Amador ledger., 1906-09-14

history. Whether this is due to in
creased power evolved in the human
intellect was considered by Principal
E. H. Grittiths, in his late British
Association address, hut he conIuded
that it would take a bold man to
assert that the mind is more powerful
than in the days of Homer, PericIes
and Archimedes. He finds that the
mystery may be explained by the ex-
tension of our senses by mechanical
appliances. The bolometer and cleo
trio coherer have increased the range
of our vision thousand fold, and the
electroscope and the galvanometer
have extended our sight and touch
until we can detect an electron. BY
the many instruments supplying the
deficiencies in our faculties, we go
forward confidently where previously
all was dark.
The human breath has been found
to be fair conductor of electricity,
a spark from a Wimshurst machine
being longer in breathed than in pure
air. Investigating further, Dufour
has concluded that the lung and skin
exhalations sensibly increase the leak
age from an electrically charged body,
and it is suggested that the vapors
rising above flock of sheep or cattle
may explain the tendency OF lightning
to strike the huddled animals.
Certain butterflies have marked
odors-some good, some bad. DR.. f.
A. Dixey, British entomoIoglst.
mentions white butterfly of Eng
land that has the fragrant scent OF
lemon verbena, and has noted many
species in Africa with such odors as
those Of chocolate, vanilla and var
ious flowers. The agreeable odors
belong to males, being charm to
attract females. The offensive odors,
shared by both sexes, are protective,
Iepelling enemies.
Carbon tetrachloride is being made
an important new product in France,
chemical works at Moutiers in Savoy
especially having undertaken its pro-
duction on large scale. 1t is
colorless, mobile liquid, like petro-
leum in appearance, and has the com
position of about go per cent of
chlorine to 8 per cent OF carbon. 1t
can be protitably made only where
chlorine is an industrial residue, as
in the production of soda or potash
by the electrolytic method. 1t boils
at II degrees C., is entirely volatiliZ-
ed without odor, and is so stable that
it does not attack metals, fabrics, or
colors, even at high temperatures.
1t is uninhammable and incombust-
ible. 1t dissolves all fats, and it is
expected to take the place of such ex-
tIemely dangerous solvents as carbon
sulphlde, benzine, chloroform, alco-
hols and ether. 1t dissolves certain
gums and resins, making it probably
available in varnish manufacture.
A new modification of oxygen seems
to have been discovered by DR.. Erich
Ladenburg. From the purest of
oxygen, developed by electrolysis of
boiled potassium hydrate, he prepares
liquid ozone, and this he allows to
vaporize into a vacuum, obtaining
nearly pure ozone gas, which has a
deep blue color in a thickness of
eight inches. The absorption spect-
rum shows five new lines that do not
belong to ozone. They always appear
when the liquid ozone is allowed to
vaporize, and the gas to which they
belong can be separated. The MOLE
-cular weight is higher than that of
ozone.
A novel charge is brought against
the common bedbug (Cimer lectular-
ius) by DR.. W. j. Goodhue, medical
superintendent of the Molokai Leper
Settlement, who regards it as chief
agent in spreading Ieprosy. 1t is
believed to have greater influence
than the gnat, for it comes noiseless-
ly and during the patients sleep,
and bedding among lepers is too
little dislnfected. After long re-
search, DR.. Goodhue has demonstrate
ed the presence of the bacillus of
leprosy in the mosquito (Culex pun
gens) as we'll as in the bedbug.
A message from Mars, which at
cannon-ball speed would take several
centuries to reach Us, would get here
in i've minutes on rays of light. At
the inconceivabIe velocity of this
light-wave teIegraphy, message
was started from the constellation
Perseus about the time jamestown
was settled; it flashed along day and
night at 186,000 miles per second,
while the American colonies we're
slowly gaining foothold, while they
grew into an independent nation,
while the nation passed through the
bloodiest struggle in history, and it
was still rushing toward US sixteen
billion miles every day when Dewey's
guns proclaimed the nation world
power and jamestown was nearing
the close of its third century. Then,
on Feb. q, 1901, the signal was seen.
The apparition was called Nova
Persei by the startled astronomers, it
proved the brightest OF all recorded
temporary stars except one, its