New-York tribune., 1869-01-13
KEROSENE OIL.

REPORT OF PROF. c. F. CHANDLER TO THE
METROPOLITAN BOARD OF HEALTH ON THE
QUALITY OF BURNING FLUIDS SOLD in THIS
CITY.
The burning fluid sold so extensively through
put the United States under the OF kerosene oil 10
refined petroleum from the oiwells OF Pennsylvania
eho Virginia Kentucky and Canada. AS 1t comes from
the wells petroleum is generally Of yellowish or
color and possesses an odor more or less
extensive. To render it saable, 1t is subjected to
process Of refining by which II Is rendered almost color
less and freed much possible from its dsagreeabe
odor One OF the important objects Of the purfca
ton is however, the separation OF the volatile
consuensthe benZine, kerOselne, gasOlue, or naph-
tha, they varously called These liquids, being
volatile and at the same time very ars
the substances which give rise to the EXPLOSIONS
newspapers with OF fghtful burning accidents
The crude petroleum, as 1t comes from the wells IS SUP
jeoted 10 dstlaton when the most volatile constituents
pass OF first in the form Of vapOr and are condensed ny
passing through coil Of iron pipe surrounded DIV cola
ing oil kerosene makes its appearance rms is ol-
lowed by heavier OIL which may be used for luorcang
machinery, and there is finally small residue OF tar or
coke left In the st That portion OF the product which
designed for Illuminating oil is then subjected TO the
sulphuric acid the OdOr ana color,
aud destroy little tar which II still contains IL s then
waited temperature, TO expe small percentage OF ben
zine which IL still contains Thus purified u constitutes
the kerosene oil as il is sold in the market ~
The conscientious rener runs all the dangerous OIL INTO
the benZine tank, and only when the OH Is suDcehty
heavy 10 be safe does he allow it to pass into the kero
sene receiver But as the benzne be sold at lower
price than burning OIL the reners are. many Of them
possible Il must not be supposed however that the
specific gravity of the OIL can be considered safe index
Of its quality on the contrary, the speclno gravy
gives very little idea Of the gnayMtor & Te oenL1S o
and naphtha render the kerosenS nseI, , 3 heayier
good kerosene is preserved by the presence o eaEep
oils so poor, dangerous oil may be much heavier than
"a SIe S AS 10 f tpr eesi has long
been in use by which the temIPera'uro nIas n4 ,i
s@maSs SSIsT%gsd vaporSs at Which eSo s9s
temperature at which the OIL ItseH may ,,i NC
handled with burning matel-the "our7ltlg PonL Inc me
yaporzng point good kerosene oil should not be much
below 1909 Fahrenheit and the burning point should not
this nves tgation show that but little OF the OIL sold m
EewYOrk comes up TO this standard. The Ola law OF
Congress xed llOo Fahrenheit for the burning test but
this law was, unfortunately repeated Inc Iee W iaMs
OF NewYork fix the burning point at lCO iarenHT, % i
which is decidedly low, Is shown by the great III
in the number Of burning css9aItieSS boo sold
Processes have been patented ana venders nave sou
rights throughout the country for patented and secret
processes for rendering benzine, gasane ana nahtha
as "Tduid gas aurora OIL" etc. These patents and
secret processes are only ridiculous but Their sale 10
impossible to render these light oils nonexplosiye and
safe The addition of few grains OF alum potash, DO
rax, alcohol, gum eamphor etc. 10 Darre OF Dehzne
does not change its dangerous character in the least
The experiment of pouring little OF the nnd INTO
bottle and applying burning naen Is no W pt1Oi 20 & Mnnt
ever for produce an explosion II is necessary 10 secure
q certain ratio OF TO benZene YepOr, when u would
not be possible to do in bottle once III 80 times Inc nrS
test gives the only sure indications apply lighted matcn
10 little OF the oil contained IN cup or saucer ana II II
can be made to take fire IL should be considered
at once unsafe-eyen though tne expert
ment De made IN ono 81 1ho b @ b danSrnns o
as safe oil must not evolve cOmbustble vapOr below
lOOo Fahrenheit Experimenters must be reminded that
great care is necessary applying this test persons
not accustomed making such experiments are liable 10
serious accidents BY carelessy trying the fire test on
salpple OF Kerosene gentleman in New-Bedford burned
up The entire refinery OIL barrels still and buildings.
QUALITY OF THE KEROSENE OIL SOLD IN NEw-YoRK
In compliance with the direction OF the Metropolitan
Board of Health. samples OF kerosene OIL have been
procured from the number OF retail dealers IN d
fereut parts of the city These have been carefully sub
Iected to the fire test 10 determine the vaponzng ana
buruin
subjected to fractional dlstllation 10 determine the
proportions of benzne and naphtha which they contan
the results presented in the following tabular statements,
IN which samples arranged III the order Of quality
beginning with the poorest: