The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-09-27
VENTILATED SILOS
URGED AS RESULT
OF HEBRON DEATHS
State Health Department Says
Even Umbrella or Fan Blow.
or May Drain Fatal Gas

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or May Drain Fatal Gas
Silos 50 ventilated that the nox-
ious gases can drain off are urged
on farmers by the State Health de-
partment in q further review Of the
tragedy which caused the deaths Of
Tony Neidhardt. two Of his daughters
and two sons, recently ct Hebron.
Such q simple procedure Is man
ipulating an umbrella or turning an
air current on the Mlo from q blower
tan also win suffice to drain of the
poisonous or s~uffocating gases, says
the statement, which Dr.. Robert w.
Allen, head Of the preventable dis
ease bureau, prepared for the news
papers OF the state. The review is
as follows:
The recent tragic incident near
Hebron, North Dakota, In which Tony
Neidhardt and four Of his adult chill
dren lost their lives as q result Of silo
gas poisoning, has prompted US to
prepare this release, trusting that 1t
may prevent any further similar trag-
edies elsewhere.
The press first carried the report
that these deaths were due to me-
thane o. marsh gas poisoning. This
opinion was at once frowned upon by
our state department Of health and
state laboratory. for the reason that
methane Is very light as compared
with air and will seek . higher level
than air.
Heavy Gas Blamed
lnasmuch as all the fatalities In
the Neidhardt family occurred In the
bottom Of the pit silo. We concluded
that 1t was . heavy gas, even heavier
than air. which was responsible.
Experiments carried out In ensilage
filled Hlos prove that carbon dioxide
gas Is developed In large percentage,
sometimes reaching Is per cent Of the
total gases present, the chief remain
ing gas being the nitrogen Of the air.
With this accumulation Of carbon
dioxide gas the oxygen content Is re-
duced to almost nil. This gas being
much heavier than air, 1t remains at
the bottom and when man or man.
NAL comes In contact with 1t, death
from ~suffocation Is the prompt re-
suit. Ten per cent Of carbon dioxide
In the air causes asphy1da, or inAbil-
tty to breathe, which Is usually sud-
den.
AS soon as cut fodder II ensiled,
absorption Of oxygen by the plant tbs
sues begins and continues until al
Of the free oxygen In the air spacesi Is
consumed by the breathing process
Of the plant material. This direct
absorption Of oxygen Is all but count
er-balanced by the evolution OF car
hon dioxide. . small portion OF the
oxygen combining to form other BY
products. Analysis Of air, even with
In "a hours, shows no free oxygen
Nitrogen Of the air Is unaffected by
. these plant processes.
Can Test Pit With Lantern
The most favorable condition fol
q maximum evolution Of carbon d.
oxide Is ar immature corn cut into
fine pieces and placed in the silo al
intervals, as the daily filling with
nightly Interruptions.
The accumulation Of heavy gases
such as, carbon dioxide, In the pit o.
well type Of silos, dug In the ground
can be easily appreciated. However
numerous fatalities have occurred In
other states In the more modern up
ground silos.
All Mlos should be built either with
out tops In the case Of upground silos,
or with removable tops, which will
permit the prevailing winds to drain
off the gases by suction action. In
the upground silo, the doors immed-
lately above the level Of the silage
should be kept open OF should be
equipped with hinged doors which fall
In as the silage settles below them.
The gas can be driven out easily by
using an open umbrella. q bunch Of
hay or leafy branch Of q tree a. q fan
to promote diffusion Of it. In case OF
the pit silo, . safe procedure Is ia
blow them out with . wind blower OF
. grain separator, or endlage cutter,
before entering them. When any
doubt exists the effects on q lantern
flame should be noted, before enter
Ing the silo. In presence Of carbon
dioxide in any dangerous proportion
q lantern flame viii either flicker or
60 out altogether, depending on the
percentage Of the gas present.
Adherence to these few simple rules
may prevent further loss Of life from
stlo gas poisoning.
Further information relative to this
type OF poisoning may be had by ad-
dressing your state agriculture COL
lege, or the federal agricultural de-
partment at Washington, d. G.
Horses are disappearing from AL
ALBANIA at the rate Of 5000 = year.