The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1940-10-22
WOOD ALCOHOL UNDER
ANOTHER NAME

ANAAAAAAN
have been working on q jot
where wood alcohol, technically
known as methanol, Is used (writes
T. r. CO.. we soak parts IN 1t for 9
few minutes and then dry them
quickly after taking them out we
blow off the excess Of alcohol with
an air hose. While we are doing
this the alcohol continuously sprays
into our faces from impact of the
compressed air on the parts. So we
can't help inhaling some of the al
cohol vapor repeatedly in the course
Of the days work. happened to
notice that the label on one of the
methanol barrels warns that If
methanol vapor is inhaled often
blindness and internal decay may
set in. The warning also stated that
external application of methanol is
dangerous. To dispel doubts I looked
up the matter in a chemistry text
book and certified these facts.
I refused to work on the Job any
longer, and thus got into a heated
argument with the foreman and
also with the company superinten-
dent. It appeared that none of
them knew before that methanol
Is another name for wood alcohol.
Some of the men in the shop ridi-
culed me for giving up the job,
pointing out that two other men
who had been on the job before
me experienced no Ill effects. I
friol ~ fall kbax,a that a. woe V1of
a matter which could be settled in
a day, that it might take consider
able time before serious effects
would become noticeable, and then
it would be too late. incidentally
the two other workers who had
been on the job before me seemed
to have stomach disorders. Am I
right or am I using my magma
ton too freely? IT. r. CO
Denatured grain alcohol would
be safer to use for the purpose, al
though it does not dry so quickly.
Numerous cases of wood alcohol
poisoning, some ending in blind
ness, have occurred in workers in
various industries where wood al
cohol was used as a solvent = the
poison was absorbed by inhalation
Of the vapor.
Some Of the symptoms mention
ed by r. r. G. may be due to wood
alcohol. He says that he was an
noyed by irritation and rashes on
his skin while on the job. But this
is a minor annoyance, due to re-
moval OF the natural skin oil
(sebum) by the solvent. Workers
using any solvent, such as alcohol,
ether, gasoline, should regularly
apply to the exposed skin before
work, and again after
finishing work for the day, an oily
skin lotion or balm, say a mixture
Of equal parts Of lanolin and olive
oil, wiping off the excess with a
clean cloth or piece Of tissue.
Ordinary ventilation is not
enough to protect workers in work.
rooms where wood alcohol is used.
Exhaust ventilation should be pro-
vided, instead Of the method de-
scribed by this worker.
It would be well If more workers
used some Of the imagination and
T. r. C. applied to his
safety.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Hernia
My husband and our ten year old
son have finished injection treat
ments for hernia with DR..
whom you kindly recommended.
Both are apparently cured and
neither minded the treatments at
all. (MrS. D. A. h
Answer-Thank you. am glad to
mail on request a pamphlet on Her
mia, and if I know of a physician
qualified to give name and address.
Be sure to inclose a stamped en-
velope bearing your address.
Tomatoes
You spoke of using factory canned
tomatoes, or tomato Juice. Are not
nome canned tomatoes just as good?
(Mrs. G. S. j.
Answer-Just as good except In
content of vitamin G. The vacuum
process used in commercial canning |
loeS not destroy SO much of the