The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1879-03-19
Kerosene oils orCommerce.

Kerosene Oils ofCommerce.
By the kindness of friend we have been
put in possession of a pamphlet, entitled
"Second Annual Report of the State Board of
Health of Colorado" in which, among other
subjects treated, we find that of kerosene oils,
by Charles Ambrook, n. D. DR.. A. says:-
In distiIling or refining kerosene oil, any
grade can be made that the market calls for,
from any oil, with any fash point desired,
burning out quickly with dull yellow light,
incrusting the wick, smoking easily, leaving
behind dirty sediment in the lamp, and in
burning generates great amount of heat,
which being conducted downward by the
wick tube, into the oil reservoir, increases the
danger of explosion" The doctor goes on to
state what kind of oil is absolutely safe, as
follows:
"The oil should be as clear as water, burn
ing without incrustation OF the wick, with
large white fame, without smoking easily, with
no infammable gas given off at temperature of
1902 F., and without either naptha or benzine
to give off dangerous vapors and parafine to
cover up their presence; giving it humbug
fash point in order to comply with the letter
of the law and evade its spirit" SIT is doubt
ful' says DR.. a. ''if there is another article
under the sun that exerts as much influence
in the civilized world, is so freely handled
and as little understood as kerosene"
First it is an arbitrary name applied to a
mixture of petroleum products, and differs
from its kindred above and below more in
degree than in kind, for petroleum can be
compared to book which forms complete
whole, yet is susceptible of being divided into
leaves and chapters. So with this substance
at every degree Of the thermometer product
can be obtained with different characteristics.
For instance, at low temperature we find
uncondensable gases at the common heat of
Summers day we obtain an article called
rhigoline which boils at 65o F. and is more
volatile than either next at a temperature not
exceeding l706 F. there is distilled an arti-
Gle called gasoline; then as high as $50 9 F.
we obtain benzine, which, however, is only a
trade name for variety of fnaptha, for all that
distills between l70o and 5000 f. is denomin-
ated naptha and subdivided into three grades.
All these various articles are similar in
many respects. First, they contain no oil
proper, then they are volatile at common
temperatures with great liability of their
vapors catching fire from flames at distance,
and when mixed with the proportions of air,
(seven to nine of air with one of vapor,) burn
with an explosion, even when not confined.
As before stated at temperature from 800
OF 4006 F. kerosene is distilled, after that
come the parafhnes, etc. This paraffine oil is
no: worth over ten cents a gallon, and naptha
four cents, hardly any market for either In
one hundred barrels of crude petroleum, &C
cordirg to Prof. Chandler, there are one and
half barrels of gasoline, ten barrels of
refined naptha, four barrels of benzine, seven
teen and half of lubricating oil. two of paraf-
fine, ten of coke gas and loss, and ffty-fve of
kerosene. The Cleveland Oil Refiners claim
to increase the yield of Kerosene from twenty
seven to thirty per cent. @
This increase is made by the introduction
of parafine which renders the oils thus
reduced volatile and dangerous. But the truth
is that the oil refners have reduced the mai
ter to an exact science, and hence it is impos-
sible to obtain such thing as pure and non-
explosive kerosene oil in the market. 1t is i
lamentable fact that manufacturers of oils
like many other articles of commerce, are SO
apt to adulterate them, regardless of all con-
sequences that, even with the utmost caution
and the application of every possible test, the
importer as well as the consumer is imposed
upon. DR.. Ambrouk shows very clearly in
his paper upon kerosine oils, that the refiners
are so we'll up to the tricks of trade, that they
can impose upon the scientific as well as tire
unscientifc, and that they do SO all the time il
the matter of refined petroleum or burnig
fluids.
In view of the foregoing facts it will be
seen how vigilaut the officers Of the Govern
ment ought to be in their inspection of burn
ing fluids that are in such universal use, and
for the most part carelessly handled.