Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1891-02-19

was president OF the State Medical
Society. lie was chairman Of IN,
section on State Medicine and Public
Hygiene OF the American Medical As
ISOLATION In 1876. He was for many
years a member of the Michigan State
Board of Health aud did valuable
work on the committee appointed n
Investigate poisons. explosives, chemi-
Gals, accidents and special sources OF
danger. He was also president Of tpe
board. In 1850 he married Harriet
+. Fairchild, who Is still living.
AS a mem Der of the State Baard OF
Health he did much valuable service
to the public, He has never hesitated
to use his we'll trained mind in defense
of the peoples interests. His contest
and final victory over the dishonest
illuminating oil companies, will long
be remembered by Michigan people.
Stringent laws we're enacted on the
statute books of Michigan. but the
methods of testing were SO crude that
the people were using not only a very
inferior oil, but an oil which was also
dangerously explosive. An oil tester
was invented by DIR. Kedzie to ascer-
tain the correct flashing point of all
the Illuminating oils exposed for sale
in the State. 1t was found that rear
ly all oils were below the required
standard. He insisted upon the en-
forcement of the law, and at length
secured to the people a perfect safe IL
Illuminating oil. There were various
burning fluids in the State, in addi-
ton. which were known as "Aurora
Oil, Liquid Cas-" Sunlight Money!
plosive Burning Fluid" etc. AL
though exceedingly explosive, the man
ufacturers furnished mysterious CON-
pound which it was claimed not only
prevented the possibility of an explo-
sion but preserved lamp chimneys, in
creased the brilliancy of the flame, etc.
One of these highly valuable com
pounds was analysed. and found to
contain one ounce of common salt
colored with aniline dyes. These
frauds were all promptly exposed and
the people warned against their use.
AS might have been expected, the
wrath of the manufacturers was arous-
ed, but neither threats nor money
/ could drive DIR. kedzie from his posi-
ton.
His investigation of arsenical wall
papers is deserving of no less notice.
After testing some samples of wall pa
per he became thoroughly convinced
that the health of our people was seri-
ously endangered by reason of the ar
senical poisons used as n pigment in
the paper. He analysed many ham
dred samples of wall paper, and
found more or less arsenic in nearly
all. 1t had been popularity supposed
that only the bright green paper con-
tanned any dangerous quantities of the
poison. The investigations showed
that not only were green papers dan
gerously impregnated, but that vari-
Gus shades of gray and other colors
were toned down by arsenic. In
stances were gwen where manufac-
turers used two tons of arsenic per
week. But still it was claimed that
there was no danger, considering the
small quantities employed and its per-
inanent state of combination with the
wall paper. But it was shown that
arseniureted hydrogen was formed by
decomposition But" he says in his
report, ''the most probable mode, and
the one now generally recognized, is
that the material is dislodged from the
paper in the form OF fine dust which.
floating in the air, is inspired by those
occupying the room. This is made
more probable by the fact that the
dust in such rooms is found to contain
arsenic" His prompt and decisive
action in this connection removed one
of the most dangerous menaces to
public health.
Dr. kedzie is first and foremost the
friend of the farmer. It is fact to
be deplored, yet too often true, that
the average farmer is slow to avail
himself of the discoveries of science,
hence investigation along the lines of
agricultural chemistry has not been SO
inviting as that in other branches of
the subject.
He says: while manufacturers
and artizans have shown keen anxi-
ETY. TO avail themselves of every hint
which science throws out for their
guidance, too many farmers have been
doubling and captious about the teach
inos of science. and have put m px-
tinguisher on the whole matter by call
ing it book farming as though any
fact, whsn orce placed in print. ceas-
ed to be of any value whatever Yet
although the field of agricultural chem
istry offered fewer inducements to the
chemist than other lines of investiga-
ton, he has patiently labored foe the