﻿508 
  

  

  ANNUAL 
  REPORT 
  SMITHSONIAN 
  INSTITUTION, 
  192 
  9 
  

  

  of 
  his 
  own 
  invention 
  and 
  others 
  probably 
  of 
  Roman 
  origin,^which 
  

   made 
  use 
  of 
  its 
  power. 
  The 
  best 
  known 
  of 
  these 
  mechanisms 
  is 
  a 
  

   form 
  of 
  steam 
  tm-bine 
  called 
  "aeolipile," 
  but 
  the 
  book 
  describes 
  

   also 
  how 
  steam 
  was 
  used 
  to 
  open 
  and 
  close 
  temple 
  doors, 
  transfer 
  

   liquids 
  from 
  one 
  vessel 
  to 
  another, 
  and 
  support 
  hollow 
  balls 
  in 
  mid- 
  

   air 
  on 
  a 
  column 
  of 
  steam. 
  None 
  of 
  these 
  devices 
  had 
  any 
  practical 
  

   use. 
  They 
  were 
  the 
  toy 
  of 
  the 
  philosopher 
  and 
  the 
  tool 
  of 
  the 
  mystic, 
  

   each 
  of 
  whom 
  considered 
  that 
  it 
  lessened 
  his 
  dignity 
  to 
  explain, 
  

  

  Figure 
  1.— 
  Opening 
  temple 
  doors 
  100 
  b. 
  c. 
  Fire 
  on 
  tlie 
  altar 
  beats 
  and 
  expands 
  the 
  air 
  

   beneath 
  and 
  drives 
  water 
  into 
  the 
  bucket. 
  The 
  bucket 
  descends, 
  turns 
  the 
  columns 
  and 
  

   opens 
  the 
  doors. 
  When 
  the 
  fire 
  goes 
  out, 
  the 
  air 
  is 
  condensed 
  and 
  the 
  water 
  is 
  syphoned 
  

   back 
  to 
  the 
  sphere. 
  The 
  counterbalance 
  then 
  falls 
  and 
  closes 
  the 
  doors 
  

  

  let 
  alone 
  suggest, 
  practical 
  uses 
  to 
  the 
  masses. 
  Nothing, 
  therefore, 
  

   came 
  of 
  their 
  findings. 
  

  

  Shortly 
  after 
  Hero's 
  time 
  Alexandria 
  fell 
  into 
  Roman 
  hands 
  and 
  a 
  

   court 
  of 
  victorious 
  soldiers 
  replaced 
  the 
  court 
  of 
  the 
  philosophers. 
  

   Science 
  fell 
  into 
  disrepute 
  in 
  its 
  most 
  powerful 
  stronghold. 
  Fourteen 
  

   centuries 
  passed 
  before 
  men 
  again 
  turned 
  in 
  large 
  numbers 
  to 
  the 
  

   study 
  of 
  the 
  world 
  of 
  nature. 
  During 
  all 
  this 
  time 
  there 
  appears 
  to 
  

   have 
  been 
  nothing 
  written 
  on 
  steam. 
  

  

  