Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 01.djvu/534

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BARUCH 434 BARYTA of New York in 1899. For many years he was a member of the New York Stock Exchange and acquired a large fortune. In 1915 he was appointed by President Wilson a member of the Advisory Com- mission of the Council of National De- fense. He was also a member of the Commission on Raw Materials, Minerals and Metals, and a member of the com- mission in charge of purchases for the War Industries Board. He was ap- pointed chairman of the War Industries Board in 1918. During the negotiations of the peace treaty in Paris he acted as financial adviser to the American dele- gates. BARUCH, SIMON, an American phy- sician, born at Schwersenz, Germany, in 1840. He received his early education in Germany. Removing to the United States he graduated from the Medical College of Virginia in 1862. He was surgeon in the Confederate Army until 1865, and was captured during this serv- ice. Following the war, he practiced medicine in Camden, S. C, until 1881, when he removed to New York and be- came consulting physician on chronic diseases. He diagnosed the first recorded case of perforating appendicitis and suc- cessfully operated on it. He was instru- mental in introducing free municipal baths in New York City. For many years he was on the medical staff of the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia, and was one of the most noted physicians of the United States. He was the author of "Uses of Water in Modem Medicine" (1892) ; "The Principles and Practice of Hydrotherapy." In 1913 a hospital was erected in his honor at Camden, S. C. BARUS, CARL, an American physi- cist, born in Cincinnati in 1856. He was educated at Columbia University and in Germany, and he took post-graduate courses at Brown and Clark universities. He served in various departments of the United States Government as physicist and became, in 1895, professor of physics at Brown University. From 1903 he was dean of the graduate department of that university. He was awarded the Rum- ford Medal of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences for researches in heat. He was a member of many important commissions on chemical subjects, and was a member also of many scientific so- cieties. His writings include "Compressi- bility of Liquids" (1892) ; "Condensation of Atmospheric Moisture" (1895) ; "Dif- fusion of Gases through Liquids" (1913). BARYE, ANTOINE LOUIS, a French sculptor, born in Paris, Sept. 24, 1795. He studied engraving with Fourrier and a goldsmith named Beinnais; in 1812, was a topographical engineer; in 1816 studied drawing with the painter Gros, and sculpture with Basio; and, in 1819, took the second prize for a "Milo di Cro- tona," which was awarded him at the Concours of the Beaux Arts. From 1823 till 1831 he worked under Fauconnier, jeweler to the Duchesse d'Angouleme. In 1831 he exhibited the celebrated "Tiger Devouring a Crocodile." He was an of- ficer of the Legion of Honor, a member of the Institute, and a professor at the Jardin des Plantes. He died in Paris, June 25, 1875. BARYTA, or BARYTES, or OXIDE OF BARIUM, symbol BaO — ^the earth present in the minerals witherite (car- bonate of barium) and heavy spar (sulphate of barium). Baryta belongs to the group of alkaline earths, and has the property of acting like an alkali on coloring matters. It has a very harsh taste, is highly caustic, and is very poisonous. The presence of carbonic acid gas may be detected by exposing a solution of baryta to the air, when car- bonic acid combines with the baryta and forms a film of white carbonate of ba- rium, BaCOa. Barjrta exposed to air or oxygen absorbs oxygen, forming peroxide of barium. On this being heated oxygen is liberated and baryta again produced. The sulphate of baryta, BaS04, otherwise called ponderous or heavy spar, is found in fissures or cracks in other rocks. It is crystalline, and is sometimes found pure and white, but generally presents a flesh-red color, from the red oxide of iron (rust) incorporated in it. The rust can be got quit of by reducing the sul- phate of baryta to a fine powder under rollers or traveling wheels, and subject- ing the pulverized material to the action of dilute sulphuric acid, which dis- solves the oxide of iron, and leaves the sulphate of baryta as a white, dense powder. The principal use of heavy spar is as a pigment under the name of permanent white; but having little opacity, it cannot be employed by itself, but only when mixed with ordinary white lead. Several mixtures of sul- phate of baryta and white lead are manufactured, and are known in com- merce. Venice white contains one part sulphate of baryta and one part white lead. Hamburg white contains two parts sulphate of baryta and one part of white lead. Dutch white contains three parts sulphate of baryta and one part white lead. The native sulphate of baryta has been employed by the cele- brated potter Wedgewood in the manu-