The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-04-10
BURNING MADE EASY.
UnsusPecied CaEes OF Fire and CombRs
Hons.

UnAuaPecfed Cases or Fire and CombRs-
Hons.
Manchester CEngland) Cotton.
There was an interesting discussion on
this subject at q recent meeting of the
French Academic des Sciences. III.
COsson described an accident which had
occurred in his laboratory 3 few days
before. While the narrator wss working
in the laboratory 8 portion of the board
ing of the floor spontaneously took FIRE
The boards were in the vicinity of al
air hole, fed with warm air from 8 stove
four metres away, on the floor below. A
similar accident took place two years
ago, and in consequence NJ. COssOn had
tne boards adjoining the air hole replaced
by slab of marble. The boards which
now ignited sdjoined the marble. The
heat to which the boards were subjected
was, however. very moderate, being only
that of warm air at 25' C. Nevertheless,
n. CossOn said the wood had undOu pt-
edly been slowly carbonized. Being
thus rendered extremely porous, rapid
absorption of the oxygen of the atmos-
phere had resulted, and sufficient calOric
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.
COsson was able to extinguish the fire
with 2 little water, as he was present
and witnessed its beginning; but ksd it
occurred at night, during his absence, it
would undoubtedly have completed its
work of destruction. NJ. Faye stated
that at Passy, few days before, SINH
lar case of spontaneous fire, due to the
action of the warmth from the air-hole Of
stove upon the woodwork, had occurred
at the house of one of his friends.
NJ. Dumas gave several analogous
illustrations, and attributed the occur
Tences to the property of mstter in an
extremely divided condition, of energet-
ically absorbing air with the generation
of heat. In powlersiactories the pulver-
lied charcoal will often take fire sponta-
neously. It is fer this reason that it is
usually pulverized with sulphur, which
TObs it of the property in question.
Wood deprived of its moisture by the
action of warmth, continued for long
time, is transformed into g substance
analogous to Ignite or turf Its particles
experience a species of pulveriZstiOn, 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. III. Dumas
said that he had known 3 case where a
beam in & csrt-shed had taken fire in
this way. Formerly, IN the theRters,
the lamp boxes, filed with refuse, ire
quently ignited spontaneously in this
manner The oily dust and debris con-
densed the oxygen of the air. In works
where AdrianOple red ia sppiied to cot
ton, impregnated with fatty matter,
spontaneous combustion frequently oc-
ours.
NJ. Dnmas also cited a singular occur
renee In the studio of a painter, which
he had witnessed. The artist had taken
some cotton wool to wipe picture He
rubbed the oily surface of the painting
for some time with the porous material,
and then flung it from him the cotton
spontaneously ignited. during its passage
through the air. It is well to Temem-
Der, concluded Ii. Dumas, that ex-
tremely porous or minUtely divided
matters, conducting air, is capable of
instantly producing a very elevated
temperature. This discussion will sug.
ges t to mill-Owners, merchants and other
many ways in which serious fires may be
originated. The proportion of fires
occurring, of which the cause remain
unknown, is very considerable; and as
the vast msjoTity of builders are IN
doubtediy as ignorant of physics as are
The plumbers who f. up domestic boilers
and the arrangements for suppl ing
warm ba hs, scientific societies do goo0
SCI vice 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
acts ELECTED.