PROCEEDINGS OF THE POLYTECHNIC ASSOCIATION. 545 



salts, by their attraction for moisture, tend to dry the air, and 

 hence stand so high as purifiers. By the application of water, 

 the pores of the skin are opened, and thereby healthy action in 

 the performance of its excretionary functions is stimulated. 



Mr. J. K. Fisher inquired if there was not some merit in the 

 plan proposed in Paris, of drawing the air from the sewers of that 

 city, and passing it through the chimneys of the large factories. 

 The air of hospital rooms should be made to pass into our large 

 chimneys, and not let out into the air. 



Mr. L. B. Page stated that where he lived in Indiana, some 

 thirty years ago, most of the houses were built on a high mountain 

 there, and it was found that there the most malarious diseases 

 prevailed. This gave rise to much discussion, and it was found 

 that the malaria ascended from below to the top of the hill, for 

 those midway on the hill v/cre free from the disease. 



Dr. J. B. Eich said that malaria makes its way up a hill in the 

 night time. The sun heats the earth duriug the day, and at night 

 the cold strata of air above will press down and force the warm 

 air up. 



After some further discussion of the subject the Association 

 adjourned. 



American Institute, Polytechnic Association, 



November 1, 1866. 



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



Improved Gas Burner. 

 Mr. Simmons exhibited a new gas burner. The arrangement 

 of the interior is such that the gas passes through a wire gauze, 

 and thus becomes heated; it then passed through a large chamber 

 before reaching the aperture which admits it to the air. Heating 

 the gas and allowing it to expand, seemed by the experiments 

 then made, to produce more perfect combustion. The intensity 

 of the light from this burner was much greater than from a com- 

 mon burner using the same quantity of gas. 



Improved Boiler. 



Mr. J. Wyatt Reid exhibited a model and drawincfs illustratins: 

 the construction of his boiler, Avhich contains about twice the heat- 

 ing surface of an ordinary upright boiler. Instead of allowing the 

 heat to escape at the top, it is passed downward and then upward. 



[Am. Inst.] II 



