140 Master Minds of Modern Science 



Professor A. M. Low's life has been dominated by an 

 interest in physical research, by an interest in motor-cars, 

 and by an incurable habit of inventing things. He has 

 invented all sorts of things, some of them * queer/ like 

 his special cigarette for motorists — having ash which will 

 not drop off and get into the eyes — or the whistle which he 

 devised for signalling to his dog in a key pitched too high 

 for the human ear to detect it, although its note is heard 

 by the dog as surely as a blare liable to wake up all 

 the neighbours. Such inventions are his hobby. 



The cigarette for motorists is typical of these 'brain- 

 waves/ Dr Low noticed that his motoring friends could 

 not smoke when driving a car at high speed, or when a 

 wind was blowing, because the ash from the cigarette 

 entered their eyes. He thought the matter over and at 

 length produced the motorists' cigarette — an ordinary 

 cigarette so treated that while the tobacco is unharmed, 

 the ash solidifies as it burns, with the result that when 

 smoked the whole cigarette can be discarded, with the 

 hardened ash still intact. The Professor has also pro- 

 duced a box for attachment to the dashboard which 

 automatically lights a cigarette each time that one is 

 taken from the container. 



Another invention was a pair of garage doors that dis- 

 turbed the Professor's neighbours by unlocking them- 

 selves mysteriously — really in response to a blast on a 

 motor horn. This apparent miracle was made possible 

 by a violin string attached to a delicate mechanism inside 

 the door. As soon as a certain note sounded the violin 

 string vibrated, and this operated an electric switch, 

 which in its turn unlocked and opened the doors. 

 Through this contrivance Professor Low would drive 

 up to his garage, unlock the doors, and enter without 

 leaving his driving seat. 



Yet another invention perfected by Dr Low for use in 

 his own home was an early application of the principle 



