, with a magnetic
gas throttle for regulating the speed. When the
dvnamo acts as Generator to charee the STORAGE ,
battery. but on ri ing grades and hard places II
can be run as motor on current from the bat
terry, and its aid gives greater average speed
than can be had from simple gasoline machine
of the same power. The distance run is not
limited by the charge in the battery, as with the
electric automobile, while in case of breakdown
the battery can be depended upon to run a GER
tain distance: NO special starting device is
other devices are made unnecessary.
Chemists have been unable to obtain any ex-
tract having the properties of gastric juice, and
for a number of years attempts have been made
in France and Russia to secure the natural
material from the stomachs of dogs or ether
animals. After long experiment, DIR. Hepp has
succeeded IN getting a regular supply from
hogs, thus creating new industry on French
farm. At the age of three or four months. the
animals are so operated upon that their food
does not pass through the stomach, and gastric
fistula is formed. Eating excites the usual flow
of gastric juice, which. unmixed with food. is
drou IN w a ho mir alo
are kept clean. receive the best of food, and
their health remains perfect In spite of the
The clear, amber colored gastric juice, which
can be kept indefinitely. is of great value in
treating stomach disorders.
The plan of occasionally flushing drains with
petrol in water, to destroy the eggs of house.
fiies, has been awarded $1,000 prize by Paris
paper.
Radium preparations cannot be extensively
used in the treatment Of disease on account Of
the great cost. The radio-activity impaired to
such substances as paper, fluids. ETC., is too
feeble and heeting to be of use, but DR.. Axmann,
OF Erfn Ut now claims that MS new product
with quite permanent radio activity of sufficient
strength, and 1T is inexpensive. The substance
for coating surgical instruments. In plantes of
pin-head size, it Is held to the skin by some such
means as plaster or bandage, and IL is allowed to
remain for varying periods of few hours to
three days.
-
A barber-ehop on hygienic principles Is q
Munich novelty to set us wishing. The bristles
of the brushes are fitted in an aluminium frame,
which may be removed from the wooden handle
to be steriized in steam. The combs also are Of
aluminium, to be sterilized by steam or hot
water. The razors and scissors are disinfected
by brushing with spirit of soap. Powdered soap
IS kept in boxes, from which the necessary
amount is taken for each customer separately.
The lather brushes are sterilized after use and
the soap Is washed from the skin by sterilized
pieces of linen. Powder is applied by cotton
wool held in wooden forceps. ALI linen is dis
infected after each use, and a paper collar keep
ing the neck-strap from the skin is destroyed
after use.
80
Experiments with oxygen carrying substances
have been made in Germany with the hope of
increasing the efficiency OF fuels for explosion
engines. By the addition of ammonium nitrate
up TO eight per cent of the weight, it is claimed
that the efficiency of alcohol has been consider
ably increased, and that without adding any
thing-t0 the risk from the fuel or giving any
harmful effect upon the cylinder or valve
surfaces