The San Francisco call., 1910-02-20
HYDROCARBONG GAS
A DEADLY MIXTURE
MOtOrist Tells of His Expert
ence in lily VentiI-
lated Garage


"a garage or any building il should be
seen that there is plenty Of venula-
tion. whether the engine Is running or
, not. for one is in danger of being
poisoned by the gasoline fumes. \
fnofOrisr who recently passed through
this experience writes the following;
Never since was small boy have
had doctor in attendance on me,
hat is, until this accident took place,
and had ] not been Of a thoroughly
sound constitution generally I'm afraid
should not be giving this information
now.
THE garage was comparatively
large one. capable of holding about
eight or ten cars. besides extra bench
room etc Ii was provided with
iEh root and well ventilated. On this
particular day, which was at the begin
ming of January last, l wished TO tune
up 4 special engine. and, the weather
being cold. ] closed The front door,
but one Of the windows was Open
Il had been in perhaps an hour
when another engineer came TO see me.
he remarked on the strong mixture
he engine had been using and asked
il he bad not better open another win
dow and the doors. certainly, / said
II YOU smell il as strongly as that
I've been experimenting with the car
buretuer. 7 don't smell the fumes eS-
cesSivciv' But the point is I am, as
rule. exceptionally keen in detecting
The proximity OF foul gases Of any de-
scription.
However. ] went on with my work
which consisted in coil adjustments;
but after time L said [ smelled the
offensive door. which was too strong
Tor nay liking. and that ] was not SoinS
to do amy more. OF course. the nydro-
carbon "a seous mixture Is not visible
TO amy extent. and the engine had not
been over fabricated, so that. appar-
emily. the exhaust was as pure as any
one could wish. or rather. expect
II them stopped the engine immediate
lr After only a minute or FwO's delay
went over to shut the large doors
preparatory TO leaving by small one.
did not get as far as the doors. how
ever before ] suddenly felt top heavy,
reeied and fell 40 The concrete floor
wiLh q thUd. lay there probably for
about q minute unconscious; then / re
covered sufficiently To call to my
friend. who had not so far noticed my
eclliar behavior TO fetch some water.
q being tie first time he had been in
The rarage he Was al a loss 10 know
where TO ind water. Happily his eyes
lighted on a pailful-which, by the
.vay. proved to be anything but clean:
and this he hastily brought to me.
aud : dipped by hands in il and moist
ened nay forehead.
After that I felt pra crically all right
and gOi up at once. / saw. however, !
some spectators on the opposite side of
THE road staring in a bewildereds fash
Jon in my direction; they evidently did
uot know what 70 make of my antics.
So ] went over and closed the doors
and / remember nothing more till [
came TO again, lying on the floor, with
my friend damping nay head. Again ]
got up. but my legs did not feel weak
sci fr-.aff rIl
only my head seemed to be weighted.
ia evidence Of this j might mention
that this time 7 picked up the pail of
water and carried it out 10 the back /
yard. where I sat on box; but I fell 4
OFF before my friend could get to me. /
Anyhow. the application Of more water |
10 my head brought me round again, |
and ] at once asked my friend to run /
for help. BY that time l had a dis /
agreeable sensation in my head, and l /
felt altogether as if some one had been l
holding me under water for as long as
I could possibly bear. Luckily, he had /
not far 10 go: meanwhile 1 removed my /
collar and tie.
Although ] lay out in the open for 1
nearly an hour, I remember little else 1
than the arrival Of the doctor, and /
afterward the ambulance men with a |
stretcher; but during that time the at
lacks grew less and less frequent until I
J.
moved home
There is one thing remember, and I
that is my friend walking round and t
round the yard, in order to try and /
shake of a kind Of drowsy feeling, he !
said but his legs gave way under him
and he had to sit down. Afterward he !
was very sick
Now il did not affect me in that way
at all; moreover, he had been IN the |
garage but very short time alto
gether, and had been out in the open.
going for help, etc, for a considerable
time before he felt any effects of the !
unpleasant vapor upon him.
Later IN the day l was seen by an
other doctor, who afterward took
charge of my case. He found me in a
practically normal condition. but natu-
rally had many precautionary measures
10 advise, considering what / had gone
through. In the evening ] walked
about 500 yards along the road and
back
''Next day 7 was better still felt
SO. and the doctor said SO. and lac adj
vised me if 1 felt able 10 20 out and
get as much fresh air as possible. l
went n short walk up the road and
was able to eat d little lunch. In the
evening Z called on a friend, and after
while 3 did not feel quite so well, !
ano decided not 10 go back but 10 stay
the night there. shortly after that
was reql sting someone 70 send for
= doctor. I seemed 10 know that suf-
ferinE feeling as IL came over me, and
half an hour or so later with the doc
tor present. 7 lay on 4 couch before
al open window gasping for breath.
breath hunger i think it is called.
Il remember asking the doctor TO get
some flannel warmed and put at my
fect-rather peculiar idea. Ut turned /
out I could not feel the hot bottle at
my feet. and thought they We're cold
and yet the doctor could hardly keen |
his hands on them. L then offered my
hands 10 be rubbed. as I felt them
getting in the same condition as nv
feet / was quite conscious 1T this
time, although 7 could see those around |
me but very indistinctly, and for some
time, when ] was at my worst. 1 could
not distinguish their faces at ali.
The doctor then thought il necessary
10 give an injection (strychnine. I be-