The Annals of Philosophy Volume 4 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1814 Excerpt: ... because they are apt to break of themselves without any assignable cause; so that if we employ them we run the risk of being under the necessity very frequently of renewing our labour. The glass tubes (which are draws at all the crystal glass-houses) are not annealed, which no doubt is the reason of their being so brittle. I do not know the reason why this process is neglected with respect to them, though probably there is a good one. XI. Eleclroxide. To the same intelligent correspondent I am indebted for the following curious fact: --' I have lately seen a beautiful eleclroxide on a white-washed wall, produced by lightning dispersing a large copper bell-wire, in passing through a house at Cirencester, about seven o'clock on Thursday evening, July 28. Its length on the wall is 6i feet nearly, and its breadth about two feet. It resembles the effect produced by passing the shock of a battery through bits of gold leaf pressed between two cards. At the same time, the electric fluid, or stroke of lightning, dispersed 40 or 50 feet of iron bell-wire in the lower rooms, and did considerable injury to the house and furniture." XII. Saccharomeler. The same gentleman has proposed the following query: --"The saccharometer is an instrument used in common breweries to ascertain the strength of infusions of malt, by their specific gravity. But does tlie specific gravity truly indicate and foretell the strength of the ale or beer which the wort is to make? Are the constituents of malt always dissolved in the same proportions to each other? If not, 1 think little dependance is to be placed on this instrument." The saccharometer indicates correctly the specific gravity of the wort before it begins to ferment. The value of the beer or ale (supposing the proces...