508 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



A number of printing offices were found with an average space 

 of 202 feet; and consumption was so prevalent that it created as 

 much alarm as an epidemic would have done. 



In Christ Church Workhouse sick wards, 288 cubic feet of 

 space was allowed in one, and only 132 feet in another. The 

 prevalent disease was gangrene in the mouth, which proved verj 

 fatal and intractable; all which is in marked contrast to the Pen- 

 tonville prison, with 700 feet, plus ventilation, while the soldiers' 

 barracks, but narrow si3aces, minus ventilation, where it is 

 attempted to ventilate such narrow spaces, the effort proves 

 abortive, usually resulting in drafts, Avhich the soldiers, in endea- 

 voring to prevent, close the room up altogether. 



Adjourned. 



American Institute Polytechnic Association, 



October 4, 1866. 



I 



Prof. S. D. Tillman in the chair; T. D. Stetson, Esq., Sec'y. 



Fruit Ladder. 



The first article exhibited this evening was Mr. Aldrich's ladder, 

 to be used in gathering fruit. It is so arranged as to be employed 

 as a step-ladder or a common ladder, thus saving the expense and 

 care of one. When erected it has a large platform on the top 

 with room enough for the basket as well as the fruit picker. It 

 can quickly be adjusted to any height. The platform is adjusta- 

 ble so that it can be kept level even when the ladder is placed on 

 the side of a hill. It is a useful implement for the farmer and 

 gardener. 



The chairman presented the following items of scientific news: 



Dissociation of Gases in Furnaces. 

 Mr. L. Cailletet described before the French Academy of Sci- 

 ences the manner in which he drew from gases from blast furnaces 

 and submitted them to analysis. The analysis of compound gases 

 from the hottest part of the fire gave oxygen 15.25, hydrogen 1.80, 

 carbonic oxide (gart) 2.10, carbonic acid (garet) 3.00, nitrogen 

 77.86 — total, 100. These experiments show that oxygen does not 

 combine with carbon, carbonic oxide or hydrogen at very high 

 temperatures, thus confirming the views of Deville. The air taken 

 from furnaces at a lower temperature show the gradual disappear- 

 ance of oxygen and increase of carbonic acid at lower tempera- 



