New-York tribune., 1922-04-23
Cold Light Il
Demonstrated
BY DR.. Harvey

Continued from page one)
itself it soon burns low and goes out
The luciferin is non-luminous if it is
kept from oxygen. When oxygen at
tacks it light is produced.
Process Is Automatic
THE chemical process 1 have dis
covered is ono by which the luciferin
is taken away from the oxygen almost
as fast "a il unites with t. This
process repeats itself. You might call
II the chemical reduction Of oxy-luc:-
ferin to luciferin. You can have these
| two processes going on in the same
vessel simultaneously
But do not think Of it as perpetual
motion. The substance which releases
thc luciferin from the oxygen is metal
lie and forms part of the inner sur
face Of the light-containing flask
Just a second now"
DR.. Harvey poured small quantity
e powder into the long-nccked glass
flask, Identifying il, as he did So as
pu!verized form of the Cypridina The
amount he took was about equal in vol
ume to that part of the ash which
might fall of its own weight from
cigarette. Any housewife Will know.
Ihen ne reached over and touched a
switch. cutting eff the faint yellow
glow Of the dimmed bulb. The labora-
tory was in absolute biackness. Il has
no windows
The professor could be heard shuf-
fling few steps in the direction of
SINK Ihen there was the noise Of
water gushing from faucet
Nov" commanded the experinentcr
from som ewherc in the darkness.
Nl6ClC6 liV bio Of nall, bl,,.a I;,l,+
appeared. 1t swelled until the spheroi-
dai outline Of the Aask was alive with
an intense blue fire that rescued from
darkness the tall form of Professor
Harvey and the outlines and details
or every retort, tube, chair and table
IN the laboratory.
There said Professor Harvey, ard
ms startled audience scr!bbled m.dly,
feeling twinge Of pity for poor old
Thomas Alva Edison
Discovery Purely Accidental
"Cypridina," resumed DR.. Harvey.
giving the light producing flask a shake
that lncrenaed the intensity Of the the
africa blue glow in the room, "Cypri /
Gina dina is generic name. They we're
purely chance discovery. 7irefies
are not satisfactory to work with
chemically and had gone to Japan
to study luminous squid that is found
there. Il is creature about sig inches
long that comes to the surface in
enormous numbers during Nav TO
breed They breed on the surface. Their
luminous organs are at the end Of their
tentaclcs. But they proved not 10 be
very good for chemical work.
Then some Japanese biologists told !
OF these tiny creatures. Since then
that was five years ago-T have been
each year. Tnat is the greatest draw
back TO advance in this work. | should |
have more Of them. The Jan who |
catches them for me lowers 8 fish head
into the water and these creatures
fasten upon it TO feed, and he Ifts |
them out. They must be dried i'm,
medlatel y, Tor my purpose, either by a |
fire or by the rays Of the sun. Their |
properties are, persistent light, the |
blue color of the light, and TIE GUAM
tity available"
Or. Harvey at intervals gave the
nask shaKe. and each time he did so
coId flame splashed about in the bulb, |
giving sharper definition TO the shadows |
IN the high hceilinged room
Cause Of Luminosity Secret
Il have not been able to hnd out now
She cypridina acquires this luminous
quality. In tlrefies it is a nervous ac-
ton, now lighted, now out; sort of
signaling for amorous purp poses"
ne scientist standing there. H.
lumined as by a Belasco dawn. did NOT
say so, but somehow gave the irnree-
sion that the female fref1y helographs
something akin to "yoo hoo" or. in
the more remote country districts "Oh
you kid" Oi
"In the Banda Island group, which
are part Of the Dutch East Indies
found small fish about six inches
long that possesses a half inch light
organ just below its eyes. This elows
except when covered hv
an eyelld-ll Ike screen. 1t is called the
blepheron and the light ema-
mates from culture of luminous
bacteria.
Some day we11 be able to produce
ertifcially this substance we call luci-
ferin."
DR.. Harvey switched on prosaic
electric light, the yellow rays of which
'mothered all of the delicate blue
glare from the bottle. But the flask
tself took OF a deeper blue. 1t be.
;ame 8 jewel shot with blue and sil
'er. two hundred carat TURQUOISE
hat DR.. Harvey placed in the lahora-
.ory sink before hurrying forth TO !
keep dinner engagement. AS he
itepped on the gas of his automobile /
Students crossing the campus were
,nglng', They seemed to sing: Keep
ha Cold Lights Burning"