Scientific Notes.

Lake County Press, Issue 2391, 31 August 1911, Page 7

Scientific Notes.

INFLUENCE OF TOBACCO. Dr. Hesse has carried out a series of experiments as to the influence of i tobacco. !u the groat majority of 25 subjects from 20 to 57 years of age he found that the action of smoking increased the frequency of the pulse as uadi as the arterial tension. Accordingly, tobacco should be forbidden to subjects whose heart is already affected, whose arteries are ailing, and to those who are predisposed to attacks of apoplexy, as the toxic action of tobacco and the arterial pressure may bring them on. THE AEROBOAT. The first Kngiish-huiit aero motorboat has been launched at East Cowes. The craft, which was designed hy a young Frenchman, At. Uovaud, is 20ft. long. There are two floats, or skimmers, which rest on the surface of the water and support a large hoat-shaped hull, or carriage, with an air propeller driven hy a 50-h.p. Gnome engine. The machine underwent a satisfactory floating test, and will he thoroughly tried when the weather is favourable. It is hoped that a great speed will he attained on it. THREE REAR-WHEEL MOTORCYCLE. An inventor in Camden, Maine, C.S.A., has attached two extra wheels to the rear of his motor-cycle, converting it into a unique, but. according to him, very practical four-wheeled mo-tor-cycle. Tim two extra wheels arc held half-an-iTich above the centra! wheel, so that when on a level, smooth stretch they do not come in contact with tin 1 road, in rounding corners, two rear wheels and the front wheel, ol course, carry the machine, and on rough or soli roads all three rear wheels conn' into action.

SUBSTITUTE FOR RUBBER. Tin' American Consul-General at Frankfort-on-Main says that according to a i»ul)iif.ation in that city, a German patent has been secured for the maunlactnre irom the soya bean of a product to take the place of rubber. The process consists in the reduction of the oil of the soya bean to a thick tough iionid by the addition of nitric acid. After further treatment with alkaloid solutions thi' mixture is heated to ijodeg., giving; a tough, highly elastic product, similar to rubber, which can be vulcanised by the same process as rubber. Numerous attempts have been made in the past to manufacture artificial rubber. Processes which in the laboratory gate excellent results have been impracticable on account of high cost. Whether this latest method will be successful remains to be provKLCCTIMCITV AM) COAL. Two engineers in Munich have completed tile plans of a huge airship of a rapacity of ihu.iko ellhle metres. it will he driven by six motors, with a total horse-power of g.gnoo, and is expected to attain a speed of sixty miles an hour. It is estimated that the airship will be able to carry jnn passengers at a time. ABSORBING HEAT. An interesting instance of the appli•alien on a large l scale of the principle hat black coloured substances readily , ihsorh the heat of the sun, has been , mted in the ease of a toll road in Cali- • ornia. This toll road from Truekee to |, .ah' Tahoe is closed early every win- | er by the immense snowfall, which in I* daces is twenty or thirty feet deep, j U the beginning of spring the owner j if the line lias Mack dirt scattered | long the surface of the snow when l lie j mows that his hidden road rims. The I aver of dirt, is not made so thick as to I nt. oil’ the sunlight from the snow com- j defelv. The effect is described as won- J ' lerfnl. In a short time a lone; depres- o ion is formed in the snow, and days t n'fore the ground is clear on either ihj ide iratlie is muniim - on hare ground, i"