Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-10-22
nrnur ~ 81 oxYeEN.
A Dangerous Experiment which Proved
that a Retort was Loaded.


that a Retort was Loaded.
louis Kern. q German laborer. in the
employ Of the Ivanos Company, which is
preparing to advertise by the use Of
stereopticOns, and sell certain patented
articles, was dangerously, if not fatally
injured BY an explosion yesterday morn
ing about 10 O'Clock. The company oe-
cupies one Of the storage rooms in helly's
block, Immediately under Charles Green's
son & Co.'s once, lbs Bay street. Kern
was making an experiment in the produc-
ton Of oxygen by heating ehlorate Of pot
ash and binoxide Of manganese in = cop
per retort. The gas as il is evolved
Is washed Of impurities by being
PASSED through a large glass bottle con-
tanning water and is stored in an air
tight can vas bag or reservoir, somewhat
similar to a bellows. The oxygen was TO
be used for feeding the flame Of
the stere0pticon lamp. The decomposition
Of the salts is always attended with yio-
Ience, and in this instance. from some
carelessness probably, the failure TO leave
open the stop cock by which the oxygen
was to be conducted TO the reservoir,
the force was sufficient to burst
the retOrt and break the bottle. The
explosion was heard a distance Of
several hundred feet, and the gas
filed the room and was discharged
from the doors and windows. A fire alarm
was at once turned from box =, corner Of
Bay and DraytOn streets. and the depart
ment responded promptly, butts services
were not needed, as there was no ire.
Several hundred citizens gathered IN the
vicinity Of where the explosion occurred.
Kern was cut by pieces OF copper and
glass in the right arm, on the thigh, on the
- oI,z nd throat and h1nd
fuseIv. He was attended by DIR. Duncan,
and was carried 70 st. JOseph's Inirmary,
where surgical attention was given by DR..
BIT. OliverOs, assisted by DR.. Frank T.
Lincoln.
SEVERE FLESH WOUND
on the right forearm. a wound on the side
Of the thigh between the knee and hip. a
cut which penetrated to the bone on the
shoulder, were injuries that were easily
dressed. The flesh on the right side Of the
chin was also torn away and formed a
painful and ugly looking wound, bit be-
meath the chin at the upper part OF the
throat the surgeons were for a time
baffied BY a deep wound which showed
the underlying muscles and veins. From
this hole blood flowed prOfusely, both
internally and externally, from one Of the
larger veins, and for time it was feared
that the flow of blood could not
&c dELESLEA. AlE AbLdAAoA VI AAAC
injury being beneath the tongue,
and apparently out Of reach of
instruments. The man was rapidly be-
coming weaker on account Of the
continual flow Of blood. and there
was danger that when his strength was
exhausted, and he would be no longer
able to spit out the blood, suffOcation
would follow.
FINALLY CONVEYANCE WHICH EX-
ERTED A PRESSURE
on the vein was TesOrted to. when the
flow Of blood was stopped. The sufferer
was then placed under the influence Of an
anOdyne, ard in a short time went TO
sleep. At late hour last night Mr.. Kern
was resting comparatively quiet, and
showed a disposition to talk, which his
attendants discouraged, hoping that he
would soon 90 to sleep. The wounds,
though extremely serious, are not neces-
sarily fatal, and the surgeons hope. with
good nursing, to be able 70 bring him out
all right.
Mr.. Kern has some knowledge of chem
istry, but was not experienced in manip-
ulating the chlOrate Of potash and the
manganese in making oxygen.