Omaha daily bee., 1895-11-17
THE FIELD or ELECTRICITY
Instructive Facts About the Electric Plow
in Use in Germany.
HOW IT WORKS AND ITS COST
Development of Eiectricity ms n Medi.
cnI AGent-A Telephone Squeeze
domestic itonveniences
AMI Luxuries.

united states CONSUL D0ederleln, al
Lepsic. Germany, has made report to the
State department upon the working Of cleo
trio plows, which are coming into use to some
extent in that country. From the con-
sul's description OF tae electric plow it |:
difficult to understand just where the econ
omy in it's use is to be found. That it could
or would ever be made available in this
country is doubtful. To plow by electricity
with the machines in use in Germany, would
be regarded here as too complicated and ex-
pensive a work to receive much favor
There are three pieces of machinery that &C
to make up the electrical plow, to say moth.
ing of the chains, anchors and cable car
riages necessary in its use.
First. a steam stationary engine or "lo-
comobile." to furnish power to the dynamo
second, the dynamo, which furnishes the
electric current to the motor, which is at
tached to the plow. making the third piece
of machinery. The power is transmitted to
the motor by two copper wires or cables
which, being mounted on cable carriages
follow the plow about. But there is yet
another thing necessary, and that is the ap-
plication of the power of the motor to the
plow itself. This is accomplished by chain
stretched across the field on line with the
turrOW, ana nelu taut Dy triple BTuunu an
chors. The anchor shaft of the motor sets
in motion double spur wheel. which, in
turn drives a pinioned shaft, which grips
the chain and so pulls the plow along. On
reaching the end of the chain the plow is
tilted TO the other side, and the simple re-
versal of the current sets the plow in mo-
ton in the opposite direction. In returning
1t deposits the chain sideways ready for the
next row of burrows. A laborer, by turn
ing lever, draws up the three ground an
chors, and, by this simple action. sets the
travelling wheels affixed to the anchor axles
in motion, so that the anchors are easily
moved to the next furcow.
The plow is fitted with two, three or four
shares, according to the scale OF husbandry
in which it is used. Farming a large
scale requires four-share plow and heavier
machinery.
The first cost of TN electric plow, with
four shares, is as follows: Cost of sta
forty horsepower, 1904; dynamo ma
chine, including foundations and driving
belts to produce $4,000 watts per hour. $l,19O;
electric conduits, complete, 1856 miles in
length. $1,190, motor and plowing gear
81, ,O6O; chain and anchors. s2l0; total cost OF
an electric plow, $7,I44.
The amount of work that can be done with
fourshare plow in day of ten hours is
given as four square hectares, a little less
than nine acres. To work the machine re-
quires one engineer. one driver, one man to
attend the chain and anchors and two boys
to attend the cable carriages.
1t will be seen from the above that elec-
trcity in plowing is not likely to become
popular in this country. The first cost OF
the machinery alone would be prohbitory.
MEDICAL ELECTRICITY.
Few people outside the medical profession
says the New York .T'ples, have any idea o
the splendid work thaEts being done in this
country in the employment of electricity
which formerly was used almost entirely by
impostors and incompetents, in the most
marvellous healing any curative system thai
has ever been known lfhe report of electrica
industries in the sta n Of New York, at the
eleventh census, in S89O. shows that there
were then in the state sis manufacturers OF
electrical specialties for the uses of medicine
and surgery, five medical colleges giving
courses in ectro-therapeutics and electro.
surgery, ffty-one hospitals making an aggre
gate of 17,071 electrical applications. and
sixty-fve physicians who had treated 1607i
patients during the year. Most of these fig
ures, in the most important data. can now
be almost doubled. In 1890 strong prejudice
against the use of electricity still prevailed
In the minds OF a majority of the medica
profession. In addition to this, they were
brought face to face with the uncomfortable
fact that If electricity were to secure general
recognition as therapeutic agent. they would
have to master its mysteries in order to keep
pace with their brethren, a prospect little
short of appalling to many hardworking
practitioner. When the figures given in the
census report were being compiled a leading
fashionable physician in New York City was
asked his opinion as to the likelihood of cleo
tricity being taken up in earnest by the pro-
fesslon. He said: 1T never will be, l have
tried 1t myself, and have come to the conclu-
sion that there is nothing in It," The whole
electrical apparatus Of the physician turned
out to be a small Faradic battery, and he had
been treating all ailments with the same kind
Of current. This conception OF the province
and application of medical electricity was
then the rule rather ,han the exception, but
in the five years that have since passed
America has developed electro-therapists who,
In some branches, lead the world, and the av-
crage status Of eectro-theraphy here Is higher
than that of any other country. The main
credit of this rapid and extraordinary revolu-
tion- Is due to the scientific spirit and hard
and conscientious work of the leaders of the
movement, but an important step was taken
when the New York electrical societies, recog-
nizing the valuable work they were doing,
sought to enroll them as members. Before
that electro therapists were half afraid of try
ing conclusions with electricians and electrical
engineers, but when once the ice was broken
they found they could more than hold their
own in their special branches, and they went
on with amazingly increased confidence. To-
day electric charlatanism is losing ground.
and, although there IS much still to be done
by the rank and file of the profession, in the
enlightened and legitimate use of electricity,
eiectro-therapy, as prscticed by the advanced
men IN the new school, is in highly flourish
ing and encouraging condition.
DOMESTIC CoNVENIENCES,
new phase of luxury In domestic life is
being inaugurated by the ever-ncreasing ap-
pications OF electnol current. A wealthy
manufacturer, who 'hasi just built large
country house, ordered provision to be made
for using electricity for all the household
purposes to which II can now be applied.
How well the order waE carried out may be
guessed from the factGthat the switchboard
alone cost $4,000. Nearly all the manual
work OF the kitchen, the cleaning Of knives,
dish washing, ETC., all the cooking, and the
heating OF the house, are Of course. done
electrically. Doors oifeh at the pressure Of
the fcot on mat. ana as the steps Of the
staircase are troddenl masses OF soft light
glmmer through the Semi-transparent walls.
One OF the neatest ases TO which the current
is put is in the heatftig of the bath rooms.
In each room, and almost out Of sight. is a
small electric radiator. When the occupant
he touches a buttoh4 fiand the radiator is
started in the bath .Jo9m, which in a few
minutes has temperature in which the
bather can dlsrobe Without shivering This
is far ahead of the 'dfd style OF lighting the
gas to make the room warm, in which. by
the time the air was OF comfortable tenn
perature, II was unit fer breathing, and
undid much, II not all, of the good effects
or the bath. II Is now proposed to have a