The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-01-15
THE DANGERS OF CELLUL0ID.
The Inquiry Drawn Out from the Recent Elk
plosion in Newark.


The exploaion In the celiuloid factory III
Newark. N. j.. recalls the memory OF that
which occurred In the same establishment In
1875, when several persona were injured and
the lives OF forty others endangered. The at
fnntion of scientific men has been directed to
the dangerous character Of an agency which
haa Of late been finding its way IN its manu-
fapturnd state to toilet cases and in fanciiui
designs and ornaments In our houses. Celln
Iuid Ii comparatively recently discovered
eeusppund. The cyelopedias make no men
zion of IL. and even chemists and other acien-
1iats doubt as to the exact compounds which
ENTER into 1t. 1t was learned upon inquiry
that there are no eellnlod manufacturing
works In this city, but that there are several
In Newark and other portions of New lersey
a reporter of the Herald who called upon
Prof Waller OF the school IF mines. ut Column
hia College, was shown several specimens OF
the article In its manufactured state. They
embrace brushes and combs In imitation Of
ivory. aentemens collars, watch chains, pa
per cutters. and ladies high combs In imita-
ton of coral
Exntainng the mode of their manufacture.
Prof. Waller said:
..Celuloid Ia made from gun-cotton and
namphor. Gun-cotton Ia obtained by the use
on ordinary cotton of powerful nitric and
sulphuric acids. After 1t is made gun-ootton
Becomes explosive"
ia oelluloid. AZ such explosivep"
"Those who MANIPULATE IL avoid rising
temperature while In process of manufacture.
hat IL Ii claimed that this preoautton IL taken
60 avoid the loss of substance In Its manu-.
featured state oelluloid ID not always eNpl g
I've but 1t Is combustihla. | know OF All In
stanee where billiard bill was burned up by
coming in contact with lighted cigar.
"How recently has cellnlold been discov-
eret?''
sit has been known for nearly ten years.
but IL IL only within two or three Years that
its manufacture into articles of utility has as
aumed any considerable proportions. believe
that there IL no mandatory. IN this city, but
several exist In New Jersey"
"Do understand you TO say that celluloid
q explosive?'
81 do not know that 1t is explosive In Its
manufactured state, yet from the nature OF
the compound can readily understand that
+st might be 80. There III popularity about
all these nitro compounds. For instance,
some of the blasting powders containing
nitro Glicegine will burn when flames are an-
piled without exploding, yet when detonat-
lng compound is used they always explode
Violently"
"Then you assume from these examples
chat the new compound is dangerous2"
"As a general rule should not expect ar
sicles made Of celuloid TO be dangerous,
though under certain conditions of packing,
and SO forth. they might be.
Another scientific expert said In explaining
the mode OF manufactures: Nv ean mixed cell
uioid comes out 1t Is ic a solid substance or
long sticks Then 1t IL heated, much the
same that celiugwa might be, In the same
condition, aud placed in moulds. Subjected
10 a heavy hydraulic pressure, III Is fashioned
Into articles of ornament or utility. After
ward when applied to steam, vapor, or heat,
She goods become flexible and easily inham-
gnable I think that some agency other
than gun-cotton is now used in its manuf&e-
Gure."