The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1907-11-16
Correspondence Baltimore County Union
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

6OAENG1E4O MA0OmlILANJs
Waterfall Compression of Air-Puzzles Of
the Brain-Fires from Ledges-Diving
Llmitations--Di sh-W flashing Science
Our Intoxica-
tion--Vases Of Quartz-Decoloration
The system of COMPRISING air by falling
water, as installed in several places in the
United States and Canada, is claimed to have an
efficiency Of 70 to 50 per cent. The water flows
through large horizontal pipe to vertical one,
at the upper end of which is the circular loop Of
an air pipe with great number Of fine holes in
its lower side, and as the water drops past the
ring innumerable air bubbles are drawn along
and compressed. At the bottom the water
turns suddenly and comes to rest in reservoir,
into which the air rises under pressure. The
compressed air can be drawn of as desired, and
when the reservoir: is full any excess passes
away automatically with the water carried to
the surface in an outflow pipe. The difference
Of few feet in the level of the inflow and out
now pipes gives rapid flow Of water. while the
amount Of compression depends entirely on the
depth Of the hole.
s%s
The pineal gland and the pituitary body
neither weighing more than or grains-have
long perpIexed ANTAGONISTS. The former-be-
hind the middle ventricle of the brain-is now
supposed to be the remnant Of third eye Of
our ancestors and the rudimentary eye is dis
tinct in some lizards. with the power of sight
in two species. The pituitary body. just back
Of the mouth, has been lately proven to serve
some important purpose. It's chief function is
not yet clear, however. one authority suppos-
ing that it destroys toxins. another that it is a
general nerve tonic. while NJ. de Cyon regards
both pituitary body and pineal gland as regula-
tors of blood pressure in the brain.
In South Africa. where thunderstorms are
terrific, lightning often strikes ironstone beds,
and blue transformations firing buildings
are alleged 70 play ABOUT SUCH outcrops two or
three hours after storm.
s's
The practical limit of deep-sea diving, under
the best conditions, is placed by Hill and Green
wood. Of the London Hospital, at thirty-fve to
forty fathoms. special study Of eight years
has shown these psychologists that the chief
danger to the diver arises from the nitrogen alb
sorbed by the blood and other body-fuids. and
that It is the absorbed nitrogen that produces
the III effects of rising too quickly. The breath
Iessness and oppression felt by the working
diver are results Of poisoning by carbonic acid
instead Of direct effects of the great pressure.
With special air-pumps and extra precautions,
the experiments descended thirty-five fathoms
in Scotch loch, and. rising very slowly, were
none the worst for the experience, but the oxy-
gen required for regular working at such depth
is so great in amount that pneumonia and con-
vulsions are commonly produced.
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Even the prosaic washing of dishes has been
subject of scientific investigation. In the in
terests Of the microbe- fearing mortal, Chris
tiani and Michelis. Swiss bacteriologist, have
tested the effect on germs present of different
methods of washing. such as Cd simply wipiDg
glasses with sterilized cloth, 90 rinsing with
cold water and wiping with no particular care,
and 30 thoroughly washing and rinsing in fresh
water and carefully drying. They find that the
partial washing or wiping is common in hotel,res-
taurant and family kitchens and leaves the germs
practically untouched. Thorough washing, even
in cold or lukewarm water. with vigorous wip-
ing, may remove practically all bacteria; and
safety is the more absolute the nearer the
water is to boiling. Dissolving two per cent. of
carbonate of soda In water makes sterilization
still more thorough.
A new directory by the Royal Observatory of
Belgium shows that there are 1866 astronomers
and somewhat over $50 observatories in the
world. OF the observatories, more than 100 are
in the British Isles, with nearly asEmany in the
United States, the number in other countries
being much smaller.
Little attention has been paid to the physio-
logical effects of odors, and German physician
enters new field in his work confirming pop
ular belief that strong perfumes have an intoxi-
eating and benumbing action. His experiments
were made by placing frogs under glass bells
with sponges saturated with the essences. As
in chloroform poisoning, brief excitement is
followed by partial or complete paralysis, and
the many odors tried seemed to differ only in
rapidity of action. Musk was one of the slowest,
Camphor, peppermint. lavender and cloves were
slow. while aldehyde, turpentine. elder flower,
ylang-ylang. asafHtida, carbon disulphide. mus
tard and nicotine were rapid and energetic. In
Simultaneous action was noted in some cases
Jumping about moment or two in a lively way
the frog would very soon stop, close his eyes and
rub his nose, WHILE breathing and heart action
became slow and he freely perspired. Continu-
ed little longer. the odor caused convulsive
breathing rolling of the eyes and gradual stop
page of the heart.
novel French electric furnace is in the form
of mold. and is designed for making vases or
other vessels of pure silica. Within the furnace
is placed a strip of carbon-pierced with air
holes-that can be made white-hot by strong
electric current. The furnace is filed with
sand, and by gradually heating the carbon
layer Of the grains is melted around it. and
when sufficiently thick is freed from the loose
sand. Further heating completely vitrihes the
molten layer, which is blown out by an air cur
rent against the side of the furnace or mold.
The Objects which are made grayish by innu-
merable air bubbles. have great resistance to
sudden changes of temperature.
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Why animal charcoal removes the color from
colored liquids while wood charcoal has no effect
has not been understood. A European chemist
now finds that the action of the former is due to
the presence Of to per cent. of nitrogen.