The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-02-29
PUBLIC HEALTH is NoBoDY's BUSINESS

I'm to the first of November there had been
16 deaths from carbon monoxide gassing from
pipeess gas stoves in 1881 in one Of the larg-
est cities and according to report of the citys
health department 104 deaths from the same
cause in the last SIX years For more than 20
years the health authorities in this nameless,
and we might say shameless city have been
trying to put an end to this hideous sacrifice
of life by the enactment Of an ordinance pro-
hibiting the sale and use of such pipeless gas
heating appliances. But their efforts have been
unavailing and will probably continue to be set
at nought, because politics rules the people
and business rules politics, and the manufac-
turers and sales agents Of these deadly appli-
ances do not intend to let a little matter OF
a score Of human lives interfere with the sale
of these stoves. ..> ..s5 IN .t@&
Persons selling Or, installing such appliances
sometimes assure the befuddled customer that
by reason of some gadget or special type Of
burner the heater gives off no harmful fumes.
They patronizingly concede that Of course a
stovepipe may be used If the customer wants
to have the unsightliness ana the additional
expense Of such connection with the chimney
or fue but that it is unnecessary except In the
Imagination. of a few nuts or cranks in the
health department. Why, they declare, they
have used just such a stove in their own home
for many years and never pipe on 1t, and
here they are still alive and well as ever That
sort of argument Is sufficient for the large
moronic population, be it matter of gas
stoves. mineral water, cigarets, positive
OF negative debate on climate weather or air.
Thousands of households have gas cooking
appliances which have inadequate fue or
StOVeplpe connexions IL any, yet only d HllHOT-
ity of such households find that there Is any
i'll effect on health and fatal carbon monoxide
poisoning in a kitchen is a rare occurrence,
except in suicidal cases. Nevertheless have
always believed that much of the ill health
of housewives toward the end of winter and
the coming of spring, the ruin down condi-
ton, "tired feeling" anemia, headache and
other vague impairments SO common among
women who spend much time in the kitchen,
Is due to mild chronic carbon monoxide gass-
ing. This is merely my opinion, based on sufB-
cient experience in practice, not on any theo-
retical fancy
Fortunately, natural unconsidered ven-
tilation through open doors or windows or the
cracks about such openings. Is sufficient to
carry off much Of the carbon monoxide from
the average kitchen.
In small bedroom, a bedroom, natural
ventilation is less likely to be a factor OF
safety for the ignorant or needless person who
ventures to remain in such closed room with
pipeless gas stove burning. Most of the
grave or fatal APPROPRIATIONS occur in bedrooms
or bathrooms.
1t isn't the escape Of the gas from the pipe
or fittings so much it is the production of
carbon monoxide by incomplete or faulty
combustion. Carbon nonoxide is present In
natural and artificial gas, but usually such
fuel has marked odor; the dangerous car
bon monoxide of faulty combustion is odorless
and gives warning.