New Britain herald., 1926-11-08
NONE AT FAULT IN DANBURY GAS CASE Coroner Not Likely To Hold
 Anyone Responsible EXPERTS VIEWS DIFFER One Holds Man And Boy Have Died From PtOmaine-Other Claims It Was From Gas In Refrigcrating System.
EXPERTS VIEWS DIFFER

Bridgeport, ! ov. R = Coroner. John J. Phelan, concluding his in- quiry herc today into the death of Frank w. Force and his grandson, Warren Force .'romme, in Danbury, on October 14, indicated that he would find no one criminally respon- sible. MT. Force and his nine year old grandson were killed by gas es- caping from an electrical refriger- ator in the Force apartment.
 Doctors Differ
 Dr. Frank G. Atwood of New Haven, testifying at the hearing. con- tended that had the bodies of MT. Force and the boy been subjected to examination by autopsy. 1t might have revealed the possibility of the two having met their death through ptomaine poisoning.
 Dr. F. H. Stratton. medical exam iner, took issue with the New Haven doctor on this point. declaring that traces of the gas would only be found on the body if the autopsy was performed within 30 minutes after death.
 It was brought out that the bodies were cremated. pr. Atwood said he was testifying in the interest of healthy citizenship"
 Gas Leaks Easily
 State Chemist Harold T. Leaven- worth, reporting on an analysis he made of the liquid in the Danbury refrigerator. said he found that 1t contained 50 per cent ethyl chloride and methyl bromide by volume and that by weight it consisted of 35 per cent ethyl chloride and 65 per cent methyl bromide.
 The chemist said he had found 1t difficult to keep the gas in a glass container and expressed the opinion that the gas is of such a nature that it could easily escape through threaded joints.
 His analysis showed. the chemist stated, that "the liquid was of high degree of purity and no foreign or deleterious substances were present.
 After pointing out that there lis always uncertainty as to The final physiological action when breathing any gas with the exception of oxygen or air." the chemist said that "the best and only safe rule to follow is to assume that under certain condi- tions all gases are more or less nox- ious, that breathing the same is al- ways to be avoided and that ade- auate ventilation must be provided in all cases where any volatile liquids or gases are used"
 Wants No Arguments
 Early in the hearing Coroner Phe- Ian attempted to eliminate all testi- mony that would tend to start long drawn out argument between various manufacturers of refrigeration sys- tens. It was the re1cr's desire, he said. to learn definitely the nature of the gas which caused the death of Mir. Force and his grandson and to discover whether anyone was di- rectly or criminally responsible for those deaths. All other issues were outside his jurisdiction. he explained.
 Dr. Atwood contended that re- ports that the deaths had been caus- cd by methyl chloride was "an in- justice" He said he had worked with such gas many times and offered to "eat 1t" before the cor oner if the latter desired positive proof. The coroner said. however. that such a demonstration was un- necessary.
 Ptomaine. He Says
 Dr. Atwood said that from his tory of the case he was of the opin- ion that MT. Force and the child had died from ptomaine poisoning after partaking of a beef steak sup per. They probably were tired, he said.
 c. H. Hays of New York. repre- senting a chemical company which produces methyl chloride, said that methyl chloride was free from toxic effects. Men in the research de- partment, he said had smothered themselves in 1t until they became unconscious from lack of air. With in two or three minutes. however, he explained, they showed no i'll ef- feet. He wanted to produce chem ist1 at the hearing to prove this but
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