Newspaper Page Text
LITTLE HARM
Done WHEN
IT RAINS
STEEL DARTS
ALL
OVIK
Why Science Does NOT Believe Them EFFECTIVE WEAPONS for Aviators
Steel Darts Used by Aviators Showing How They
Are Inverted and Released.
A
By Prof. A. L. Hodgen
STORY came out of the war rone Rome months
ago to the effect that French aeroplane* had
been showering ateel darta from a great height
onto the Germans. One account aaid that these darta
fell with sufficient force to penetrate a man's helmet
and skull and continue on through his shoulder and
body and into the ground for quite a distance.
At the outset it should be said that it is possible for
darts dropped from a very great height to do what these
are said to have done; but, for reasons which will be
explained, it is highly improbable that the French
aviators sere able to inflict very much damage on the
enemy in this way. The story, however, whether true
or not, raises some very interesting questions about a
falling body's swiftness and how much it Is retarded by
the air.
The darts In question were probably small, heavy,
-elongated needles, having fluted ends to give rotation
and to prevent their turning over and over in the air.
They were probably shaped so ns to follow as closely as
possible what arc known as “stream lines," and thus
prevent the air from retarding them too much.
This matter of air resistance has been the subject of
an enormous amount of laboratory research work dur
ing Ihe last ten years It Is known, of course, that the
S/er/ D*rt
Box of Darta Carried Points Up as A. Unhoop It
and One Hundred Darts Fall Out as B.
air resistance varies when the surface of the falling
body is at right angles to its motion.
Take a big drop of water, for instance; it falls very
swiftly. Decrease tlie size of the drop continually and
the fall is slower and slower, till finally when a very
small mist drop (or what is known as a droplet) is
made, it may take an hour for it to fall one Inch. This
example shows the great effect on a falling body of the
air resistance.
This great decrease of velocity is explained on the
geometrical property of bodies. If a spnere Is decreased
in size its area decreases as the square of Its diameter,
but Its weight decreases as the cube
of Its diameter. As the weight Is the
thing which makes It come down, its
value, therefore, decreases much
faster than the value of the area.
But its area determines the amount
of air resistance. The more area
there is the more resistance to mo
tion. So as the retarding force does
not get smaller in as great a propor
tion as the pull downward, the body
slews up. It will always, however,
have some fall.
For this reason, a cloud—which
consists of small particles—Is always
falling when it Is in still air. It thus
is gradually evaporated and disap
pears while one is watching it. Gen
erally, however, there is a strearii
of air upward under a cloud, and so
more cloud is formed as other parts
evaporate. The motion of the air
upward keeps the particles from j
coming.down and being evaporated, s
A parachute gives a good illustra- ,
tlon of the third determining cause '/
In the rapidity of a falling body. It )
has been found that the greater the >
speed through the air the greater
the air resistance. The parachute^
starts out as a rock would, falling
slowly; then it gets faster and faster
till it opens out.
Now when it opens out a great
area is presented and a check takes
place. But soon it gets swifter and
swifter again.
If it wore not for this third law
this parachute would kee'p on get
ting swifter all the time, until, if it >
had started from a good distance up, \
it would strike the earth with a \
force that would kill its passenger, i
But as the parachute tries to get faster the resistance
of the air mounts up—not In exact proportion, but In
enormously greater proportion than the speed. It final
ly gets to a certain speed which it maintains thereafter,
no matter how far it has to fall.
In fact, during some experiments on airships It was
found that air resistance increased as the square of the
velocity for ail ordinary speeds, but soon rose to the
cube of the velocity at much greater speeds. Suppose
that a thing had a certain high speed where this law
held and the speed increased to twice what it was. The
air resistance would Immediately be eight times what
it was before. There is, therefore, a limit to the speed
that any body can attain in the air. There is practically
none to what it could attain in free space.
It has also been found out that the resistance of the
air depends on the shape of a body. If it be made to
conform to what are known as natural “stream lines,”
which play Aich an important part in the construction
of automobiles, the resistance is much decreased for
any speed.
It Is interesting to compute what velocity these
French darts might have attained in free space. This
of course, can only be approximated, because we do r.c'
know their exact shape, material and weight, or tin
height from which they were dropped.
