Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-02-08


1t has been fairly successful with the
rigid trucks used abroad. The prime
essentials OF any such system, subject
ed to such severe conditions as obtain
IN railway practice, are simplicity that
Is ease of handling and economy both
of first cost and operation. Lieut.. I.
N. Lewis, U. S. A., has developed a
system Of car lighting which appears
to possess all the elements of success
full commercial apparatus. The details
OF the system can not yet be given, ow-
Ing to patent office exigencies, but 1t
consists essentially of dynamo driven
from the car axle, supplying current
to set Of storage cells, which furnish
current while the train is stopped, and
at all other required periods.
Betting In Electric Light.
There are a few people who believe
that electric lights possess great cura-
tive powers. 1t IS known that the
transmission of the electric current
through the atmosphere converts the
oxygen into ozone. A thunderstorm
clears the air. On such established
facts as these the electricians base their
claims that the electric light has cura-
tive property. When the rays are d.
rected from q properly devised appara-
tbs to any part Of the body the effect
is to increase the circulation and to
bring on a copious perspirat ton where
the light strikes. If it is desired to
treat particular part of the body,
screens and reflectors are adjusted so
that the electric light is thrown to that
place alone.
If general treatment as we'll as local
81 plication Is wanted the patient sits
with bis back to the apparatus. The
specific rays are thrown upon the dis
eased spot and the general electric light
is thrown upon the whole body. Diffent
colored lights are employed for dll1er-
ent diseases. For some cases the cleo
trio light is thrown through blue glass.
For special effect OH the blood red cleo
trio light is used and for results on the
nervous system the color is yellow.
Sun baths are old as the hills. Electric
light baths are something entirely new.
The astonishing claim is made by the
electricians that this treatment is more
rapid in it's action than drugs.
There is nothing to which the electric
treatment is not applied. If the trou-
BILE is in the head a blue or violet ray
Is turned on. For the extremitias the
red light is applied to help the circula-
/ ton. Dormant livers and bowels are
brought to sense of duty Of the yellow
or orange ray. Upon intlammations
the blue Is turned on.
The Future of Electric Railways,
DR.. Edward Hopkinson, the well
known English electrical expert, has
been saying some practical things about
electric railways. He thinks we do not
yet know enough about electric traction
to entitle us to expect that it will take
the place Of steam traction on trunk
lines, but it has it's proper function in
the working Of the underground lines
now projected in London, Paris, Berlin,
Brussels, and other large cities In Eu-
rope, and also on other lines, for ex-
ample, on the Liverpool overhead rail
way where trains of large carrying
capacity were not required, but a fire.
Quent service was essential; and finally
on short lines, where water power was
available. Referring to both American
aud European projects for travelling at
14O and even 200 miles an hour. DR..
Hopkinson stated that at such high
speeds the power required to overcome
the air resistance was Of special con-
sideration. The power required to pro-
pei an ordinary train 200 feet long at
POO miles an hour against the resistance
of air alone, apart from the. FRACTIONAL
resistance would not be less than LOO
horse power. Though there was moth
ing to prevent tile construction Of cleo
trio locomotives capable of developing
this, or even greater power, the strength
Of the materials at present ut command
would set a limit to the speeds to be
obtained. If. however, modern civiliza-
ton required a speed Of travel of over
200 miles per hour, DR.. Hopkinson
predicted that it would be more eff
GENTLY realized by regarding it as a
problem in projectiles and not of or
binary locomotion
An Object Lesson In Electricity.
The recent description of Herr Kolb's
method of making the lines of electric
forces visible has brought out another
and in some respects similar method
by Prof. Weller. of Esshngen. In
Kolb's experiment, a quantity of pure
anhydrous Oil of turpentine was pour
ed into 4 fiat tray or vessel. and some
sulphate Of quinine stirred in with a
glass rod. The discharge from an cleo
tric Influence or static machine
was then sent through it by means Of
wires terminating in brass balls dipping
Into the turpentine This developed
white crystals Of quinine which ar
ranged themselves in beautiful curving
lines between the balls. Prof. Weller
uses two electrodes, or metal surfaces
connected in an electric circuit, and q
milky mixture of trlturated sulphate
If ouinine in oil Of turpentine. Shortly
after the electric discharge is passed
through it clear space is seen ut the
nositive electrode and particles Of Qui-
nine cluster around the negative cleo
trode In streamers directed along the
lines of electric force. Either Of these
experiments can be easily carried out
by the electrical student.