Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-02-10
SCIENTIFIC.
SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION

Confiagrations have often occurred. the cause
and origin of which could not be satisfaotoriIv
ascertained That inflammation may be prod,i.
cei by different bodies acting upon each other
without the aid of another body previously in
combustion, is well known TO modern Chemists
On this subject DR.. A. seybert has written va.
ltabic essay. This essay may be foGnd in the Sd
volume or the Sd Hexade of the Medical Reposi.
tory, page 800.
81. Spontaneous nfaInations in alum pits and
coal mines; arc by no means rare occurrences
In THIS city, some years since, large quantity of
coal, from Virginia, was heaped together under
IN arch, belonging TO respectable sugar rcfiner.
1t took fire. lie suspected this to have been set
Oh Ere some Ill designed person, and consulted
me on the SUBJECT My explanation to him was
founded upon the principles of sboalareoua COM
6uSiion. lie appeared 10 be satisfied with il.
This TACT las led ne to contemplate this sub
,ject
9. Csndiewek made of hemp yara, which BY
accident had absorbed considerable Guan;ity Of
oil, took lire ~ warehouse in sPslding, Great
Britain.
80 Some coarse cotton goods were contained
IN chest in an arsenal in lndia; lnsced oil was
accidentally cast upon item; The chest remain
ed closed, and in some hours the goods were con-
verted into a finder. Design was mucli suspected
in this instance; but all doubts were ultimately
removed by immersing some Of the same kind OF
goods in lmseed oil, and combining them in a
close box; in hours the box began TO smoke,
and on opening it the cloth WAS in the condition
of that Just before noticed.
&. Roasted bran, when wrapped in 8 linen
CLOTH, according to the experiments of Rude, in
:. f-wln minutes smoaked, and the rag was converted
into finder
s. Dunghillshave been known 10 inflame ,tos-
tGneous,g; so have woollen stufFs and combed
wool; when iheyere hesped together 1t is pro-
Yte- 60. aarE tl.N 4. .,
aEd butter are generally used
g. lay, corn and madder; ut times. wet
meai end malt hemp, fax, and iIsInp oil, lave
eli undergone the Ike changes
- Sail cloth, which had been smeared on one
eide with ochre and oil, took fire il. tie maga-
Inc at Rsest, in the year 1z57.
g. lieU.p in heaps, over which oil has been
spilled, did Gie same, IN The ropewalEs Of St Pc
teFsGurg; aud il has there been found NECESSARY
to separate the coils OF cables, to prevent the;r
destruction by tns species of combustion.
g. New cloth has mfiarned spontaneously, so
has ire wood SCOT, when immersed iii henp.o
Vagiiish, SlIch is composition made of lbs.
IieTI.oh boiled with 81 Ozs. of minitim When
tle Or black thus prepared, was bound up in
coarse hemp rag, in ~ hours took fire and
the name was observed TO raise full three feet
This experiment is related hy NJ. Georgia.
30 There was time when the Russian 60
vernmept was seriously alarmed for the safety of
their ships cfwar, i'll consequence of the loss of
two frigstes by fire the origin of which could
rot be uaced.-Many experiments were institnt.
cd, TO ascertain the true cause Of these losses.
pursuant Il an order Of the empress. BY these
II was clearly demonstrated, that the fire arose
rom the spontaneous inflammation Of certain ma
terials which were on board these vessels at the
time Of Tie IRE. From these trials il was proved
that German lsmp-black required many more
hours for rs Spontaneous inflammation than Russi-
an hr-black treated in the same manner. and
that this last, when immersed in oil of turpcntine
did not inhame also that animal lampblack " ,II
not inHame spontaneously.
ii. HaHsmdn impremated cotton yarn with
Gil, as previous step of oolouring it red. lie
exposed IT 70 the air In some hours IL burned
spontaneously,
10 Quick lime in TIE holds of vessels, and O.
Their eonfned places, has been known 70 set FIRE
10 them.
~. spontaneous inflammation Of the mixture
OF the Mite and suphuric acids with The essent;
al oils was known to B0r. iciis,
ID Charcoal properly prepared, may be IN.
ilamed by concentrated nitric acid.
Is. Vegetables boiled in oil or Eat, and left
70 themselves, NheF having been pressed, inaam-
IS Helps oflInen rags have been known 10
set hre 70 paper manufactures
~ u IS curious remark, made By the &C.
cuFaie count gftzofro1v, tat IL a piece az iron
SHOULD be left in stack oFhay in Fermentation.
ire i'hamatg'' Of dat stack is almost certain
consequence
~ Pyr'tes (netallic s0Ipburets) wien mo;s.
tened, take FIRE SO do the cinders when drawn
'rom the fuhsces Of glass works when exposed
40 amoist atmosphere.
~ ~ dc Cgrftnder informs us That cut
f'ngs sfi'on' which had been left N water, and