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About The gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 6, 1914)
g Inventions and Appliances Health and Sanitation home and farm magazine recttton NEW HOTEL APPLIANCE. IN the eenter of the lobby of a hotel newly constructed at Woreester, . Masa, s large electrically illumi nated clock is embedded in the floor. The clock is covered with a plate-glass faee one inch thick and two feet in diaractor. The numerals and minute marks are etched in by sand-blasting on the under side of the glass, which is held in placo by strong bronze rings. The face of the clock is lighted by elec tric lamps, and in the evenings its luminous countenance forms the most striking feature in Ihe hotel. The clock is a self-winder. Its hands are driven by a Bpring-operated and bal-ance-wheel-controUed train set in a re cess in tho floor. This recess is formed by a metal box 10 inches deep, which is painted white inside. Eight inches below each numeral on the glass face is a ten-watt tungsten lamp placed horizontally. The white finish of the containing box reflects the light from the twelve lamps evenly through the dial. A small motor operated by tbfee dry cells at intervals of five minutes winds the spring of the clock. These cells, it is estimated, vail suffice for the work ing of tho clock for one year before a new battory must be installed. Thus, costs of maintenance are little, while the satisfaction which tho timepiece brings to tho idle lobby lounger who may watch the minutes flying at his feet is large. DIAMOND CAEGOES CARRIED BT AEROPLANES. THE use of aeroplanes for bringing diamonds from the mines to the coast is one of the features in the big developments in aviation now be ing planned for German Southwest Africa. This country is a difficult and dangerous one to traverse by land, not only on account of the jungles and other natural obstacles, but because of the robber bands with which it is infested. It is now necessary to Fend troops to guard each shipment of diamonds, and the aeroplanes, which will curry mail as well as diamonds, will be a saving both in time and money. In addition to this service tho German government is arranging to establish an aeroplane service for scout work and other mili tary duty in the interior, and with this in view, aeroplanes are being shipped to Africa and soldiers are being trained in tho art of flying. An important part of tho airmen's work will be the carry ing of doctors about tho colony, and with this mean's of transportation it will be possible for doctors to reach, within a few hours, remote villages that it now takes several days to reach. INVENTIONS DEMONSTRATED BY MOTION PICTURES. MOVIING FICTURE films havo re cently been applied to tho demon stration before tho patent courts of the operation of complicated ma chinery. From the fact that few jurors aro mechanically trained men, the in tricate relation of moving parts in an invention is exceedingly difficult for them to grasp, especially when only blue prints or drawings are submitted. But when the machine is seen in operation, or a film depicting such operation is shown, many obscure points aro cleared up. Not long since, a motion-picture film of an automatic shoe machine was exhibited before a court, tho process of manufacture from first to last being fully covered, and an especially valu able point mado that, where in a fac tory the rapidity of operation was a bar to a clear understanding of the process, in the film the camera could be slowed down at such places, and the pro cess studied at leisure. Then again the film, while clearly showing the metltod, was free from the distraction of the factory noise. PECULIAR ACCIDENT FROM COM MON CHEMICAL. RECENTLY a serious fire was start ed in a coat pocket of a man who carelessly placed two chlorate-of-potash tablets in tho pocket with a box of safety matches. Brushing against the side of the door, he pressed the tablets against the coating on tho out side of the match box, with the result that an intense fire was started in his coat pocket, and ho was severely burned. Bed phosphorus is used in the mannfaeture of safety matches and is placed on the box, instead of on the head of the match. The head of a safety match contains chlorate of potash, which, containing much oxygen, flares up strongly when rubbed against the phosphorus on the side of the box. Thus tho careless practice of carrying chlorate-of -potash tablets, commonly supposed to bo entirely harmless, in the same pocket with a "safety" box, may result in serious injury. A LIVE MINNOW IN A GLASS TUBE FOB BAIT. OF INTEREST to fishermen is a novel contrivance recently patent ed for using a single live minnow for an entire day's fishing for muskel lunge or bass. A strong, clear glass tube is equipped with metallic rings, to which are attached clusters of hooks, and a loop wire. A live minnow is placed within the tube, which is filled with water, and the fishline is attached to the wire loop. Upon casting the min now into the water, the tube magni fies the minnow and attracts tho large fish. Fresh water is constantly ad mitted into the tube, and the minnow