The emigrant aid journal of Minnesota. [volume] (Nininger City, Minn. Terr. [i.e. Minn.]) 1856-1858, 1858-03-17

trimmed AZ teacher in the Normal School of Mr. Stowe
in GLASGOW While in that establishment, he attended
the chemical lectures of Professor Penny, and used to
sit up until three o'clock in the morning to write out
his notes. On leaving the training institution, ne re-
ceiyed an appointment as master of school from Mr
Akroyd in Halifax, Yorkshire. The schociroom,
though spacious and lofty badly ventilated The
health of Mr. Watson with that OF the teacher sufer
ed seriously 1t thought that he would not be able
to continue his vocation teacher from the distress
ing effects produced on his system by the foul air OF
crowded school-rooms He called to recollection some
of the lessons he had received from Professor Penny
and after experiments applied the principles
he had arrived at to mode OF ventilation quote
a passage from the National Magazine that may give
you some idea of his invention -
sMr. Watson's apparatus is so remarkable 1or us
SIMPLICITY and its mode of operation is subvesive OF
notions as to the of ventilation, that
some theorists have been inclined to look upon Its mar
veous effects with much suspicion as the churcnmen
of the seventeenth century regarded the heretca tee-
scope Of Calico His discovery is nevertheless great
fact and in opinion, forms epoch III the history
of ventilation. The principle on which it is founded
may be illustrated by simple experiment. Mr. Wat
son employs for this purpose glass vessel resembling
the receiver of air-pump, about seven luches IN
diameter and inches high with tubular neck about
six inches long and two inches wide The lower edge
is placed in shallow groove, which passes round me
circumference of thin plate, aud which may be TILED
VI
below When lighted taper is introduced into this
vessel very soon exhausts the cobustible principle
of the included air and notwithstanding the compare
lively large opening in the top Of the receiver cessss e
burn If, however, before the tapergn quite expired
the funnel is converted into Two semicyhndrical tubes
by means Of thin division double cusrent in op'
poste directions Immediately established, copoua
supply Of pure air flows in by the one, and the enete
pro ,ucts expelled by the other the dying taper
meanwhile speedily revves, and acquires ful and
steady brilliancy. When the tubes slightly differ 10
height, in Watsons Syphon Venitor, the cold all
is invariably found to enter by the shorter one line
experiment may be satisfactorily performed even with
common water. bottle, and slip of pasteboard as a
Diaphragm The existence Of the opposite currents IL
rendered visible by holding smoking paper over the
divided funnel, when the smoke is to pass down
through the one channel and to ascend and escape BY
the other.
Mr.. Watson rightly inferred from this experiment
that if he could establish these spontaneous double cur
rents to and from the open air through the ceilings o
our schools, churches, dwelling houses and halls, he
would revive the dropping spirits of their hafsuocaec
inmates in the same that brancy was restored
to the expiring taper. He has perfectly succeeded II
this and small part Of the merit of his principle is
that these currents, while shown to exist operate quiet
ly and constantly, and maintain sweet and wholesome
state of the air without those dangerous and disagree
able draughts that render most other modes Of arhca
ventilation 80 Objectionable