The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-05
LIQUID AIR IN THE HOUSEHOLD.
May Soon Be Served in Cans Like
Milk at Low Prices.
From the New York Herald.


From the New York Herald.
1t is now almost certain that liquid air
will soon be put on. the market at very
moderate prices. The practical household
er, therefore. is already beginning to ask
questions.
"Of what use will it be to me?'' he
queries why should 1 pay money for
cans of air. liquid or other? 1t is very
curious and interesting, no doubt, but
what can I do with it? And isn't it dan
gerous stuff, anyhow, to have about the
house?'
To answer these very natural questions
as fully as possible. yet briefly and in
plain language, is the purpose of this ar
tce.
Only home uses will be considered, and
even of these scarcely half can be indi-
Gated. If there is any limit to the ulti-
mate possibilities of liquid air the writer
hasn't yet discovered it.
First how will ID be supplied, how long
can it be kept, and is it safe to handle?
1t will be brought to your house, like
milk or seltzer water, in protected cans
containing any desired quantity from a
quart or two up to twenty or thirty gal
Ions. The style of the cans will doubtless
vary. The simplest are nothing more than
TN CyllDNl&TS, ClOSttl dl tI- bOltOLiS but
open at the top and heavily felted.
In these liquid air can be kept about
twenty-four hours You can dip it out as
wanted with an ordinary long-handled tin
dfpper IT, however you should drop the
dipper just after using it would shatter
like thin glass when it struck the floor.
With a ladle of copper or aluminium this
little accident could not occur, as these
metal- are not made brittle by cold.
BY the use of more elaborate vessels
some of which have already been tested
and patented-the liquid air can be kept
for number Of days. From these it is
drawn off by a sort of spigot. 1t can be
sent by rail and delivered at distant points.
LIQUID air is as safe TO handle as boiling
water. and requires about the same pre-
cautions. Here extremes meet. Intense
cold burns like heat, and liquid air has
even been used to cauterize ulcers.
Yet you need not fear to touch it. You
NAV thrust your hand into a basin of ii
with perfect safety, just as you may
touch hot iron with your moistened fin
ger provided the hand is instantly with
drawn. If spilled on your clothes it will
not harm even the finest fabrics.
But never venture to put liquid air in
vour mouth-if you wish to live. And in
taking up dish containing il use
handkerchief or holder of some sort ex-
actly as if it were hot.
In another respect liquid air is like boil
ing water It must not be confined. Plug
nm vour tea kettle and it will soon burst.
II the plugged kettle contained liquid air
if would do the same thing, even though
set llpon a block of ice for this strange
stun is always boiling and you can't pre-
vent IT,
BE careful also not to wet cotton waste
or any other loose. combustible substance
win his fluid. Such a mixture is violent
| 1v explosive. though only until the liquid
gas has evaporated; and it will not eX-
pIode unless fire is put TO IL.
These things remembered liquid air Is
more innocent than spring water, If a
canfil we're upset on your parlor carpet
tbaro would be no harm done.
Ana now. assuming that two-ga.lon
oor has been delivered at your door, what
can YOU do with itF
for coolino things-any sort of reirisera-
ton -.c,,.or,,,. me-.
~ III he work Of big cake Of Ice, but
-, hotter. Ii viii slowly waste away,
ii,t tie nroduct is nothing but air-and
- I'm fact any closet or cupboard
, M, used as refrigerator with liquid
~ onty II, viii waste a littie faster
Won want a glass of ice water. Pour
I 49, vs,tcr into the tumbler and drop into
~ hoif a tcasDoonful or .ess Of liquid air.
rbon watch it a moment, for il IS al
t.sontifil rxperinlent After daceins ard
bu5bl,re and showing all nnuuer Of tawai
,iots FOR about minute tie lqu-d air
disappcars Your glass Of water rs no"
cnoicd and has a ittle lump Of ice ~ il.
To coci an oyster let one drop OF the