If they were dropped from a distance of a mile uj
their velocjty In free space (that Is, considering the ait
on the earth absent) would probably have been only
nbout 600 feet a second. If from four miles up only, it
Would have been 1,200 feet a second. In fact, for these
darts to acquire the speed of a rifle bullet from mere
dropping they must have been let fall from a distance
over ten miles up in the air. And this estimate neglects
entirely the resistance of the air. In actual practice
the distance would have to be much greater.
So the story may be discounted as to the great force
of the darts, although If they were as sharp as needles
they would certainly have an enormous penetrating
power.
WAR Declared on WOODEN FENCES
W
r AR is being declared upon
the wooden, tight-boarded
fences which disfigure the
back yards and alleys of so many
cities. Such fences are declared to
be “time-dishonored breeders of
fires, crime and disease,” and offi
cials of the health, police and fire
departments everywhere are urg
ing that they he prohibited by law.
The wooden fence probably came
int^ use when lumber was cheap and
privacy seemed attainable by this
sort of screen. Blit with the build
ing of rows of two and three story
and even higher dwellings, privacy is
invaded by the eye of the neighbor
in the upper story and is no lohger
a valid excuse for the evils pro
moted by the wooden fence.
Statistics show an unusually high
percentage of serious fires in locali
ties where the wooden fences
abound. A Are starting In one block
may eajily be carried through a
whole block by the fences
These fences also are a great hin
drance to the police. They prevent
the proper inspection of a neigh
borhood, serve as screens behind
which crimes can be committed in
safety and supply hiding places for
burglars and sneak thieves while
waiting their opportunity to break
into houses.
Other charges in the indictment of
the wooden fence are that it is un
sightly, that it encourages the ac
cumulation of disease-breeding rub
bish and that it shuts off the light
and sir from what would otherwise
he attractive playgrounds for chil
dren.
How MINISTERS Came to Be Called REVEREND
Be Sure You Use the Right WHETSTONE
N
A T some time In the Middle
Ages the custom grew up of
applying to clergymen the
term "reverendus.” Tills word was a
part of speech known In Latin ns a
gerund, and meant “one who ought clergymen were reverendi, a bishop
to be revered." Hliould be designated by the co.m-
Gerunds could he compared like ad- paratlve degree, "reverendior,” more
Ijectives, and it seemed natural to tlie
people of those days that, if all
reverend, or right reverend, while the
superlative degree, reverendissimus,
most reverend, was reserved for arch
bishops.
A 8 these terms referred to indi
viduals, they were never used In con
nection \gitb the family name alone,
but with the Christian name, which
indicated the individual. r
A great many people in our day are
committing thd unfortunate blunder
of using tlie term “reverend” in con-
UTUMN and Spring are the best seasons of the year for all kinds of J nectlon with a family name. Mr.
SCIENCE NOW KNOWS—
Why Vaccination Pays.
S TATISTICS show that to vaccinate a person against smallpox at publio
expense costa about twenty live cents, while the disease itself costs
the public on an average about $60 per case.
When We Work Best.
A work. At a very low temperature both mental and physical work are
depressing. Mental work reaches its highest efficiency at a temperature of
3K degress, while physical work reaches its maximum at 69 degrees for
men and 60 degrees for women. Recent Investigations show thai weather
variations are distinctly good for us and promote our mental efficiency.
To Prevent Frost Bite.
D URING the present war an old method of preventing frost bite has been
revived it consists in pouring melted glue over ttie feet, especially t
about the toes. As the glue dries it makes a superior non-conductor and '
retains the heat of the foot so that soldiers so treated ane able to march
for days in severe cold without frost bite.
<
Arsenic Not Fatal to Birds.
R ECENT Investigations by Government scientists show that the spraying )
of trees with preparations of arsenic to eliminate the gipsy moth is
not necessarily fatal to birds Th# scarcity of birds in regions where much
spraying is done can be explained by the fHet that the spraying diminishes
the supply of insect food snd the birds are obliged to seek It elsewhere, j
How Fast the Churches Are Growing.
T HE year 1514 was a most encouraging one for the churches of the J
United States. The net Increase in membership for all denominations, j
both Catholic and Protestant, was 760,000, and during the year the total i
church expenditures amounted to $410,000,000. ?
