The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-11-28
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

the Hills-Washable WALLPAPER Coat
northumberland Butter-Wear-Sav-
ing Lubrication-AL Lost Art Recovered.
In the Schaap oxy-gas. welding process is used
Q special burner, in which a blast of air at a
pressure of IL pounds per square inch Is COM
bined with coal gas, and which has a second
blast from which air at 80 to 80 pounds per square
inch can be turned on when the flame has been
regulated. The combination at once raises the
heat to about 1902 r. In this hot fame metals
are welded with remarkable facility. and pieces
of cast-iron joined together prove to be stronger
at the joint than on either side of it. Why gas
flame with two blasts of unequal velocity should
have the observed effects Oh metals is not yet
explained. In place of coal-gas. acetylene, naph-
tina and hydrogen have given equally good re-
suits, and natural and producer gas would prob
ably serve quite as well.
"a
The pollution of streams by factory waste is
being shown by the investigations of the United
States Geological Survey to be unjustified. The
experiments prove that the sewage can be puri-
fed at moderate cost, and that the valuable ma
terials recovered may make good this expense,
while in some cases there should be good profit,
as in the recovery of wool-fat and potash from
wool-scouring liquor.
-
Baths Of oxygen, in which the patient half re-
clines for 10 to Is minutes, are being employed
by DIR. Oskar FRANKIE, German physician. for
female nervous troubles. associated with in
creased pulse tension. From Is to 30 quarts of
oxygen are generated each time. The baths re-
duce the excessive blood pressure and exert
sedative action, each bath having been followed
by quiet sleep in a severe case of sleeplessness.
s's
The novel process of lifting in granite
quarrying seems to have effected a considerable
revolution in an.ancient industry, greatly re-
ducing work and expense. In some localities,
like Mt. Airy in North Carolina. large masses of
rock are solid and homogeneous, practically free
from joint cracks and bedding planes, and can
be split readily in straight line in any direction.
At such places it is practicable to separate i'm
mense horizontal sheets, several acres in extent
and of any desireds thickness, to be drilled and
split subsequently into the required sizes. A
hole is first drilled to a depth corresponding to
the thickness wanted say, six or eight feet
and pocket is formed at the bottom by explod-
ing little dynamite. after which successive and
increasing charges of powder are used to start
horizontal crack and extend it 70 or 100 feet in
all directions. Compressed air, at pressure of
70 to so pounds, is then forced into the hole, en-
larging the crack further until it becomes visi-
BILE on the hillside. At the Mt. Airy quarries,
two water-tube boilers, each of 2l0 horse power.
furnish steam for the compressor, which can de-
liver 1000 cubic feet of air per minute through
the six-inch pipes, driving the pneumatic tools
as we'll as "lifting'' the sheets of granite.
-.
Amixture of sulphuric ether, denatured alco-
hol, benzine, gutta percha. glycerine and amyl
acetate is used by H. Dugour, of Paris, for i'm
pregnating cloth, paper, wood, etc., and is
claimed to strengthen and preserve the mate
rails in addition to making them waterproof and
washable. For washable wall coverings the COM
position is mixed with and adhesive mordant and
powdered pigment before applying to the paper.
-.
The artificial butter of A. NJ. Sorensen, of
Hojslev, Denmark, is madeiby stirring cocoanut
fat with little salt and sugar at about 200 c.,
then cooling and kneading with milk containing
Tactic acid bacteria, yolk of egg, and a coloring
substance.
The immersion in oil of the working parts of
machinery has produced quitesremarkable re-
suits. W. Worby Beaumont, at the recent meet
ing of the British Association, POINTED out that,
since the advent of the motor car, the size of
gear-wheels has been reduced to one-tenth of
that formerly considered necessary to transmit
the power, and there has been extraordinary in
crease in endurance. While the special mate
rails used are entitled to some credit, the bath
fabrication has been the chief agent in improve
ment. The oil film taken up actually prevents
two teeth from comingin contact, and cars taken
to pieces after running 10000 miles have shown
not working part touched, the teeth being no
more worn than If they had been used but FIVE
minutes. The new method has been equally eff
fective on other parts besides the gears.
sts
The new glaze of Karl Fischer, of Salzbach,
Upper Bavaria, is claimed to reproduce the
beautiful velvety gloss which has made notable
certain Roman ware. It has been supposed that
the ancient workmen used fusible glaze con-
tanning lead, borc acid, silica, etc., but expert
ments with those materials have given no salts
factory results. A clay sludge is applied by Mr..
Fischer to the ware after the first baking. The
surface is polished, the ware being then fired,
and the long-sought gloss is brought out. Inter-
esting work with the new process will be done
at the German emperor's private pottery.
A's
The new eye-glass, or "periscope," of Com
mandant Soule de Cenac. of the French Legion
of Honor, serves the usual purpose of correcting
myopia and other defects of vision, and in addi
ton, by ingenious use of reflections gives views
at the side and behind. 1t has proven unexpec
tedly valuable to the deaf by warning them of
dangers that other people detect by hearing.
A FARM of ITO acres, located near Winchester,
We oNlA fam 6o1o fnu