The Baltimore County union, the Towson news., 1909-09-04
CorTsspondence Baltimore County Union.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.


SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.
Making New Bacteria "A Drill With
Grip-The New Coinage Metal-Acid
Corroeion by Alkaline Water-Strong
Drink and Consumption-A New Ar
NOR Piercing Bullet The Family
Kinematograph-Air Poisoning-Rat
Leather.
One of the most remarkable of recent biologi-
cal discoveries is that certain living organisms
may be artincally impressed with a definite
new character, which-at once becomes heredi-
tary, and may be transmitted to numberless
generations. The discovery was made about
three years ago in Frankfort. where Massini
found that a bacterial intestinal parasite culti-
waited in the presence of milk sugar acquired
the new property of producing lactase, the en-
lyme that decomposes milk sugar. Shortly af-
terward a second bacterium having the same
popularity was noted by Burk, and since then
three others have been made known by DIR.
Reiner Mueller. It appears that when the cul-
ture of bacteria exhausts its usual food, some
of the group suddenly try the new substance.
These develop so rapidly as to rise up above the
others in the culture, forming the knob" by
which the altered bacteria are recognized, and
the acquired taste is retained and handed down
to other generations. DIR. Mueller has made
systematic study of hundreds of kinds of bac-
terra in the presence Of IS sugars and other car
bohydrates. He has found many bacteria that
develop the characteristic knobs with arabi-
nose dulcite saccharose or other material, but
very few were affected by more than one sub
stance. Typhoid bacilh were altered In four
days on agar containing one per cent. of isodul-
cite. The phenomena have practical value, such
as giving the chemist reagents for detecting
carbohydrates, and the physician tests for rec
ognizing various diseases.
~
In the novel electromagnetic drill of Burck-
hardt, German engineer, electromagnetic on
both sides of the drill spindle hold the machine
firmly against the work, and an electromotor ro-
tates the tool for drilling, countersinking or
other operation. The machine is designed for
ship-yards and machine-shops generally.
Aluminium coins have been found by abrasion
experiments at the French mint to wear less
rapidly than coins of gold. silver even bronze.
The recent conclusion that all boiler corrosion
is result of galvanic action is being questioned,
and another cause has been brought to the no
tice of the Society of Chemical Industry by G..
N. Huntley. In this case sulphur appears to
have produced the pitting of boiler. Increase
in the caustic soda used had no effect and the
water was slightly alkaline, but blisters formed
especially near the water-line-provedt to con-
tain ferrous sulphate with a slight excess of
sulphuric acid. The investigation has suggested
an explanation of the curious acid corrosion in
alkaline water. The sulphur contained in the
water seems to be first oxidized to sulphuric
acid, and this attacks the metal about it, depos-
iting oxides that form membrane permeable
to oxygen but not to alkali. Thus the acid con-
tinues its work of corrosion, while protected
against naturalization by shield of its own
construction.
A striking connection between alcoholism and
tuberculosis has been brought out by Jacques
Bertillon in a set of maps based on the latest
French statistics. The maps show that in the
north of France the consumption of brandy per
inhabitant is much greater than in the central
and southern portions, and that the line of sep
aration corresponds to that of the limit of vine
culture. In wine drinking regions the use of
brandy is small. The phthisis map agrees very
closely with the alcoholism map, and indicates
that the use of brandy and other strong alco-
holic beverages gives conditions specially favor
able for the development of tuberculous dis
ease. Phthisis among saloon-keepers, moreover,
is more than twice as frequent as among other
merchants, the yearly deaths being $40 and 245
respectively in each 100000. In Paris phthisis is
twice as common among males as among fe-
males and this also seems to be due to the fact
that alcoholism is chiefly confined to men.
SA+
A new Austrian rife bullet, designed to pierce
the shields of field guns has a harp-pointed
hard steel core, which is encased in lead coat
ing contained in a pointed steel outer covering.
A special explosive, giving greatly increased
muzzle velocity, is used with this bullet In
tests by the Austrian authorities, the core pene-
trated steel gun-shields 500 yards away, the lead
and steel coverings being left behind when the
projectile strikes.
In being adapted for the home. moving pic
lures have entered a new and very promising
stage. A simple apparatus recently patented Is
described as only three feet long by one foot
wide and one foot deep. 1t is provided with
ground glass at one end, on which picture by
10 inches in size can be thrown. but if larger
view is required, the ground glass can be re-
moved, when the imagine will be projected upon
a white sheet or other surface provided, and
will be enlarged more or less, according to the
distance from the machine of this new screen.
Any convenient light = such as an acetylene
bicycle lamp-will serve for an illumination. It
is expected that the apparatus will be made in
variety of styles, from cost of dollor or two
to quite expensive outfits, and the spools of
film, lasting two or three minutes, are to be
furnished at prices comparable to those of
photograph records. Freedom from risk of fire
is claimed, as the film is heated much less than
by the powerful lights necessary for the larger
machines.
The sand blast as polisher is now followed
by the simple air-blast The erosive power, of
course, is not so great, but when the articles to
be cleansed or finished are placed In basket In
rapidly driven centrifugal machine, and hot
air is blown from pipe through the basket, a
high polish is impaired rapidly and efficiently.
Furnished nickel or silver and objects not re-
quiring deep cutting are given brilliant new
surface. Special care in packing the articles is
taken, so that the air jet may be projected
against all sides and thus made to act evenly
and completely.
The pestiferous rat is proving to be CONNER
cially valuable for other purposes than to feed
the Chinaman. The skin makes q fine leather,
and this is coming into demand for binding,
gloves and variety of useful and ornamental
articles. The production of this leather is esti-
mated to amount already to $25OOOO yearly. The
demand is much greater than the supply, and it
is said that advertisements for the skins in all
quantities are appearing in rat-infested To-
calities.
CASTOR|A
For Infants and Children.