1898-99. | THE EARLY DAYS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE, 17 
had been four winters more severe than the present ; these were the 
winters of 1830, 1835, 1836 and 1842. The last if it was not more 
severe was nearly similar, and the accounts were about balanced. So 
it was not that this winter was the most severe, at least as far as could 
be tested by the thermometer, but there might have been some 
unhealthy influences in the atmosphere of which the medical gentlemen 
present might be able to give them some account. 
Professor Croft explained at some length the manufacture of water 
gas. He said a great many plans had been adopted, but most of them 
were entirely involved in mystery., The process he would allude to was 
that of a French chemist ; it seems to promise well. The material from 
which the gas is prepared is so much cheaper than coal, that if it can be 
employed at all it will bean immense saving. The gas does not require 
so much purification as gas from coal, it also possesses little disagree- 
able smell, and the little that it does possess can be removed with the 
greatest ease. The discoverer took advantage of a well known principle 
in connexion with hydrogen gas. If you prepared hydrogen gas and 
caused it to burn, the flame produced by it gives out scarcely any light 
at all, but if you introduce a substance of a solid nature, such as a 
piece of platinum wire the light will become exceedingly brilliant. The 
Professor here explained that the gas might be made in the same 
retorts as other gas by passing the vapour of water through the retorts 
filled with red-hot charcoal. It was purified in the same way and might 
be burned in the same jets, with this difference, that over the jet was 
placed a platinum wire to throw out the light. This gas he considered 
far superior to coal gas both as regarded ease of preparation, cheapness 
of material and purity of flame. One point, however, rendered it doubt- 
ful whether it could be employed generally—that is—when hydrogen 
gas becomes mixed with atmospheric air it will explode violently, and 
the explosions which would take place with the hydrogen would be 
very dangerous. If, for example, any leakage took place in the gaso- 
meters, there would be an explosion, and this substance possessed the 
property of escaping through very small crevices. He was afraid that 
serious accidents might result from the use of it. Its nature is said to 
be changed, however, by being catalyzed or by being passed through 
the oil of turpentine. The method adopted by Paine is nothing more 
than the naphthalizing of the gas, and its illuminating power is owing to 
the turpentine taken up and not to the nature of the gas itself. 
The Chairman thanked Professor Croft for his interesting address, 
and stated that he would again vacate the chair for half an hour, that 
the company might adjourn to the refreshment room or examine the 
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