Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-29
HOW GAS AsPHYxIATEs.
Danger of Leaking Pipe - Safety in
Well Ventilated Sleeping Rooms.

from the New 1orR hines
The marked Increase in deaths from gas
poisoning during the present winter over
the normal average is attributed to the ex-
treme cold. The moisture in service pipes
freezes partly or completely closing them.
This makes especially dangerous the GUS
tom of sleeping in ill-ventilated rooms in
which the gas is left burning with fame
SO small that partial interruption of the
flow will extinguish it. If after such ex-
tinguishment the flow is resumed and the
gas escapes into the air, those who breathe
it are likely to suffer serious consequences.
Fatalities from breathing gas are usually
attributed to asphyxiation. This is correct
if the word is used in it's original meaning
of cessation of heart action, but it is not
at all correct if used to indicate death from
sufrocation as in drowning or from INNER
due to the action of an extremely energetic
blood poison carbon monoXide, which con-
stitutes from 30 to 40 per cent of the wa ter
gas now distributed in New York and most
American seaboard cities This is a matter
which should be well understood by every
body using water gas for light or heat, and
plain statement of facts as to the phe-
nomena of gas poisoning should be of gen.
eral public interest.
Carbon monoxide. represented by the
symbol co, is a gas to be afraid of. Ex-
periments on animals show that air con-
tanning as little as four-tenths of 1 per
cent, after sufficient exposure. will always
cause death in man, and that anything over
two-tenth will in many cases prove fatal
1t is without smell or irritating properties
which makes it the more dangerous. The
first symptoms of carbon monoxide poison
ing are dizziness, shortness of breath and
heart palpitation Sometimes there is drow-
sinesS similar to that produced by alcohol
When more of the gas has been absorbed
Ic 70 of 1a,
the mind becomes confused. The loss of
muscular and sensory power gradually be-
comes more and more complete until death
ensues. There is no pain or serious dis
comfort, and commonly no consciousness Of
danger. What happens is well understood
The haemoglobfn, or red coloring matter OF
the blood absorbs oxygen from the air and
carries 1t with the circulation to the it's
sues. where II is used up. This operation is
essential TO life. But carbon monoxide has
for haemoglobin about 400 times the Atm
lty OF oxygen. Hence it is absorbed by II
much more readily. and forms with 1t
more stable compound than does oxygen
In proportion to the amount of carbon mo-
noxide taken up by 1t, oxygen is excluded
and when about 20 to 50 per cent of satura :
ton is reached death is inevitable
In the average man the weight of blood
Is to the weight of the body as one to
twenty-one. This Is represented by about
three litres of blood. of which the haemo-
globin requires to saturate 1t about GOO cc
breathes about litrss Of air per minu.e
In about twenty minutes of exposure to an
atmosphere containing two-tenths of a per
cent OF co. he should begin to feel the
effects in the symptoms above mentioned.
II the exposure is continued or the breath
ing stimulated the consequences are likely
to be very serious, and if the percentage
Of co in the air breathed is Increased death
Is scarcely to be avoided
A gas leak, however slight IS never "a fe-
~ negligible. That leaks known to exist
and sufficient to cause annoyance from the
presence of isagreeable odor in the air
are so often neglected can be attributed
Only to ignorance. The smell of gas is a
danger signal as significant as the rattle of
a snake in the grass. 1t is most to be
feared. however. in the odorless form in
which II enters houses from leaks in buried
mains or service pipes. Uncarburetted
water gas. carrying about As per cent of
co, Is odorless: Illuminating gas which has
been filtered through the ground loses its
odor-imparting additions-the naphtba van
ors which render 1t luminous-and becomes
a gas of nearly equal parts of hydrogen
and carbon monoxlde. It is by far the
most dangerous constituent of what IS
called sewer gas, it accounts for the gem
eral prevalence of anaemic conditions
among the poorly housed of our city.s pop
u,a ton. and constitutes fire hazard which
IS the more disauieting from being indc-
terminate.
The citizen needs to be at all times on
lis guard against the danger to which he
IS exposed from gas. This danger the mesr
timid cannon exaggerate nor the bravest
ga al dfSrppard