Smith Is a clergyman. He Is fre
quently spoken of, and sometimes
spoken to a? “Reverend Smith.” This
is wrong. Smith is a family name,
and does not refer to an ndividual.
Tlie only proper way of speaking of
him is as the Rev. Mr. Smith, or the
Rev. John Smith, or plain Mr. Smith,
but never Rev. Smith
self or signs his name with it pre
fixed.
Scholars urge us to try to preserve
the use of the English language, and
not be attacked by the modern dis
ease which impels so many people to
use nearly all the nouns and many
of the adjectives as if thev were
titles.
You may find In the papers any
day such expressions as Motorman
Brown, Witness Green, Suspect
Robinson, Optician White, Pitcher
Jones. *
It ought to he stopped; but who
will stop it? Scholars tell us that
this is one of the signs that the Eng
lish language is degenerating very
rapidly.
■OT many people realize that there is a special sort
of whetstone for nearly every purpose. The
proper sharpening stones for each different use
$ are exhibited in the National Museum at Washington,
j> D. C., and there are hundreds of them,
i The hard, white, compact sandstones found near Hot
; Springs, Arkansas, are among the best whetstones
<! know r n, equalling, if not surpassing, the Turkey stone
; which for years has been considered one of the best.
<
' The hard, flint-like stone should be used only to
[ sharpen instruments made of the very best steel, re-
1 quiring very keen edges and points such as those used
i by surgeons, dentists and jewellers. Other grades, al
ii though composed of the same ingredients, are more
< porous, the sand grains are not as close together and a
’ rougher edge is given to the sharpened tool. Because
‘l of their more porous nature, these stones cut faster,
r proving suitable for the finer edged tools and for honing
/ razors.
Indiana and Ohio supply a whetstone made from a
sandstone of a coarser grain than the novacuiite of
Arkansas, but nevertheless quite uniform. It may ha
used with either oil or water, and is useful for shapen-
ing household cutlery or ordinary carpenters’ tools. But
since it is easily cut and grooved by hard steel, it is not
suitable for the fine instruments of dentists and sur
geons.
Scythestones and mowing machine stones are prac
tically all made from mica schist rocks found in New
Hampshire and Vermont. These rock3 are composed of
very* thin sheets of mica and quartz crystals. The grit
of the schist is not as sharp as that of the sandstone,
because it contains foreign material other than silica
which prevents the quartz grains from abrading freely.
Mica schist stones wear down quickly from constant
use—an advantage rather than a disadvantage, for as
they wear down, more of the hard silica grains are ex
posed to do the sharpening. Neither oil nor water is
needed to keep the pores of the stone open as with other
whetstonq rocks. Scythes require stones with there
qualities.
Children Are NEVER BORN NEAR-SIGHTED
O'
NE has only to look about him
to see that nowadays many
( more children are wearing
\ glasses than used to be the case. The
{ reason undoubtedly is that the aver-
Never Rev. and Mrs. Smith, but the V , ,,, , , ,
age child has more school work than
Rev. and Mrs. John Smith. Strictly-
speaking, the only possible way of
speaking to him is “Mr. Smith,” for
the old English, “Your Reverence,”
has died out
One does not speak of or to a judge
as Honorable Jones, but one speaks
or writes of him as the Hon. Henry
T. Jonei, and addresses him as “your
Honor.”
As concerns the use of the word
“reverend,” no one applies It to him-
formerly and that among all classes
young eyes are being continually
used for near work to a greater ex
tent. During the growing period of
the phild the outer envelope or sup
porting tissue of the eyeball does
not attain its full degree of firmness
and hardness, and any strain on the
focussing muscles has a tendency to
t make the eyeball stretch. This
J stretching of the eyeball is really the
f condition which is commonly known
as near-sightedness, and is caused in
most instances by strain in reading.
Many people believe that a child
may he born near-sighted, but this is
not the case. Near-sightedness al
ways results from strain, and in the
great majority of cases can be pre
vented, or at least kept down to low
degrees.
It requires no special knowledge to
appreciate the fact that a tisstie
when stretched is weaker than be
fore and is likely to go on stretch
ing, and this is the danger in near
sighted eyes. Such eyes are apt to
stretch and grow worse until the
child attains its full growth and the
tissues have a chance to become
A Great Many WEEDS Which Would Be GOOD FOR US TO EAT
I
N the effort
t o perfect
fruits and
vegetables, a s
well as to evolve
new varieties,
the expenditure
of much time
and money is in
volved, with, in
some instances,
most gratifying
results.
