Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1914-12-18
EENzlNE STOVE POLISH

| have occurred from this source
throughout the country during the
| past few years, We are forced to take
| a different view in regard to the
harmlessness Of this work. 1t is fur
thermore apparent, considering the
small amount of time consumed in
this task as compared with what is
required for other household duties,
percentage of the householders are
using this dangerous compound, that
this work no doubt ranks as the mCst
serious hazard Of any household duty,
when considered from the standpoint
of the loss Of life and property.
This bulletin is written with the
purpose in mind of preventing the use
in the household of benzine (spirit)
stove polish. There are many ben
zine stove polishes manufactured
which are made of practically the
same ingredients, the only difference
ishes are equally dangerous During
the past eight years there have been
more than four hundred serious &C.
cidents in the United States on &C.
count of the use of this benzine stove
polish compound Only few months
ago an accident occurred at Waupun,
1ci tI@ 81 J,o
life Of six year old child and also
severely burning the child's mother
about the hands and arms. The evil
dent reason for many Of the acct
dents is due to the users remember
ing the directions for the use of 9TH
er polishes and applying them to the
benZine polish. This, however, does
not lessen our condemnation of the
spirit polish. You will note on the
directions of practically all stove pol
ishes, other than benzine polish the
following: BEST results obtained on
stove slightly warm" These direc-
tiOns, of course, are not placed on
benzine stove polish containers How
ever, if. hOusehOlders are accustomed
to use the fire-proof polish and
later purchase the benzine make,
they are likely not to read directions
and will use the polish on a warm
stove, in which case an accident is
likely to occur.
There are other serious conditions
apparent, as for instance; the haz-
ard of using this polish is greater
when contained in a brittle recep-
tacle, such as a glass bottle, than
when contained in a metal can. With
either form the matter Of an open
light in the room in which the pol
ish is used involves a further serious
condition. BenZine yaporizes at a
very low temperature and the va
pOrs, being heavier than air, in most
cases will flow to a remote flame
and flash back to the open contain
er, causing an explosion.
ticular polish can be best understood
by the attitude taken in regard to
this matter by the manufacturers.
The manufacturers of benZine stove
polish have given this department ev
cry encourage in endeayOring to
prevent it's manufacture and sale.
However, as they are not in posi-
ton to prevent benzine polish being
placed on the market inasmuch as
they likely could not all be induced
to give up their business in this line,
they are compelled through self-pres-
ervatiOn to practically all manufac-
ture and sell this commodity l quote
here from a communication received
from a Wisconsin manufat turer, as
foIlows: 1--WE had and always did
consider them (benzine stove pol sh-
esq very dangerous and classed them
among gun-poWder and dynamite"
Another manufacturer writes as fol-
lows: "NCt a day passes but what
We hear of some minor accident
which is reported to us by our sales
men calling upon the trade"
Benzine polish is usually found on
the shelves Of the grocery stores
which have as their customers the
poorer class of people. This would
appear to be due to the fact that the
over busy housewife, having in most
cases no domestic help, is constrained
by force of circumstances to econ
omize on time in every possible way
The benZine causes the polish to dry
quickly, and this fact, of course en-
failing less work, recommends it to
this class of householders.
We would caution all householders
to use only fire-proof stove polish,
whether in liquid, powder or paste
form. All stove polishes other than
benzine polish can be safely used,
and just as satisfactory results can
be obtained, especially if but few