Smyrna times., 1880-06-09
A Remarkable Discovery.

Mr.. Fleuss, young man OF the age OF
twenty eight years, has made the remark
able discovery of Il means whereby person
accustomed to diving can exist for hours
underneath the water without connection
with the surface. Heretofore all submarine
divers have been dependent for air, at the
bottom OF the sea, upon tubes through
which the air was forced from a pumping
apparatus placed i'll Il vessel anchored over
the spot whore the diver WAS operating.
The defect Of this arrangement WAS that,
being connected with his helmet, ii obstruc-
ted the diver in his work, and if the tube
was fouled or fractured from any cause the
supply of air was cut off, and the diver was
in danger of su1focating, unless he promptly
gave the signal to be drawn up by pulling
the cord that for this purpose was also
attached to his dress. The discovery made
by Mr.. Fleuss does away with these encum-
brances, and enables him to move about
under the water independent of all extcr-
nal aid except the cord for signalling, when,
from great depths, he wants to be drawn
to the surface. Clothed in a special
water-tight dress and helmet, a person
can exist for hours, not only III deep
waters, but can venture into places where
nOXious gases would be fatal III a few min.
utes TO any one who breathed them. BY a
very simple process Mr.. FleuSs manutac-
| lures the air he ErCaths and gets rid of the
| carbonic acid gas he eXhales within the
sphere of the helmet and dress. To under
stand how this is done preliminary eXpla-
nation may be necessary. The atmosphere
consists of One-tifth oxygen and four-titths
nitrogen. These two gases, in the proper.
tions we have named constitute the air we
breathe. The oxygen IS the active sup
porter of life. 1t is modified by the nitro
gen to adapt it to the uses of the lungs.
We inhale oxygen, which nature renders
fit for our breathing by diluting it with
nitrogen. We exhalc carbonic acid gas
which, if not gotten rid Of, would poison
the blood. With these facts understood
1.-The simplicity OF the invention Of Mr.. Fleus:
is easy to comprehend. He charges a par
of his helmet with a supply Of COMPRESSED
oxygen gas, the delivery Of which. as h,
needs il, is regulated by valve. The nitro
gen contained in the lungs and in the
diviug-dress is ample, for it is Interchangeable
and, by due admiXturc OF fresh OXygel
from time To time, can be breathed owe
and over again. In this way he provides
by a simple process, the air required to sus
tain life. The difficulty was to get rid 0
or to nrutralize the exhaled carbonic aci,
| HtlS within u NlCSo IlCl lA4GNlGtIIS ClOSGN
Here again lie brought his knowledge Q
chemistry to his aid. He causes the cal
bonic acid gas given of by the lungs to b
converted into carbonate Of soda, by passin
. tho gas through caustic soda. The way i
which this is done is described in Chan
bers's Journal OF March ~ as follows
The caustc soda is contained IN sma
tin or ebonite case, placed in the body
> the dress. 1t is in solution md confnc
in the pores of spongy iniaru6ber
= proper arrangement of tubing causes til
: whole of the exhale,l air to pass thrOug
= this case, where, coming in contact wit
: the solution, it is neutralized, and as ca
Donate Of soda loses its poisonous prope
: ties" Mr.. Fleuss has been giving exhit
= tions in London in the presence Of scie
= tifc men, and besides explaining to the
" his invention has personally demonstrate
i its adoption to submarine diving by renal
- ing under water for more than one hour
rf time. The experimental tests include
= choke damp as well as water. AT the l
= quest of some of the gentlemen prese
- Mr.. Fleuss entered a vessel filled with CT
:. buretted hydrogen gas, and came out of
= at the end Of twenty minutes, witho
: having experienced any i'll effects fro
- this, the deadliest gas to which coal mine
~ are subjected. If he had been unprotect
~ by his dress and the means Of brcathi
- - within it " he could not have lived sa
as ao one Of the gentlemen present, "siXty s.
90 90 onds." The discovery is declared by
&c who have assisted at these exhibitions to
- a most valuable one, especially in explori
~ wrecks, and mines after explosions la
~ taken place, and in entering buildings
ty, i,e n,eu "NG1s M t"S e. a'"'tNe "'N