Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-11-11
Are Gas WORKS Suisancesf

The correspondent OF morning paper traces
the mysterious odors" which prevail on damp
days in the upper part of the city TO poisonous
gases emanating from the gas works He saws
that in shops in the vicinity OF those establish
mcnts men are made sick at such times: that
polished brass is col0red in half AT hour TO the
tint OF finely rusted iron, and silver watches ex-
posed to the infected air are turned as black as
coal; and that he has repeatedly been made 50
III bS the n0xious gases to be compelled to
leave his business. He thinks that many deaths
have been caused By them-a conclusion not un
warranted by his premises These assertions are
put forward "a facts. They merit the immediate
attention Of the sanitary authorities, if we have
any people answering 10 that name in the citv
government.
The phenomena above mentioned. If verified
would fix the responsibility of at least a portion
Of the abomnabe stenches upon the gas houses
The sewer theory must be modified. Sulphu
rered hydrogen is the offender This gas, other
wise known as hydo sulp huric acid is waste
product of gas manufacture, which il separated
At certain stage of the process by passing thrO'
wet or dry qucklime. and thence is drawn by a
current OF air into the gas house chimney, passes
out al the top and * dsspsted in the atmosphere
II the chimney + high enough In some works
decomposition the gas is effected by passing
il through coppelas
There are other other gases and chemical pro
ducts evolved in the manufacture, which are pc
culiarly offensive 5ul nothing t. match the rank
ness of snlphursted hydro gen. This gas is pro
duced By the union Of sulphur in the pyrites OF
the Goa with a portion Of the free hydrogen
It's odor Is that of tetii esgs. and other putres-
celt and organic matters It's density is greater
than that Of the atmosphere. clusing il 20 sink
and cling to the surface of the ground, unless it
u delivered az a high elevation. and rendered in
noccous BY mixture with large proportions of
air Que of its most remarkable properties is
tia; OF forming suiDhurets with metals or me
taiic salts--a fact which renders il a most useful
chemical reagent. Hence. white lead paints On
the wood work of houses are blackened by IT,
Silver i very sensitive 10 "a influence. Even in
the Gas purified and ready for use. there i al
WAYS trace of il. which shows itself on silver
held for sufficient length OF time near burn
ing let In the silversm shops where ware-
are exposed iOr some weeks or months before
sale ihes are ALWAYS found 20 be tsrnis5ei from
a light yellow 10 a deep brown by the slow action
oustion OF ga ia the room
The silverware must be rubbed occasionally
With weak solution OF cyanide Of potassium \
deadly 20 son, 70 Keep IL bfigh; and ceaa. The
effect OF this gas upon the health OF man j. to
produce nausea. vomiting. and, IL sufficient
quantities. death mixture of one tvo-hun-
dred and fitch par, OF i; wss found. on experi-
rent, 10 XIII horse. A man could not stand
larger dose than that. Il "a said that a preplra
tios of one tseve- hundred aud iiGeth vii kill
bird OF the ordinary delicate organization of the
fssth0st tribes