The Osceola times., 1879-04-05
BURNISG MAZE EASY.
Un.uspeesed Cases Of sire and Cepsbus.
Hans.

ttnns.
Manchester Englsnd Cotton.
There wa, an interesting discussion on
this subject st y recent meeting OF the
French Academic des Sciences. M.
Cosson described an accident which had
occurred in his laboratory few days
be ore. While the narrator was working
in the laboratory portion OF the board
ing OF the a Dor spontaneously took fire
IRE boards were in the vicinity of sr
air hole, fed with warm air from stovs
four metres away, on the floor below. A
similar accident took place two years
ago, and in consequence NJ. Cosson had
the boards sd joining the air hole replaced
by slab OF marble. The boards which
now igpited adjoined the marble. The
heat TO which the boards were sui jected
was, however, very moderate, being only
that Of warm air at 25o C. Nevertheless,
NJ. C,sson ssid the wood had undou Of.
edly been slowly carb0nized. Being
thus rendered extremely porous, a rapid
absorption of the oxygen OF the stmos-
phere had resulted, and sufficient csIoric
was thereupon produced to originate
combustion. The danger thus disclosed,
said NJ Cosson, Is one TO which the
attention OF builders ought to be direct
ed. In the instance In question, NJ.
Cjsson was able to extnguish the FIRE
with little water, a. he was present
and witnessed Its beginning; but lad 1t
occurred at night. during his absence. 1t
would undoubtedly have completed its
work of destruction. M Faye stated
that at Passy, few days bsiore, a SINH
lar case OF spon taneous fire, due to the
seton of the warmth frsm the sir.hole OF
stove upon the woodwork, had occurred
at the house OF one of his friends.
M Dumas gave several analogous
illustrations, and attributed the occur
rences to the property OF matter in an
extremely divided condition, of energet-
icslly absorbing Air with the generation
OF heat. In powler,iactories the pulver
ized charcoal will often take fi-e spOnta.
neously. 1t il fer this reason that it is
usually pulverized with sulphur, which
robs IL OF the property in question
Wood deprived Of its moisture by the
action OF warmth, continued for long
time, Is Transformed into substance
analogous TO Ignite or turf Its particles
experience a species of Iulverizstion, or
minute division, which brings 1t into
essentially the same condition as that of
crushed charcoal. In this state it con-
denses the air and takes fire. M. Dumas
said that he had known case where a
beam in a cart-shed hsd taken fire In
this way. Formerly, in the theaters,
the lamp boxes, filed with refuse, ire-
quently ignited spontaneously in this
manner The oily dust snd debris con
densed the oxygen of the air. In works
where Adrianople red is applied to cot
ton, impregnated with fatty matter,
spontaneous combustion frequently oc,
ours
NJ. Dnmss also cited singular occur
renee in the studio Of painter, which
he had witnessed. The artist had taken
some cotton wool to wipe a picture. He
rubbed the oily surface of the psinting
for some time with the porous material
and then flung it from him the cotton
spontaneously ignited, during its passage
through the air. 1t il well TO remem.
Der, concluded M. Dumas, that ex-
tremely porous OF minutely divided
matters, conducting air, is capsule of
instantly producing very elevated
temperature. This discussion will sug-
ge, / to mill-owners, merchants and Others
many ways in which serious fires may be
originsted. The proportion OF fires
occurring, OF which the cause remain
unknown, is very considerable; and rs
the vast msjority of builders are un-
doubtediy as ignorant OF physics ss are
the plumbers who f up domestic boilers
and the arrangements for suppl ing
warm ba hs, scientific societies do gooo
service by occasionally giving time to
such discussions as that which occupied
the attention of the French Academy OF
Sciences Too much publicity can not
be given to the extremely suggestive
scs elected.