The Washington herald., 1909-01-07
Contains DeadIy POIson.

Contains Deadly Poison.
DR.. Wiley and his assistants say IN
their report that the gas furnished By
that company contains from . 10 20 Per
cent OF carbon monoxide, a deadly poi
son. Dr.. Wiley says the poisonous ef-
feet Of the water gas furnished the
city Is FIVE times greater than Il coal gas
were used. Any leak c. gas he reports.
IS a constant menace 70 the lives and
health Of the citizens.
Dr. Wiley also recommends in his let
ter TO Secretary Wilson, n view Of the
dangerous qualities OF the gas that cit
zens use deHatursd aloo-oI Tor both heat
ing and Hghtine. sad sthus -vOid the
danger OF poison.
Experiments conducted By Dr. J h
Haywood and Dr. " ". Skinner
showed that a guinea pig exposed 20 an
atmosphere containing only 1 Per cent OF
carbon monoxide was rendered helpless
and was revived with the greatest DIFF
fculty.
a higher percentage of the poison, and
at the same time a much lower percent
age than IN the city gas. was found 70
Kill almost instantly
The scientists urge that every citizen Of
Washington should be made acquainted
with the dangerous character Of the
gas consumed here. and recommend that
the installation OF all fixtures be the
subject Of rigid inspection
Investigation started.
The investigation was inaUgurate1
shortly after the wife, mother and child
OF Clarence Bremerman. q stenogaph-
81 in the Library OF Congress. were
killed by inhal.ng monoxide gas on No
vember s. Coroner Nevitt asked that the
chemists OF the Agricultural Department
anaIyze the gas used by the city and
also experiment TO determine in exactly
what manner the fumes were communI-
Gated TO the Victims.
The result OF the experiments we're for
varded TO Secretary Wilson, OF the Agri-
cultural Department. who in turn sent
them to President Roosevelt From the
White House the papers were sent TO
the Department OF Justice, and were then
referred 10 the United States district
attorney for an opinion as TO what re-
dress might he had b. the citizens Of
washington
United States Attorney Baker, IN his
report, says:
1T would seem that the protection OF
the community from recurrence Of
similar disasters would be accomplished
by the enactment Of a law prohibiting
the Washington GasIight Company from
manufacturing OF distributing gas which
contained more than such a minimum OF
carbon monoxide as the Department Of
Agriculture or other competent source
may determine. and which would be
harmless TO the public
Bill VIII BE Drafted.
It was intimated last night by several
Congressman that a bin VIII be drafted
and brought before the House asking that
the law be modified so as 10 prohibit
the Washington Gaslight Company from
manufacturing or distributing gas that
contains more than a minimum per cent
Of carbon nonoxide. as is recommended.
This bill. It is said, viii be modelled
after the law Of Massachusetts. which
prohibits the use Of gas containing more
than 10 Ger cent Of carbon monoxide. Be
fore the enactment Of this law. accord
ing TO the report Of the Massachusetts
Board Of Health OF 1902. 80 deaths we're
reported in the State as the result Of
monoxide Sss poisoning.
Accompanying the letters and reports
sent to the President yesterday vas the
following letter from Attorney General
Bonaparte:
Letter TO President.
The President, the White House:
"Sir-With the return Of the papers sent
20 you by Secretary Wilson relative TO
the composition OF illuminating gas N the
District Of Columbia. I forward herewith
United states Attorney Bakers report on
the subject matter II is apparent, from
the statements contained in Nr- Bakers
report. that there = 20 Appropriate srten