The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-09-23
Celluloid.

One hundred and sixty thousand dollars
or more of property was destroyed, one
life was lost and several persons were Sc
riously wounded at Newark, Wednesday
evening, as a result of the combustible
character Of celluloid, . comparatively
new article Of commerce, which is but lit
tie known to the general public. 1t is
composed principally, If not entirely, Of
gun-cotton and camphor. Guncotton is
mixed with . solution Of camphor, which
produces a plastic substance. This is
subjected to a hard pressure and thor
oughly dried, and a high, elastic sub
stance, susceptible of hard polish, is pro-
duced. This is celluloid, and SO closely
resembles ivory as to deceive the most
skillful experts by its appearance-pos-
sessing, as it does, smoothness, hardness,
elasticity, and the soft, white color of fine
ivory. 1t makes an inexpensive and, in
many respects, a useful substitute for
ivory or hard rubber. Some experiments
have recently been made in making jew
elry in imitation of coral, both white and
pink, and it is said that the ablest experts
have mistaken it for coral. Thus, it will
be seen, it would become a useful article
of commerce if it had not some undesira-
BILE quality to more than balance its adj
vantages. But it is in a finished state
highly ~lnflammable, and while In process
of manufacture is said to emit a vapor
which is highly explosive. A cylinder an
inch in diameter will ignite instantly from
the flame of an ordinary match, and burn
more rapidly and with more flame than a
piece of sealing-wax of like dimensions;
and it sends forth a dense black smoke, a
small volume of which will asphyxiate
one who inhales it in a very few minutes.
In the spring of 1874 Prof. Charles A. See.
ly, who was employed by the Newark
company whose mandatory burned on
Wednesday, to examine and report upon
their celluloid, said:
"Your celluloid, as a combustible, re-
sembles resinous woods, hard rubber,
sealing-wax, sulphur, camphor, etc. y \
n 1t takes fire more readily than sealing
wax. = 1t does not, like alcohol,
b~enzine, ETC., give off, at ordinary temper
atures, combustible vapor."
Prof. Phin, editor of the Technobgist,
examined, about the same time, a speci-
men of celluloid from the Newark manu-
factory, at the request of the Insurance
Monitor, and in the course of his report
said:
$50 far as its mere mechanical proper.
ties are concerned the so-called 'celluloid'
has everything to recommend it; but from
the fact that it still retains many of
the characteristics of gun-cotton, it is a
dangerous substance, so far as fire Is con-
cerned. 1t is easily ignited, the applica-
ton of the flame of a common lucifer
match being sufficient to set fire to a large
mass of ii, and when once on fire the vapor
of camphor burns f%urious!y, while the
gun-cotton itself burns slowly, it is true,
but persistently. Indeed, when once fair
ly ignited, it continues to burn without
requiring that perfect access of air which
is requisite in the case of all other COM
bustibles. In other words, it contains
Wllulu ltSell Tie eleLlcnlS Vi us W OH
bustion, and hence its peculiarly danger
ous character. From the fact that it is so
easily ignited, and that it burns so persist
emily, l have no hesitation in pronounc-
ing 1t a very dangerous substance, so far
as fire is concerned"
AT a former fire at the Newark manu-
factory two firemen were seriously injured
by inhaling the smoke from the burning
celluloid. One of them "eXpectorated
blood for twenty-four hours afterward,"
and the other twas a much longer time in
getting over its effects" was the report.
From all this it seems conclusively
proved that great danger must attend the
manufacture or handling of cellulold as
merchandise until chemical skill shall
have devised some plan for reducing the
degree of combustibility which it now
possesses. And it is to be hoped that
science may suggest some means of doing
this, in view of the immense value cellu-
loid would be to the arts if freed from this
danger.
Many Of the conservative underwriters
refused to assume risks on the Newark
mandatory, and the result t~estities to
their wisdom.-N. Y. World.