The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1909-05-15
Correspondence Baltimore County Uns0n.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.
Many kilograms at Once-The Cleanest
Pavement-A Gasoline Electric Ferry
Reinforcing Our Body Guard-Steem
Engine Economy-Arcs of Various Col
ors-Briquettes for Home Gas-Straw
Boxes-A Normal Baby's Freak.
In the multiplex telegraphy of NJ. Mercadir,
as lately improved. several alternating-or I'M
dulatory currents are used on the line at the
same time. These currents differ in wave-length.
and as signals are sent by electromagnetic VI
orators or tuning forks, they are received in
monotelephones or vibrating plates each re-
spending only to impulses of the period of one
of the vibratOrs. The Morse signals are not only
heard in an ear tube but, if necessary, they can
be made to register well. For this delicate
lever is placed against the telephone disk, and as
the disk vibrates the lever is repeatedly repealed,
making contact for a local battery circuit
through Morse or Hughes register. Such de-
vice is the monotelephonic relay. In late trial
over 54O-mile line between Paris and MarseiIles,
six Hughes instruments and six monotelephone
relays were used at each end, and twelve differ
ent messages were sent over the same wire at
once. Two instruments using direct current
were also operating on the line. There was no
larger number of messages can be sent stimuli
taneously.
Nulkanol, new artificial paving stone that is
being tried in leading German cities, is a mix
ture of crushed basalt or similar rocks with
small percentage of cement The material is
made into blocks by hydraulic pressure, burned
about twelve days in a special furnace, and
cooled slowly. Pavements are laid on concrete
or macadam, thin sheets of the vulcanol being
used for sidewalks. 1t is claimed that the pave
ments cost less than granite or concrete, are
tough and durable, are SO hard and close jointed
as to be quite free from dust, and are more
easily cleaned than other kinds
"a
The new ferryboat at Guilleboeuf, near the
the mouth of the Seine, has two paddle wheels,
which are driven at 90 revolutions per minute
by two electric motors making $40 revolutions
Current for each motor is supplied by De
Diongasoline engine and dynamo of 70 horse
power.
| -
While it may not be possible to lengthen life
greatly or indefinitely, as Metchnikofr and others
have been inclined to think, it must be true that
enlightened care will add the efficiency of the
human engine and tend to lengthen to some de-
gree its period of service. DR.. Doyen, of Paris,
has been studying the agents that change the
human body in the process of aging, and finds
that they represent self poisoning from food
and the various disorders experienced in every
lifetime. In his search for remedy for the
self-poisoning, he has found himself able to
strengthen the white corpuscles of the blood in
their continual struggle with invading microbes.
He has discovered liquid ferment principle
that he calls "Mycolysine," and, while this is
not claimed to be elixir of life it has the re-
markable property of increasing the production
OF leucocytes, or white blood corpuscles and
thus adding to the power of destroying harmful
microbes before they can cause infection.
practical use of this discovery is the shortening
of the duration of a number of common NAL
aides. cold in the head may be cured in half
an hour, and colds, bronchitis, pneumonia and
other diseases of the respiratory organs are to
some extent prevented, as are also certain dis
eases of the digestive organs, and even in diph-
liberia the added white corpuscles give effect to
| anti-diphtheritic serum.
-.
A portable engine and boiler built by R. Wolf,
OF Magdeburg, have shown remarkable results
in tests made by Prof. NJ. Guttermuth, of Darn
stadt. When developing 103 horsepower, the
engines steam consumption was only $3.50
pounds and the fuel consumption only 1.O6
works on superheated steam and is compounded,
both cylinders being in the smoke box and thus
jacketed by the hot fiue gases.
s+s
The flaming arc light can be given great va
riety of colors by varying the material impreg-
mating the carbon electrodes. Yellow, pearl
white, and red carbons are now sold-calcium
salts yielding the yellow strontium the red or
pink, and barium the white. The yellow. usually
preferred, gives the highest efficiency, and
white the lowest-or just little more light than
the open arc from pure carbon.
80
Briquettes of compressed calcium carbide have
been prepared by H. Koffier, of Vienna and are
claimed to be non-hydroscopic, keeping indefi-
nitely, and to avoid the danger of continuing to
give off gas after withdrawal of water. They are
made by intimately mixing finely granulated
carbide with binding material and COMPRISING
in molds. In contact with water, the briquettes
evolve acetyene at a perfectly uniform rate,
each particle of carbide being acted on only as
its protective covering is dissolved away, and
when the water is forced out of the apparatus
the material remains suspended absolutely in
active in the gas generated. AS the briquettes
gradually dissolve, the moist precpitated resi-
due falls away, ensuring complete use of the
| carbide.
| az
The advancing prices of wood throughout the
| world are leading to eager search for substi-
tutes. In Australia farmers have been packing
butter for export in pine boxes, but have recent
| ly found that box made from kavlin and straw
serves the purpose as well, and enables the pro-
ducers to keep up with the rapidly growing for
eign demand for butter. Over 100000 boxes,
costing about $1,000,0OO. are now used yearly
The new box is light, strong and damp proof
and is estimated to save $25O,OOO year.
| -.
month-old baby with full set of small but
perfectly developed teeth caused a sensation at
recent meeting of the Vienna Medical Society.
The premature appearance of teeth has been
known before, but in this case the child is nor
NAL in the development Of bones and hair and in
nutrition, healthy boy of normal parentage,
and the doctors are at loss to explain the TWEEN
| ty fine teeth.
The light intensity of the moonless night sky
is estimated by L. ]. Lewinson at 0.OO01 candle
foot; of moonlight, 0014 candle-foot; and of
daylight, between A NJ. and p. NJ. from 1000
| to 5000 candle-feet. Some clouds increase,
others greatly decrease. the intensity of illumi-
nation.