792 



Popular Science Monthly 



An Electrically Heated Inhaler for 

 Respiratory Troubles 



SEVERAL home remedies for respira- 

 tory troubles are inhaled in the form 

 of steam. The medicine is placed in 

 boiling water, and the fumes are breathed 

 through an inverted funnel. A much 

 more satisfactory way of doing this, par- 

 ticularly at night, 

 is to heat the fluid 

 by electricity in 

 the manner illus- 

 trated. 



The body of the 

 apparatus consists 

 of a cheap jam jar 

 with a tin cover 

 that fits on tight- 

 ly. Two holes 

 about the size of a 

 lead-pencil are 

 drilled, one in the 

 center and one at 

 the side, of the 

 cover. A metal 

 tube about 4 in. 

 long is soldered 

 over the central 

 hole, and another 

 piece of tubing 

 about 2 in. long is 

 slipped through the hole, near the side, 

 and soldered in place with half its length 

 ertending upwards. Bush this tubing at 

 the top and bottom with fiber or hard 

 rubber, and have an 3/8-iii' hole drilled 

 through each bushing. A third piece of 

 tubing 1 in. long is soldered on the under- 

 side of the cover diametrically opposite 

 the 2-in. tube. 



Remove the central carbons from two 

 discarded flash-light batteries and thor- 

 oughly clean them. Remove the brass 

 cap from one carbon and fit it tightly into 

 the end of the shortest tube. Solder a rod 

 or a large wire nail to the top of the brass 

 cap on the other carbon. Slip this rod 

 through the holes in the bushings, and 

 cut it off after allowing } 2 in. to project 

 when the rod is raised as high as the car- 

 bon will permit. Finally solder a binding 

 post or some sort of connector to the 

 upper end of the rod. The lower ends of 

 the carbons will now have to be trimmed 

 off, so that when the cover is in place the 

 stationary carbon will come within ^^ in. 



Jam jar fitted with 

 necessary electrodes 



of the bottom of the jar and the movable 

 carbon will be at a similar distance when 

 it is at its lowest position. After soldering 

 a second binding post to the top of the 

 tin cover, the inhaler is complete. 



To test it, put in about ^4 in. of water, 

 and connect it directly, without resist- 

 ance, to the 110 volt current. Unless the 

 water is unusually free from mineral 

 salts, it should boil in one or two minutes. 

 If it does not do this, add the slightest 

 pinch of table salt. A steady stream of 

 steam should now issue from the central 

 tube, after which the adjustable carbon 

 may be raised almost out of the liquid. 

 Even though the temperature of the water 

 rises gradually, there is no danger of 

 breaking the glass. When everything is 

 operating smoothly, drop the medicine 

 down through the central tube with a 

 medicine dropper. 



It can readily be seen that with this 

 apparatus the volume of the steam and 

 the strength of the solution are always 

 conveniently within control. 



Ignition Hookup for Use on Auto- 

 mobile Circuits 



ELECTRICAL ignition systems are 

 generally operated on low voltages 

 from primary batteries, storage cells, or 

 small low pressure generators. The series- 



A hookup to prevent a loose connection 

 from rendering the entire series useless 



multiple connection shown in Fig. 1 is 

 generally used. 



If additional cross-connections are made, 

 as illustrated in Fig. 2, it will be found 

 that a loose connection in one series of 

 cells will not render the entire series 

 useless. — Peter J. M. Clute. 



