New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-13
DR. CHANDLER,S TESTS.
A Demonstration of the Way He
WiU Make Them.

Professors Charles F. Chandler and Charles
jPeliew OF Columbia, are already at work MAX
ing sn official analysis OF the air of the subway
for the Health Department. They will conduct
their tests for some weeks. and will examine
the air at many different points along the road
and under as many conditions possible. On
the result OF their work much depends
Before making this official analysis however
Professor Chandler. with the assistance of Pro-
fessor Pellew, had already made some tests
and, although they had not brought their in
Vesugation TO exact results, Professor Pellew
consented yesterday TO discuss the work He
also talked at some length concerning the tests
Of DR.. Sefbert, and said they were grossly in
correct According to the results of DR. Sci
berts experiments, he added. the air OF the subs
way would kill men poison does flies.
DIR. Seibert," he said, makes the statement
that scientific instruments do not lie Well, so
far agree with him; but it's the man behind
the instrument. Ike the behind the gun,
whose skill decides the result Now. at the
outset of his remarks DR.. Seibert admits that
he was a. least per cent of in his test Of the
normal amount of oxygen in ordinary air. II isn't
necessary for scientific instruments to lie to
that extent in this experiment. The air that
you breathe from your lungs contains between
u ana IS per cent of oxygen. DR. Seibert in
testing subway air. FOUND only IL per cent in
some places. In such atmosphere you
couldn't light = match, cigarette would go
out. fire extinguishers would be useless for
fame couldn't live. ard smoking would be
a Joke.
when your atmosphere gets down so bad
that there is only 10 per cent of oxygen, it is a
menace to those breathing it, and below that it
would Kill people in less than five minutes
That is only 3 per cent below the normal. When
you get 10 per cent below it you see the
or
the air breathed from the lungs. for that has
about IS per cent. Compare the subway with
the old underground roads in London There
you have steam engines burning coal The tun-
mel is full of gas and smoke. but you don't hear
of deaths The Park-ave. tunnel is the same to
a less degree; but in the subway you have no
coal gas
II am now at work on experiments on the SUBJ
way air. ] haven't worked out any figures yet.
But though ] have been through the subway
many times to test this. l haven't found bad
air except in crowded cars. Then I opened a
window and the air was fresh. l don't believe
that there is any need for other ventilation or
that the air is bad but that remains to be de-
terrnined The number Of people to any given
mile Is small; there are currents Of air from
the trains steadily; it is fairer comparison to
compare with a number of people running
through the tunnel. rather than with the same
apart from the question of the amount Of oxy-
gen In the subway air. DR.. Seibert explained
81"
Professor Pellew then showed his apparatus
for determining the percentage or oxygen ana
performed the experiment of testing the amount
OF oxygen Ia air breathed from his lungs by way
OF illustrating. He used the Hempel apparatus,
and the experiment. stripped of its technical
terms, was follows. Professor Pellew first
filled an ordinary large test tube with water
and fixed stopcocks at each end. Then he took
a deep breath. put end OF the tube to his
mouth and breathed into IL. This. OF course,
expelled the water like squirt gum and the
minute the water out he snapped the stop
cocks at each end. The water was put in first
70 expel the air that originally filed the tube.
which was, OF course, that Of the room. Thus
he secured supply OF air-from his lungs TO
test.
The next step was TO secure a measured
quantity Of air TO enable him 10 get a basis of
calculation. To do this he filed with water q
graded test tube. which had the metric guam
fitstiye measurements from i to 100 indicated
on IT. Next he attached end of this test
tube 10 that containing the supply Of air The
other end Of the tube full Of air he attached to
q vessel of water: then by water pressure he
forced the air in the original tube into the
graded tube the air IN turn expelled the water
end when the last drop Of water was gone he
hsd e measured quantity Of air for his expert
psnt Then the tube containing the air supply