Amador ledger., 1908-08-21

How long it is possible to keep
meats in a frozen state is unknown,
but in chemical and microscopical
examinations of beef and poultry w.
ID. Richardson has detected no alteIs-
tion after year and half. AS
muscular tissue cools to Just above
30 deg. F., the water separates as Ice,
contracting the Hbers, and forming
an armor that it is impossible for
bacteria to penetrate. The solution
remaining IN the fiber becomes very
concentrated, so that bacteria already
present cannot multiply or remain
active; and it is almost certain
though not absolutely proven for all
cases-that all germs artIticially intro
duced into frozen meats must lose
their vitality and die. Muscular tissue
returns to Its normal appearance
when thawed sufficiently slowly,
though the meats must looked
changed if the thawIng is rapid.
That germs are not absent from the
upper air, as has been supposed, has
been proven by DI. FIemming, of the
German army. In his balloon obser-
vations he has found an abundant
microscopic life as high as two miles
snd a half, and noticed little falling
off from the surface up to 1000 feet,
the organisms averaging 365 per cubic
foot, while from 1000 to 1900 feet the
average was 105 per cubic foot. Dur
alton of sunshine affected the number
of germs, though rain and snow showed
no influence. The highest species
secrete pigment. this being probably
protection against ultraviolet rays,
like skin darkenIng on high noun
tains.
AS pure ozone for disinfection is
likely soon to be produced in the
home, Sir Oliver Lodge gives warning
that it should only be inhaled when
properly diluted. 1t is powerful
corrosive, and he suffered from nasal
cata1Ih for years as a result of its in
cautious inhalation.
A mysterious new power. called
''nerve force'' for lack of better
name, seems to be puZzling French
psychologists. The latest of the de-
vices by which it is shown, the bio
meter. comprises a closed glass
cylinder diameter in which three
inch copper needle is suspended by
single cotton fiber, while a hori-
zontal degree-card just beneath is
supported on 3-lnch bObbin wrapped
with alternate layers of hlotting paper
and fine wire. Ihe bobbin rests on
the wooden stand. When either hand
Is held for TO minutes within an
inch of the cylinder-no other dis
turbing influence beiug near-the
needle is DETECTED 20 deg. to 60 deg,
but returns to the original point after
short period. Light, darkness,
heat, cold, noise and quiet seem to
have no Influence. The average de-
Election in health is AZ degrees for the
right hand and 81 degrees for the left.
but sickness lessons the effect by de-
greos to the vanishing point, the left
hand giving greatest variation.
Neither heat nor electricity can he
the cause Of what appears to be the
action of some real force.
A curious and Impressive expert
ment, sugges tive of ancient black art,
is given in new work by DR.. Gustave
lie Bon. Calcium sulphIde paint is
applied to IA statuette, which is next
freed from all traces of visible phos-
phoIescence by several days in abso-
To the dark infra.Teu rays from a
lamp completely hidden in an Opaque
box. Though untouched by visible
rays, the mixture OF darkness with
darkness causes the image to flash up
almost instantly aud glow brightly,
! This is almost the converse OF
Fresnel's experiment of adding light
to light to produce darkness through
the phenomena OF interference.
The glass tubes formed by lighting
striking in sand-half an inch or
more in diameter and sometimes 27
feet long have been feebly initiated
by powerful electric currents dis
charged through powdered glass.
Compared with Natures product, the
tiny pipes, of darniug needle size
and less than an inch long, suggest
the tremendous energy of lightning.
Ordinary ropes tend to rotate or
spin when hosting heavy loads, and