Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1871-12-23
Mem rork Letter.
New YoRK Cry.
ESc. II, 1871.

vac pnpuisT Nciluin ihTt Upn WHICH,
facts and cxps rimcnts are difluscd TO
the public, ! propose, through your
paper, to Communicate some observa-
ii, IS on that subject which hav" lccn
nngr"ssiuE 80 much attention rot
only from the scicutlic IN, but
from corporate bodies, and which
has ST. recently reached the acme Of
succcss. M.n. peculiarly constitu-
ted never satisfied with his present
aitAinments, is constantly cndcavor-
ing to achieve grander triumphs,
which shall emhody the great princi-
pie of economy.
1t is necessary for a fall under.
standing Of our subject to enter some
what Into detail, which ! hope may
not prove unintercsting.
To commence with that body which
gives US lie, being, animation, the
vital principIe.' viz: oxygen gas,
we find il in every blood globulc that
courses the path Of circulation, to
give lie and force to every .ibre of
! our body. It is the active principle
uf The air We breathe. and the ques-
ton naturally suggests itsclf-irom
what source does the air derive ITS
oxygen! The answer would be
from many sources; but | will confne
( a,vscii tu the enumeration Of one
Every breath we take carries the OK
ygrn of the air TO our lungs. This is
appropriated 10y our system, and we
give np'to the air poisonous gas,
": carbonic acid gas. Now it is
evident that il t!,i. gas were allowed
| 30 minglc and become a pait of the
air we breathe, every expiration from
our lungs would make the air foulcr
and more poisonous. But nature, by
! il"r conservatism, comes to our res
cue, and through the aid of sunlight,
| he leaves of the trees and plants
appropriate for their nourishment,
!. hat which we throw of as non-rcs-
! pirable, and, as compensation, clab-
nratcs tlat which ICE can apply as
npurishmcI,t. That is. the poisonous
csrbonic acid gas which, even in a
moderately dilute state, would kill.
is taken up by the trees and plants
as nourishmcnt. and by the agency
of sunlight gives in return oxygen.
Here let me answer question that
is often asked, and which is as often
answered by the old woman's rca.
son, "Uccxusc :" Is it healthy to
sleep in room that contains flowers
and plsnts !? l answer, no. To sit
in such rooom in the daytime, pro-
vidcd the sunlight has access to it,
is healthy, for reasons cited above !;
but at .nighttime exactly the reverse
is tue, for tlfs sun. not shining. the
plants cannot digest cartonic. acid
gas and gre off Oxygen but gire IF
cArbonic acid gas, which is non.re:
.spirable and poisonous. AS we de-
; dnce from the .abotc that VIC, need
I oxygs:h snd That III it's purcst form;
y company actpatcd by the recesni-
ton of said fact, are now, in this
city: misunderstanding pure oxygen,
Which il; il. confined in air::tisht receiv,
ers. and which is dispensed the same
AZ medici's, to build up the system
VI the invalid.
Oxygen, b>i"g agood supporter of
combustion. is now being made here
on large scale, and by mta'is Of
pipes. 10 being distributed to the gas
lamps il :arious sections Of the city,
ami the light. produced by the orii-
nary street gas in conjunction with
the oxygen gas. is about twenty
times more brilliant. For this. last
named purpose it is made by placing
it in an iron rctort, manganatc of
soda, which is fertile in oxygen, and
heating 10 a red heat. By This
means the soda gives up its oxygen,
which is collected in large receivers
and thence by pipe delivered to the
s.;s j"ts. 49,.
Hy blowing steam into the rctort
the soda bec6mes again imprcgna-
ted with oxygen. which is again
driven off, thus, giving us, a contin-
ued generation. ,....
In Buffalo company has been or
ganized to make hydrogen gas,
which is tn be delivered, to houses
for cooking sad heating purposes
1t is prepared as follows:
f. Take lime and fire coal, mix and
heat in All iron retort the lime gives
up its hydr'gan gas, which is col
y - L.. 4