Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-07-23

oratory. and is lighted by a mercury
arc lamp. The rays from this lamp
are absorbed by the paint. so that
when the lamp is turned off. the pic
turc of the Virgin continues TO shine
in soft and beautiful colors. The ap-
pearance is something like that of a
stained glass window.
Phosphorescent paint has been used
to distinguish objects dimly at night,
such rs sign posts, gates, river bea-
cons. life-buoys and theater exits. This
has been mainly in England. Some
people have thought this to be the
principle back of a practical form Of
inorganic cold light. If such paint
could be vastly improved in bright
ness. the vision of life at night in some
far off-allows the imagination to con-
jure up rather surprising fancies.
Houses Without Fixtures
Houses might then be illuminated
without the need of internal fixtures.
Shutters for the windows which could
b. coated with the phOsphorescent
substance might. by being thrown open
during the day, allow the chemical
coating TO store up light from the sun,
so that when night zane it would SIM
ply be necessary to close the shutters
in order to illuminate the rooms.
When bedtime arrived. the shutters
might again be thrown open, thus illum-
mating the grounds and surroundings
the hours of sleep, and providing
the protection of light against burglary.
The chemical compound known as
zine sulphide may be prepared both in
fluorescent and phosphorescent form.
1t is very responsive to the rays which
are constantly e%manating from COM
pounds of radium. IF Il comparatively
minute amount of radium salt is mixed
with the zinc salt. the latter will glow
continuously with a degree of bright
ness corresponding to the proportion
of contained radium. This is the self
luminous paint that is used for illum-
mating clock faces. watch dials and
compass needles. 1t is totally differ
ent from the phosphoresceut paint al
ready mentioned. It is restricted in
use because of the excessive cost of
radium.
If, however. there were some cheap
having equivalent radioactive
to the expensive radium. a
wide possibility for making a
useful cold light would be opened.
Thus far has the quest for inorganic
cold light proceeded. The other phase
Of the great problem. organic cold
light. is under an equally intense
Investigation. This is the biological
of the case. The animal or
ganisms that produce illumination are
here undergoing investigation.
Solving the Firetiy
OF them all, the FREELY has partic-
llarly received attention. So also have
the sea creatures. especially shellfish.
years. n might say for a century
or SO. scientists have concentrated
upon the light-flashing insect. No one
could seem 10 discover how the fire.
fly did it. although many experiments
we're made and many books written
lbout it.
1t is now generally held that Profess
sor Raphael Dubois of the University
Of Lyons, France, finally discovered
what happens in the body of the insect
and the sea fish when light appears.
All forms af animal phosphcres-
.ence were traced by Professor Dubois
10 the combination of two principles.
he named respectively luciferine
md luciferase. These two active prin-
,iples are secreted separately by the
animal. Individually they show no
light, but then these 'oils" are com
and ~cxygenated by muscular ac-
ton. a phosphorescent glow is at orce
produced. Professor Dubois also
of blood rushing into the gland
and causing the light to glow
1t seems that luciferine is the actual
light-producing substance. while lu-
is a natural oxidizing agent
~ which the former is excited. Luci-
however, can be replaced by
artificial oxidozers. such as ny
peroxide, which also cause tho
light to glow.
Professor Dubois declares the light
making function, in insects, already apS
years in the egg.
1T is" he says, the ancestral torch.
which passes, without being extin-
for a single instant, from tho
gg to the larva, to the nymph. to. tho
,crfect insect and from this to the egg,
nee more: and this unbroken success
fContinuaA IN Pare Thr>aY