The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-09
A SINGULAR ACCIDENT.
Explosion of Vulcanzer in Philadelphia
Dentists Office

PHILADELPHIA, July s.-The Times prints
the story of startling accident in dentists
Office. Mrs. Josie e. Weakley of No 1861
Fleetwood avenue, went to Segers dental rooms,
No 931 Arch street. to have something done to
one of her teeth The young lady had hardly
got seated in the dentists chair when there
came terrific explosion, which badly bruised
the patient and ruined her clothing, frightened
the dentist nearly out of his wits, and made
wreck Of the room When the doctor and his
patient had recovered from the shock it was dis
covered that machine in the room called vul-
canizer had exploded. The report was like the
bursting of cannon, and the havoc nearly as
great 1T was the most frightful experience |
ever had Mrs. Weakley said to-day, land my
shoulders and limbs are black and blue from
the bruises received. shall enter suit against
the party or parties to blame, unless reparation
is made to-day for my injuries and the loss of
my clothing which was entirely ruined. 1t was
a miracle that ] was not killed. AS soon as l re-
covered from the shock / discovered that had
been struck in several places with flying missiles,
and was literally covered with ink, large bottle
of which had been scattered In the wreck. At
the time of the explosion was In the operating
chair and Mr.. Segers was not three feet from
me- AS soon as l was sufficiently composed ne
called coupe, ana L was driven TO my noLue
Mrs. Weakey, who is an attractive woman of
perhaps thirty. with fine physique, had not
fully recovered from the nervous shock pro-
duced by the explosion and said. laughingly,
she didn't think she ever would. An
hour later reporter called at No 93l
Arch street. and on inquirine for Mr.. Segers
dental rooms was shown to the back rooms of
The second story. Mrs. Weakley was In the
operating room with the doctor, talking over the
startling episode As the reporter entered both
hic OF tn ia
selling doors and furniture that told of the ex-
pIosion's work. A panel of one door was driven
completely out, and in another an articuator
with cast of a set of teeth was indented SO
deeply that it stuck fast. The mirror Of large
dressing case was smashed TO atoms, and the
headboard of a bed split and otherwise dis
figured On the wall Immediately alongside of
the bed was an abrasion several inches long and
half an inch deep, made by piece of iron OR
brass; while in the ceiling overhead hole two
inches in diameter was cut clean through. One
of the heavy window sils was torn up as though
lifted with a crowbar. and the lid of large
trunk was jammed in as if huge weight had
descended upon it. Ink was spattered in every
direction and the fixtures of the room were all
more or less defaced.
The windows were up at the time of the ex-
plosion, and much of its force was spent on the
walls of the building to the rear These walls
show a dozen indentations that indicate the yio-
lenee with which they were struck. Bricks are
torn out in several places twenty feet distant
from the room where the accident occurred, and
in other cases there are deep gashes in the walls
made by the flying debris. The dentist, who
still acted and talked nervousiy, was asked to
explain the occurrence. He said:
"A few moments before began work on Mrs
Weakleys tooth / touched match to the gas
stove under the yulcanzer. which sat in the open
window few feet from the operating chair
This heats the water in the cylinder that geDer-
ates the steam for use in another connecting one
of equal size. These cylinders are of
brass about six inches in diameter,
and nine inches high We vulcanize
Rt about l20 pounds of steam pressure, orx345
degrees Fahrenheit Noticing while at work on
Mrs. Weakleys tooth that the pressure had
reached l20 pounds, turned the gas down very
low. but nevertheless in few minutes heard
the fearful explosion. and was stunned by the
violent concussion. The only explanation of the
explosion that can offer is that these vulcan
izers generate steam very FAST and having no
safety valve liable to such accidents as this"
The professional card of the dentist in whose
rooms the accident occurred reads as follows
tM Faster Segers. u. d. D. S., Attache of the
Chilian Legation" He is Chilian, and speaks
English imperfectly. As the reporter withdrew
the Doctor and his fair patron were discussing
the matter of damages and who was to be held
responsible. Mrs Weakley insisted that she had
to say the least, a just claim against some one
for her valuable clothing ruined in the accident
while Mr.. Segers thought that the S. s. White
Company, the manufacturer Of the vulcanizer
was liable for all injuries and damages resulting
from the explosion.