The Kemper herald. (Scooba, Miss.) 1875-1908, 1906-11-22

Professor j. J. Thomson, in a re-
cent lecture on the modern theory
of the constitution of matter at the
Royal Institution, said that the atom
is now regarded as being made up OF
masses of positive and negative cleo
tricities." The negative electricity,
even when not attached to q material
particle, is conceived to exist as an
extremely small, discreet particle in
itself. Such electric particles are
called corpuscles. 1t has been proved
that they are less than a ~thousandth
of the size of a hydrogen atom. Pro.
lessor Thomson spoke of them as
''the bricks of atoms" 1t should
not be inferred, however, that they
are packed together in the atom like
bricks laid immovable in a wall
They move freely, and in a vacuum
their velocity may range between
1000 and 10000 miles per second.
according to the degree of exhaustion.
The physiological effects of feeble
radio-activity have been a subject OF
investigation in France by E. S. Lon
don. Using a quarter of a grain OF
radium he applied this to the forearm
for brief intervals, and obtained a
distinct reaction after a minimum ex-
posure of fifteen seconds. He sus.
pended four grains of radium bromide
in a cage about eighteen inches long
by sixteen wide and twelve high
Three rabbits confined in this cage
showed redness of the ears after six
teen days, while burns soon appeared
on the backs, and after fourteen
months the backs and heads were de-
nuded of fur and covered with ulcers
Movements had become a~pathetic and
slow, the hind legs being partially
p~aralyzed. The eyes were affected
and post-mortem examinations re-
vealed changes and degenerations in
the muscles, liver, spleen, kidneys
and generative organs.
The expansive force of compressed
air is employed in a very interesting
way by the North Carolina Granite
Company. On a sloping hillside, com
posed of granite which shows no bee
planes, but splits readily in any oil
rection when started, a three-inct
bore is sunk about eight feet deep
and the bottom is enlarged by ex'
ploding a half-stick of dynamite. A
small charge of powder is fired in this
hole, which starts a horizontal crack
or cleavage. Charges increasing IL
size are exploded until the cleavage
has extended over a radius of seven
ty-five or 100 feet. Then a pipe il
cemented into the bore, and air i!
forced in, under a pressure of from
eighty to 100 pounds. The expansion
of the air extends the cleavage unit
it comes out at the surface on the
slope of the hill. A horizontal sheer
of granite several acres in extent ma!
thus be separated.
The thermophile fabrics of G. Herr
gott, of Valdoie, France, introduce ;
novel method of applying warmth
and are expected to do'much for do
nestle electric heating. The fabrics
are a combination of textile and con
ductive threads, the latter being made
of any required size and combining
with any textile materials. Wher
woven the electro-thermic wires are
hidden, many electro-thermic weft'
enter into each circuit, and the cir
cults are Joined by collector wires
of which one pole is placed in eacl
selvage of the fabric. There is M
danger of fire or other accident. TIL
temperature may range from sevent,
degrees to ninety-five degrees F. 70.
carpets up to ESQ degrees to 800 de
grees for hot-air baths, and the pos
sible applications are many, including
use for foot warmers and articles o
clothing and furniture, drying ap
pafatus, baby i%ncubators and numer
GUS hospital appliances and most pur
poses requiring constant moderate
heat.
poy1;n now has over 5000 cabs will