The Atmosphere.

Southland Times, Issue 9004, 4 September 1885, Page 3

The Atmosphere.

The fourth of the series of lectures Under the auspices of the Southland Institute, was delivered yesterday even : " ing in Hanan's Hall, the lectnrer being Dr Galbraitb, and the subject "The Ocean of the Atmosphere." The Rev,. H. Stocker occupied the chair. On such occasions as lectures he thought the practice of haviug a chairman might ▼cry well be more honoured in the breach j£ Ah*n Jn- the .observance. He was able, * v -fiow'efer, to ds what, probably; thg chair- ■.. men on the three previoas occasions could . Dot do, he could fully identify the lecturer. He had muoh pleasure in introducing him to the audience, \ Dr Galbraitb, who was received with much applause, began by stating that tome jrersoFg bad wondered at him selecting ioch a subjtfct, thinking that veryjittle could be laid about air, It was, however, a subject of vast importance, aod much more could be said upon it than was possible in a lecture. It was only in very modern times that accurate notions began to be formed respecting the atmosphere. , The andients had the vaguest ideas about Jt,wi the lecturer showed by reference to *their writings. They did not know that We lived at the bottom of an ocean of air, 4utt as some creatures, the frost fish of New Zeajand for example, lived at the bottom of the ocean of water. The Doctor : d«Bcrib«»d the 'disdoveriei of Galileo and . tforrwelli, and showed how, eventually, 1 the was exploded thatUMtNature abhorred a vacuum, a statement that had beeii n?ed for many centuries to explain ■r , phenomena , that were by the discoverers fn question jp^^rovjed/'tb be dwin^ to the 1 pressure of the atmosphere. Tha action of the water pump aod the construction of the barometer were explained, and illus- * trated by experiment, many interesting particulars being given about the aneroid barometer, The various uses of the instrument were detailed — the prediction to ■ome extent of the weather, and the ascertaining-' of mountain heights. : Interesting accounts followed of other effects of the pressure of the atmosphere,; and of Jts varying density. The lecturer then took up the question of " winds," Showing how they were produced, and describing at leDglh the trade winds, the. monsoons,' and: land and sea breeze*. The - composition of the atmosphere was a matter that was not fully understood till •, within .the. past hundred jpears,, Experi- " hienti "were successfully niade in illustration of oxygen, nitrogen, and carbonic acid gas. xThe mechanism and principle of the freezings machine next received attention, ; and thereafter : the construction of .the :: :\ rdiymg bell.; ; The appearance of Mr Daniel -^encased in a divinff dress occasioned much merriment. The lait matter res:ferred to.was that of ventilation. It was believed by most medical men that breathing foul air bad more to do with the production of pulmonary consumption ■ ..r than, r; hereditary predisposiiion. One grOund' qf thi& belief was the fact of tha heavy mortaity from this cause among animals confined in menageries, among which there was no reason to think there • cV)uld>bave been -hereditary predisposition; •f>r? Another reas in w«rthat^palmonary tubercoflosis, the diiease commonly known as consumption, c obldjte product d artificially among rabbits, Hiraply by under-feeding them, aid making them breathe a|r rendared impure -by their own respiration. This was a fact of very strong significance, - leolflr»r) mt» inot aware jthat ..jnther the ia^'of^hW inference had; ever keen challenged. By another particular ,-*o4e of treatment, tuberculosis might be produced in rabbits in the digestive by keeping them in dark, damp quarters and feeding them Tbtf decayed vegetables ; '^;bat;"and the fact was very-iaiportarit, pto^ &%.. --^ae^th^^badU pireil airKtap; brel§| ••-.j. ?*atihierei^ need - be^vuo pulmonary tnberculoiis.^^hese' were.T;experiimente;ttbat we could net perfprm with inenj butsth|ey had - J in- * onethe House" of Cor- ; roe^?.otner,- very D^ary^^entilaten, Sf^oj^ep^K'l^^^^l^^^*^^ ? n this ;: . : i'. : ' over '^l^^^^^fM^i^^^y^'^^^

in the welJi?ebtilatedr|Ji%Bin^iglitprieoneiß perJGOO died of consumption ; and in the otter ß6 p«>r 1000— more th*n ten titnos as many. Facti such as thos n , and thoy cou'd bo multiplied indefinitely, spoke for themselves, and required no commentary. ■Tin', lecturer would . say cultivate a love . lor Qure?atTsanri n mortal hatred 4 to, fotjl »r, tfeachlydiir cl/ildrentto* H& intolerant of foul nir, and you will have taken at least one step towards preserving their health, and adding to their happiness. < At the^conclusion of- the lecturo Mr Mehaffoy. moved a vote of thaoks, which was carriedj by, acclamation.^ It should tie mentioned that iheilXoctortwas ?ably nsf>isted in the numerous experiments by Mr P. P. Daniel. ] -,