Science and Invention.

Lake County Press, Issue 2186, 12 September 1907, Page 7

Science and Invention.

ALCOHOL distilled from currants is being used for lighting purposes in some parts of Greece. The lamps using this illuininaut are giving great satisfaction. They are fitted with mantles, and give an extremely bright light. Dr. Tuffler, of the Bcaujon Hospital, Paris, announces a successful ute of electricity in producing a sleep of insensibility, which can be maintained, and in the administration of which the heart is not affected. He is hopeful it will do away with the usual anaesthetics. Compressed air is now used, in at least one large iron foundry, for almost every operation connected with the making of a finished casting. The air is supplied at 80-lb pressure by a number of electric, motordriven compressors of different capacities. During excavations at Winchester Cathedral, a yard measure has been discovered in the grouting and flints. It is made of boxwood, and is in a perfect state of preservation, with the inches, half-inches, and quarter-inches marked. Tasted by the existing yard, it was found to be slightly shorter, presumably owing to its shrinkage ; u its long interment. In all probability it was left there by a workman in 1500.

Soap Made From Petroleum. A hot patented process for tkc manufac turo of a high-grade soap, by the saponi-" Ccation of petroleum, was demonstrated at a city hotel recently. Several pounds of the new soap were manufactured under the surveillance of the audience, and the most interesting and important item in the process was the formation of an emulsion of lubricating petroleum and Panama wood. It is claimed for this new soap that it can bo man ufaetured at a lesser cost to the manufacturers than the present cost of the raw materials alone. It is the joint invention of an engineer and a chemist of French nationality, to whom a patent has been granted. Electricity is the Medicine of the Future. In a recent exhaustive address on ‘the action of electricity on human beings,’ this noted scientist, who is a member of the Physiological Institute of Paris, expressed himself most favourable to the future use of electricity, lie not only proves that it was excellent for certain maladies, but declared that it was to be the medicine of the future. He is of the firm belief that electricity will bring about a therapeutic revolution. Many of our best known physicians have written important treatises on the subject. In one of these Dr. Hughes Dennett says : ‘ A large and important class of diseases—viz., those of the nervous system —have more especially baffled our attempts, and when we consider what complicated and delicate structures are hero involved, our camparative ignorance of even their healthy functions, and our still greater want of knowledge of their conditions in disease, any agent which can throw light upon these difficult problems cannot fail to prove of immense practical service. In comparatively recent times electricity in its different forms has been utilised for this purpose, and although at present our knowledge of all its advantages is as yet imperfect, there are already enough facts to indicate the great practical importance of the subject.’

Lifts That Side Slip. There are four lifts or elevators, as they say, in Boston, United States, which do not go straight up and down, but travel Gft. horizontally during their ascent. The remarkable thing about them is that the lift floor remains level all the time. These lifts are installed at the three-story Atlantic Chambers station of the East Boston tunnel. At tins point there are three levels where passengers go and come. The lower is where the tunnel cars are taken, the second is at the street level where the surface cars run, and the third, sGft‘ above the first, the platform of the elevated railway. In taking the flcvatcd_or tunnel cars, or in transferring from any one of the three lines to either of the others, the lifts are used. There arc two lifts on each side of the tracks, both operated by electricity. They arc the only ones in the world which do not go straight up and down and still maintain a perfectly level floor in their passage through a curved tube, in other words, these lifts travel on an incline or zig-zag plane. Had the elevators gone straight up and down it would have been necessary, of course, to build two station platforms at the street level, or else to have created in the street a building of prohibitive size with a waiting room beyond all requirements of the trail! j. The problem which had to be faced in the curved shaft was somewhat similar to that in the Eiffel tower, Paris, though in reality much more difficult. In the big Par's monument the lifts approach each othe* (gradually towards the top of the tower. But the slant at no one place in the tower is so considerable as in the Atlantic Chambers, an i the fact that the floor of the lift in the tower is a little oil the horizontal as the car gees up does not seriously discommode the passengers. In the Atlantic Chambers the angle is such that it was absolutely necessary to contrive a means by which the lifts going up and down inclining shafts a distance of 56ft. and at the same time travelling Gft. in a horizontal direction, should have level floors in their ascent and descent, Where they start at the bottom on the tunnel level they arc 24ft. apart. When they reach the stmt flour they are within twelve feet of each other.

sterling excellence, it will demand inlli cn 'o and secure respect. Mastery of one’s work conies through mastery of one’s self. Laggard inclinations, cowardly fears, weak ballings in the face of known duty, need the ri-Jentleofl whip of solf-mastcry.j

Those who wish for what they have not forfeit the enjoyment of what they have. Set a just term to your wishes, and when you have touched it make a stand; happiness only begins when wishes end, and he that hankers after more enjoys nothing.

Brothers and sisters who have spent their youth in enmity are not likely to become Iriends in maturity. Jt may indeed be laid down as a general principle that, other things being equal, the relations that are firmly established in the early years of home life will continue long after its control has ceased to exist.

In the course of our reading we should lay up in our minds a store of goodly thoughts in well-wrought words, which should be a living treasure of knowledge, always with us, and from which, at various times, and amidst all the sifting of circumstances, we might be sure of drawing some comfort, guidance and sympathy.

When a man marries he wants a helpmeet, not a beauty upon whom he must be for ever dancing attendance, not a brilliantly clover woman at whose feet he must be for ever sitting in admiration, but a woman full of love and sympathy, a partner who can bring into the partnership what he himself lacks, one who will help him, and for whom he will never tire of working and serving devotedly.

It was the custom of one old lady to say to the young people around her, ‘Be heartsome !’ It was good advice. To bo a sort of wet blanket in the world is certainly being a sort of human quencher of all that is good, wholesome, and 1 heartsome.’ It’s a fine word, that ‘ heartsome.’ It stands for strength, for kindness, for brightness, and humour ; it drives away the ‘ blues ’ as nothing else can ; and the man or woman who gives heart to others is the man or woman who is helpful in this weary old world. Be heartsome, whatever you are !

There are those who read to kill time, as a refuge—oh ! shame, shame —from themselves. There are those who read because some work is in fashion, and it were bad taste not to be able to talk about it. There are those who read in order to give the public the benefit of their judgment—those mysterious men. the critics. There are those who read indiscriminately with morbid wideness of taste, as the savage devours earth. Lastly, there are those who' road little, but with discernment ; whoso books are their honoured friends —‘ the souls who have made their souls wiser.’—Canon Afnger.