The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1886-04-09
STRANGE PHENOMENA.


.s34s Men.
A curious phenomenon is reported
from Smyrna, Florida, as occurring DUR
ing the recent cold wave which destroyed
mangroves and oranges to an almost
unprecedented extent. People are said
to have picked up quantities of fish that
were either dead or SO stupefied by the
cold as to float helplessly. 1t would be
interesting to know whether these fish
were really dead or only lying in state
of topper. However this may be, the
occurrence suggests some inquiries upon
the effect of temperature upon fishes in
their native element.
A little reflection leads to the conclu-
sion that, although the changes in the
temperature of large bodies of water are
never so rapid or so wide in their range
as the changes of the temperature in the
air over them, the effect of such changes
in abstracting heat from or imparting
heat to living or inanimate bodies must
be far greater in water than in air.
The specific heat of air is only 0.238
that of water, and pint of water weighs
nearly as much as 13 cubic feet of air at
ordinary density. Hence a change of
one degree in the temperature of pint
of water represents as great an actual
heat change as a change of one degree
| in about 55 cubic feet of air. Both bodies
| impart heat by contact in the same
manner, but by the immensely larger
| volume capacity of water for heat than
that possessed by air, the effect OF con-
tact is very much more intense for q
! given difference of temperature with
water than with air. Men or animals
can pass from air at temperature of
80 deg. Fab. into body of air even be-
low the freezing point and remain for
short periods without feeling even dis
comfort. This is done almost hourly in
large breweries employing powerful re-
frigerating apparatus, and in large meat
refrigeratng establishments, wherein
the temperature is maintained. below 40
deg. Fah,; and the writer has often,
without even a coat, passed from tenn
perature of over 80 deg. Fab. into room
where water was rapidly freezing, and
the temperature was not more than l6
deg. Fab. II is highly probable
i that to enter water at SO deg.
from temperature of so deg. OF &C
deg. would either produce death or Sc
rious disorder to most kinds of warm
blooded animals. The shock is quite
severe, in very warm weather, from a
plunge into water at 60 deg. A gradual
change would, Of course, be less severely
felt, but plunge from air at 20 deg
Fab. into water at 32 deg. Fab. by {
person having on the ordinary clothing
and. for that reason having thu
surface of the body not cooler thar
so deg. Fab, would be more than an,
weak constitution could sustain withou
serious injury or even danger.
Changes in the temperature of waite
in large masses, resulting from change
in the temperature of the atmosphere
are, from the nature of the two sub
stances, very gradual, no matter HOY
violent the atmospheric change.
seems, then, somewhat remarkable tina
during the cold experienced in Florid
fishes should be killed. 1t is, however
to be remembered that these fishes az
living substantially in tropical waters
and that ice formed during the col
wave, in small bodies of water, an inc
in thickness. The temperature of til
water from which the fishes were picke
up must, therefore, have approach6
quite closely to the freezing point; an
there are many tropical fishes an
marine animals that would soon d
when exposed to such temperature
Scientific american.