Compressed Air Treatment
a system of treatment in which use is made of air under pressure. The treatment is used for tuberculosis, and in some forms for asthma and chronic bronchitis. There are two main methods of administering the treatment. In the first the patient is placed in an air-tight chamber, and the pressure of the air is increased. In this case the pressure on all parts of the body is the same, and is said to cause increased absorption of od, the paoxygen. In the second method, tient is placed in a cabinet, a tube which he places in his mouth being the only connection with the outside air, and the air pressure in the cabinet is reduced; thus the pressure on the lungs is greater than on any other part of the body, which may relieve collapse of the pul monary vesicles.
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Compressed Castings
This process is for making fine and artistic castings in brass, bronze, German-silver, aluminum, etc., and consists of preparing hard moulds containing the impress of the articles to be cast, the outside edges of which are square, so that they may be packed one on the other, and, when so packed, the gate of each leads to a central spruce. These are closely packed in an air-tight box. An opening in the cover-plate of the box directly connected with the sprue leads into a cylindrical reservoir containing the molten metal. This cylinder is lined with asbestos felt, the hole into the sprue being also covered with it, preventing the exit of the metal from the reservoir until the proper time. A piston, covered also with asbestos, fits closely into the cylinder, and pressure may be applied to it by hand through the action of a lever, rack and pinion, a screw or by other means. The reservoir being filled with the proper quantity of molten metal and the piston entered into the cylinder, connection may be opened between the mould and the vacuum-tank, causing the air in the mould to be drawn out, and at the same time pressure of any required degree may be applied to the piston. This pressure bursts that portion of the asbestos lining that lies immediately over the hole in the cover-plate, and the metal is instantaneously shot into every portion of the matrix in the mould.
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Comptometer
a calculating machine that is operated by a key-board in the manner of a typewriter. It consists of a box entirely inclosing the mechanism, with the operating keys projecting from the box in typewriter fashion. Along the front edge of the box are openings in which numbers appear, and above these openings are pointers. The keys are 72 in number, and each has two figures painted on it. One is a large black figure and the other a small red one. The black ones indicate the keys that are to be struck in addition and multiplication, and the red ones those to be struck in division and subtraction. The successful operation of the machine depends upon the practice of the operator in the same manner that efficiency of the typewriter depends upon the amount of practice that the operator has had. No proficiency in mathematics is required on the part of the operator; anyone skilled in handling the keys can rattle away at the comptometer as confidently as if he were writing letters on a typewriter, and all the time be adding up large sums or dividing millions by thousands without any of the laborious thinking usually required of the mathematician, the bookkeeper and the accountant. COMPULSORY MILITARY SERV- See MILITARY ORGANIZATION, ICE. UNITED STATES.
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Comstock
GEORGE CARY, an American astronomer, born in Madison, Wisc., in 1855. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1877. After studying law he was admitted to the bar, but never engaged in active practice. He was assistant engineer of the United States Lake Survey from 1874 to 1878. He was later assistant engineer on the improvement of the Mississippi river; assistant astronomer at the Washburn Observatory; and computer in the Nautical Almanac Office. From 1885 to 1887 he was professor of mathematics and astronomy at the Ohio State University. From the latter year he was full professor and director of the Washburn Observatory. In 1906 he was created dean of the Graduate School of the University of Wisconsin. He was a member of many learned societies. His writings include "Method of Least Squares" (1890); "Text-Book of Astronomy" (1900); "Field Astronomy for Engineers" (1902); and "The Summer Line as an Aid to Navigation" (1919).
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Comstock Lode
a large and extremely rich metallic lode in the W. part of Nevada, on the E. slope of the Virginia Mountains. To it belong the Big Bonanza and other mines, which have yielded gold and silver to the value of over $300,000,000.
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Comte
AUGUSTE (kônt), a noted French philosopher, founder of the Positive Philosophy; born in Montpellier, Jan. 19, 1798. On leaving college he be came acquainted with Saint-Simon, and joined the band of brilliant disciples that distinguished social reformer had gathered around him. On the death of its founder, in 1825, Comte deserted the Saint-Simonian school to found one of his own; and during the next 20 years devoted himself to the elaboration of an original system of scientific thought- Positive Philosophy. In his view the problem for philosophy is to ascertain the positive and verifiable basis of all knowledge, science, and religion of the whole intellectual, moral, and religious world of man. In working out this problem Comte studied the basis of the State or civil society and set forth his conclusions in "The Positive Polity." He bases the law of morals or of conduct on the "social feeling" or altruism. The central fact of religion and the one object of religious worship is Humanity conceived personality. He contemplated the as a constitution of a priesthood whose authority was to have as wide a reach as the authority of the popes in mediæval times. His "Positive Philosophy," "Positivist Catechism," and "Positive Polity," have been translated into English. He died in Paris, Sept. 5, 1857.
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