The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1880-02-26
Dangers In the Use Of Kerosene.


structed lamp that rendered its use pos
sible without the production of smoke.
The cost of the oil was for some time
about one dollar per gallon. Soon after
the war commenced petroleum was OBJ
tanned in enormous quantities from wells
in Pennsylvania and other places,
which, being purified and freed from a
certain amount of naphtha, took tie
place of the article that had been manu-
factured from bituminous coal. In the
meantime many Improvements were
made in the lamps for burning the oil
till the perfection of consumption with
out smoke or ofensiveodors was almost
reached. The supply of the oil became
so large, the method of purifying it so
excellent. and the facilities for trans
porting it so much improved that the
price fell to twelve cents per gallon.
From this time we had not only the best
but the cheapest material for illumina-
tion the world ever knew.
But there are Objectionable qualities
in the best OF things. and kerosene oil
furnishes no exception to the general
rule. 1t is volatile, very inhammable
and capable of forming explosive COM
pounds with the air under certain cir
cumstances. Hence it is dangerous
substance unless it is stored and handled
with proper care. The long list Of
accidents " that are reported every
season as resulting from the employment
of kerosene show the extreme careless
ness with which it is used. With Ill
the warnings that have been given in
the papers, with all the accounts of
burnings that have been published,
many families continue to use it for
starting fires in the morning, and for re-
viving them during the day. 1t is so
cheap that many persons use it instead
of kindling-wood, often spilling con-
siderable quantities Of it on the stove
or floor, and the wonder is that a larger
number of" accidents lido not occur.
But the accidents resulting from
the employment of kerosene oil do not
all occur from using it to kindle fires.
We read every year of numerous explo-
sions of kerosene lamps. The lamps in
which these explosions occur are some
times in the hands of persons who are
carrying them about the house, and
other times are standing on tables or
other supports. If one attempts to pro-
duce an explosion by uniting the vapor
rising from kerosene oil with air, with
a view to furnishing information to ex-
plain the phenomenon, heis quite likely
to fail. The conditions necessary to
produce an explosion, however, are very
often furnished by causes not directed
by design. The like of this is true of
explosive compounds formed of other
substances. An experimenter may fail
in his purpose, but he may be injured by
the explosion Of the same substance at
an expected time. As before stated, ex-
plosive compounds result from the union
of the volatile portions of kerosene Yi16
the afr: MAe::-.aq M:s.. I'D tfs ii EsESpeFssSl d
't,fi6 81 f6e lamp and its. contents is high, .
spark conveyed to the mixture aboy'
the oil or the sudden escape of some o
the gas in the direction of the fam,
above is quite certain to produce an ex
plosion. If a heated lamp containing
considerable amount of gas above th'
oil is shaken, as by carrying it in th'
hand or by jarring the support on whicl
it stands, an explosion is likely to fol
low. Since kerosene oil has been sub
jected to vigorous inspection the stand
ard of the oil has been raised, and the
number of explosions has been very
greatly reduced. Still there is some
dangerous oil sold anG much care elessnes:
rracticed, and as consequence there
are explosions. more or less common.
Another prominent cause of danger
in the use Of kerosene is found in the
practice of filling lamps after dark, OF
near stove or fireplace at any time
Ifa lamp is replenished in the evening
while it is still heated, light being
used to aid in conducting the operation
the yapor issuing from the open lamp
can or filler may ignite and result in
serious consequences. Oil is also liable
to be spilled and infamed before its
,,,,eo, M ~, tho hnor ta h1e or clOthinl
is noticed. There should be prohibi'
ton in every house against using kero,
sene to start or replenish fires, and
against filling or trimming lamps al
other times than when the work can be
done by daylight. If this rule was
more rigidly observed by all the mem:
bers of every household, accidents
from the use of kerosene oil would soon
cease to occur.-Chira 90 Times.