Stenness
or STENNIS, a loch in the Orkney Islands, a few miles N. E. of Stromness, 14 miles in circumference. It is remarkable for the two groups of standing stones, somewhat similar to those of Stonehenge, which are found on its shores. The smaller group, of which only two remain erect, belong to an area 100 feet in diameter with an outside ditch 50 feet in width. The larger group known as the Ring of Brogar, consists now of 15 stones in an inclosure 340 feet in diameter. STENOGRAPHY. See SHORTHAND. Greek
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Stenography
. See Shorthand
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Step or Wheel Chucks
These chucks are usually made in sets of five, each chuck having nine steps, giving forty-five different sizes. These chucks are very useful in holding main spring barrels, to fit in the cap of the barrel, should it become out of true. They are also valuable in truing up barrels of English lever watches, that are damaged owing to the breakage of a main spring. They are also very useful in holding almost any wheel in a watch, but particularly convenient in fitting a center wheel to a pinion, or in making sure that the hole in the wheel is in the center. These chucks are made by the various lathe manufacturers and are all similar to Fig. 83, and will hold wheels from .5 to 2.26.
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Stepniak
SERGIUS MICHAEL DRAGOMANOV, a Russian revolutionist; born in Gadjatch, Poltava, Russia, in 1841. Exiled in 1876 on account of his criticisms on the system followed by Count Tolstoy, minister of justice, he settled in Geneva in 1877. Among his works are "The Turks Within and Without" (1876); "Underground Russia" (1881); "Tyrannicide in Russia" (1881); "The Russian Peasantry"; "Historical Poland and the Muscovite Democracy" (1881); "Little Russian Internationalism"; "The Propaganda of Soialism"; "Russia under the Czars"; and "The Career of a Nihilist,' a novel (1889). He assisted in editing the folk songs of Little Russia. In 1891 he visited the United States. He died in London, England, Dec. 23, 1895.
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Stere
the French unit for solid measure, equal to a cubic meter, or 35.3156 cubic feet.
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Stereo-Chemistry
that branch of chemistry which studies the arrangement of the atoms of a molecule in space. It concerns itself especially with compounds of carbon. Many examples are F known where two compounds are found to consist not only of the same atoms but of the same groups of atoms, and yet they differ in their properties, both chemical and physical. For instance, both fumaric acid and maleic acid have the chemical formula C4H4O4, and the atoms are grouped in this manner: COOH.CH: CH.COOH. The two compounds are known as isomers, and the fact that two substances could exist with the same structural formula, and yet be entirely different and distinct compounds for a long time remained unexplained. The solution to the problem was offered by stereo-chemistry. Following the theories of Van't Hoff, the carbon atom is conceived as being situated at the center of a regular tetrahedron, the groups combined with it being located at the angles. The differing pro g properties of isomers is explained by the theory that the arrangement of the groups at the corners, relative to one another, differs in the two compounds. For instance, if a projection were made of the "solid formula" of the two compounds given above, they would appear as: H-C-COOH H-C-COOH 11 11 COOH-C-H H-C-COOH Fumaric Acid Maleic Acid
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Stereochromy
a process of mural painting in which water glass is employed to fix or consolidate the colors. It has not proved successful.
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Stereopticon
a magic lantern having two objective tubes that can be focused on the same part of a screen, and by the alternate projection of pictures from the separate tubes produce the well-known phenomena of " "dissolving views."
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Stereotype
fixed type; hence plate cast from a plaster, papier-mache, or composition mold, on which is a facsimile of the page of type as set up by the compositor, and which, when fitted to a block, may be used under the press, exactly as movable type.
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Sterility
the quality or state of being sterile; barrenness. According to Darwin, sterility in animals and plants may be constitutional or accidental and often arises from changed conditions of life. Thus most raptorial birds from the tropics do not lay fertile eggs in captivity in temperate climates, and many exotic plants brought to England have worthless pollen. Sometimes a little more or less water will decide whether or not a plant will seed.
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Sterilized Milk
milk which has been subjected to a process that destroys the bacteria causing lactic or butyric acid fermentation and the germs of disease. Experiments have been made with chemical sterilizers, but these must be used in quantities so large as to be injurious. A freezing temperature checks the development of bacteria, but cannot be relied on, in every instance, to destroy them. Superheated steam is preferable to boiling water, in sterilization. Sterilization is now largely carried on under the supervision of state and county boards of health.
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Sterling Gold
gold having the value or fineness of the standard established by the British Government. It consists of 22 parts (called carats) of pure gold and two parts of alloy, either silver or copper. But fancy gold articles may be manufactured with only 15, 12, or even 9 carats of gold and the rest alloy. One pound Troy of standard gold is coined into 46 sovereigns. There remains a small fraction over; but 46 sovereigns will do for a pound Troy weight. A sovereign weighs 5 dwts. 3.27447 grains; but 5 dwts. 2½ grains is a legal tender. The Bank of England gives 46£ 14s. 6d. a pound for gold.
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Sterling Silver
silver having the value or fineness of the standard established by the British Government. It consists of 37 parts of silver and 3 of copper. One pound Troy of silver is coined in 66 shillings. A shilling from the mint weighs 15.27272 grains. The standard value of silver is very variable. In 1870 it was worth at the Bank of England 5s. an ounce. In 1890 it varied from 4s. to 4s. 2d. In December, 1919, it was 6s. 7½d. See BIMETALLISM.
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