New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-15

dry o. is far more comfortable temperature than
50 when humidity is high.
In Mr. Dunn's eyre the top Of the lofty Man
haitian Life Building is curious instrument which
measures exactly the amount OF humidity IN me
atmosphere The instrument was the invention OF
some OF the wise men III the United states weather
Bureau. and has entirely superseded the old-fash-
toned hvgrometer which is still IN use in most OF
the weather bureaus abroad II IL called the whiried
psychrome,er and consists OF two ordinary Their
nometers mounted an iron frame in such way
tina; they be rapidly rotated by ratchet Do
vice attached to a long handle. One OF the Their
mometers has ns bulb wrapped IN thin musln'
When IL is desired take the humidity. which Is
done regularly morning AMI evening the muslin sur
rounding the bulb is thoroughly moistened ana the
two thermometers are rotated rapidly for about
thirty seconds The evaporation OF the moisture
from the muslin coos the bulb and lowers the tenn
nerature OF the thermometer. This operation "a re-
heated two or three times until the .oWest temper
AZURE l. reached The dry thermometer VIII not
have altered in temperature The difference between
the readings OF the dry and wet thermometers is
then taken. and by means OF ianes me percentage oil
humidity is calculated
The lower the temperature OF the wet thermOme-
ter the lower the humidity and dryer the atmos-
phere When the air is saturated with moisture. as
when It is raining. the two thermome ters remain
at the same temperature no matter how fast they
are whirled The humidity is then said 10 be 100 per
cent and II must be- either raining there must
be a heavy fog Sixty-two per cent is a normal
amount of humidity, and anything above % begins
10 cause discomfort IL the thermometer * at all
high When sucn is the case the perspration will
not evaporate. and consequently eNerts no cooling
effect upon the body IT. such weather the people
in tenement houses are the chief sufferers Babies
and small children are especially affected bv a
high TEMPERATURE. coupled with high humidity.
Every degree above ~ in not weather which the
psychrometer shows may mean dead chlld on the
p0puous East Side. Even 10 people WIN an Inc cooi-
ing appliances which money can aiOrd. huiHidity
causes great discomfort and calls lorin urgent
wishes for a westerly wind.
Westerly winds the only anudotr ioI spell
Of humidity for a zephyr from the dry plains % The
psychrometer h. a twinkling The whirled psychrom-
eter is universally used IN INC stations OF me
United States Weather Bureau in place 81 the mar
hvgrometer In the old hygrOmeier the ~eI-known
properties OF hair to shrink or swell IL an atnos-
phere OF varying moisture are utilized 10 record the
humidity percentage. This instrument Is far more
complicated and not nearly trustworthy as the
one now used by Mr.. Dunn and his feliow-prophets
in this country .
Chief Willis l.. Moore. who paid visit TO Mr..
Dunn recently has decided upon new pan H.
recording the state OF the weather. Hitherto only
the future the sensible temperature that ANNA
life feels will be given wei. This step IL Tor the
benefit OF those who cannot reconcile their bodily
temperature with the statement OF heat aud cold
given out by the Weather Bureau. When the av-
erage man reads that the thermometer registers ~
degrees. he Immediately begins 10 suffer whereas.
II the humidity were higher hr might be more I'M
comfortable when the Thermometer REGISTERED only
81 Hereafter the wet-bulb thermOmeter VIII give
the heat and humidity al one reading.