Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-03-02
NEW ERA OF LIGHT.
Tesla's Discovery May Extend to
Making the Very Air Luminous.
EFFECT ON THE HUMAN BODY.
The Root Of the Rice Plant Found to Make
IN Excellent Filament.
NEW APPLICATIONS OF ELECTRICITY
WRITTEN FOR THE prspArcH,I

WRITTEN FOR THE pISPArcH,I
The English electrical papers have de-
voted considerable space to the consideration
of Tesla's recent lecture in London, and dis
cuss freely the possibilities arising out of
the experiments shown. First ofthese pos
sibilities is the supersession Of the incan-
descent lamp. Since it is possible by
means Of conducting plates and electric cur
rents of the proper description to produce
such condition in room that . rariied
tube brought into 1t becomes self:luminous,
the next step will be the ability to bring
the atmosphere of the room itself to state
of luminosity similar to the effects of sun
light.
This is only in line with Tesla's idea,
which seems to be well founded, that phos-
phorescence can be produced in all substan-
ces provided currents of sufficient frequency
and sufficiently high potential are en-
ployed In the latter case the air need not
be exhausted; given sufficiently high ini-
tial velocity of the molecules, they will
lombard the substance to be incandesced
fast enough to raise the surface to the glow
ing stage. Thus we may look forward to
the time when we, or if not we ourselves,
our children will produce artificial light by
direct vibration of the ether, caused by
electrical energy.
Another and most important conclusion
to be drawn from these memorable expert
ments il the fact that currents of extremely
high potential and frequency do not affect
the human body at all. Mr.. Tesla received
q current of perhaps, 80, 900 volts, or more,
with perfect immunity; and this is certainly
in direct contradiction to the prevailing
theory that the higher the potential the
more fatal are the effects of the current
The conclusion drawn from this highly i'm
portant fact is that q close analogy exists
between the physiological effects of heat
and light rays and those of electrical
vibrations. Heat and light are now
universally admitted to be vibrations
Of that sll-pervading matter, the
ether. It depends upon the degree of
velocity Of these vibrations whether our
senses perceive them in the form of heat or
light. Ether vibrations of less rate of
veocity manifest themselves as heat, those
of higher rate as light. 1t is we'll
known fact that our body cannot resist those
vibrations Of q lower rate of velocity called
heat, while it is not affected at all BY those
vibrations Of higher speed called light. And
thus it seems to be with electrical vibra-
tions; current of 1000 volts, or even less,
will kill q man, while one of 20 times the
pressure will not affect him in the least.
The immense importance attaching to
this observation will be seen when it is re-
membered that currents of very high poten-
tial and frequency are destined to play a
leading part in the industrial methods of
the future, not only for the purposes of
lighting, but also for those of power trans
mission, and if such currents have to be
used it is great comfort to know that they
are absolutely safe.