The record-union., 1898-03-27

| A whisky cocktail which the COM
FOUNDER would allow no one to touch
was prepared in the presence of sew
eral scientific men, two or three days
ago, by Charles E. Tripler of this city.
Having poured about two fingers" of
old rye into an ordinary tumbler, he
added about half an inch of liquid air
from a tin dipper. The mixture effer-
vesced in a rather lively fashion, but
only for a moment. Mr. Tripler stirred
it meanwhile with a slender glass roo.
and then dumped the contents of the
tumbler out on his laboratory table.
The stuff then had the consistency and
appearance of Muscovado sugar or
slightly moist snow which had &C
quired a yellowish- brown hue.
When a visitor attempted to take a
small pinch of it between the thumb
and forefinger, and thus to transfer
even the smallest quantity to his
tongue, the boss bartender promptly
interfered. why, mani" he exclaimed
lit will blister your mouth fearfully!
Drop it," Afterward he explained
that as alcohol does not freeze until
it reaches a temperature of about 200
degrees below zero, Fahrenheit, and as
the fluid with which he began the ex-
pertinent had been frozen by the evap-
Grafton of the liquid air that had been
added, the innocent-looking crystals
were much colder than an uninitiated
observer would suppose and would
scar flesh almost like hot iron. Mr.
Tripler then proceeded to conduct a
.f,,I oAyi-
ments with LIQUID air, the prepara-
ton of which has occupied much OF
his time and thought for several years.
Perhaps a description of these
should be prefaced with a word or two
about the liquid itself. Mr.. Tripler
keeps a quantity of it on hand, IN an
open cask, from which he or his as
sistants scoop dipperfuls as occasion
requires. The air, in this form, is not
confined under pressure, and shows no
explosive tendencies until it is convert
ed once more into gas. In that process
it expands instantly. Seen through
the walls of a globular glass vessel, it
looks like water, being beautifully
transparent and almost colorless. A
depth of several inches imparts pale
blue tint to the stuff. This is the hue
of the contained oxygen. Inasmuch
as nitrogen of the air has lower boile
ing point, or is more volatile than oxy-
gen, the former element slowly eVap-
crates if the compound is allowed to
stand for a time, so that a residue Of
almost pure liquid oxygen is left.
If a double-walled glass globe be
prepared, with a space of about half
an inch between the walls, and vac
uum be scared there, the vessel loses
the power of radiating and absorbing
heat. Such a globe, four or five inches
in diameter and having short, wide
neck (say an inch or more across,
may be half filed with liquid air and
allowed to stand in moderately warm
room. uncorked, for several hours
without any serious reduction of it's
volume from evaporation. The liquid
remains still. too. But if a single
walled globe of the same size and neck
be used, the contents will boil gently
and disappear in about twenty or thir-
ty minutes In the meantime deli
cate, visible white vapor will slowly
rise into and overflow from the orifice.
The fingers may be plunged quickly
into d dipperful of this queer fluid
without any serious effect, if they be
withdrawn promptly. The fingers may
come out dry, not wet, and during the
momentary immersion only a sensation
of GOODNESS is felt. A thin wall of
vapor which is instantly formed about
the fingers protects them for second,
or fraction of a second. But let them
stay there for a longer period, and
they would be seriously burned. In
like manner, few drops may be
poured out into the palm of the hand
without harm if shaken off to the floor
almost Immediately While lying in
the hollow of the hand the liquid shows
a tendency to gather itself up into
spherical shapes and to separate itself
into distinct globules.
Apply a warm hand to the exterior of
the globe or to thin tumbler contain
ing liquid air, and the contents will
boil more vigorously and emit this va
por more profusely A single finger in
serted into the open mouth of the
globe, but without touching the sur
face Of the liquid, will hasten the va
porizing process, so that the digit it
self appears to give off steam. When
boiling the liquid air is as white and
Opaque as milk owing to the large
number. of small bubbles developed
therein. Pouring water into a dish
containing liquid air results in the
conversion of the former element into
ice although the latter fluid is boiling
vigorously in consequence. A chunk OF
this ice. too, will produce ebullition.
Or if tumbler containing liquid air
be partially immersed in basin of
cold water the latter will produce the
same effect.
Here is one of Mr. Tr:pler's prettiest
demonstrations. A thin, straight-sided