The Optical Magic Lantern Journal (October 1902)

10 THE OPTICAL magic LANTERN JOURNAL. Exhibition of Scientific Devices in Paris. held its annual exhibition in Paris when a large variety of the inventions of the numerous ramifications of science, devised during the past year, were displayed. Notwithstanding the apparently exclusive name which it bears, this institution is international in its operations. aes Société Frangaise de Physique recently *, 3, (S One room was devoted to a practical exhibition of the varied utilizations of acetylene gas, among which the acetylene blow-pipe stood prominent. A practical example of how well acetylene gas is adapted for welding stecl was given by an engineer. lis eyes were protected with goggles similar to those utilized by automobilists. The blow-pipe was then brought to bear upon the requisite pieces of metals to be welded, and so terrific was the heat produced that the operation was accomplished in a few moments. The two most valuable contributions to the show, however, were the devices of Prof. Curie and Prof. Pellat respectively. “The former, who has long heen engaged in the investigation of radium, exhibited the peculiar luminous properties of the substance. He had a small piece of radium measuring about one cubic inch, and which had cost $2,000 to produce. A German firm, when they reccived news of Prof. Curie’s discovery some months ago, offered to extract a sufficient quantity of the substance from the salts of barium, at their own expense for the purpose of this exhibition. Several tons of the salt were required to produce even a cubic inch. This subtance shines like a lamp, and also imparts a phosphorescent effect upon certain materials with which it is brought into contact, such as zinc sulphide. This is not a chemical, but purely a physical influence. Prof. Curie displayed a retort containing a quantity of zine sulphide, and connected the upper tube of the vessel with another retort containing a solution of radium. Immediately the zinc sulphide emitted a bright light. A small particle of radium renders phosphorescent a volume of zinc-sulphide a thousand times its bulk. Another curious feature of the substance is that the zinc sulphide retains its phosphorescence for some time after the radium has been removed. Sctentific American. Is your Rent in Arrears? » Og E don't suppose for a moment it is, or OMe ° you would not be subscribing to our Journal, —but there is no harm in bringing to the notice of exhibitors some really humourous lantern slides that will help to get crowded rooms. Humour without vulgarity, is the thing now wanted, and we are indebted to the enterprise of that energetic caterer for the Photographic and Lantern public, W. Tylar, of 41, Hizh Street, Aston, Birmingham, for something quite novel in this direction. We had an opportunity-of seeing a quantity of these productions through the Lantern the other night, and we must say that we had an hour's treat, of quite an unexpected character. Every view in the series is a study in itself, and will be found worth studying. The bulk of the views are of a satirical nature, and are the work of the celebrated Cartoonist “Cynicus,” a man whose praises haye been sung by all the leading papers in the land, and who has obtained the title of the second Hogarth. The slides are all coloured —and nicely coloured too,—and are guaranteed to raise a smile on the face of anyone but a blind man. The view at the head of this column must appeal forcibly to the small boys and doubly so to their mothers, while the double meaning attached to it will cause a ripple of laughter to the fathers. What can possibly be more funny than the slide entitled Bank Holiday ? The poor old father goes in front having two children struggling and brawling in his arms, and one hanging on to each coat tail, he looks dead tired, and the perspiration drops invisible drops, from his ruby coloured nose, his clothes look as careworn, and battered as he himself, his spouse follows behind with a kicking child in arms, others dragging on her skirts, one has been left behind on its back in the roadway, and from its picture it can be seen that lusty yells eminate from the orifice under its nose, a straw hat belonging to another of the children has fled a ee Reut i) arrears