The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-01-11 00:00:00

Debonsry ire.

A XMINSTRIL—On Christmas Day the inmates of
our Union were treated with roast Wawa plum
pudding for dinner, and beer, tea, and cake for
supper. They enjoyed the treat very much. It is
to he regretted that this good custom is not adopted
in all union houswi at Christmas, as we understand
it is allowed by the Poor Law. In the evening the
choir of our church went to the Union and sang to
to the inmates till nearly b o'clock.

Mrs. Knight, of Terrace Lodge, has not forgotten
the good old custom of her lamented husband, Henry
Knight, Esq. In Christina. week she had • bullock,
a sheep, and a pig killed and distributed to the poor
of this parish. We are infunni.l that Mr. Knight
before his death left orders that the Christmas after
his death the poor should not be forgotten. and on
Thursill before Christmas-day Mrs. Knight gave
to the poor of the parish limping men, women, and
children) a quantity of clothing which they very
thank fully received.
FATAL Erracrs or SULPHURIC ACID GAS. —PLY-
MOUTH, JAIL 5. The Western iounttis Superphos-
phate Manure Company, at Torpeint, Cornwall,
have, for the purpose of their manufactory, • lead
tank. 100 feet long by 17 feet wide, and 12 to 13
inches deep, iliviihxl into three equal conipartinents.
This tank is inclosed in a chamber lined with lead,
about 15 feet high, having three holes of 10 inches
diameter in the roof for ventilation, and three man-
holes in one side. The chamber is lofty for the pur-
pose of condensing the gas which arises from the
sulphuric acid in the tanks, where it is usually depo-
sited to • depth of about 12 inches; at the present
time it is about six inches. A leak having been dis-
covered in compartment No. 1, six men—Henry
Winuicott, Thomas Bellamy, Charles Pomeroy,
David King, Edward Collings, and William Pure-
land—were directed on Monday morning to bale its

contents into compartment No. 2. The duty Was
known to be a severe one. and accordingly they went
In two at a time, remaining only alsiut ten minutes
or a quarter of an hour. The quantity in No. 1
tank was tit, inches deep, and it had been reduced
to 11 inches, when the men begau to complain, and
were „mead, by the foreman to desist for the day
and 1.0411111 e the work on Tuesday. They were, how.
I.IVI l', WI they will. detest 1111 l .1 " to make but one joli
of it. !lithe afternoon Winnicott, who is 50 years
old, was the first to exhibit gnat exhaustion, but,
although pre.sseil by Mr. Slieliberil the manager, to
go into the open air. he obstinately refused, and
alhiut an hour after he was carried to the office,
where medical aid was administered, and mustard
isiultices applied, but the ditlieulty of breathing con•
tooted, and at fi o'clock iii the evening lie expired on
the 11, r. Thomas Bellamy, 45, died at his house,
at 4 o'clock on Tuesday morniug. The gas had no
immediate effect on Pomeroy. A but lie became
seriously ill subsequently. Edmund Collings, 50,
was slightly affected. Furslanil, 45, anil Pomeroy,
35, although longer at the work than the others,
experienced no inconvenience. The tank was cleared
out about 12 months since without any ill effects oii
the nom. Winnicott has left a widow and nine cliff.
lren ; lie has been many years engaged in the numu•
facture if manures, and is said to have been taken
home twice from his previous Clllllloylnellt
rently dead. The inhalation of an over quantity of
the gas in the chamber is attended with fatal const•
quences, because it contains an excess of oxygen --
the very reverse iif that which causes suffocation.
Sulphuric acid pnsluces rapid pulsation, an excessive
ilow of blood through the lungs and heart, and a
state of increased activity throughout the entire
system.
1116 RURAL Pout& —The Devon Epiphany
Sessions were hell on Tuesday, at the Castle of
Exeter ; Lord o,urtenay presided, and there was a
very large attendance of county magistrates, among
whom were Earl Portescue, the Lord• Lieutenant of
the county ; Earl of Portsmouth, Lonl Churston,
the Hon. W. W. Addington, Sir S. Northcote, M.P.,
Sir M. Lopes, Ml'., the Hon. Mr. Trefinsis, M.l'.,
Mr. S. T. Kekewich, M.l'., Mr. J. W. Buller,
M. l'., and Mr. It. S. Gaol, M. I'. A long debate
took place on a plan introduced by the police com•
unitive for the reorganization of the Ikvon Vounty
l'onstahularly, which has proved, a failure, in many
respects, in the county, and has given dissatisfaction
to most of the magistrates and ratepayers. This
failure was attributed to the complicated character
if the force and to its having been founded on a
" military model." The men have been drilled
like soldiers, and it is alleged that military men
have been preferred to practical aol experienced
police officers, the consequence of which has been
that the operations of the force have not been so
successful as in other counties. The than for its
reorganization was, it was stated, founil.l on a
scheme projected and appnived by the chief consta-
ble and the Goveniment inspewtor, and its chief
feature is to give a more practical character to the I
force. The plan was adopted by a large inajoritY.
and Earl Fortescue and other iniluential noblemen I
and gentlemen of the county expressed their sincere I
hope and belief that the force would now work well 11
and would give satisfaction to the county generally. I