Not only have
inferior species
been brought to
perfection, but
entirely new- va-
rities have re
sulted from the
cross - fertili
sation methods
• nd a careful
study of the laws
of heredity as
applied to plant
culture.
Accepting the
results of scen-
tlflc research
at their full value, and in no manner seeking
to minimise their worth, let us consider the
food and other values of some forms of vege
table life which are usually ignored.
An eminent authority has defined a weed
jas "a plant whose virtues are unknown ”
Former generations were fully acquainted
with the edible qualities before they learned
the medicinal properties of what are termed
weeds. The introduction into materia medica
cf the essences of weeds with curative values
The Familiar Curled, Some
times called Sour Dock,
Owing to the Presence In
It of Oxalic Acid. Its
Leaves Make Good Food
and Have Some Medicinal
Value.
came as a recognition of their dietary values
first. It seems more consistent with reason
to utilize the unappreciated weeds in ths
dietary form rather than to watt and take
them in the form of medicine They would
thus serve the double purpose of a food and
remedial agent at the same time.
The dandelion as well as the sour dock, the
leaves of both of which have served as arti
cles of diet for centuries, have also been used
■with gratifying results as curative agents for
disorders 6f the liver and blood.
The dandelion, as now generally prepared
for the table, has not come in for its full
share of recognition owing to the improper
ways or preparing it. It should always be
scalded to remove (he bitter tendency. When
this is done it makes a most delicious salad.
Dandelion, milkweed, dock and other weeds
were designated by the older generations as
greens or “pot herbs,” and were always
cooked with meats. Their dietary uses should
not. however, he wholly confided to this
method of preparation, as some can he made
into salads alone or cooked like green peas
and asparagus. Some are also good when
eaten raw.
Purslane, or “pusle.v,” as it is commonly
called, makes a valuable addition to a mixed
mess of greens when cooked with salt meat.
It possesses purifying properties beneficial to
the blood. It appears In May, growing close
to the ground, and is of a trailing habit, one
root having many stems that branch out in a
circle. The stems are of a reddish color and
the leaves round, being about the size of the
thumbnail. It can be used for a salad or for
garnishing.
Dock, the familiar curled variety, is some
times called sour dock, owing to the presence
in it of oxalic acid. The leaves only are U6ed
for food, and they have a laxative value.
Sorrel, which
was formerly
cutivated in gar
dens, is now
found In the
wild state. It is
closely related
to the dock fam
ily, having a
similar sour
taste. The leaves
are pointed and
notched at the
point where they
joint the stem.
The "sheep”
sorrel, another
variety, is usu
ally found along
fence rows and
lh stony soli. The
leaves are round
and about one-
half inch in di
ameter. growing
on delicate stems
from eight to
ten inches in
height. Several
branches grow
from one sialk,
the leaves form
ing a clustet
at the top ot
the branch.
The Pigweed la a Near Re
lation of Spinach and the
Beet and used to be cul
tivated. When Young Its
Leaves Make Excellent
Greens.
This is said to be very helpful in skin disor
ders because of its action upon the kidneys.
Both varieties of sorrel are used for greens
as well as for salads. They combine well
with dandelion, the flavors blending admira
bly
The common plantain, growing In almost
Copyright, 1915, by the tetar Company, Great
every locality, may be ust-d with safety for.
greens, ahd the young and tender leaves may
be used for salads.
Pigweed was also once cultivated, much as
spinach now is, but owing to lack of attention
it yielded to the cull of the wild. It now fre
quents the garden as a weed, also the barn
yard, growing from one to five feet in height.
Its leaves when young make excellent greens.
The cowslip, or mgrsh marigold, Is among
the earliest greens of the season, appearing
in April. It makes a splendid green alone or
mixed with other varieties, and also figures as
a delicious salad.
Mustard, either black or white, is a valua
ble addition to the diet, it is best used when
young and tender. Its value as a greop or
for salads cannot be overestimated It Is a
stimulant and a laxative of a highly beneficial
nature.
