Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-10
Gas PRECAUTIONS
LISTED BY BUREAU
Warnings Issued by Carbon
M0noxide From Household
Heating Apparatus.

Warning against misuse of gas
fixtures and attempts to control gas
flame by artificial means not used by
the manufacturers, the Bureau Of
Standards last night made public a
list of precautions to be used in con
nection with heating and lighting ap-
pliances which use or generate car
bon monoXide.
Several deaths recently in Wash :
ington were attributed to the presence
OF carbon monoXide gas by the coro-
ner, including the double tragedy on
Christmas day, at 1929 Z street. when
5-year-old John Boyer Harris and
his mother, Mrs. Ruth c. Harris. lost
their lives
Two parts of the chemically active
carbon monoXide mixed with thou
sand parts of air is fatal To human
beings, the Standa rdS Bureau said.
Carbon monoXide is formed during
the combustion o. all fuels-coal.
wood. oil or natural or manufaCtu red
gas, and the bureau said that the eS-
cape of unburned city gas from PIP
ing, either through unliEhted burners
or leaking pipes or cocks is the most
common source of fatal carbon mon
oxide accidents.
Present in All Flame.
Carbon monoxide," the bureau said.
is present in all flames from any or
binary fuel; indeed, flame is to>a
large extent burning carbon monoxide
in the act of uniting with the oxygen
of the air to form the harmless gas.
carbon dioXide" The gas was de-
scribed as lacking in SMELL of about
the same weight as air and possible
of detection by humans only when
mixed with some readily discernihle
gas.
Here are the rules laid down by the
bureau: When gas piping is installed
see that the best materials are used
by a competent workman and that the
work is carefully inspected. Do not
try TO save money by having gas fit
ting done by a man of doubtful com
potency. Do not place the gas piping
under strain by stepping on 1t or even
by hanging clothes upon it; it is even
more dangerous to try to change the
position of an appliance by forcibly
bending the pipe. Have all cocks
and valves so located that there is the
least possible danger of opening the
wrong one, or of accidentally opening
one Have all connections perma-
nently made: If flexible tubing must
be used, he sure that it is of the best
quality and that the connections at
the ends are always tight. Take every
reasonable precautiOn to prevent
small children turning on or playing
with the gas cocks"
A gas cock which is fully opened
by a quarter turn of the handle and
which has stops to prevent its beng
turned past the open or closed posi-
ton is the safest type.
Turning On Meter.
When for any reason the gas has
afr l,e ? 40
est care must be exercised in turning
1t on again to see that none Of the out
let's which might have been in use
when the gas was turned off are still
open. 1t sometimes happens that the
gas does not light at every port of
burner and unburned gas escapes
from those at which there is no fame.
When the gas Is lighted see that there
is a flame at every port. If cleaning
does not remedy the trouble, the
burner must be repaired or replaced
by an experienced appliance ad-
juSter. In a gas fame to which there
Is an unrestricted access of fresh air
and no sudden chilling, the carbon
monoxide is completely burned. When
the fame is partially inclosed and
brought into contact with an object
which takes away some of the heat,
the carbon monoXide may still be
completely burned or il may not.
The bureau listed as foolish" at
tempts of appliance users to incloSe
the flame or partially obstruct the
outlet with the idea of keeping in the
heat.
Ovens, water heaters and house
heating apparatus of every type should
be connected to good chimneys where
ever practica BILE. Appliances always
should be kept clean and in good con-
dition. Remember that no fuel can be
safely burned without plenty of air
and do not try to use appliances burn
ing large quantities of gas in small,
tightly closed rooms.
Any odor (Which does not come from
grease, varnish or other material
about the fame to which the odor can