NEW INVENTIONS. 
75 
which will he driven against the internal sides of the larger vessel, and 
thereby be scattered and subdivided, and will thus be presented in a 
partially atomic state, or in a dewy form, to contact with the light and the 
atmospheric air, by which exposure of the oil, or fatty or oily matters, in 
a minutely subdivided state, the light, and particularly the oxygen of the 
atmosphere, produces an improved purification of such oil or fatty 
matters. 
Preserving Provisions. — Mr. G. Davies , inventor . — The first part of 
this invention consists in causing a current of electric fluid to pass 
through the cases containing the provisions after they are finally closed 
up. The electric fluid being made to pass along 1 a fine iron or other 
metallic wire through the case, causes the wire to become red-hot, and 
consume the oxygen. Another improvement consists in placing inside the 
case, and in connection with the iron wire, any known chemical agent 
(such as common sulphur, for instance) which, in its ordinary state, has no 
particular affinity for oxygen, but which, upon becoming ignited (by means 
of the electric wire above referred to), evolves any gas (sulphurous acid 
gas, for instance) which will absorb, destroy, or convert into a harmless 
gas the oxygen which is contained in the case, and which it is desired to 
get rid of ; or the sulphur or other agent may be ignited by any other 
convenient means. A further improvement in connection with the use of 
electricity for this purpose is as follows : — After the case has been closed, 
a sufficient quantity of hydrogen gas is to be introduced therein to form 
(with the oxygen that may be in the case) an explosive mixture or gas, 
and this gas is to be then ignited by passing a current of electricity along 
a metallic wire through the same, and thus all traces of oxygen will be 
destroyed. 
Lighting Theatres, &c. — Mr. E. B. Keeling, patentee. — This inven- 
tion is intended to be applied to the lighting of halls, theatres, and other 
buildings, and relates to the diffusion of intense light, and to the prevent 
tion of shadows. The patentee takes an electric-light, a lime-light, or 
other source of intense light, and places it in some elevated spot above the 
space to be lighted. Under or before, or part under and part before this 
light, he suspends or fits a plain white, tinted, or coloured curtain or 
screen, and again, in some instances, he places under or before, or part 
under and part before, a ceiling of glass or other transparent medium. By 
these means he removes the obstacles that have hitherto prevented the 
successful application of the electric, lime, or other intense lights to the 
lighting of the interior of large rooms and public edifices, and that have 
also all but confined these sources of light to the position of mere scientific 
curiosities. It is well known that the chief obstacles have been the intense 
brilliancy of the lights, their unpleasant white or ghastly hue, and the 
dense black shadows thrown by them. The first, however, gives so far a 
margin that the medium of the curtain absolutely utilizes the objection by 
the sacrifice of brilliancy, but by the complete diffusion of the rays. The 
second obstacle is overcome by the tint or colour of the curtain or screen, 
giving any hue most desirable to assimilate with any of the lights now 
usually employed, whether it be that of gas, of any description of oil-lamp, 
or that of any wax or other candles. The relative use of the curtain 
