Amador ledger., 1907-02-01

Photographs.-AS Singular Faculty
Transplanted Sight Electric
Matching.
The saponification of petroleum, il
appears, is problem on which
eminent chemists have worked for
many years. Successful results are
claimed at last ny two French chem
lists, L. j. Lotharlmer aud g. Tro-
cquenet, and high grade soap has
been produced without animal fats.
The process depends upon the use of
an aqueous extract of Panama wood.
AT a recent demonstration. three
per cent of this extract was beaten up
with four quarts of somewhat heavy
petroleum, the mixture becoming
pale and butter-llke in consistency
and, the mass was then cooked with
ten poundssof palm-oil over gas fire,
twelve quartz of soda Iye Of varying
strength being gradually added.
Analysis of the product shows that
the petroleum represents from one
third to ope-half of the total fatty
matter. The soap is cheaper than
others, and is claimedsto have numer-
Gus other advantages, such as being
odorless, antiseptic and non -lnflamm-
able. A curious "break and make"
action among the brain cells is
thought by Sir William Covers to
explain sleep. Brain activity is attri
buted to nerve cells, and nerve cords
from these divide and subdivide until
they end in little knobs. The nerve
cells we're formerly supposed to be
permanently connected through their
terminals. 1t is now known that
these may be separated, and it is
concluded that separation occurs
during sleep. 1t is claimed that the
theory is supported by the effect of
narcotics.
Serious gastric troubles among
workmen in large electric plants are
attributed by German authority to
ozone poisoning and not to electric
radiations. Ozone is produced ID
large quantities, and with atmos
pheric nitrogen it forms nitric acid,
explaining the acid taste often
noticed. An effective remedy is free
ventilation and separation of high
tension apparatus from work-rooms.
We cannot hope eto make weather
predictions accurate at all times,
George lies tells us, for it must
often happen that an inapprecIable
cause may upset dellcately balanced
conditions. For example, a stratum
of sir may be very nearly saturated
with aqueous vapor, while losing heat
so slowly that moisture might not he
deposited for long time, and in lib 8
condition it is in such a state of
unstable molecular equilibrium that
the dropping of small crystal of
snow into it may produce complete
and widespread change. Ths cooling
of the air would cause a fall of mist
or dew around the snowflake. This
deposited mist, sending its heat into
space faster than the saturated air,
would cool mere air and condense
more dew, and this would continue
rapidly until complete change of
Thus the tiniest flake of snow may
pull the trigger setting off the atmos
pheric gun.
The tidal basin at South Thomas
ton, Maine, has an area of little
III 0re than square mile, with an
average range of twelve feet of tide.
Ihe dam and air compressor to be
constr tTucted on the plans of VIM O..
Webber, are expected to store
seventy per cent of the tidal energy
OF this inlet as compressed air, and
thus to make 5000 horse power
available for industrial use. AS COM
pressed air has been successfully
distributed long distances, the leak
age being slight, it is proposed to
transmit the tidal power through
pipes to stone and lime quarIies and
factories of RockIand and places
within twenty mills.
10 obtain bas-relief effect in photo
graphs, Prof. &. Mlchaud, of Costa
Rica State College, first makes a glass
positive from the glass negative, then
uses these glass plates to make q
positive and negative film. De,
veloped IN the same baths, the two
films contract equally on drying. o.
sensitized paper one film is laid over
the other so that the pictures coin
eide, then one film is slightly moved
diagcnally, causing intense lights and
deep shadows TO be cast on opposite
sid IS of reIiets and holIows. Print.
ing is done without a ground glass
in direct sunlight.
Voluntary dilation of the pupils o.
the eyes seems to be most extra
ordinary faculty. Lately noticing
unusual movement in the pupils of {
yJung morphine victim, DR.. Bloch
an English physician, questioned the
patient, and found that for several
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