EXPERIMENTING WITH COLD.

Bruce Herald, Volume XXXX, Issue 98, 23 December 1904, Page 2

EXPERIMENTING WITH COLD.

The Interesting Observation* off a Berlin Protestor. The laboratory of Prof. Pictet, at Berlin, is designed for the investigation of the effects of cold. The refrigerating machinery, driven by several powerful engines, keeps the objects under observation at any temperature between 20 degrees and 200 degrees below zero Cent, as long as may be required. The cooling is effected by the evaporation of liquids, and is divided into three stages, 4 each with its special apparatus. For the first stage is used the mixture of sulphurous and carbonic acids known as "Pictet's fluid," which is condensed at a pressure of about two atmospheres in a spiral tube cooled by water. Laughing gas (oxide of nitrogen > is the Hfjmd chosen for the second stage. It is condensed at a pressure «»f ton or twelve atmospheres in a tube kept at about 80 degrees below zero by the action of the first circuit. For the third stage atmospheric air is employed, and passes into the liquid state at a pressure of seven-ty-five atmospheres when the temperature is kept at 135 degrees below zero by the other circuits. The evapor.-tion of the liquefied air gives a cold of about 200 degrees below zero. Absolute ::ero is placed at 273 degrees below ::ero Cent., but Prof. Pictet regards -Jo.-, degrees below zero as about the lowest attainable artificial tempcratnre. One of the effects of great cold has been the showing of quicksilver in •b'.j-.titii'ul, fern-like crystals. Glycerine aluo has been crystallized; and cognac has been given by freezing the peculiar mellowness commonly attained only by long keeping. * The most important re -suit thus far, however, has been the purification of chloroform, the crystals which form in the commercial chloroform at about 68 degrees below zero bein^- almost absolutely pure. */s'~'-'-'V'> ~~ 4s:^-.i*-^ Japanese Voting. Voting" day in Japan presents some curious sights. The voters have to don their best garments and proceed to the voting counter, there to ballot without any parleying, as soon after eight o'clock as possible. After casting their . • ballot they make a bow to tke assem- ' blage present, in which t heir head near :; ly strikes the floor and retire as silent as they came j