Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-05-01
Dr.. Harvey Tells
of Cold Light

Continued from Page One
OF Investigation the more fascinating
became the pursuit. One curious dis
covery occurred while he was collecting
luminous beetles in Cuba.
He was astounded to find a frog that
was luminous. Anticipating discov'
erv of utmost interest to SCIENCE, ne
examined the frog more closely. only
IN find that It had just finished q hearty
meal of firehies. whose light was
shining through the belly with consid-
cradle intensity.
There were difficulties encountered by
him in the discovery OF luminous crea-
tions in sufficient quantity for purposes,
of e,nerimeut and investigation. All
I,m;npus organisms with the exception
of bacteria, fungi and certain fish flash
only when irritated or stimulated. Ihe
instant the fash disappears the creature
is lost in the darkness.
Scarcity Of Material
The great difficulty, therefore. was
scarcity of material.
At first he took up tirefiies: On a
.July night the air seems hlled with
thousands Of them, but he found II was
an impossibility to secure enough OF
these light makers for. research WORK
on an extensive scale.
Then he heard Of Il luminous squid.
or cuttlehsh, that existed in immense
Numbers in the Sea Of Japan. 1t is
tnown az Watas"nia. The Japancse
call it Hotaru-ika. or, the 'hrchy
squid.' ., ,no surfocs to
hreathe they become luminous. AT times
tho surface of the water appears to be
a sea Of flame they are so numerous
They are caught in great nets twenty
feet square by the Jap fishermen.
Quantities of these were secured ana
careful experiments wer" c9houcled'
but the scientist dlscoVhrcu 'nes were
,ot suitable for his purpose
Ills search for luminous dchizens Of
tbo GO, led him to the Dutch Fast
ImI;es where he succeeded in securing
! uno.;mons of one Of the rarest luminous
! fishes in existence.
From n lar on the labatory shelf DR..
! Harvey took one OF th'S" ma'i'e '"-
! rioSties.
II is rhe Photo Blepharon. perfect
/ hut diminutive fish about two ana q
( half inches long, of brownisil color ana
! somewhat resembling sIlh!ish without
! the heavy spinous fins. Under each eye
! is yellow organ. half an men 'ohg
and an eighth OF an lnch "ide' shupeu
like blunt crescent.
bony shutter protects them. AS
T. swims. the fish flashes light alter
uately from each one.
Due TO the size and brilliancy OF this
luminescent, the fish not only lights its
pathway, but at the same time slgnal-
izcs its presence 70 its enemies. Just
as a frchy discloses itself to night:
flying birds.
Even this most promising subject was
not available for the scientists purr..
pose. Had it been. its rarity would
have made it useless for practical ex-
pertinent and research.
! Cypridina Found
! Finally he heard Of Cypridina. II
! i, tiny crustacean that lives in the
Japanese Sea. 1t is much like a tiny
shrimp with pearl.colored shell or
covering.
These were found to be just what the
scientist had been searching for. The
supply is inexhaustible. They are
taken. dried and shipped to DR.. Harvey
who then extracts the substance Luci-
ferin. which produces the light.
This I.lciferin has very definite prop
critics. 1t can be worked with the same
as any other chemical substance. 1t is
this fact that has stimulated DIR. Harvey
in his work.
The production of cold light from
this substance extracted from the tiny
Japanese crustaccan is only the first
step on the road to what DR.. Harvey
believes will bc Il discovery of immeas-
Urable benefit to civilization.
At present cold light has no CONNER =
cial value whatever.
In that respect it is like the discovery
Of the North Pole. 1t is interesting.
but the discovery cannot be utilized at
present for the benefit of the race
Tho hope of the future lies in the
ability of science. now that this Prince =
ton doctor of philosophy has pointed
the way, to produce synthetic Luciferin
Carbohydrates and prOtcins can b,
synthesized. but not as cheaply rs ma
ture can perform the work. This fact
may bar the cold light of the future.
I.uciferin is oXidized. 1t burns, no,
with heat, but by what chemists call
oxidation. The substance is combined
with oxygen, and one of the secrets OF
Dr.. Harvey's research is that it is pos
sbIc to reduce it back TO Lucifcrin once
il has been Oxidized, and thus burn II
over and over again.
Moreover, md this is another of the
possible to carry on this chemical pro
cess in the same vessel.
The oxidation or burning of the sub.
stance goes on on one side. while it,
reduction. perhaps restoration woul,
!, he more Understandable, to it's Origina
form for another returning, progresse!
Oh the other side.
DR. Harvey was insistent that thi,
: process Is not to be construed as per
, pctual motion. Radium rays exhaus
themselves after long periods of time
This consumption and restoration o.
, the substance that produces cold ligh
, can be continued only with the aid %
chemical additions TO its composition
and for limited time.
hs it is impossible to secure sui
fcient lucifcrin in a natural state tt
make II useful commercially, il mus,
therefore be produced syntheticaIly.
Al present the luminosity or Iiyl
OF this substance is not sufficient t,
make 1t available for purposes of in
dustry or commerce. Nature must bt
improved upon in, the matter OF its in .