Constantine republican. [volume] (Constantine, Mich.) 1836-1838, 1838-01-24
HUMAN ENDURANCE OF HEAT.

HUMAN ENDURANCE OF HEAT.
An Involuntary Erperimc nt.-Facts in
Philosophy are important, and these are
sometimes supplied by accident. A medicu!
man, while assisting at large fro in
dstillery in Dublin, leaped into large cop
per boiler supported by new masonry, TO a.
void some falling timbers from roof
He did avoid the timber, but he found him.
self in atrap, with burning materials above,
around and possibly beneath him. We
now copy from Blackwood's Magazine the
facts as stated by the sufferer.
81 now began TO consider some means
Of escape. The vessel was hollow sphere
of about fourteen feet in diameter, perfect.
ly smooth, except at the Jennings of the met
al plates of which it was, composed: but
the heads of the rivsts which held these to-
gether afforded no more hold than Just e.
nough to enable me to get footing a very
little way up the curve at one side. out of
the immediate glare of the flame that beat
full on the bottom. The only aperture, ex-
cept the orifce at the top, was that by
which the contents were intended to be
drawn of, bnt this was not much wider than
the mouth of large tumbler. To Chamber
out without the assistance of ladder, or
rops fastened from above, was impossible.
Had there besn a ledge on the rim of the
opening through which l had descended,
would not have despsircd, for the clothes
wore would have furnished Saatsridds tor
q rope strong enough 10 support my weight
and one OF the loose bricks that lay at my
feet would have given means of making If
fast above. tried the experiment with
brickbat attached to one Of my suspenders,
but though easily swung it over the rim,
there was no ledge for it 10 catch on, and
was forced to give up all hopes of escap-
ing in that way. had now in great
measure recovered my presence of mind
for perceived that there was no longer
danger to be apprehended from the flame
above, and knew that the mass Of brick
work which surrounded my prison was suf-
fcient to protect me from all effects of the
burning ruins of the scaffold around. l
need scarcely say that | had already used
every effort to make myself heard by the
crowd, both by shouting at the top of my
voice and beating the sides of my prison /;
but such was the noise caused by the crack
ling and roaring of the flames which still
surrounded me on every side-for the ruins
of the scaffolding burned fiercely where
they fell, and strewed the whole platform
with fre-that either | could not make
myself heard or failed to hear tho cries
of those whom | called to In reply
Seeing, then, that / had no chance for an
immediate escape, | made up my mind to
compose myself as well as | could, and
wait till the fire should burn itself out and
leave passage for my rescue.
| had remained in this resigned state for
some time when the thought struck my
mind, that perhaps if called through the
aperture of the stop-cock. mentioned above,
my voice might be heard. The opening
was in the very bottom Of the vessel, and !
had 10 kneel down on the rubbish 70 apply
my mouth to it. Ny knees did not come
in contact with the metal, and my hands
were defended by thick gloves thoroughly
wctled, SO that till brougt my face close
to the aperture l had no suspicion of the
dreadful truth that | was now to learn
the copper was 90 hot that could not bear
it against the skin! started to my feet
every pulse flying with CONSERVATION.
dare not think Of my situation. rushed
desperately up the sides Of my prison.
might as well have tried to scale the vaul,
of the sky. shouted, screamed for rs.
sistance--Tho cracking growl Of the con.
Aagration was my only reply. ! sat down
on the little pile Of rubbish that formed the
centre of what now felt was fast becoming
, brazen furnace in which I was TO be tri.
ed, and endeavored to think. put my
hand to my forehead; | was bathed in Q
cold sweat; pulled tho thermometer had
been using in tempering my patients bath
} out of my pocket, it stood at 1O5 degrees
, placed the bulb of it on the metal wher
, had touched it, the mercury rose with
rapidity that threatened to burst the tube
and took it away terrified at what saw
and afraid to witness the whole truth. AT,
ter sitting for some moments trembling anc
inactive, burst into tears. | was, | con
, fess, quito unnamed at tho prospect o.
the tormcnts must endure, if, as had ev
cry reason to expect tho metal around me
should become red hot. My weakness, i
weakness it could be called, prepared me
however, for seeking strength in prayer
and prayed with fcrvor long a strange,
, to my breast, that God would grant me for
titudc to bear tho trial that he had pro
pared for me; and l thank God I die
not pray in vain. Composed and re
) lieved, now stood up and summoned
all my resolution to look my danger m the
face.
The Thermometer had then risen u
, 112 degrees but knew, from tho exper
imenis of Fordyce and Banks, that the Inv
/ ing fibre could for short time bear hea
more than twice as great without perma
, nent injury. A ray of hope lighted tho
, gloom of my heart, as ran over and ovc
f in recollection tho various instances, witt
, which my professional studies had render
ed mo acquainted, Of living bodies bearing
} great degrees Of heat. | recollcctcd th'
. case of the girl at Roehcfouca'Jt, who ha'
!. gonS into 40 oven whore tho thsrmomcte
!, stood at 2s6 degrees. called to n,'n'
: Sonnernt's account Of fishes living IN In
Q hot springs of the Manilas, in water at
a temperature of upward of $50 degrees
. and taxed my memory to rcccllect III
I. names of the plants which 5hc same Write
r mentions as 1ourishing in the Island of Lu
! con, with their ROOTS in thermal riyu!a S