is not injured, mutilated nor hurt in any way, no matter how many times it is cast. Tho glass tube, filled with water, is invisible the moment it is sub merged. HOT-WEATHER ICE AFFORDS SKATING IN SUMMER. Jt GERMAN patent has been issued J"l to a scientist of Berlin for a spe cial salt composition which be haves like ice under skates, sleighs and skis. Demonstrated on a rink in Ber lin, scarcely anyone of the numerous visitors who ventured upon the smooth surface was awaro of the fact that it was salt and not ice upon which he was enjoying himself. The composition of the salt is at present a trade secret, but thc"preparation is not affected by ordi nary temperatures, and is melted and poured into blocks, which are combined so that any size smooth surface may be obtnined. Under the action of skate blades, the composition acts like ice, and the feathery powder worn from the surface is swept off like snow, and can be used over and over again by melting it. BRIDGE IN HALVES. UILDING a bridgo in halves, in stead of in one operation, was the method employed in constructing the four track railway viaduct across Gwynn s Falls, Baltimore. This scheme was employed in order that thero might be no interruption to traffic across the street. Tho first half of tho new bridge was built alongside of an old structure, the latter carrying the trains while the new work was going on. When tho first hnlf had been completed the old bridge was demolished, and, while the second half of the new structure was being enctcd trains were running over the other half. Tho viaduct is 580 feet long and 6S feet wide. It is built en tirely of concrete and has main arch spans of 115 feet. TRAPPING MOSQUITOES. MOSQUITOES that light on the eeil Itl ing may be easily destroyed with an instrument consisting of a cover, such as used on jelly glasses, nailed to the end of an old broom handle. A little kerosene oil is placed in the cover and tho device is passed closely beneath the location of the mos quitoes. They will be overcome by the fumes and drop into the fluid as soon as it comes under them. MIRRORS ON CARS. In Berlin, Oormany, mirrors have been attached to the sides of cars at tho hoight of a passenger's head when standing on the lower step. It is hoped by this means to reduce the number of accidents to passengers through being run down by on-coining traffic THE DAILY BATH. THERE is a no more efficient agency for health than a daily bath. It may be hot or cold as circumstances seem to warrant The Japanese are sticklers for the hot bath, so hot that a person will almost seem to be boiled, and they . are a healthy people. Snch a bath is usually taken at night. The English people and others are more ad dicted to the cold bath taken in the morning and they are a healthy people, The methods of taking a cold bath would naturally differ according to the sensitiveness of the person. While one may jump into a river or a bathing tank and take a long swim and feel refreshed by it, another cannot stand it, but would require that the water be warmed sufficiently to prevent any chill. During the warm weather of sum mcr if a person can take a cold bath in the morning he will undoubtedly find it a tonic. If to get into the bath tub seems too severe, a sponge bath can be substituted, or it can bo taken with a wet towel, the body being thor oughly sponged and immediately wiped dry and vigorously so as to promote the circulation of blood in the skin. Such a bath excites the internal organs to a reaction against the cold, therefore m creasing their activity and causing them to throw off any effete matter within their jurisdiction. Thus the lungs will give off an increased amount of carbonic acid gas and the kidneys an increased amount of urea. The warm bath is particularly service able at night time after a hard day's work, for it promotes the removal from the tissues of the waste products that have accumulated during the period of activity whose presence in the muscles is the cause of the feeling of weari ness. Fifteen or twenty minutes in a hot bath will remove the ache from the muscles and substitute a feeling of quietness conducive to sleep. : If very hot it excites the heart and causes a more copious flow of blood through it, and it should, therefore, be followed by a spray or douche of tepid water to reduce that condition, nor should it ex ceed twenty minutes because of the weakening efect it would have by over stimulating the heart and the blood vessels and brain. JUSTIFIABLE SLAUGHTER. IF THERE arc any rats around yonr house, kill them. If your fields are overrun with squirrels( kill them. No one need hesitate over such cold blooded treatment. These animals are not necessary for health, although the rat is a scavenger. It is better to keep the dirt and filth cleaned np about the place than to permits rats to do it. Roth rats and squirrels, under proper conditions, are disease breeders. The appearance of the plague in New Or leans has been traced to the fleas that infest the rats. The same result fol lowed the investigations of "the appear ance of the plague in San Francisco somo years ago. The great plague in London iu IGOj was produced