Scientific and Useful

New Zealand Graphic, 6 April 1907, Page 31

Scientific and Useful

WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY. An impressive lecture ami demonstration of an entirely new form of wireless telegraphy was recently given in London by its inventor, Mr Valdemar Poulsen. In wireless telegraphy as we now know’ it, the condition of things may be expressed ■ very imperfectly an*' very simply by saying that the electric spark occurring between two highly charged bodies gives rise to an electric ripple in the ether, as a stone dropped into a still pond will give rise to a ripple on the surface of the water. According to Sir William Preece, who was chairman at Mr Poulsen's lecture, that gentleman’s invention has sounded the deathknell of spark telegraphy. Mr Poulsen likens his system to a tuning-fork giving out steady and continuous vibrations, in sharp distinction to the series of explosions to which the spark form of electricity might be compared. He claims that by his system absolutely perfect tuning is possible, so that there can be no mixing up of messages intended-'for different recipients, and also that un authorised tapping of messages will be an impossibility. Moreover, he looks forward to solvng the problem of wireless telephony. The reality of the wireless energy was dearly and unmistakably demonstrated to the audience, for jnean- - descent lamps were lighted without any metallic connection, copper-wire was melted in mid-air, and various other Striking experiments performed. RED NOSES ELECTRICALLY CURED. Among the lesser evils to which the human flesh is heir, the possession of a red nose may be counted as one of the most distressing to its unfortunate owner. Various causes may be assigned to the phenomenon; but this question may be charitably disposed of by simply stating that the immediate cause is abnormally enlarged blood-vessels. ' A German professor has invented an eleetri.’. vibrator or concussion instrument which from the description appears, as it were, to punch' the nose under operation hutsdyeds of times a second with a bundl," of about 50 gilded platinum points, remarks “Chambers.” The 'application of the instrument is said to Cause bleeding, and there does not appear to be any good reason for doubting the statement. However, it is said that the patients are able in most cases to endure the rapidly repeated pricking without inconvenience, and one or two treatments a week are sufficient to bring the most, abnormal noses back to their pristine purity and whiteness. As this desirable result i“ said to be attained without the destruction of the excessive blood-vessels or leaving any scar, the patient may presumably return to those courses which caused the blushing of the sensitive member in the pleasurable certainty that it the roseate hue should onee more appear it may again be put to flight with a little nibre electrical "inconvenience.” ♦ ♦ ♦ . LIVING CRYSTALS. There is perhaps nothing more striking about the revelations of modern science than its continual tendency to break down old boundaries; and there are those who believe that at some future time all boundaries will'have been removed, and nature will stand revealed as something infinitely' simple.- The attempt to draw a line between the animal and vegetable kingdoms has long ago been abandoned, and now even the'boundary between living and dead is threatened. In a striking communication by I’rofessor O. Lehmann at a concourse of German physicians and jihyseists at Stuttgart, it wa" shown Hint the., crystals of numerous substances’ .the of life as rev’calgijJii some of the lowest organisms with which modern science i A familiar? All substances vvhieli crystallise do so in a form* peculiarly their own, mid maiiy of these' forms arc strikingly - like vegetable , stiwtures.

to start it, crystals are capable of growth, and they will also absorb substances from the surrounding medium, and thereby poison themselves, as it were, and deform their natural development. But while living things are fluid or partially so,' crystals have always been believed to be solid. Now’, however, Professor Lehmann has shown that liquid crystals may be produced, and about 50 varieties are mentioned. Among them we find soft-soap, which consists of innumerable soft crystals. Several chemicals, mostly with alarming names, are quoted as exhibiting very wonderful crystalline forms. Some are viscous fluids, which, under the microscope, are found. t>. consist of distinctly’ crystalline structures in constant motion. Another chemical is as liquid as water, but everv drop is demonstrably a distinct crystal Others even have Hie.power of assuming the form of a chain resembling a baaterium, and sometimes these rods are of spiral form and are occasionally seen in serpentine motion. When it is remarked that the rods eventually break up and the fragments'develop into perfect individuals, it will be seen that the resemblance between these crystallin? structures and some of the lowest forms of life is practically complete. In apyrase, it appears,to be impossible to draw a definite line separating the one from the other. '♦ ♦ ♦ THE WORLD'S COSTLIEST DRUG. One of the newest, most important, and most expensive drugs on earth is that known as adrenalin. Those who are not physicians will be first interested in learning that adrenalin costs 4/ a grain—that is £l4OO a pound. Adrenalin is the most powerful astringent, hemostatic, and heart tonic known. If you do not know what an astringent is, bite an unripe pomegranate. Its astringent effect will pucker up your mouth. Just so adrenalin puckers up the walls of the smaller blood-vessels, so that the blood cannot flow from them even if their ends are severed. Since this costly drug closes and contracts the arteries, even when they are ent by the surgeon's knife, it is most valuable in all forms of haemorrhage. But it has another great and all-import-ant use. Experiments have proved that it is a most powerful heart stimulant. It will bring back to life a heart that is being killed by chloroform. Chloroform, though quick in its action, is dangerous, but nuist. often be used, when every moment is valuable, where there are many patients, as in military hospitals in war-time. So, if choloroform is necessary, it is of the greatest possible value to know that adrenalin can be injected into a vein and prevent isiich heart failure as an overdose of choloroform often causes. This action of adrenalin has been proved by many experiments. ♦ ♦ ♦ EARTHQUAKES. Speaking on the subject of earthquakes and geysers before a large audience at the Imndon Institution, Mr. W. Herbert Garrison observed that the 37 seismographs tbro.uglimit the world recorded every year 30,000 earthquakes, big and small, of which 50 each year were sufficiently’ large to shake the whole earth throughout its entire mass. So far ns seismic disturbances were concerned—at least those of maximum intensity— the British Isles enjoyed a position of "glorious isolation."’ simply earth tremors being experienced here. In Japan there were from 30,000 to 33,000 earthquakes every year. It was estimated that not 10 per cent of the, damage done at San Francisco was immediately caused by the earthquake. 00 per cent,being caused by fire' when the water and the dynamite used by the authorities to check the fire when the water was exhausted. The earthquake whhih «Jejs.tmyed Han Francisco meant a' movement of anything up to 50.000/100, critic miles .of rock.