The Washington times., 1912-02-01
CARBON MoNoxIDE's DEADLY TOLL.

The deadly carbon monoxide has just claimed
another victim in Washington and still another made
a narrow escape. The record is becoming absolutely
appalling.
Just what tribute of death is exacted by this
particular kind Of gas is brought out in very i'm
pressive manner by an article which two recognized
experts contributed to the Journal Of the American
Public Health Association of last May In the course
of this important article on "The Relation of Illun-
mating Gas to the Public Health written jointly by
W. 7. Sedgwick and r. Schneider, jr it is pointed
out that the number of cases Of gas poisoning in the
State Of Massachusetts since 1890 is not less than
1000, while there were not six cases during the
Fifty years previous to that time with the exception
OF few isolated instances in places where water
gas was used in violation Of the law.
The article in question traces the whole history
OF the rise of water gas in the Bay State The proc
ess Of making it had been fairly we'll established by
1880, and a company organized for that purpose
sought to enter the field in Boston. The existing
company, making coal gas in order to protect itself
in its monopoly, went into the Legislature and Sc
cured the passage of law forbdding the manufac-
ture of gas containing more than 10 per cent Of
bon monoxide.
This was equivalent to placing water gas under
the ban, and it sounded very benevolent and public
spirited on the part of the men who engineered the
legislation.
But benevolence is not characteristic of cor
porations, whether they make water gas or coal gas
What the coal gas people wanted was their price,
and when they got it the law forbidding more than
10 per cent Of carbon monoxide was repealed "be-
cause it interfered with business"
The deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning in
stantly began to increase from 1890 onwards reach
ing maximum in 1898, fell off somewhat suddenly
about 1901, and then began to rise again. The fall
ing off was directly due to the entry of coal gas
company into the field
The report in question concludes:
1t is fair to that in the fifty years preceding the
repeal of the law regulating the of carbon
ide in there not half dozen gas poison
ing outside the two three where the gas was
being used in Massachusetts in violation of the law.
Since that time it is safe that there have been
least 200 not that pretty high price pay for the
convenience of manufacturers?
The remedy is the return to the use of the old
fashioned coal gas, which is sti used in many places
and which, by the testimony of gas men, is NOT MUCH
IF ANY, DEARER THAN THE WATER GAS, but which
much less convenient to make 1t is argued by the
gas men that water has higher candle power So it
has, nominaly, according to the common methods Of
measurement, but all say that head is this
would like to 60 back to the old coal gas simply and
purely candle power. The old light was better light
than the light today. Although the light today may read
"a candles and the old l8 know that the old gas
was better gas for domestic use. Massachusetts
entitled to credit for having required record of
of poisoning She is not entitled credit having
repealed the 10 per cent law.
These are the words of truth and soberness
from authority who has devoted practically life
time to the study of the question