in the same way, and when the great London fire occurred in IfifiO plague disappeared and no cases occurred in the city until 1900, ' as the fire burned up all the rats in the infected part of the city. After the appearance of plague in San Francisco quite extensive investigation of the squirrels in the surrounding coun try revealed that they were infested with the same kind of plague fleas that were found on the rats, and a cam paign was inaugurated for their exter mination.' As it is no use to try to ex terminate the fleas, those nimble car riers of disease, it is better and easier to make a campaign against the rats and squirrels. They have no friends to mourn their departure, nor is there any argument for their retention. Put these two animalB on your list with the mos quitoes and flics for extermination. It is undoubtedly true that in the in terior of the country them is little danger ftom plague. It is generally found in eoast cities, which probably obtain it by the importation of rats from other countries where the disease prevails, such as Egypt, Africa and Asia, where it has been known from as early as the second eentury before Christ. Tho fatal character of the dis ease is proved by the fact that about one ont of three of those afflicted by it die. It makes its appearance about five days after infection, and strong men go down before it as rapidly as do those of delicate health. Death or recovery also occurs in from four to five days. This virulence prevents peo pie infected with the disease from carrying it any distance. SLEEP AND HEALTH. YOU cannot burn the candle at both ends and have it. You cannot go without sleep and exhaust the body every day with work and remain healthy. The phenomenon of sleep is a' vital necessity, as it has been demon strated that animals die more quickly if deprived of sleep than they do if deprived of food. People, however, vary much in top amount of sleep they re quire for an apparent recuperation from previous exhaustive exertion. Edison gets along with about four hours of sleep, and works practically all the rest of his day with no apparent diminu tion of energy. Other people, using far less energy in their daily work, require eight hours sleep in order to feel re cuperated. Every person must, there fore, becomo a rule unto himself and se cure the sleep necessary for his daily toil. The canse of sleeplessness is evident ly a nervous one, and hygienic measures are believed to furnish the best cure, although there are instances where hypnotic treatment has been necessary. The use of drugs is simply the estab lishment of a habit. They may put yon to sleep tonight, but you need them to morrow night, and the system soon de mands them. Every means outside of the use of drugs should, therefore, be taken to woo sleep, and drags taken only when it seems necessary for the actual preservation- of the health in order to compel the nerves to let down. Besides the formation of habit the use of drugs has an injurious effect upon the system. Some are difficult to digest, while others produce kidney trouble ana. others have a Had eftect on the heart and breathing, and may be dangerous to consumptives and people with weak hearts. FOOD VALUE OF NUTS. HUTS are a most important food for those who discard meat from the dietary. Vegetarians may manage, but fruitarians cannot get along with out nuts. They are a highly concen trated food, rich in oil, and should therefore be taken with great modera tion, especially in hot weather. In fact, they are essentially a cold-weather food, being stored up by the nut-eating animals for use in the winter months. Where, as is often the ease -among civilized people, the teeth are defective the nuts should be ground in a hand mill, or made into a cream, or butter. Ground nuts with fruit, or salad plants, as lettuce or watercress, or "cold slaw, ' ' make a complete and thorough-. ly nourishing dietary, when properly masticatfd. On an average, one pound of nuts is equal in nourishment to two and a half pounds of beefsteak. J INDIGESTION. ONLY when hunger is present are there juices in the stomach ready to dispose of food that is eaten. Otherwise, the food lies there mixed with mucus, then slowly rots and fer ments, causing the formation of gas, that presses with great foree in all directions, and sometimes makes a man think he is going to die of heart dis ease. Meantime, however, the ingestion of this food into the stomach, giving that overworked organ increased labor, has for a short time caused a feeling of false nervous energy that if mis taken for renewed strength. . THE ROAD TO HEALTH. WHEN under perfect conditions of right living, the road to health is not level. It has its up and downs. depending largely on atmospheric and temperamental conditions. Like a moun tain path, the ascent is not uniformly steady, although there is always a gradual gam or loss. Again, the vitality is always higher in the morning, de clining as the sun sinks, and the blood becomes surcharged with fatigue stuffs. "All odors and hero" is the Inflexible nile nf charcoal. If the charcoal it made red hot and thin cooled jeiora uiing its virtues aro increased.