The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-12-20

THE CARBON MONOXlDE SEA
 SON IS ON
 From Los Angeles, of all places, comes this complaint,
 We are living in an apart
 ment using a gas range. There is no pipe on the oven, in fact
 no way for fumes to escape ex-
 cept through a window on the opposite (south) side of the room. When the four burners and oven are going full blast and the wind is from the south the fumes are simply awful. have a weak heart and have been
 nearly overcome several times. Isn't there 8 law compelling the
 owner of an apartment or flat or house to provide for elimina- ton of gas fumes?
 If the gas burns freely and there is no carbon or soot acclImula- ton to glow red hot, and no red hot iron or other metal there is mt much danger of crabon mOn- oxide poisoning in such kitchcen. The carbon monoXide gas which is a component of Illuminating or Illuminating or natural gas, will not escape if the gas pipe and fittings and burners are all in good con- dition. None is produced when gas burns freely. Only carbon dioxide is formed in such "fumes" and carbon dioxide is not a pois- on, though conceivably the. kitch- en air may become so poor in oxygen, as the proportion of | oxygen used up by the fire and the proportion of carbon dioxide given off by the fire (and by the breathing of persons or animals in the kitchen) gradually increases, that one senses the insufficiency and instinctively seeks fresh air.
 In any kind of gas, oil, gasoline or kerosene stove or heater where soot accumulates on or close to the burner and perhaps becomes red hot for a while. carbon mon- oxide is given off and in small closed room this may have serious or fatal effects without giving the victim any warning. A portable gas heater with faulty burner or a mixing adjustment which does not admit enough air with the gas, is always a dangerous thing, es- pecially in a bathroom or a bed room where any one may fall asleep with the gas burning.
 Probably there is no law or or dinance such as the correspondent asks about. We can't permit any such cordinances. Might interfere with manufacture and sale of pipe less gas heaters. Dumb public in- sists on playing with these deadly contrivances. A few score of fla talities each winter-but business lS usual.
 For the sake of the comfort of the cook, the cleanliness of the house, and freedom from unpleas- ant odors, every kitchen where a gas range is used should be pro- vided with a suitable cowd ventila- ting shaft above the range, through which fumes, heat and odors may escape up the chimney or out of the house. If neces- sary an exhaust fan should be in stalled to, draw off the fumes and odors. Where such simple pro- visions are not available, then at least some means of cross ventlla- tion should be provided in the kit chen. Thus window opened from the bottom on one side of the room and another opened from the top on the other side of the room, or a door and a window both opened to allow air to pass through.
 Insurance people have reduced the odds they will pay for accident al death, because there have been so many instances of carbon mon oxide passing of gentlemen by their cars in circumstances which make it hard for a coroner to decide whether the deceased was just a a. d. fool or a d. scoundrel.
 In mild gassing with co, when the victim is not frozen" or over come before he can escape or call for aid, the warning signals are headache. dizziness, throbbing in temples, noises in ears, oppres- sion in chest, perhaps nausea or vomiting. The face is red. The victim is unable to walk or stand.