Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 92.djvu/808

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��Popular Science Monthly

��An Electrically Heated Inhaler for Respiratory Troubles

SEVERAL home remedies for respira- tory troubles are inhaled in the form of steam. The medicine is placed in boiling water, and the fumes are breathed through an inverted funnel. A much more satisfactory way of doing this, par- ticularly at night, is to heat the fluid by electricity in the manner illus- trated.

The body of the apparatus consists of a cheap jam jar with a tin cover that fits on tight- ly. Two holes about the size of a lead-pencil are drilled, one in the center and one at the side, of the cover. A metal tube about 4 in. long is soldered over the central hole, and another piece of tubing about 2 in. long is slipped through the hole, near the side, and soldered in place with half its length ertending upwards. Bush this tubing at the top and bottom with fiber or hard rubber, and have an 3/8-iii' hole drilled through each bushing. A third piece of tubing 1 in. long is soldered on the under- side of the cover diametrically opposite the 2-in. tube.

Remove the central carbons from two discarded flash-light batteries and thor- oughly clean them. Remove the brass cap from one carbon and fit it tightly into the end of the shortest tube. Solder a rod or a large wire nail to the top of the brass cap on the other carbon. Slip this rod through the holes in the bushings, and cut it off after allowing } 2 in. to project when the rod is raised as high as the car- bon will permit. Finally solder a binding post or some sort of connector to the upper end of the rod. The lower ends of the carbons will now have to be trimmed off, so that when the cover is in place the stationary carbon will come within ^^ in.

���Jam jar fitted with necessary electrodes

��of the bottom of the jar and the movable carbon will be at a similar distance when it is at its lowest position. After soldering a second binding post to the top of the tin cover, the inhaler is complete.

To test it, put in about ^4 in. of water, and connect it directly, without resist- ance, to the 110 volt current. Unless the water is unusually free from mineral salts, it should boil in one or two minutes. If it does not do this, add the slightest pinch of table salt. A steady stream of steam should now issue from the central tube, after which the adjustable carbon may be raised almost out of the liquid. Even though the temperature of the water rises gradually, there is no danger of breaking the glass. When everything is operating smoothly, drop the medicine down through the central tube with a medicine dropper.

It can readily be seen that with this apparatus the volume of the steam and the strength of the solution are always conveniently within control.

Ignition Hookup for Use on Auto- mobile Circuits

ELECTRICAL ignition systems are generally operated on low voltages from primary batteries, storage cells, or small low pressure generators. The series-

���A hookup to prevent a loose connection from rendering the entire series useless

multiple connection shown in Fig. 1 is generally used.

If additional cross-connections are made, as illustrated in Fig. 2, it will be found that a loose connection in one series of cells will not render the entire series useless. — Peter J. M. Clute.

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