Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-07-20
SATURDAY. JULY 20. 1889.
Tho Daddy Water-(ins.

About two months ago we reproduced
some extracts from an exchange paper IN
regard 20 the poisonous nature of water
gas. We also reproduced extracts from
report by DR.. 4. A. Down, of the Con
necticut State Hospital giving the facts
Sna case Of poisoning by water-gas We
supposed and stated that New Haven was
The place whore this case Of poisoning had
occurred and where the alarming in
crease" in the fatality Of asphyXia had
taken place. But gentleman Of this city
interested in the subject wrote 10 New
Haven, SO We were informed, and learned
that II was not in that city that the poison
Sng case had occurred.
DESTROYS Of procuring the facts we wrote
for them first TO the editor of the New
Haven Palladium. Hecourteously replied
as follows:
Dear Sir: The paper in question Ithe
one read by DR.. Down. was read at Hart
ford aud didnOt refer 10 the gas Of this city.
/ understand. however, that New Haven
gas Is "a mixture IF water and cOal-gas.
"Fratcrnally. AMOS p. WILDER"
Bent upon procuring the facts, we wrote
TO DIR. DowN, who also courteously re-
sponded, and whose letter explains away
all the mistakes. II ought also to serve as
a warning to our city officials not 10 deal
out Vater-eas in Richmond. Here is DR..
Downs letter:
CONNECTICUT HoSvTAL FoE INSANE,
E MIDDLETowN, July II, 1889.
7 TO he Eiaor Of ne Dispatch:
Dear Sir,-in answer to your inquiry
concerning thccase of water-eas poisoning,
referred 70 in your clipping, allow me to
state that the accident occurred in this
town and not in New Haven ~ you sup
posed.
There are but two cities in this State
where water-ra IL used eNclusiVely-vIZ.,
Waterbury and MiddletOwD.
Whhamantic uses a mixture Of the coal
aud water-gas,e, and New Haven attempt
al the same thing. but has abandoned the
practice and employs only coal gas.
The high toxic property Of water-gas
containing as it does in many cases some
30 pr cent. OF carbonic oxide, renders its
use an open defiance Of the rules Of public
health. 1t Is but justice 60 state that many
Of our gas companies are not aware of the
extremely poisonous nature Of this illu-
Ininaut. More fOrcible than any words of
mine are the following brief statistics,
which can be read with profit in any COM
Iuunity where the use of this new vehicle of
tchln Is coultmtAidlfu. HuFlHR given
period the number Of deaths from cDnt-gdS
poisoniIg ia the city of New York was
nine. For the same interval the deaths
from water-Cas amounted 20 one hundred
and eighty-four. In Boston. where coal
gas has been used exclusively, there have
been but four deaths from this cause in
twenty years. In Baltimore, where the
population IA similar 10 that of Boston,
fhpre were seventeen deaths during the
wears 1898. 1884, 1888: all of them attrlbu-
table 10 the use of water-gas. II is an
astonishing fact that the deaths from water
cas IN New York city IN the single month
Of January, 1888, equal in number all the
deaths from coal cas- in Boston since the
charter Of the Boston Gas-Iaght Company
was granted IN 1S23-namely tifty-hye
years"
The paper from which the above are
taken was read before the State Medical
Society, and the demand for copies has
been 80 great that it has been thought
proper to publish II IN pamphlet form.
The Ms. is now in the hands Of the printers
and ] should be pleased TO send copies TO
any one who may be interested in the sub
ject Trusting that your letter has been
intelligenuy answered, am yours sim
cTely. Edwin A. Down, nj. ID.
So this distinguished physician testiies
that the use of water-gas is an open de-
fance of the rules of public health -; that
that gas is extremely poisonous v; that it
is vehicle Of DEATH; that in New York
twenty deaths from its use occur for every
one death from the use of coal gas, &c, DC.
We return thanks to DR.. Down. Our
city fathers and our gas-works officials
would do well TO write 10 him for copies Of
his pamphlet.