The Forrest City times., 1891-04-24
SCIENCE AND PROGRESS.
INTERESTING FACTS FOR IN
 DURING MINDS.
Electricity and Light--Fire ExtIng- uIsher for Car Heaters.End Guards for Cars--CoCoanut Water as a Culture Medium for Bacteria.
Electricity and Light.

EleCtriCity ana Light.
 It has been intimated that the elee- trical forces are propagated through the ether, and that there is very close connection between electricity and light, And is an important connection between these two myster- ious agents-light and electricity-that the velocity with which an electro magnetic disturbance is propagated through space is equal to the velocity of light, being in round numbers, 1S6,- 900 miles second. Travelling at this rate, light takes eight minutes to reach the earth from the sun, and the fact of it's thus requiring time to travel Is sufficient to show that space is not, as 1t is often supposed to be, empty, but that there is something present in 1t which transmits light, and, 1t may be added, transmits also heat and electricity. The structure of this something, which it has been agreed to call ether, is now, and prob- ably always will be unknown; but it is understood that 1t must be diff ferent to that of any other arc acquainted. If light and electrical undulations are propagated through the same medium with the same yeloc- ity in the same manner. It is not diff ticult to conceive that they must be more than merely related; that they must be to a great extent identical. Clerk Maxwell, more than quarter of a century ago, i'll this electro-magnet- ic theory of light, first recognized this, and the experiments of Profs. Ayrton and Parry have since confirmed 1t. Electromagnetic waves, in all respects similar to light waves, were detected in 1888, and more minute observa- tions since then have shown an exact similarity in all respects. Both alike can be reflected, retracted and polar ized. Therefore electrical, like lumin- ous phenomena, are all referable to the action of the other, and electrical science includes the whole of optics, or that optics includes the whole of cleo trical science, whichever way fancy may choose to put it.
 Fire Extlngulsher fer Car Heaters.
 A singular instance of the compara- tive futility of beginning at the wrong end of the story is the invention of a fro extinguisher for car heaters and lamp. It is to be hoped that the pos sibility of fires in railway cars will not much longer exist. but as that much to be desired comsummation has not yet arrived, the new extinguisher may for short time be welcome addition to the limited number of devices at our command for lessening the danger of fire should the car be overturned or subjected to violent concussion. The invention itself is most simple, and it's automatic working is perfect. It consists of a tank filled with q water solution of bicarbonate of soda, with a valve outlet at either top or bottom connecting with pipes leading to the interior of the car stove or heater. In the topportion ofthis tank is suspend ed q small vessel cont aiming sulphrwie acid, which, when forced into contact with the bicarbonate, evolves carbonie acid gas. The vessel containing the sulphuric. acid is so suspended that a severe concussion will overturn 1t and dislodge the stopper, and thus allow the acid to flow out and saturate the bicarbonate in the tank below In this way carbonic acid gas is evolved in sufficient quantity to force open the valve connected with the pipe leading to the heater, The springs in the tank shut against the valve stem, and are SO designed as to require a five pound pressure to open it. The com bination of the chemicals eyerts a pressure of seyenty-iive pounds, which IS sufficient to pour Il powerful stream of fire extinguishing gas upon the burn ing fuel, thus crushing not only an in- stant suspension of combustion but an immediate add total extinction of the fire, A small extingu.sher, embody- ing the saine principle, can readily be applied to lamps with the same cer- tainty of results.