The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-03-31
POISON IN THE STOWE.

POGSON IN THE STOVE.
With the passing of winter the ordi-
nary householder is looking forward, es-
pecially in this climate, to the substitu-
ton of the gasoline, oil or gas stove for
the regular cooking stove. So, too, in
those dwellings, in which the modern ap-
pl1ances Of heating are not in operation,
the contrivances mentioned are likely to
be brought into use with more or less
frequency for heating purposes.
1t will be surprising piece of informa-
ton to the ordinary householder, that the
oil stove, the gas stove and the gasoline
stove are generators Of deadly poison.
But such is the fact The practice of
allowing such stoves to remain in opera
ton for any considerable period of time
In given apartment is positively deadly.
Why this is so Is not easy to make nIain
TO the average understanding; but that
1t is so does not for moment admit of
any question.
The chief fact connected with the ice
Oh such stoves which must be considered
IN reaching an understanding of the
danger involved is the one, that the COM
bust1on Of the fuel takes place in the
atmosphere of the rooms in which such
stoves are used. With the ordinary stove
OF course, there Is access to the open
air through chimneys, stove pines. etc
Inc products of the combustion represent
the poison which is conveyed to the hui
man system. The poisonous gas generat-
ed from coal oil, gasoline or gas is
known to chemists as carbon monoxide
II Is invisible, colorless, edorless and
tasteless; and yet per cent of it in the
atmosphere Is absolutely fatal to animal
life in short time.
mere Is another poisonous gas which
escapes at the same time 1t Is known
as carbon dioxide, which has a. very
shght odor. It, too, Is a deadly noison
" neh these two gases are mixed, as they
are during the processes of combustion Of
the substances mentioned, the poisonous
effect is considerably enhanced
Taking the oil stove. which ts the dav,oo
generally used for heating purposes in
households, when the cold is not suf1-
c1ent to warrant the putting I'D Of a stova
or the Keeping of the furnaces going; the
results which may be shown to ensue
from It's use in an inclosed room cannot
be regarded as applying with equal force
TO the gasoline and gas stove. With a
view to bringing the operation within the
understanding OF those who possess hn+
superficial knowledge of chemistry
those results may be set forth in the fol-
lowing manner: A quart Of oil contains
t"enty-four ounces of carbon, and. dur
ing the process of burning. produces about
nfty cubic feet Of carbonic acid and car
bonfc oxide, or carbonic rnonoxida ora
caroon1c dioxide. Now, a room thirteen
by fifteen feet and eight feet high con-
tains about 1900 cubic feet of air wblc,,
Is normally one-ffth oxygen and four
hfths nitrogen, and therefore contains
ABOUT SUI feet OF oxygen BY the COM
pustion OF fuel we have not only the pro-
auction of poisonous gas, but we baya
the rapid destruction Of the oxygen in the
room, without which the maintenance oq
lie Is impossible. 1t would take a gallon
ana a half OF oil to consume all the
oxygen In the room, provided no fresh
air was admitted. and that the flame was
net extinguished for want of oxvear .,,d
lhus the oVo cubic feet Of oxygen would
be supplanted by about 800 feet of tha
poisonous oxides Of carbon gases. It will
be thus seen that it is only the constant
air into the room which is heated by an
Oil, gas or gasoline stove that permits
anything to come out alive.
Doctors are every day in their practice
meeting with examples Of nervous dis
orders arising from the use Of heating
apparatus which throws the products of
combustion into the atmosphere OF the
room. The ordinary open-cyIinder sheet
iron stove, which Is often left with its
door open to moderate the heat. is one
OF the favorfte devices which work so
much ruin on the nervous systems of res
idents of cities, who go on through life de-
flying the ordinary sanitary rules. The
closed and Theoretically sealed window,
often with it's storm attachment, op-
crates to exclude the air, result which
in itself is sufficient to produce the head
aches and nervous disorders so plentiful
in the city household; but when added, to
these Is the deadly device of the tempo
rary heating stove, all the requirements
are produced necessary to speedy and
painless death. for those Intelligent be-
ings who have such terrible aversion to-
wards draughts and colds.
Before there can DO any reorganization,
it is usually necessary to do considerable
forgetting.
Democrats will do well. after having
buried their differences, not to camp