St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-08-11
COOKING AND VENTILATION
Some Considerations Regarding
Gas and Oil Stoves.

Some Considerations Regarding
Gas and Oil Stoves.
Monthly Bulletin.
1t is a well known fact that an indi
vidual confined in small, alright
chamber would soon die, poisoned by
his own breath. The reason is that the
oxygen, which is the only stimulating
and vtalizing constituent of pure air,
and without which life cannot continue,
is largely exhausted by respiration, and
its place taken by another gas, the car
bonic acid gas. which is SO destructive
of life that no animal can exist in it.
Man, and all animals, take in, by breath
ing, the oxygen, which is part of pure
air, and it is absorbed into the blood
through the lungs, and is distributed to
all parts of the body by the circulation
of the blood. But oxygen, while it gives
vitality and force to the body also,
while accomplishing that purpose helps
make carbolic acid gas, the destroyer of
life. The oxygen meets everywhere the
worn-out materials of the body and
burns it. This WORKOUT material is a
kind of fuel, which the oxygen con-
sumes, or, in other words, decomposes,
and combines with one of the conStitu-
ents Of the fuel carbon, and the prod
uct is watery vapor and carbonic acid
gas carbon and oxygen united). This
gas is thrown out of the body while
breathing, and the oxygen taken in;
and thus, if there is a deficiency of
pure air, the poisoned air accumulateS,
and the individual suffers from the de-
leteriouS effects of the carbonic acid gas
to greater or. less degree. in proper
ton to the confinement of the air in
which he is placed. 1t is known that
there is no surer mode of destroying
life than that by burning charcoal in a
closed room. Charcoal is nearly pure
carbon. By starting the process of
combustion or burning the combination
of the charcoal (carbon) and the oxygen
(acid makerJ of the air goes OIL
with the production OF volum es
of somewhat heavy, taste
less and in!incIble (carbonic acidl
gas, which will destroy life when it
breathing medium. The bases of illum-
mating gas is carbon and so also of all
of the oils. The product of burning gas
or burning oil. or fluid derived from oil,
lis nearly the same as in the process of
breathing, or in the combustion of char
coal; that is, almost wholly watery
vapoT and the poisonous carhonic acid
gas. 1t will be understood then wherein
the danger lies in the use of gas stoves
and oil stoves for cooking or heating.
These stoves are great convenience
and comfort. They are also economical.
For the purpose of moderate cook
ing they are to be recommended; but
with a proviso. That proviso is that
there must be complete ventilation. un-
INSTRUCTED ingreSS and egress of atmoS-
pheric air. The combustion of illumi-
mating gas, kerosene oil or any of it's
products, or any other oils, results in
the production of the deadly carbOnic
acid gas, and the greater the quantity
consumed the greater the danger, other
circumstances being equal, where at
tention is not paid to ventilation. When
using either, therefore, have the win
doWs open or the doors ajar. They
are then as safe as any stove for
cooking. For warming rooms it is OBJ
viouS that neither gas nor oil stoves can
be recommended. With complete vent
iIation, which is an absolute necessity
to insure safety, the requisite warmth
would scarcely be secured with the de-
sired comfort and economy. Let no one
be deceived by the assurance of any
dealers that in their stoves the smoke is
all consumed or that all hurtful gases
are consumed. They may assert that
the absence of smell is the proof of the
consumption of all harmful products,
but such assertions can have no found
alton i'm fact