A MARVELLOUS MACHINE.

Cromwell Argus, Volume XXXX, Issue 2130, 8 February 1909, Page 7

A MARVELLOUS MACHINE.

Mr. Carl Snyder lias just demonstrated that the sensitiveness of all human organs seems very gross indeed, as compared with that of the implements of a present day laboratory. We think of f eye and the ear us marvels of mechanism. However, a photographic plate, with a telescope, will disI cover millions of stars whaso light flio retina does no appreciate ; and the microscope, with its revelations of the world of the infinitely small evidences the comparative crudeness of the human sense of sight. The ear hears but little of what is going { ing on about us. The microphone makes the thread of the fly sound like a tramp of cavalry. < >ur heat-sense is very vague; wo cannot realise a difference of temperature beyond one-fifth of a degree. The barometer, however, an ! instrument “no,non Linus as senjsitive as the skin, will note a difference of a millionth of a, degree. A galvanometer will (lex its finger at the current generated by simply deforming a drop of mercury so as to press it I out of a spherical shape into that | of an egg. The amount of work done by a wink of the eye would equal too billions of the winks marked on the scale of a very delicate instrument ; even its performance, however, is far surpassed by the “coherers ” of Branly, of Paris, by which the Hertz, waves of wireless telegraphy are caught in their pulsings through space. The range of impressions which wo get from lifting an object is very small ; an ordinary chemist's balance is some 20 million times as sensitive. The latter will weigh \ down the 200 th part of a milli- ! gram. I Without such instruments as these we should know very little of the world about us. With them we have come to kmow a great deal. They make it evident that our sense gives us reports only of a comparatively small number of comparatively gross stimuli. —“Popular Science Siftings.” j

There are some new coins just out, all fresh from the Mint —three a penny.

Wo told Jack about it. “Nonsense !” he said. "Third of a penny ! Why, it would upset bo okkeepi ng horribly.’’ “Not at all. Here they are.” We produced two farthings and a halfpenny, brand new from the Mint. Jack is now planning revenge.

“Darling,” exclaimcs the happy husband, after the minister had pronounced them one, “I am nof worthy of your love.” “Of course you’re not,” she replied, “but at my age a girl can’t afford to let even an opportunity like this to go by.