The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-31
CHEIISTRY IN COURT
showing that Gnses Can pass Through "a Block
of stone Poisonous Walls.


David II. Sherman and others sued the
Inman Steamship Company to recover t3O4S7.
the value of consignment " fresh meat ship
ped in the stcomship City OF Brussels on tho
2lst Of April. 1878. for Liverpool The meat was
placed in refrigerator built by the plaintiffs in
the vessel The ice supply was for voyage Of
fifteen days. The vessel. when about four hun
bred miles ont from New York. had her shaft
broken. and She continued under sail. the voy-
age occupying twcnty-ciEht days. Tho meat
was thrown overheard before tho vcsscl's mr.
rival at Liverpool. Gen. Newton and the pill
nrims 10 Rome were on board the vessel. and
Cen. Newton testified before judge Laudon yes
tcrday that the meat had begun to smell often
sivrly.
Prof r.. OGDEN Dorcmus was next called. He
gavc testimony in regard to tie results Of the
decomposition Of animal matter. described the
guscs that are evolved. and discussed their
poisonous nature. lie quoted FIR m several
authorities the ciIcrt ot the cxhalation Of gases
from dccaying mcgt. showing that fevcrs wcro
produced. in some cases even resembling
plague. Thcrropor principles involved in the
construction ot rcfrig"rators were next dis
cussrd He asserted that the air should not
only be- cool hut that complete circulation
should be established. aud TINT moisture which
nrisi e from animal or vegetable substances
Shout Boz cuulrus"d. and the products of cou-
drn~at,on carried ~ insurinE cold circulation
and dryurss. lie said that hn had visited the
C.tv 81 Chester and examined the Refrigerator
apparatus. The cold salt wgtcr. he said.
merely circulated in pipes around the walls of
tho r"ir.-rrUur whereas cold should havs
lrru Applied o. tue lee part ot the refrigerator.
so tlai the cool. and therefore condensed air
WOuIl iI'l ly gravity. tho warm mir rising In
.uru 'o be- oooird. 4 ie"hlc circulation Of cold
current low the sides 81 the refrigerator would
undoubtedly. he said. Boz established here. hut
ihe CENTRAL icrions Of the meat most remote
from the coo'ing agent would bc least cooled.
and therefore most liable tO decay.
TO show To the Jury that il Is not simply
necessary 20 have IL" cold in u certain position
IN order io establish circulation, very sim
pie illustration YVES mndc 10y Prof Doremus, by
lighting q short candle and placing over il "A
wide tube of glass about two and one-half feet
high. The col air sirugg' IN. Ia descend WIS an
tasouizrd 10y thchotair. Nocirrulation was kept
un. and IN" rundi" fame died out The candle
WINS then rcl..htcd and n strip of wood placed
down the wide glass tube. making Il dia-
phrugm. That WAS placed over the candle
II me- The cold air rapidly descended one side
had previously lighted a cigarette and held IL 80
that the SIN Ike could demonstrate the direction
| of the current. which was very evident tn tho
| Court and jury. The diaphgram was then re-
| moved and in less than minute the candle
| flame was cNtincushcd.
! gases WIS then Illustrated by the Professor to
! drmonstrht" that the poisonous ana ill-odotcd
| gases inside the Refrigerator would csrnpe and
diffu-c through the steamship, uotwithstand-
ing the d n rent layers OF pine boards and felt
| paper 4 block OF brown sandstone Is inches
| long 10 inches wide. and a inches thick had
| two iron plates applied. one To- each side These
/ We're placed IN slight depression made on
| each side of the stone. Each of them was pro-
/ vidrd with a short iron pipe. They were held
! In contact witt thestpn 10y clamps. Melted rosi In
| hgd been poured around the edges Of the iron
! plates. The stone hnd been vanished with
| many coats oi asphatum. small glass bottle.
| in which wer' uiHccd materials for generating
! hydrogen ghs. was on ono side OF the block OF
| stone. connected 10y n flexible pipe with tho iron
| tube on the same side, second flexible pipe
| WAS attached t. the tube ON the opposite side of
| tn" stone. Tho other end Of tho tuba was
! dipped under a tall glass OF water, placed IN a
| reservoir Of water. As soon IA the acid
| waS applied 90 the little bottle containing zine
| AMI water. hydrogen gns was generated aud II
| passed through more than four inches Of COM
! pact brown sandstone. and was proved 10y rs
! Nuhhllug out under tho water on the oppos lie
siid". ana rising gradually IN the glnss tub.
| When n cons siderable quantity u gas had been
| collected. which demonstrates the facility with
| which gases can uass, even through solid ma
| sOury. the CLAMPS We're unscrcwcd. tho iron
| plates were removed and tho two surfaces of
| the brown sandstone exposed 10 the Court and
| jury. showin., there WAS no tube passing
| through the stone or other means for the de-
livery OF the gas beyond that OF the stones natu-
Dr. Doremus previously said that the ancient
| Israeto- appreciatodthe capacity OF stones and
| mortar Tor absorbing poisonous gnses. quot NJ
from loylticus 4" The priest IL the plague be-
spread in the house. shall break down tho
| house. the stones Of Il. and IN" tiuber Thereof
and AN the mortar of the house. and he shall
| carry thcu forth out tho city into an unclcnr
! place a. also said that the north wing Of m.
OLD New lork HOSPITAL. when was on the, sit'
of the block of buildings recently burned. Toe
/ came SO lmureguutcd with disease that uvl
attempted 70 purty II hy, 'rnping the walls
! Many ~ thewnr.iuen s.ckrncd and scVcrHl
! glrd. That wing OF the ho- pftul hui 90 De- uhuu
duucl In the surg 'al warts az Bellevue Hos
piful the walls. Dr. DurcWu- said. were ~ on
time iWlr,g uatet with di~cusr which produce
pyWmia He had generated between two am
thrr" tons ol chiorin" gas m those wards s.
that it migi' pass through IN" piustcr and eye
into the very stones. purifying them.