Amador ledger., 1906-12-28

1
Curious Cure. Varying Radium
Effects.
The ''slnging kettle'' is a bit OF
Oriental applied science that seems
to have been handed down through
an unknown number of centuries.
Prof. Il. Nagaoka. of Toxic, states
that dozens of forms of iron kettles
may be made in a single japanese
shop, and that several devices are
used tor exciting sound. the tones
varying with the shape of the kettles.
One EXETER consists of four sheet
iron plates, each three -fifths of an
inch square and one-tiftieth of an
inch thick, which are glued by
Japanese lacquer to the bottom of
the kettle inside, leaving a fiftieth
of an inch of space beneath As
steam is generated, the bubbles escape
through the narrow Sits between the
plates, the vibrations reaching a
maximum when gentle fire is re-
gulated to yield just enough steam
bubbles to accord with the kettles
natural period of vibration. The
tones emitted suggest the ruffling of
pines by gentle breeze or the sound
of stimulating insects.
The mystery of the aurora has been
attacked by wireless telegraphy by
G. j. Stuart, of Montreal, whose re-
suits, however, leave him more
mystified than ever. During the last
year he made observations in three
periods of aurora. At these times
messages and signals we're received
over abnormal ranges of 700 to 600
miles with an apparatus ordinarily
operating over not more than $50
miles, but signals could not be sent.
AS the aurora waned the long distance
signals ceased to arrive.
The mammoth fountain projected
for Vienna is to have light power of
800, ,0o0,000 candles, which will be
transmitted through the water from 81
rejecting lamps in huge cemented
chamber. Not less than 10 different
luminous and coIored effects will be
produced.
New and curious anaIogIes between
crystals and living organisms have
been shown German physicists by
Prof. D. Lehman, confirming Haec-
kel's idea that no sharp line can be
drawn between lite and inorganic
matter. Crystals begin with
nucleus or germ, from this they grow,
they have a certain recuperative
power, and they absorb foreign sub
stances, sometimes becoming "poi-
soned' and retarded in growth. The
one difference recognized has been
that animals are essentially semi
fluid, or partly so, while crystals
have been supposed to be solid. This
distinction no longer exists, as chem
lists have succeeded in producing true
liquid crystals, and about fifty varie-
ties aIe now known. Soft soap made
up of innumerabIe soft crystals-is
the most familiar example. The
liquid crystals, some of which are in
constant motion, vary IN form, some
appearing as pIisms with sharp facets
while others are like drops. but their
crystalline character is clearly reveal
ed, and in polarized light they show
dichroism and interference colors just
like sold crystals. Some liquid
crystals slowly recover after bending,
just as living amoeba would do
Some may be "crossed" two varieties
combining IN new fern, while two
crystal together suggest the bubbing
in animals, and crystal drops often
form chain like a bacterium.
Maps for military and general field
use are produced by DIR. .. h. f.
VolIbehr, of Halensee Berlin, as
microscopic transpaIencies, each
about l = by inches in size. This
form slides for the microphotoscope,