New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-22
EXPLOSION FOLLOWS MQUID-AIR TEST.
AN EXPERIMENT ~ A BROOKLYN LABORATORY
ATTENDED BY DISASTROUS RESULTS.

AN EXPERIMENT ~ A BROOKLYN LABORATORY
ATTENDED BY DISASTROUS RESULTS.
There was a serious accident In the chemical
laboratory Of the Polytechnic Institute. I'm Brook
lyn yesterday afternoon. when DR.. Irving w. Fay.
head Of the chemical department OF the institute
was making some experiments with liquid air.
supply had been obtained from the laboratory Of
Dr. Charles +. Tripior. IL Manhattan. and num-
Der Of common experiments had been successfully
performed and explained TO the class. After the
session was over some OF the other professors I'm
the institute, with few members OF the senior
class began discussion ~ the subject OF the
lecture. and Or. Fay. in order TO satisfy himself
as to the effect Of liquid air phosphorus. poured
a lump OF yellow phosphorus. without i'm
portant results. Then some red phosphorus. which
IS a non-souble powder. was tried So far IS
known. this Was the first experiment ~ the sort
made The phosphorus was placed In a
beaker. five Erammcs being used ana liquid air
poured over 1t. The liquid air slowly cvaporatcd
and there was apparent change in the sub
stance of the phosphorus. Or Fay poured # out on
the table on which the experiment was being made
He began stirring the powder with glass rod. and
1t supposed that all tho liquid had evaporatcd.
When Dr. Fay stopped over To- examine the pow
der more closely there binding fash and
loul report. The force Of The explosion wrecked
the table and shattered all the glassware I'm the
room. also breaking the windows. Some one In
the street who heard the explosion and saw a vol
ume OF smoke coming from the laboratory windows
turned in alarm Of FIRE. which was promptly
answered An ambulance came with the engines
and the surgeon had plenty 10 do Or Fays face
had been severely burned. his eyes were closed and
his mustache and some OF his hair had been
burned away The doctor had staggered to the
sink in the room and was bathing his eyes when
the surgeon arrived. Lincoln Burrows. twenty
two years old. member Of the senior class VINO
watching tho experiment, painfully but
not seriously burned, and several OF the other STU
dents received slight burns
DR.. Fay and young Burrows were taken to the
private Office Of Dr. David H. Cochran. and several
physicians were called. After working on the
patients they permitted the removal Of the injured
persons 10 their homes. Last night Or Mathew
son. Of Montague-st a specialist. connected with
the Eye and Far institute. and DR.. Henry Cochran
OF the president OF the Polytechnic Institute
made a careful examination Of Dr. Fay's eyes and
expressed hope Of saving the sight OF the left
eye bat were not hopeful OF preserving the other.
An explanation OF the explosion given by one OF
those who witnessed the experiment was that the
evaporation OF the .iqud air caused atoms OF COM
mon air to he difusct through the phosphorus
causing Civilization. the heat generated 10y the
oxidation raising the temperature OF ne phos-
phorus to the exploding point
II Is thought that the accident VIII cause con-
siderable speculation among scientific men.