The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-08-05
or iR Eo:Icrs-hss Important Discov-
cry Claimed.

Dr. Jentz made the following statement
Yesterday in answer TO the communication
OF Dr.. Morgan. relative to oily water used
in boilers at the West Virginia oil wells:
Ehoyt twenty five years ago, while DR..
JcntZ WAS practicin" chemistry in Philadcl-
phia IN extensive fire occurred in that city.
among the buildings destroyed were two
containing oil ard saltreter. When the
buildings had partially fallen many explo-
sions occurred among the ruins, creating
such conformation among the firemen that
they refused to approach the buildings
again, and merely devoted their efforts to
prevent the spread Of the flames. These
explosions caused considerable speculation
among scientific men. And SO much inter
est was taken in the subject ny the public
that the City Council of Philadelphia
was induced TO offer large re.
ward for the solution Of the mys.
terry. Dr.. JcntZ made many experiments
with saitpetre and water at first, without
success. He then began experimenting
with oil and water, when he discovered
that the explosions ut the fire were I'm.
doubleday caused by the heated walls fall.
ing into the oil md water in the easements
0f the buildings. This he explains as fol.
lows: When oil becomes attached to any
object hot enough to produce combustion,
.rlS is generated. and unless this gas has
room 10 expand, an exclusion will surely
follow. Before the doctor had concluded
HI investigations, and had noted the chem
cal changes through which the oil must
prS> previous to reaching the eXplo.ive
point. he came to New York and resumed
the practice of medicine. He Gid not pub
ish his discovery, because, though con.
vilrced on the subject himself, he could not
make it clear to others without further
Investigation.
At the time these experiments were made
petroleum bad not been discovered. and
he oil used was common lubricating oil,
>ucn rs iS sill used on machinery, and the
careless Use of which, the doctor claims,
has caused many boiler explosions which
have apparently been involved in mystery.
Water, he says, in boiling ascendS from the
centre and dcscends at the sides of the
boiler. and oil floating on the surface will
be carried down with the current. If the
inside surface on the boiler be oxydiZcd or
scaled, som" portions Of the oil are likely
tn l'c caught by lh@sc scales and lmpi e.
mated with them. : hen when the iron and
he oil come IN direct contact, and the for
mcr is hot enough to cause the combustion
81 The oil. in explosion must follow. The
doctor also rllims that water has no erptO-
Size power. II Il boiler is subjected TO
greater pressure Of steam than it will
bear, it will burst, generally at its weakest
point, the steam will rush out, people may
gcG ncaltcd. hEt no sucn eTptOsiOn as that
on the Wc,tii.ld could be caused bY steam
alone. TN The other hand, explosions
caused ~ oil will take place at The point
where combustion takes place, whether il
Is tiic wcaHe-t point or not. Tue yeSSs Is
the doctor uSed in his experiments were
open on top, with nothing but Il lid laid
LOOSELY on them, yet when the oil exploded
they were burst in fragments and scattered
in every direction. The doctor will imme-
diatciy resume his experiments, and as soon
as his apparatus is completed he claims that
lie can demonstrate 10 the most simple mind
that one drop of oil will explode the hcayi.
est boilcr.-Ne,c York Tribune, Cd. .r