The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1891-11-03
NOVEL USES OF ARC LIGHTS.

Arc lights have served many uses
outside of conventional methods of il
Elimination, not merely in connection
with the good work of attracting and
then smuggling quarts of small bugs
with big names, but their actual APP
plication has been at times quite out
of the usual course of events.
An arc light is not usually regarded
as equivalent for rifle, although one
recently served such purpose with
out causing any injury to life. Two
steamers were racing on Long Island
Sound, and when in somewhat diff
cult channel the captain of the slower
steamer bethought himself of the
search-light, which was trained on
pilot house of the rival, causing such
dazzling of eyes that careful naviga-
ton was out of the question; and,
although green spectacles and irreve-
rently accentuatcd speech were fairly
tried, it became necessary to diminish
speed and let the other boat pass.
The electric light doubtless saved
life, (and also the race): because, fol-
lowing the custom of the good old
times under such circumstances, the
captain would probably have adopted
the Western river custom of taking
rifle, going well forward among the
freight and picking off the pilot before
submitting to defeat, or, if unduly
merciful, he might have contented
himself with merely passing the bull
let's into the pilot house in such way
as to chip off the woodwork around
the pilot by way of vigorous hint.
Electric lighting has been applied to
races equitably to the interests of all
parties in horse trots at night, where
the races were all right, but the peo-
pie did not conform to the unusual
change in hours.
The actinic raysin arc lights render
them very useful in methods of pho
Biography other than those of por-
traiture. In the numerous applications
of photography, in copying and en-
craving, uniform effects can always
be obtained and the work constantly
carried on at will independent of the
sun-comfortably taking the weather
as it comes, whether one has Far
mer's Almanac or not.
1t is not generally considered that
light is necessary to find fire, but an
arc light is to be credited with such
work in revealing fire in the upper
part of the public building in Phila-
delphia, in the summer of 1883, when
an arc light hanging over the court
yard illumined the smoke curling
from the fire before any flames were
visible to those on the ground.
In the same city arc lights served a
very useful purpose in guiding the
fireman around the lower part of
building which was burning above.
The globes were of the cup shape, and
readily catching the water from the
streams leaking through the building,
present the strange aspect of light
burning under water.
/ do not recall any instance of the
use of arc lights in surgery, although
an attempt was faithfully made in the
direction at the time of the assassina-
ton of President Garfield. The cir
cumstances related by one of those en-
gagged in the preliminary (and finaD
experiments were as follows:
The surgeons were very much en-
barrased by their failure to determine
the position of the bullet in the body
of the President, and some one con-
sidered that if powerful beam of
light could be concentrated upon his
person it would render the bullet visi-
BILE. Several naval officers at the
Washington Navy Yard gave the in
ventor the assistance of all the re-
sources of the yard, and in a short
time 1O-light arc lighting dynamo
had been installed with only one light
in circuit, and which was regulated
by hand. This light was in the focus
of mirror which would concentrate
the rays at point about 10 feet dis
tant.
The illumination upon an iron
plate held at this point was very bril-
liant, but in order that the expert
ment could be submitted in all its
fullness to the surgeons in attendance
upon the distinguished patient, it was