Evening Star Newspaper, January 25, 1931, Page 74

& THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. €, JANUARY 25, 193L Science Explains Mysterious Deatlz;Dealing Fogs Dr. Ales Hrdlicka of the Smithsonian institution is of the opinion that the deadly effect of the mysterious fogs in the Meuse Valley may have been caused by dust-leden air becoming mixed with poisonous gases from nearby industrial plants. BY JAMES NEVIN MILLER. TARK terror lately swept Europe as the result of the so-called “shower of bloed,” a mysterious red fog which has dealt death to more than three- score residents of a district above Liege in the Valley of the Meuse River, de- stroyed seores of cattle in England and spread its eminous blanket from day to day over most Some simple folk, watching their neighbors dying in alarming mumbers, have persisted in the belief that the fog itself was perhaps a screen for a peison-gas attack from an unknown human enemy. Others recall the influenza epidemic of 1918, which swept the same general region of Belgium, while still ethers see a paraliel in reasonable scientific explanations “shower of bicod,” as well as for most of the other outstanding “poison clouds” which from time to time have blanketed various parts eof FITZHUGH TALMAN of the probably akin to the “dry fogs” resulting from terrific windstorms in the region of the Sahara. Under certain conditions of wind circulation, vast amounts of the desert dust are swept high inte the heavens and borne as far northward as Europe. Mr. Talman scorns the theory that the fog could be “the screen for a poison-gas attack from an unknown human enemy,” for the very good reason that fogs causing severe bronchial and maladies, though not fatal, have existed in the same general region of Europe for scores of years—long before poison gas ef the war-time variety was even known, let alone utilized by man. It is far more probable, Mr. Talman goes on to explain, that one of these dry fogs of the Sabara has mixed in the Meuse region with poisonous gases arising from industrial processes in the region. For instance, zinc materials, well known for their irritating effect on sensi- tive throats, might well have mixed with the fog, for there are zinc smelters in the Meuse district. Prof. Charles Tomlinson, formerly a lecturer sn science at King's College, London, offers many interesting scientific and historical faets about these dry fogs. He points out: “Conditions under which a fog or mist is ground. “Mist or fog is vapor rising from a moist or liquid surface which is comparatively warmer than the air. The greater the excess of tem- perature of the vaporating surface over that of the superincumbent saturated air the denser will be the fog. “Certain fogs have a peculiar taste and cause The United States Weather Experts and Smithsonian Institution Tell About Devastating “Shower of Blood” Which Lately Terrorized Europe. other and being alse repelled by the earth, the matter remains suspended. “The nature and amount of this solid matter, as well as a state of condensation of the vapor, give to certain mists and fogs their peculiar colors—perfect rose, indigo blue, brownish red, pale sulphurlike blue.” Prof. Tomlinson goes on to point out that for centuries mysterious fogs have been known and feared “In 1348 a dense ‘pestiferous wind’ spread so poisonous an odor that many being overpowered by it fell down suddenly and expired in agonies. “A dry fog, followed by an epidemie, is re- It was traced from Copenhagen, where it appeared on May 29; to Dijon, June 14, and common in London, causing m the nearest “bobby,” but fortu and death Funeral procession of fog victims in the Belgian village of Engis, one of the many communities in the region where death rode in the air. Within 10 minutes a gentle any to lose their way and seels meg'.tm mists seldom bring iliness in their wake. : 1 get into your lungs without melting, will die. There are unconfirmed repo ) il return of something Similar to the “black death,” the pneumonic form of the bubonic plague, which killed almost a third of the population of Europe in the fourteenth eentury. Such an idea might have arisen, it has been pointed out, by the recent appearance of the dread bubonic plague at the port of Marseille. In its pneumenic form, somewhat similar to & very virulent form of pneumonia, the “black death” would be favored by fog and would spread without the hites of insects from infected rats. However, Govermment scientists thus fas, with the possible exception of Dr. Hrdlicks, have given little credence to this theory, hail- ing it as somewhat fantastic. (Copyright, 1991.) Poultry Marketing. AL!‘BOUGB figures are not available for comparison, it would appear that many of poultry. Canned poultry and chicken were valued at nearly $4,000,000, feathers were found to produce a yield, $394,000.