The Opelousas courier., 1899-10-07
Machines for BREATHING.

interesting point to visit, vet there is
probably no public building in Wash.
inston about which have conferred SC
many high hopes, so much Of ambi.
ton, keen research and hard study,
The Patent Office, indeed, is q sort OF
Mecca for the inventive genius Of the
United States.
At the time this is written 52G.45S
patents are here recorded, and an ex
animation of the models Of them, pre-
served in the cases, would occupy the
student for at least a year.
Among the oldest Of recent patented
devices are two "%breathing machines"
4 by a man in Buffalo, the other by a
Brooklyn physician.
A machine for breathing may at first
thought appear to be slperiuous, and
even ridiculous, yet both Of these con-
%trivanccs are of benign intent. They
are designed to preserve life, or to re-
suscitate suspended animation, as in
cases Of drowning, choking, or a sud
den failure of the hearts action.
Physicians, as is Well known. often
attempt to produce artificial respira-
ton In such cases by extending the I'M
fortunate person on the ground or on
the door, and alternately raising or
lowering the rms. At best this meth
cd is unpromising, and it is to render
such artificial respiration more effect
ual that the two inventions above-men-
toned have been sought out.
The Brooklyn doctors device con-
sists Of an alright chamber. or box.
in which the sufferer from suspended
respiration can be placed, all save his
nostrils and mouth, which are open
to the external air. BY means Of an
air pump, connected with the chamber
and worked rapidly by a rotary shaft
and crank, the air is by turns exhaust
ed and admitted, thus causing. by
pneumatic pressure, the lungs to be al.
te: lately dilated with air and COM
pressed at the ordinary intervals Of
natural breathing.
The Buffalo inventor seeks to accom-
plish the same end by mean of d bel
lows and tube accurately applied over
the nostrils and mouth of the person.
Alternate inspiration and exhaustion
of sir In the lungs are thus brought
about. The air-tube before entering
the nostrils passes through a small
beating apparatus. This raises the air
to the temperature which it would
reach naturally in the air-passages OF
a healthy person.
II later Information bears out the
first reports Of discoveries Of rich gold
fields along the klondike river in Brit
ish Columbia it will not be surprising
if the world witnesses again some Of
the picturesque spectacles which at
the great rush to the California
gold fields fifty years ago. The story
IF q steamer which reached Seattle
the other day with a load of passen-
gers, almost every n Of whom a r
RED his bundle Of gold dust, is in itself
to kindle the Imagination Of
his narrative be repeated often
enough. let It become definitely known
hat there is a new. unworked gold
ield, where any man may seize a claim
Ind work it for his own enrichment,
and the exodus to the klondike will
with a rush. People are less
,redulous than they were when the
temptations Of California were held
the eyes Of christendom. But
hey are not less eager for wealth nor
ess willing to risk time and health in
IS pursuit. The extraordinary devel-
Of the Witwatersrand mines in
in recent years show what
charm the idea Of opening a natural
house still has for men. Even
'upposing that the reports Of the Klon-
like mines have not been exaggerated,
however, there are many reasons
which will and should act as a deter
.ent to men in danger OF the gold fe-
The difficulties OF q trip to the
mines are great. The prospect
IFS who migrated in covered wagons
lcross the plains in 1S49 had more OBJ |
;tacles to contend with than a traveller
would have nowadays in getting to the
llondike or the upper Yukon, but the
California gold-seeker had a fairly
climate for his travels and for
lis work after he arrived. The man
Who goes to the mines along the Klon-
like must bear considerable expense
or his journey, he must be ready to
ace the hardships Of unremittent la
Of q rigorous climate and Of linz
ted rations, and occasionally he must
onfront real perils. After he arrives
Ie must live IN O complete isolation
civilization for the greater part
t the year. Men bitten with the de-
ire for gold-hunting would do well to
AXE full account Of these conditions
'efore venturing on an expedition
which, while it may result in wealth,
nay merely leave them stranded, PEN
iless and hungry in a rigorous eli
An ideal ia not q mere m oiuntion nf