Weekly Trinity journal., 1866-05-05
NUMBER II.
Nitro GlyceriMe.

In reference to the Introduction of this DEATH
dealing fluid into California, the Auburn Stars
and Stripes says:
"When Bandmann, Nielsen, & Co., sent their
circular to the country press, begging for the
gratuitons advertisement of I" Nobel's Blasting
OIL" they little thought what widespread and
horrible notoriety that villainous compound was
destined shortly to achieve. 1t seems, indeed,
that they were almost entirely unacquaiuted with
its dangerous qualites-which is not TO be wond-
cred at, inasmuch as few practical chemists
know much about it beyond the fact that it is
one of the most dangerous compounds ever in
vented and it is not substance TO invite ex-
pertinent. We doubt whether Mr.: Alfred Nobel,
who calls himself the ssinventor of ntro-gly-
cerine is fully aware of its nature, for we can
hardly think any man knowing how dangerous
it is would be so depraved as TO jeopardize
human life to a fearful extent by shipping 1t on
crowded railway cars and passenger steamers as
ordinary merchandise, and under names which,
10 any but practical chemists, afford no index to
its character. Mr.. Bandmann testified before the
Cnroner's Jury in San Francisco that the railways
in Germany carried this oil as ordinary merchan-
thise-a statement which, doubtless, he beheved
to be true but it seems that the German rail-
way officials having learned its dangerous char
acter have refused to transport it under any cir
cumstances and the German agent advertises to
supply it by means of wagons
The San Francisco Chamber of Commerce
have memorialized Congress to pass laws forbid
ding the transportation of nitro-glycerine by
steamer or otherwise, within the Federal Jnris-
diction. From the testimony of chemists 1t ap-
pears that it is easily manufactured, and II IL is
desirable to make use of it for blasting, the ln-
gradients, which taken separately are perfectly
harmless it may be mixed on the spot. II was
shown by competent testimony that nitro-gly-
cerne is exploded either by strong heat or
slight copcussion 3; that it freezes at tempera-
ture of 42s Fahrenheit, and in its solid state is
exploded by slight blow, or even by friction.
1t is made by mixing nitric and sulphuric acid
and glycerine with constant agitation
The Sacramento Bee says of nitro-glycerine,
and its inventor:
In all the accounts we have respecting
the origin of nitro-giycerine, the invention has
been ascribed to Alfred Nobel, German. In
looking over the United States Dispensatory, as
revised by Wood and Bache, we find the name of
VI. Sobrero given rs the inventor. The glycerine
itself is produced not only during the saponifca-
ton of fats and oils by oxide of lead, in forming
lead plaster, but also during the same process
when effected by potassa and soda in the manu-
flcture of soap the alkalies uniting with the
only acids, and setting the glycerine free. When
treated with equal parts of strong nitric and
sulphuric acids, successfully, added in small
portions at temperature kept below freezing,
glyccrinc is converted into bright yellow, vola
tine, explosive and poisonous oleaginons liquid,
called by its dscoverer nitrogy ycerne or glonion.
1t is used, as we'll rs glycerne, in the treatment
of diseases. Considering the uncertainty and
occasional violence of this substance, together
with its liability to explosion, it is hardly pro-
bable that it will come into remedy.
See United States Dspensat0ry-lS65.