The Columbus journal., 1882-03-15

At this season of the year more light
is needed than at any other. In rural
districts a large mount of kerosene is
used. The use of tallow and whale oil
has nearly passed away. Tallow, oil
and kerosene are changed to gas before
they develop light. They are al
changed to gas BY heat. The gas they
Weld is hydrogen combined with car
bon. Hydrogen is the kindling stuff
carbon is the source of light and heat
| The sparks that fly from burning gas
whether the gas he made from tallOw
whale oil or Kerosene, are carbon. The
coal or wood we burn to warm our
homes yield light and heat by igniting
the hydrogen and carbon they contain
Another element is needed to develOI
light and heat, namely. oxygen. Thi
whole process of producing heat and
light are the same, whatever substances
we may employ. Kerosene contains
other elements than hydrogen and car
hon. and so does common burning gas.
A great objection TO the latter for pro
ducing light is that it fickers and pro;
duces an unsteady light and SO harms
the ewes. Kerosene is more steady in
it's burning. and so is much healthier for
the eyes. 1t is rapidly gaining in pop
ularity among students and others, who
are compelled to use artificial light.
Hydrogen and carbon combines read
lily with the oxygen of the air. In burn
ing they necessarily use and destroy the
oxygen any contains. Oxygen, SO
absolutely necessary in sustaining ami
NAL life. i'm combining with the hydro
gen and carbon, forms a new compound.
1t is plain enough to see that oxygen
must he constantly supplied. or inhala
ton is soon impossible. Health. then,
demands not only that vitiated ali
should be removed. but that fresh. pure
air should be introduced into any 0
occupied by any animals. Health de-
mands a proper amount of oxygen. or
it requires ventilation or vitiated air 60
ing out and pure air coming in. kero-
sene yields a given amount of light at a
much cheaper rate than oil Ortallow, or
ordinary gas, at present rates. The
best way of burning Kerosene is in the
Students lamp. 1t is at once safer.
more economical and healthier than any
other. 1t is healthier. because the air
of the room in which it is consumed Is
purer and does not disturb the eyes
Good and pure kerosene is no eN-
plosive. Plunge a lighted taper into it
aud it will not explode. A poor or im-
pure article is sometimes sold anil used.
1t NAV be well to tell our readers m
thing about its origin and way of puri-
fying. Coal oil from which kerosene is
made is found in the cavities of the
earth. 1t is not a simple substance but
is composed of benzine. benzoline. gas
oline, kersoline and other light hydro
carbons. differing in their volatility.
Some of these are much more volatile
than others. Kerosene, when properly
prepared. is not very volatile. does not
easily inflame. and so does not explode.
If it is impure. o unsafe to burn. it
contains some one or more of the other
ingredients of coal oil. Plunging a
burning taper into a dish of it ignites
the volatile impurities. The demand
for the very volatile ingredients is SO
small that the inducement to let them
remain mixed with Kerosene is very
great. Coal oil is separated into several
distinct elements by distilla:ion. The
oil is exposed to heat. The most vola-
tile elements pass into a proper receiver
at the lowest temperature. Saphtha is
very volatile and vet may be SLOWED to
remain mingled with kerosene, and SO
render the mixture explosive. Some
dealers in kerosene may add ten to
twenty per cent. of naphtha and thus
render it ~infammable, explosive and
highly dangerous.
Fill a lamp with bad kerosene or with
its vapor. and it will not ignite unless
the oxygen mixes with it. A lamp full
of kerosene or vapor may be compara-
lively safe. Lamps may not explode
when first lighted If they be entirely
full. Kerosene lamps, then. are never
so safe as when they are entirely full,
or are filled every day. if in use. I'm
pure kerosene may not explode when
the space above the oil is full of vapor., |
When kerosene lamps are extin-
guished, and become cool. the vapor is |
condensed. and so does not fill the
space above the oil, and leaves a partial
vacuum; air gets in and mixes with the
vapor, and may explode when relighted,
without first refilling it with oil and
driving out the vapOr. If the oil is
nearly all consumed and the space above
the small amount of oil that remains is !
full of vapor, it will not explode if it |
remains at rest upon the table. Agitat-
ing the lamp, or carrying it into a cool
er room may so condense the vapor as
to admit the air and then the mixtures
explode. 1t is always dangerous
to expose a lamp of kerosene to the cool
outside air, because doing so cOndenses |
the vapor and allows air to enter and
mix with it. Small lamps for carrying
about the house should always be ready
for immediate use. so that large lamps
may remain quiet upon the table. The
great fact. then, is that the oxygen of
the air should not be allowed to mix
with the vapor of kerosene. The
students lamp guards against this con
tingency. But all persons a not have
this lamp, and SO they should know how
to determine the safety of the kerosene
they burn. We now see the bearing of
kerosene upon health and life. Ex-
perience and observation show it gene
rates the best kind of light, the most
flame. Its use demands the
most complete ventilation as does the
use of any burning substance. We
have ordinary gas fixtures in our house,
but we rarely use them, because kerO-
is much cheaper and produces a
better light.-C. H.. Allen, N. d., in
Western Rural
Tho Eufura Farm and Earmor-