Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-07-12
HOW n AFFECTS THE BODY.
FIRING A BIG GUN BRINGS ABOUT
MANY PHYSICAL CHANGES.


clear Idea Of just what happens when .
big cannon ID fired. The physical mani
festations are numerous. Even protest.
ors Of chemistry and physics arc stump.
ed when they want 70 diherentiate oil
the gases Get loose and the peculiar
effects they induce. The puff Of whitish
smoke, the fash Of fire, the dim image
Of the flying projectile, the roar and the
recoil are al familiar; but back OF these
10 . complex mass Of phenomena most
bewilderipg to the mind Of any but an
artillery expert.
First, the cubes, disks, hexagons or ir-
regular Jumps OF powder are chemically
transformed into powerful, expanding
gas the instant firing takes place. Then
there are innumerable by-products that
even chemists do not understand.
The explosion OF gunpowder Is divided
into three distinct stages called the igni-
ton, Inflammation and combustion. The
ignition IL the setting on fire OF the 6rst
grain, while the Inflammation is the
spreading Of the fame over the surface
OF the powder from the point Of ignition.
Combustion is the burning up OF each
grain. The value Of gunpowder Ia due
to the fact that when subjected TO sutii-
cient heat It becomes as gas which ex-
pands with frightful rapidity. The 90
called explosion that takes place when
match Ia touched to gunpo ~der IL mere
~ chemical change, during which
there IL sudden evolution OF gases
from the original solid.
Ii has been calculated that ordinary
gunpowder on exploding expands about
nine thousand times, or ILLS space this
much larger rs = gas than when In solid
form. When this chemical change takes
place In closed vessel the expansion
may be made to do work like that of
forcing a projectile along the bore Of the
great gun, or test tube, 10 the line OF
least resistance.
The hardest work gunner Is called
upon to do IL to stand the tremendous
shock. The forces exerted by these gases
la expanding seem TO rsdiste 10 all d.
recti0ns from the cannon, as rlpples are
caused BY dropping q pebble In pool
Of still water. As matter OF fact, u has
been discovered that these lines OF force
are exceedingly complicated affairs and
play very queer pranks about the can
non. As result few people know just
which Is the safest or the most danger
Gus position for gunner to take beside
his gun. In the case OF the great l3-inch
guns on our monitors, a position back
OF the guns IL much easier than one
nearer the muzzle.
In addition TO this force, there Ia an
immense pressure exerted on the sides OF
the cannon, so that another distinct
series Of shocks also rsdiate outward
from the barrel of the gun. These lines
OF force are Influenced, besides, by the
recoil OF the gun, which tends to make
the lines curve outward and inteusifies
the shock. These are In turn more or
less compensated BY the forces OF the
air opposing them rs II rushes into the
mouth OF the cannon when the projectile
leaves Il. As n result OF all these forces
the atmosphere Ia, OF course, violently
disturbed. Although no projectile strikes
the gunner, who must stand by, II will
be seen that the air IL full OF missiles 10
the form Of invisible lines Of force or
vibrations which lombard, as II were,
every part OF the gunner's body at the
same time.
An examination and analysis Of the
feet produced upon the human system
and the mind by the firing OF a cannon IL
most engrossing. Men generally ac-
counted courageous tremble violently In
their knees others feel nsusested; some
have severe headaches; q few have their
ear drums split or the action Of their
heart affected.
Take the vital organ, the heart, first.
a the space between the right suricle
and ventricle are set Of fine, thread
like cords called the tendina. The con-
cussion mskes them tremble like tim
hers In building when there Is An earth
quake. In weak man the chamber OF
the heart Is left open for an instant; the
opening and closing springs lose their
control; the heart shakes; possibly the
chore tendipa are snapped; contraction
or dilstion OF the organ ensues and In
some Instances desth follows.
Deafness induced by an explosion may
be traced to the sudden pressure upon
the inner oriflce Of the ear and the ire
mendous vibration set up. The thin,
transparent, fairly bright membrane call
ed drum OF the ear Is burst, like q piece
OF tissue paper held tau; and forcioly
blown upon. Sounds are conveyed by
the beating Of n tiny mallet upon this
anvil. II the beating Is too rapid and
too forcible, the membranes may be
ruptured, a temporary disturbance Of the
mind occurs, and the sufferer becomes
dizzy.
When the knees tremble II IL due to
the nervous shock produced In the cere-
bellum. All the nerves and muscles are
thrown into atomic contractions and re-
Taxation aud the knees appear to give
way.
Nausea IL caused by the physiological
change that takes place In the brain.
There Is pressure Of blood there, and
the stomach, responding, tries TO empty
self.-Phllsdelphia Times.