The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1907-08-17
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

Singing Kettles In Japan-The Aurora
and the Wireless-The Biggest Foun-
tain-Orystsls That Seem Alive-Micro-
scopic Maps-Modern Light and the
Eyes-Ourious Cure-Varying Radium
Effects.
The .singing kettle" Is bit of Oriental ap-
Piled science that seems to have been handed
down through an unknown number of centuries.
Frof. H. 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
=. .Sr exciting sound, the tones varying with the
suape Of the kettles. One EXETER consists of
s~ sneett Iron plates each three-fifths of an
...sn SQUARE and one-fftieth of an inch thick,
8ch are glued by Japanese lacquer to the bot
tom of the kettle inside, leaving fiftieth of an
inch Of space beneath. As steam is generated,
the bubbles escape through the narrow Sits be-
tween the plates, the vibrations reaching max
imum when gentle fire is regulated to yield
just enough steam bubbles to accord with the
kettles natural period of vibration. The tones
emitted suggest the ru1iing Of pines by gentle
breeze or the sound of STIMULATING insects.
-.
The mystery of the aurora has been attacked
by wireless telegraphy by c. J. Stuart, of Mon
treal, whose results, however, leave him more
mystined than ever. During the last year he
made observations in three periods of aurora.
At these times messages and signals were re-
ceived over abnormal ranges of 200 to 1900 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 9OOO0O,OOO candles,
which will be transmitted through the water
from ~ rejecting lamps in a huge cemented
chamber. Not less than 20 different luminous
and colored effects will be produced.
sFs
New and curious analogies between crystals
| and living organisms have been shown German
physicists by Prof. o. Lehman, confirming Ha-
eckels idea that no sharp line can be drawn be-
tween life and inorganic matter. Crystals begin
with nucleus or germ, from this they grow,
they have certain recuperative power, and
they absorb foreign substances, sometimes be-
coming poisoned" and retarted in growth.
The one difference recognized has been that
animals are essentially semi-Huid, or partly so,
while crystals have been supposed to be solid.
This distinction no longer exists, as chemists
have succeeded in producing true liquid crys-
tails, and about fifty varieties are now known.
Soft soap-made up Of innumerableso soft crystals
lis the most familiar example. The liquid crys-
in form. some appearing as prisms with sharp
facets while others are like drops, but their
character is clearly revealed, and in
polarized light they show dichroism and inter
ference colors just like solid crystals. Some
liquid crystals slowly recover after bending,
just as living amoeba would do. Some may
be crossed" two varieties combining in a new
form. while two crystals together suggest the
budding in animals, and crystal drops often
form chain like a cacterium.
"a
Maps for military and general field use are
produced BY Dr. o. H. F. Volbehr, of Halensee-
Berlin, as microscopic transparencles, each
about TX by inches in size. These form slides
for the microphotoscope, special instrument
having hand mirror-shaped frame, to which is
attached stakeholder, with movable lens
over IL. The lens slides in two directions, about
7Osquare miles being shown in each position.
sss
Great increase in eye troubles has been noted
by French oculist from the incandescent cleo
trio light, coal oil light of greater intensity
producing less fatigue. The effects may be due
to chemical rays or to radiations yet unknown.
- Perfect sanity seems to be rare condition.
Among curious mental disorders that are more
common than is usually supposed are agorapho-
bia, or fear OF open spaces like city squares and
parks, and claustrophobia, the dread of closed
spaces, such IS street cars and elevators. DIR.
Charles Mercier of London, from large expert
ence and observation, concludes that agorapho-
bia is a survival from our treeliving ancestors,
who risked such dangers as the spring of pam
Their when exposed in the open. In singular
case mentioned by this authority, the patient
had daughter whose marriage he opposed, and
one night she eloped The conflict of emotions
aroused by the news of this so affected him that
his malady disappeared Thereafter he walked
the widest streets and crossed the longest
bridges without trace of dread although in all
other cases known agoraphobia has been incur
able.
Radium emanation has been found by DIR.
Lowenthal to have very different effects upon
the human body in health and disease He has
succeeded In regulating the dose given in solu-
ton. and states that moderate doses have no ef-
feet upon the healthy organism, but a very
marked action on persons affected with such
maladies as rheumatism. Painful symptoms
were invariably aggravated at first, though it is
believed that continued treatment would re-
lieVe them. Excellent results were noticed when
the emanation was added to baths of ordinary wa
ter, and it is concluded that in this case the
emanation is absorbed by the lungs, and that
the presence of radium explains the efficacy of
the baths of several celebrated water-cures.
The novel railway rail Of an engineer in India
consists of two L or angle sections bolted to-
gether, with tread section closed over the top
Of the vertical plates, the wide base thus given
the complete rail making sleepers unnecessary.
Light metal tie-rods are used to hold the rails
together.