New-York tribune., 1890-04-16
FALSE TEETH AND ALL 60 UP
TERRIFIC EXPLOSION IN A DENTISTS OFFICE.

vuLcANIzER sHATrERED-oNE MAN HAS
MARROW ESCAPE AND SEVERAL OTHER
PEOPLE ARE BADLY FRIGHTENED.
Dr. Frederick W. White is a dentist, and occu-
pies the second floor of No. 2ls SiXth-ave The
apartment is divided into the reception and
operating-room and laboratory About 3 o'clock
yesterday afternoon DR.. White was busy in the
operating-room and DR.. Kenny, his assistant. was
work in the laboratory. sharp kissing
sound was heard, which followed instantly
by loud explosion, the crash of glass and the
fall Of part of the ceiling in the
laboratory. Two vulcanizers were in the
laboratory which used to harden the plate
on false teeth, and of them had been blown
to pieces. The vulcanizer is small affair, beina
only six inches in height, cylindrical in form
with body of heavy copper and heavy braa
heads but when it went of it sounded like piece
of artillery.
To operate the machine. water is put into the
cylinder, and this is heated by gas burner in
rc-boX, which quickly raises steam. Both the
machines recently tested and stood strain
of 90 pounds to the square inch without crack
ing Il seam, and they deemed perfectly safe.
They had been used daily for more than year.
How the explosion occurred no one knows, but
1t is believed that the steam away with tho
machine. There is safety plug Of soft metal
each machine, which is supposed TO melt when
the temperature pressure gets beyond the safety
limit The plug was all right yesterday. but it
did not do the work laid down in the books. 10
was found intact in the cylinder head after the
explosion.
Dr. Kenny stood within five feet of the vul-
canizer with his back to it. The machine was cook
ing some teeth, and there was strong blaze OF
gas under it, Higher and higher went up the
pressure in the cylinder until it could no longer
stand it, and il burst, carrying teeth and al win
it. The copper plate was scattered IN all direc-
tions, and the heavy cylinderhead was lifted to
the ceiling, where it made large hole, and then
grazcd Dr. Kcnny's head. 1t was a glancinS
blow or the. Doctors head would certainly have
been fractY d. His head and face were cut, bus
The force of the explosion nearly Knocked him
down, and he sent staggering
away from Tie Vuican,zer. ,ho JUS. sbocT As
he was lin on the head, and again nearly
Knocked of his feet. The ceiling came down IN
a shower and covered everything in the room
Dr. White in the Operating-room. and be-
tween this and the laboratory Is glass folding
door The glass was blown to atoms, and Dr.
Whites head was struck by the flying fra8-
mcnts. He was cut in several places. but at
tended to his wounds without calling
medical assistance Fortunately there were n
patients in the place at the time wom'
went ont just before the explosion occurred.
Mr.. Phelps, artist. has studio on the noos
above the dentist, and there were several women
i'm the room The explosion was SO loud that II
seemed as if the building was about to fall, and
the artist and his customers rushed 70 the street
and sought place of safety. William banta,
a batter, occupies the first floor and the clerk
an- customers rushed into the street when the
ceiling began to fall ON their heads. No one was
injured in the hat store. One Of the clerks said
that the building rocked. but he was probably
so frightened and excited that his imagination
ran away with him.
The explosion was heard for several blocks
and large crowd sstleed, without knowing
what had happened. The people were dispersed
by the police.