Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1900-03-14

two gases are of the same specific
gravity. which they are not, and
again in favor of Acetylene.
The specific grarity Of Acetylene qas
a aspecial safeguard.
The specific gravity of Acetylene-
gas ls 81; that of common gas .43.
Acetylene being thus almost as
heavy AS air (9l to 1907. its small
bulk becomes readily diluted and
mixed Herewith, by the force of the
ordinary currents of AN apartment.
Common gases, on the other hand.
are more than twice as light AS air
(43 to 1909, hence, in case of leakage,
such IN their large bulk flv to the
ceiling, there to be held in explosive
volume, with the danger not suspect
ed by person entering the room
with light.
AcetyleRe gas lis 0'cn uRfajling detec-.
tor againSt leakage.
Pure Acety ylene gas when burning
Is without Odor; not so the unburned
gas, this is exceedingly odorons.
This peculiarity is one of its strong
est recommendations over every other
gas for popular use. Held in tight
pipes there can be no odor, but should
even the slightest leakage occur, the
fact Is instantly apparent and can be
remedied
Take the case of the bedroom were
two jets left open for but five min
utes, the odor would toe very pro
nounced. In fifteen minutes the
leak would force Its attention upon
every person in the house. Yet in
that fifteen minutes but one fourth
foot of gas would have leaked into
the room from the two open lets.
where, as We have seen. 63 feet would
be needed to cause AZ explosive mix
ture. The conclusion is obvions
The contrast of Aceievlene
with the nearly odorless water and
coal gases, as regards self detection.
Is therefore very striking. 1t Is
fact, testified by many explosions of
these other gases, that such often are
present IN amount sufficient to ig
mite, without the danger being recog
nized 10y the odor.
.Soyety Of Acetylene Gas as qgnn,>t
dsphyria.
The experiments made by Mons.
\. Grehant with gases on animal
life, testing their poisonous proper
ties, have led to several conclusive
discoveries favorable to Acetylene.
In the case of Acetylene dog
WAS placed for 30 minutes in mix.
tnre of the gas, air and oxygen. the
Acetylene being in the proportion of
20 per cent. At the end of that
time the dog showed no signs of
distress.
In similar mixture in which
Illuminating gas took the place of
Acetylene, at the end of ten minutes
the animal fell to the ground. very
sick and would have died if com
PEELED to breathe this mixture a
minute longer.
Further experiments showed that
in the connection wich takes place
between Acetylene and the blood
corpuscles, even such Acetylene as
may enter the system. unlike illumi
mating gas. is freely given off again.
without injury.
The SAFETY Of .1rety1ene on the groundS
Of its comparatively cool flame.
Ou tue duCuOlllN Oi l IOltSSOT
Lewes. England's greatest gas expert.
the flame of coal gas has temper
ature of 400 degrees Cent; that of
Acetylene 900 degrees Cent. In re
cent practical tests, made by the
writer IN igniting tissue paper with
TIE above gases and with kerosene,
results ensued as follows:
The edge of thin tissue pape~
could be brought to,
Within Is inches of Rochester
lamp flame, before igniting.
Within ? inches of Kerosene. 3-S
in. wick before igniting.
Within IL inches of Coal gas. Is
candle jet, before igniting.
Within 3 inches of Acetylene. %
candle let, before igniting.