Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-10-19
The KEROSENE CAN.
A USEFUL SERVANT, hut \ DANGEROUS
COMPANION.

A USEFUL SERVANT, hut A pAxaERoUl
COMPANION.
Contradictory ~ the terms may aeem
the kerosene can may be deemed 1t once
the housekeeper's most convenient and
useful assistant, and her most danger
ous and deadly companion. At certain
seasons Of the year, especially, one car
scarcely take up paper without reading
Of some horrible case Of burning, FIRE
quently resulting n death. In many
cases the accidents are caused by care
lessness alone; In other instances, and
it IL to be feared very numerous ones
much Of the blame should be placed
upon the quality Of the oil that Il used
This latter 10 = matter Of much greater
Importance than ID usually realized
Every body understands that the common
kerosene In the refined
which In It's crude state con
tsins considerable quantities. Of NOR
volatile matter, ~ we'll ~ . residuum Of
more dense nature. II Il from the VIOLA
tile portion, principally naphtha, tina,
danger comes. An American phvsicisr
come years since made . test OF lllumi
mating oils Of this class, and found thai
the addition Of small proportion OF the
pAphthas Of commerce would make nor
mally good quality Of kerosene extreme
IN dangerous. The addition Of not mors
than TO 8 per cent Of nsphtha made
such oil highly infammxble and explo
sive at n comparatively low temperature
A fact so startling as this might vel
call for carefully considered Legislative
enactment In the several states, looking
to the protection Of the lives aud prop
erty Of the people; but ~ matter Of
fact there IL no uniformity Of Law or
this matter, In many OF the states none
1T all, and congressional enactment OF
the subject has been repealed; while !
Ii TO be feared that 10 many cases sucf
statutes rs exist do not have very thor
ough enforcement. There Il, therefore
no absolute safeguard TO the aversRs
person except care TO secure the social
ed best grades Of oil on the market, and
then to exercise the greatest care In use,
Ii Is an interesting fact that glass
todied lamps are safer than those made
Of metal, under like conditions. That Is
the temperature Of the oil Is found to b.
several degrees higher In the metal lamp
especially those Of the student pattern
This might make q material difference
as the Investigations above mentioned
showed that the addition Of per cen'
Of crude naphtha to illuminating oil re
duced the "fashing point from lis ;
to zoe Fahrenheit. BY "nashing point" Il
should be explained IL meant the temper.
ature mt which the oil gives of q sufficient
amount Of vspor to ignite explosively
under proper test. To be sure, there ar,
occasional instances In which lighted
lamp Il thrown or falls, and a glass lamp
being more liable 10 brcaksge than one
made OF metal wonld In that case becom,
the more dangerous. though either would
be dangerous enough.
But IL IL In the use OF kerosene as ar
assistant fuel that the greatest danger
lies. The morning fre burns slowly, OF
refuses TO burn At all. or there Is feel
Ing OF indisposition TO await the natural
process OF combustion. The kerosene
can Is handy; its contents offer m easy
and promp, solution Of all difficulties
A stream Is poured upon the fuel, otter
when struggling bit OF flame IL labor.
Ing for existence. The coal oil meets the
little hsme; partnership Is at once es'
tsblished, and good deal OF business !:
doue 10 short order.
IL does not matter how the result Il
reached whether the can explodes, or Il
dropped from fright, or whether simply
an undue-quantity OF oil has been EN-.
ployed, so that when II ignites the flsme.
fare up and envelop the unfortunate
victim. In many cases the latter, usually
4 woman, Is clothed 10 flowing garment.
Of cotton or like inhammable material
which are all ablsze In a moment. What
shall abe doy or hat shall others do fol
her, In case assistance Ia at hands
The great need, In case Of accident OF
thi. kind, Is presence Of mind-some.
thing that Ia decidedly not easy TO main.
tsin when one Is enveloped 10 fl,mes. To
the spectator, self-possession ought To
be more certainly possible, but frequent
" those witnessing a serious accident OF
this kind become too horrified TO render
any assistance Of value. Ordinarily the
first thing to be attempted Is TO smother
the flames. II the person endangered Il
alone at the time, she should catch the
heaviest wooden article ut hand rug,
shAAl. blanket, oyercosf, Bit OF carpet
drop upon the floor, and press the cover
ing quickly and firmly over the burning
portions. IL this is done promptly. n
quite serious blaze may be almost In.
stsntly extinguished.
III the burn has not been severe, and
the patient Il not suffering from shock, II
IL only necessary TO cover the injury
with dressing Of vsseline. lard. tallow.
dry -four, or similar protection from the
mir, until more formal dressing Il avail
able. II required. Ia case of nervous
shock, that condition should have sttsn-
ton ut once. while medical aid is on the
way. This condition IL an little under
stood by those not trained in matters of
The kind that some explanation may be
timely.
Shock following an accident, In medi-
.al phrase, does not st all present the
features which might be undersiood BY
he lay mind from the term employed for
ts designation. IL Is merelys condition
u nervous weakness, differing Ia it,
from fain,ness or syn
cope. In shock the nerve centres are so
affected that partial paralysis ensues.
The patient Is unsble to l;ft his arm or
move his leg; the respiratory functions
are performed YEARLY, and the muscle
II the heart contracts feebly; the mus
.ulxr fibres In the walls OF the blood YES
,els lose their tonicity and the blood yes.
,els dilate; the blood collects 10 the
renous trunks, more especially of the
abdomen; the vessels OF the skin are
,mptied of blood, giving rise to the
marked pallor. The heart beats feebly
because Its nervous energy "a lowered,
md because il has not sufficient guam
ity Of blood TO act upon.
"An understs nding Of these facts gives
he general indications for treatment
external stimulation over the heart by
mustard p0u'tices or turpentine stupes !;
elevation Of the limbs, to cause the
blood to grsvitate toward the heart !;
pressure on the abdominal cavity
rom below upward, to encourage the
low OF blood from Il e dilstei abdom-
nal veins to the heart. These meas
Tres may be supplemented by the ad-
Of stimulants by the mouth,
Z the patient Is able TO swallow, or
otherwise by subcutaneOus Injections of