The nettle was used extensively in former
years as an article of food, but is flow not
much In use. Gloves should be used In gath
ering it. Wlieq young the tender shoots make
delicious greens. Its medicinal qualities are
diuretic to a marked degree, so much so that
it was formerly prepared as a nettle porridge
for its therapeutic value alone.
The use of mint to flavor saueps and bev
erages was at one time more common than at
present. The variety known as "black stem"
was the most desirable. Mint grows in moist
places best and may be found along email
streams. wher9 It attains a height of from a
few inches to over a foot. In combination
with celery and cabbage it adds to vegetable
salad a delicious fiaver
Numerous other weeds that make excellent
<*»d include field cress, wild lettuce, white
tofc, wild onion, rusty allium, muskflower,
kouse, wild carrot and wild horseradish.
Most of the weeds that can be used for
food grow readily, and it would be an easy
matter to improve them by cultivation and to
educate the public to their values.
Britain Rights Reserved,
il
hard and firm, hence it is during
the period of growth ttiat damage to
the eyes is most apt to occur.
If the stretching of the eyeball
goes beyond a‘ certain point the deli
cate^ nerve tissues inside the eye are
apt to become stretched to an ex
tent which they cannot stand, and
tears and breaks occur in them with
damage to the sight. The breaks
cannot be remedied, nor for that
matter can the eye when it is once
stretched come back to its normal
size.
There is a current belief that near
sightedness runs in families, and
this, while partly true, is really an
unfortunate misconception, says a
writer in the Critic and Guide. Cer
tain families have softer tissues in
the eye than others, and their eyes
stretch more easily to a certain de
gree of strain. This should only
make such people more cautious to
avoid strain and does not by any
means imply that it is necessary for
such children to be near-sighted.
The cause of this strain in the
young child is astigmatism. There
are contributing causes, such as a
too short eyeball, poor general
health, which makes the tissue*
weaker and less resistant, and also
the’ disposition of the child, soma
children preferring to sit and read
all day, but that astigmatism Is the
principal cause is well known.
This word Is becoming rather fa
miliar, and yet its meaning is con
stantly misunderstood. Many people
suppose that astigmatism means a
difference in the two eyes, which is
entirely wrong. It is an irregularity
of the front part of the eye, where
the curves should be symmetrical,
but are not. This irregularity or in
equality of the curves makes objects
appear blurred. Certain lines in the
objects looked at seem fairly dis
tinct, while certain others are
blurred, and this causes the eye to
make strong muscular efforts to
overcome the blur. The strain
brought about leads to stiffness and
cramps of the muscles, with head
aches, and in severe cases to an ac
tual stretching of the eyeball.
The surest way to stop the ever-
increasing dangers of near-sighted
ness is to correct astigmatism by
means of properly fitting glasses
during the growing period.
/
Knitting Causes Neuritis
S INCE the outbreak of the great
war many women have taken
to knitting with a vigor that
know-s no bounds. Unfortunately
their zeal has produced in many
cases a new disease—one which phy
sicians say may he compared with
tennis elbow or writer's cramp.
In one English village where the
knitting fever ran very high three
women are sufferisg in various de
grees from what is known as "knit
ting neuritis.” It affects the upper
arm and shoulder rather than the
fingers, and seems to' affect only
those who knit with difficulty, hav
ing not practised the art in their
youth.
It is said that the English method
of knitting, which is as popular in
England as the German method, has
a greater tendency to produce this
affectioffl—
'When any untrained set of muscles
is suddenly called upon to repeat, in
definitely a complex and unaccus
tomed sequence of movements,” a
London physician says, "a spasmodic
paralysis is Very likely to develop.
• In knitting neuritis the trouble
begins with the worker feeling that
the usual wrist and finger move
ments cannot be followed out with
their customary ease. Later the
muscles get stiff, and finally, in the
later stage, develop a spasmodic
cramp as soon as the knitting needles!
are taken into the fingers.
"A peculiar characteristic of the
ailment is that while tfle fingers are'
thus affected when any attempt is
made to knit, there is no interfer
ence with other varieties of finger
movement.
“The only treatment is to give up
knitting indefinitely. Sometimes af
ter a couple of months’ complete
rest one can begin again. In other
cases a year or more of abstention is
necessary, otherwise the trouble re
curs Immediately.”