The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-09-26
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.
Organized Smoke ighting-Inevitable
ness of Old Age-The Telescope of Vari-
able Focus-The New Shipbuiloing--
Storms Run by Wire-The Wanted Mi
ming Discovery-Wealth in Chips-Our
New Metal.
A smoke abatement society of Hamburg seems
to be accomplishing real results, and is not only
promoting public welfare and comfort but
claims to be aiding the manufacturers material
ly by increasing the efficiency Of the fuel
burned. The work done includes tests Of smoke
preventing devices. instruction Of stokers, and
periodical tests of factory boiler-plants, with
suggestions. An automatic control for the air
supply is found to give almost unfailing relief,
and mechanical stocking is advised where prac-
ticable. laundering is largely made necessary,
however, by the use of unscreened coal. Tests
are made to secure fuels of high thermal value
and low smoke emission. Rewards are offered
to aremen, and much is accomplished by the
more careful attention to air-draught and other
means for getting perfect combustion.
s's
The theory of Metchnikoff that oldage results
from poisoning by bacteria in the colon, and
may be avoided by certain rules of diet. is not
supported by the studies of Prof. H. Robert
Director of the Pathological Institute at Bonn.
Death from old age is due to anatomical changes
athrophy of the nerve cells, and these changes
are an inevitable result of the physico- chemical
course of living matter. No proof of special eff
feet of diet is obtainable. The most careful in
quiry shows the meat-eater as likely to become
a centenarian as the vegetarian. and the use Of
tobacco or alcohol signifies little. The chief fac
tors in long life appear to be descent from long
lived stock and the accident of favorable living
conditions.
The new telescope reflector of Prof. Wood, of
Johns Hopkins University, is basin ofmercury
rotated by an electric motor, the concavity-and
therefore the focus-varying with the speed. Vi
bration is the chief difficulty foreseen.
-
The building of vessels from reinforced con-
crete is an industry of peculiar interest to Italy,
which has little iron, and its development is
chiefly due to Signor Carlo Gabellini of Rome.
This engineers first experimental rowboat, even
the seats and rudder of which are of armored
cement still In constant use, after eleven years
Of service. A floating boat house built just
after the rowboat, is still in good condition on
the Tiber, and has reinforced concrete super
structure as well as eight reinforced concrete
pontoons, each fiat-bottomed boat 15 feet long
by 9 feet beam. More than 100 similar pontoons,
each 45 feet long with beam of IL feet, have
now been substituted for the wooden boats of
the curious floating bridges of the Pc. The
"Lguria," the first larger concrete vessel, is "a
feet long with beam of IS feet, was built in
1905. and is now serving as a coal carrying barge
in the harbor of Genoa. The first 120-ton freight
barge for the Italian Navy, has been so satisfac-
tory that orders for four more have been given
since its completion in 1906. The concrete has
shown such resistance to shock that it is likely
to be used for armor-plates it is easily repaired
when damaged butrequires none of the ordinary
repairs of other materials, and it is remarkable
for its smoothness and singular freedom from
the marine growths that clog wood and iron.
How highly charged electric conductor may
influence hailstorm has been shown the Paris
Academy of Science by M. Wolfe. A violent
storm in the Vaucluse, southeastern France, did
much damage June 20 over an area eight
miles long by mile wide, and its course was
found to follow exactly that of an electric line
carrying a current of 5000 volts. The hail,
moreover, was most abundant near the wire.
Another noticeable fact was that the line
seemed to have intercepted the storm, prevent
ing it from taking the direction hailstorms have
hitherto followed over the Luberon peak
APs
quartz would wonderfully advance mining, says
British engineer, by increasing the supply of
diamond" drills.
"a
Satisfactory substitutes for wood horn, rub
Der and like materials are produced by f. Auner,
Of Medgyes, Hungary, by a new treatment of
wood waste. After preliminary treatment and
hardening with size and such solution as alumni
mum salts or potassium bichromate. the waste is
mixed with a binding agent such as glue con-
tanning little potassium bichromate, together
with oatmeal or linseed meal, or other substance
containing starch. gum or varnish. The details
or the PF00eS5 may DC 0OnSiuelaUIy varied.
Further hardening may be given by the addi-
tion of mineral matters. such as infusorial
earth, chalk, kaolin or fine alumina; and tough
ness may be impaired by adding to 10 per cent.
of chopped textile fiber, rags. hemp, jute or the
like. Coloring matters may be Incorporated.
The mass, after thorough mixing, is subjected
to the action of steam, and nodded under pres
sure. By suitable variations the waste is in this
way specially adapted for bobbins. door and
drawer handles, boxes, foorings, wall coverings,
dishes, fancy goods and furniture.
-.
Tantalum is one of the worlds rare materials
that has been suddenly produced in commercial
quantity in response to demand for it. The
name is said to have been given by Ekeberg, the
Swedish discoverer, on account of tantalizing
difficulties encountered in investigating it, and
only recently has it been obtained in state of
purity. The mineral yielding it was few years
ago so hard to find that museums could not be
supplied with specimens. Australia alone now
furnishes more than 70 tons of tantalite a year
not alarge supply, but enough for present needs,
as single pound of tantalum gives filaments
for 5000 lamps of rs candle-power.
-.
Thalassotherapy. or treatment of disease by
sea air, ea-bathing, etc., is a new subject for
accurate investigation. Its results promise,
limitations, etc., will be duly discussed at the
special congress to be held next year at Abbazia,