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Show "GLASS DISEASE" THE LATEST. Peculiar Malady Has Affected Windows Win-dows of English Cathedral. Lately It has been found that a peculiar "glass disease" has broken out among the windows ot York cathedral. Indeed, It Is Statod thai feomo of tho thirteenth and fourteenth century glass In tho edifice- has been removed In order to nrrcst tho "disease." "dis-ease." Tho outbreak Is ascribed to a "fungus, but tho exact naturo of Its attack upon tho glass Is not described. describ-ed. Tho glass appears to be perforated perfor-ated to such an extent that portions of tho glass yield on tho slightest touch. Moreover, the transparency of tto glass has to a great extent dlsap-1-eared In short, tho glass hero nnd thoro oxhlblts no longer tho properties proper-ties of glass. It Is evident that somo kind of chemical action has been established, es-tablished, duo, perhaps to tho llfo and habits of a specific fungus. Organisms Organ-isms aro known, of course, which assimilate silica. The gradual, but sure crumbling of tho cement used In water reservoirs has been traced to the operation of countless tiny organisms. organ-isms. Tho action wns at first regarded regard-ed as being duo to the solvent property prop-erty of carbonic acid and other substances sub-stances commonly present In ".vator. Under tho action of tho bacteria tho cemont slowly resolved Into soft mud. The attack Is mado by tho ubiquitous nitrifying organism, which conducts to a largo extent tho great work of purification throughout nature. Tho uctlon ceas03 in tho absence of nitriflablo material, and tho view Is mat nitrous acid Is producod which nets upon tho cement lining ot the water reservoir. London Lancet |
