The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-02-26

cidentally. the lecturer. In remarkable
experiment showed that his processes
were precisely analogous to the process OF
the acquisition OF energy in the human
body
TO begin with. Mr.. Case cited the we'll
known fact that the generation OF energy
,brottch heat involves a waste OF more
man :, per cent. All electricity except
thar produced by water power or galvanc
battery Is obtained ultimately from car
bon.
In tho case Of the galvanc battery. the
waste through heat is done away with.
hut the zinc is so expensive as 10 make
this method impracticaoie as substitute
for steam in general. Mr case has sue
ceoded I'm doing with carbon what the
ralvanic battery does with zinc. carbon
being ~ course. very much cheaper. The
host electric plants require about five
mounds Of coal per horsepower hour.
electric delivered TO the line. BY
Nr c,eo's nrocess two-tenths Of a pound
Of coal will achieve an equal result. The
two lumps OF coal formed one OF the
exhibits In the lecture.
The lecturer had his apparatus With him
and performed the experiment before the
audience lie used cell ~ his own
invention. Plates OF TN and platinum
formed the electrodes. and the carbon
being oxidized by contact nth chemicals
electricity was produced. as was shown
by attaching the wire from tho cell to
motor. 4 thermometer applied az various
stages showed that no heat was gene
rated: hence. practically teh entire
energy Of the chemical charge was con-
yerted into electricity. Having concluded
this experiment.. Mr.. Case @aid:
eve certainly have most wonderful
example OF the conversion OF potential
OF 10 IT,. r,-lr -,
the animal economy which Is developed
at the expense Of the oxidation Of the
material supplied by the food with an
efficiency twice as economical as in the
case o, the steam engine. One-hfth or
the potential energy IS converted into
work. four-hfths IS converted into heat.
But we must remember that the human
body must be able 20 exist in the Arctic
regions as we'll as IN the tropics. that
the englne-room must always be kept
warm. and 10 insure this average tenn
perature In an parts Of the earth. and
under all conditions. the four-tifths ct
what apparently is waste energy is nee
cssary 10 maintain the race
In the human economy. the oxygen or
the air IS taken up by the blood TN the
lungs. IL is carried through the arteries
and attacks the tissues giving up its
oxygen. and so oxidzng them. and thus
producing heat When work is done, the
equivalent Of the heat disappears as
work. and when work Is not done. the
temperature rises. pcrspirati0n and evap-
Grafton take place and the temperature
is kept at fits Normal condition through
this safety valve. In other words. ex-
pressed electrically. there is local action
as I'm "a battery.
observe in the first place that ma
ture prepares the food which u consumes
10 perform Its functions. The .JoI T.
taken into the stomach and digcstcd \
great part of 70 is useless-tho best part
IS selected and transformed into q con-
dit.on in which It can be easily oxidized
at low temperature. the blood acting
as tho carrier Of the oxygen. Does not
this give us a hint that we should follow
this course likewise. and prepare the ma
terial for our carbcn-cOnsuming batteries
/ The oxygen Of the air we always have
with us, so have We many carriers or
! oxygen. but an attempt. so far as
know. has not yet been made along this
line which 7 suggest. except that illu-
minating and other gases have been
used"
we have I'm the blood Of the human
economy carrier OF oxygen called haem-
oglohin. which absOrbs its oxygen through
the lungs. This oxygen is bon such IN
stable condition that il can be extracted
from the blood by means Of n vacuum
and boy means Of most reducing agents;
yet f. has the power 10 oXidize carbons
and hydrocarbons. as the body provides
them. without external heat"
Here the lecturer took M test tube
containing blood from an OK.
tinued. water containing haemoglobn
in solution. You will see that by trans
mtted light a. IS Of the color Of arterial
blood as II IS fully oxdized. When n
reducing agent is added to it and air ex-
cluded. you will see that IL becomes the
color Il venous blood. and when the air
Is again admitted. 10 takes up the oxygen
and becomes artorlal in color. This game
OF give and take and oXidizing and de-
oxidizing can be played as many times
as We like"
As hc spoke. Mr. Case with the aid Of
! his assistant. Mr. prosser performed the
| experiment. With tho Introduction Of the
reducing agent tho blood changed color.
hut returned to its original color when
tho afr was introduced again. Mr.. Case
| then connected the blood with a motor
| by wire. and the energy thus trans
mittcd rang am electric bell This expert
ment called forth enthusiastic applause.
A1r. Case said further:
what I want 10 express 10 YOU Is this.
/ In this battery carbon is completely ok
| died ~ normal temperature by oxygen.
which IS held ia loose combination So
/ 70 IS done in The human body. and we
know that 10 be n very efficient machine.
/ Therefore I sea no reason 10 think that
] g l. f..t.
petdturos Keep without the second law
OF thermo-cyuamics. search for a suitable
carrier Of oxygen or some cheap source
of oxygen supply and hydrogen or car
| bon. or carbon compound easily oxi-
/ died.
Does n not seem logical that by fol
/ lcwrs along this limo and by preparing
/ the material 10 he consumed, as nature
| docs in tho human body we may yet Doe
I able q reach the desired end with econ
omy3 We have u this cell conditions
which are analogous 10 those taking
place in the human system. az least 20
the extent that carbon Is and can be
| ozldlzed go the normal temperatures UNI
der which We live. and its potential
energy converted into electricity. j. il not
probable. judging from human exper-
/ fence. that within the wide range OF ma
torials some cheap means can be found ?
haiicve IL is Like an good things
! bon nature. Do viii come through many
trials and failures. The struggle for ex-
istenco will perfect H. but there is no
! known law which indicates that we are
dealing with the impossible"
At the close of the lecture there was
a general discussion and after that many
OF the audience STAYED 10 ask questions
regarding the practical application OF the