Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-06
Complaints of Passengers
Bring Order From Health
Officer to Study Ventilation.
GARAGE OWNERS GIVEN
WARNING OF MONOxlDE
Bulletin Calling Attention to Dan.
ger of Running Engines in Closed
Places Is Mailed Out.

Tests of the purity of air in buses
running in the District have been or
dered by District Health Oficer william
9. Fowler, on complaints from pas
sengers that buses are poorly venti-
lated. The order was made with the
approval of the Public Utilities Com
mission
Health Department inspectors take
INTO the buSSes two small bottles for
each sample. One bottle is full of dis
titled water. The other is empty. In
oroer 70 get sample of the air, all
tnat Is necessary is to pour the water
from one bottle to the other. Then the
empty bottle. is tightly stoppered and
the air examined in the chemical labor
atory for traces of carbon monoxide
and carbon dioxide.
Warning Sent Out.
According to DR.. Fowler there Is a
remote possibility of the presence of
carbon monoxide, a deadly poison, In
the buses. The discomfort passengers
Suner comes principally from carbon
oioxide, an inert gas exhaied by the
human lungs, which accumulates when
the buses are crowded and there Is
insufficient ventilation.
III the tests show that the buses
are improperly ventilated the results
will be given to the Public Utilities
Commission for action
At the same time Dr. Fowler sent
to owners of public and private garages
warning against poisoning from car
BON monoxide when gasoline engines are
allowed to run in closed and unven-
tnated garages. The warning, in the
form Of small printed leaflet, follows.
Fumes Are Poisonous.
Fumes from the exhaust of an au-
tomobile or other gasoline engine are
poisonous and have often caused death,
The danger Is due to carbon nonoxide,
colorlesS and odorlesS gas contained
in the fumes. The degree of combus-
ton in the engine has an influence
upon the amount of carbon monoxide
discharged, but even under the best
conditions the amount liberated poiSons
the air to dangerous degree unless
there is abundant ventilation.
I'm a very few minutes the air Of
small garage can be poisoned with
! carbon monoxide to dangerous degree
| by the exhaust fumes from an auto
mobile, even when the engine is oper-
ated at a moderate rate of speed. All
| repairs or adjustments upon an auto
| mobile when the engine is operating
should be made, therefore, in the open
air. If this Is impraeticable, then the
danger should be reduced as far as pos
Sible by opening all windows and doors.
The danger of gases from gasoline en-
gineS, however, Is not confined to small
garages. A large garage may be venti-
lated insufficiently to dilute to q point
of safety the gases discharged into it,
Stationary gasoline engines in buildings
where there is insufficient ventilation,
and the cabins Of motor boats where
such gases may accumulate are like
wise dangerous.
"All persons are not equally affected
by carbon monoxide. Some possess a
others Succumb when there is asrela-
lively small amount of the gas present.
Moreover, the symptoms OF poisoning
vary. Dizziness, muscular weakness,
headache, shortness of breath and MAUI
sea, any or all, are the most common
symptoms, but in some cases no such
symptoms appear. the person becoming
unconscious without apparent warning,
and If not promptly removed from the
presence of the gas, death may result
in very short time.
Death Is Sudden.
mo one should remain alone In a
room into which the gases from an
automobile are being discharged, since
ne may without warning De rendered
unconscious by the gases, or, as some
times occurs, paralyzed by them even
though not rendered unconscious, and
being unable promptly to obtain fresh
air he may without possibility of aid
be killed.
Dizziness, headache, weakness or
shortneSs of breath are danger signs
and as soon as they appear the motor
should be stopped and fresh air sought
at once. Delay may mean death, since
paralysis may prevent escape.
when person is found unconscious
in a garage or elsewhere in the presence
of the gases from an exhaust from q
gasoline engine, he should be imme-
diately removed to the outside air.
placed with the head low, and artificial
respiration applied Carbon monoxide
is, however, an active poison and kills
by its positive action on the blood and
not merely by Suffocation. A physician
should be summoned, therefore, in every
case. Even should consciousness be
recovered, death may ensue as late as
the eighth day.
"Rescuers should be careful not to
remain long in the poisoned atmosphere
nor to breathe freely in it. Open the
doors of the garage wide before
entering"