Amador ledger., 1909-12-31

phere A New Balloon Casa Dis
ease of Many OriginsA Safety
Glass
The gum-arabic mucilagc on certain
envelopes was found to have changed TO
a brownish-yellow, spongy substance,
without adhesiveness, and it soon ap-
peared that the strange effect was shown
only on envelopes which had been
prined or covered with a Autographed
design. On investigation, Werner
Shmidt, German chemist, has traced
the action to something probably ozone
or hydrogen peroxide off bv dry
ing oils as they oxidize and harden. |
The binding agent of all printing inks
is linseed-ol varnish, and the 'radi-
alton" from this had something of the
effect of the emanaticn from radium,
giving shadow pictures of metal, glass,
ETC.. on Photographic plates as well as
on sheets coated with gum arabic. The
effects differ from radioactivity, how
ever, which does not alter the gum.
The oXidizing action of the hydrogen
peroxide or other emanatIon from the
lnseed oil is exerted through a
moderate thickness of celluloid, gela-
tine, paper, etc., and it may leave such
marks as bleaching on objects near at
hand.
Seedlings of two widely differing
types have been produced by j. Bre-
zezinsk from the common horseradish,
plant described by botanists as practi'
cally never seeding. In the expert
ments, as described to the Cracow
Academy of Sciences, two plans of
stimulating seed production were tried.
Grating had no effect, but an annular
incsion around the root led to the pro-
duction of a considerable number Of
seeds, and some of these have germi-
mated and yielded the new plants.
The poison of coal-gas has been
supposed to be the carbonic oxide, but
experiments by DR.. Won Vahlen, at
Halle, have shown poisonous effects
two or three times as great as could be
t psGaeI PRESENT III Il fS'svTG. rnat coal
gas is not made on-poisonous by re-
moving this constituent, though what
the other poisonous substance may be
is not yet determined.
Kerosene vapor has replaced acetylene
gas in the illumination Of the Lighthouse
at Leghorn, Italy, In the Lux"
system, the oil is forced through
vaporizer. by a pressure of 2.3 atmos-
pheres, and the burning of the vapor in
Bunsen burner heats a mantle to
incandescence. Cylinders of compressed
! carbon dioXide having proven an eX-
pensve and troublesome means of get
ling pressure, resort was had TO COM
pressed air, Air is forced into an empty
carbon dioXide cylinder with hand
pump, and it is only necessary to charge
the cylinder to five atmopsheres once q
, day. The new light is much brighter
than that obtained with the eight acety-
lene burners previously used. The fuel
costs less than half as much as the
acetYlene, less than three-fourths of
pound per hour being used, and deterior-
ton is much less than that of the acety
lene apparatus, When'properly working,
the mantles last about ~ days. The
system is easily operated, and requires
chiefly constant oversight and cleanli
ness. 1t seems to be an excellent
solution. of the problem of a powerful
light in isolated places.
incubation of lead with mineral salts
has been found to impart a slowly pro-
progressing sickness analogous to that
set up by bacteria in living bodies, and
the end is falling to pieces after
number of years of disintergation. The
matter. has been investigated by Prof. c.
Matignon, of thesCollege of France, in
consequence OF the crumbling to dust of
ancient lead vases, medals, ETC.. in the
Museum of Cluny. He finds that the
objects we're mpregnated during burial
in the soil or under water, The sick
ness is artifically produced by imparting
traces of salt to fresh lead, and if the
impregnating saltssare not removed, the
result is invariably fatal.
Three kinds of ightning-s sheet,
globular and bead-are pointed out by
Prof. Elihu Thompson as subjects for
the enterprising investigator. Sheet
lightning is momentary glow or flash
without sound, usually in downpour of
rain. In glObular lightning, the ball may