The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-11-16
Sciences Lesson From
the Passing Of lola.
Oxide of Carbon, When
Mixed With Air, Causes
Death by Direct Action
on the Blood.

Zola.
II was established that the great novelist
| succumbed TO poisoning by oxide of car
bon.
This is the melancholy beginning of the
series of misdeeds which are attributed to
the fumes of coal every winter.
1t Is. therefore. desirable to recall to mind
the causes and effects of such poisoning ana
| the means of combating it when 1t has de-
clared itself.
The gas known as oxide of. carbon Is a
| vtoIen, poison. which. when mixed with air.
in the small proportion of L 10 / per cent.
| rapidly tcusps death by its direct action
on the blood.
Ii fastens on the gIobules. and more par
/! .ic,IlarIy on the red coloring matter. or
| haemogfobin. driving out the oxygen from
the blood.
II forms with the haemogiobin a com
pound, unfortunately of great stability.
which the oxygen. inhaled by reso:rItl"h'
cannot long revivify. The respiration fnnc-
ton PLAYED by the red globules is an
! initiated. and asphyxia, capable of causing
death. supervenes.
Attention should also be directed TO the
danger of high CRATES. coke. stoves ana
| stoves made of plaster and tiles and found
| ries for producing metallic oxides by coal
Oxide OF carbon is also developed by ex-
| plosions of fire damp. By fires and In caps
warmed with ''briGuettes."
1t enters into the composition or mouse
\ hold gas. which owes a great part OF us
| poisonous properties to II.
| 1t Is known that Zoia's bedroom had a ds-
| fectiye chimney. in consequence of the neg
lect Of the "fumistes.' who left a sweeping
| brush in the chimney
The result was that the fumes OF the
| coal lighted in the stove accumulated IN
the bedroom. principally near the ooor' anu
that in all probability lola fell on the floor
in a svncope.
He quickly succumbed. whereas his wife.
who remained on the bed and received aid
some time afterwards. was restored 10
life.
1t should be remarked that. during steep,
poisoning may occur without being attenaed
with any symptoms. In these cases uncon-
seriousness and death are very rapid.
In n waking state. pains In the head. gid
diness and disturbance Of the sight are the
Indications of the beginning OF poisoning
Thu victims are seized with throbhings OF
the temples and sometimes with vomiting
the legs give way and walking becomes I'M
possible. The gravity of the case varies
according to the form of poisoning.
In slight cases the beginning may be IN
sidious. but the sufferer does not lose con
seriousness, and the instinct for self-preser-
walton causes him to hasten and throw open
a window. Safety reaches him WIN the
first breath o. fresh air
In a more advanced stage a feeling OF op-
PRECISION comes on. accompanied by violent
bea tinys of the heart. and the SUFFERER,
whose lips become white. loses conscious
ness.
Death. preceded by a violent period OF
commissions, closes the scene
Cure Is possible In cases of slight poison
ing. but 1t is followed within a few days
by violent and obstinate headaches. which
disappear by degrees.
In mons serious cases nervous compiica-
tons ard often observed, also softening OF
the brain, dementia and paralysis
The bodies of persons who succumb to
oxide Of carbon poisoning SLOW
Iy. The blood is nuid and Of q bright color,
quite remarkable.
All the organs are OF this color. which Is
even scarlet In the lungs. There are no
other apparent LESSONS
But q characteristic test was observed IN
the blood taken from Zola and his VIE
when examined by the spectroscope. 1t
consisted in the persistence Of absorption.
which did not disappear on the addition OF
a reducing agent
When one is confronted with oxide OF car
bon poisoning the patient must at once os
removed from the vttated atmospneIe 70 :
place where the air Is constantly renewed
and laid down with his head slightly raised
when this is done. recourse should be had
To sprtnklings Of cold water and vigorous
rubbing all over the body. II there Is a
difficulty Of breathing. II must 10 overcome
L DIV dYlluCldl ICslhiu
Mustard ~plasters should be put en-. and
the victim should be made to inhale am
monia- Bleeding In the form OF the appi-
cation of leeches behind the ears Is also
most useful.
The best remedy of all. when II Is posi-
BILE. is inhalation of oxygen.
Subcutaneous injections of serum may
also render good service. For this kind of
poisoning the prophylaxis Is of the highest
importance.
II consists in the absolute prohibition of
regulators In stove pipes and in keeping
a sharp lookout on the gas pipes and the
taps connected with them.
All systems Of stoves which are admit
tedly dangerous must be rejected. also all
'braseros' I'm inclosed spaces.
A watch should be kept on the CHM
neys to keep the draught good, and as far
as possible branch fues leading into one
central chimney in the same house should
be avoided
All the rooms In apartments should be
kept we'll aired, and places where many
congregate, such as workshops. schools and
cabarets, ought to be furnished with ventt-
lators.
Should II be suspected that certain trou-
bles observed, such as headaches or giddi-
ness. are the consequence OF the presence
of oxide of carbon from an unknown source.
such as penetration from a higher floor, 1t
is easy to turn to account the reduction
which oxide of carbon exercises upon azo-
tate of ammoniacal silver.
This test, known as 'reactif de Berthelot,"
is prepared by adding to q weak solution OF
azotate of silver diluted ammonia, drop by
. drop. until the precipitate that forms at first
dissolyes again entirely. and stops there
n a few drops of oxide Of carbon are al
lowed 10 fall into this liquid it will very
quickly turn brown, even when the fluid is
cold.
When boiled the result Is a eonsioefaoie
amount of black precipitate.
The test can also be made with an aque-
GUS solution of oxide Of carbon
II ia extremely sensitive and the change
takes place even In the presence OF a large
This test is Of the greatest value in dis.
covering the smallest traces of oxide or
carbon in a gaseous atmosphere.
Finger Told on Him.