PHILOSOPHICAL INSTITUTE.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17807, 5 July 1923, Page 13

PHILOSOPHICAL INSTITUTE.

TWO INTERESTING PAPERS. Two interesting papers were read last night at a meeting of tho Canterbury Philosophical Institute. There was a large attendance. Poisonous Gases, Dr. T. F. Telford, taking as his subject "One Aspect of Publio Health," said that Ik* wished to consider two gases, carbon monoxide and sulphuretted hydrogen, from a general point of view. Carbon monoxide was an important business gas, and was used in various industries. It was colourless, odourless, and tasteless, and burned with a blue flame, though it did not support combustion. Carbon monoxide might be formed when carbon dioxide passed over red hot coals and metal. Cases of poisoning arose from neglect in closing of doors or stoves or from leaking stoves, from tho back draught of fireplaces, from old-fashioned ovens or charcoal braziers, in fact the burning of any form of fuel, coal, wood, charcoal, or coke. The records of large cities revealed frequent instances of gas poisoning, some being cases of suicide and others accidental. In the former case the charcoal brazier in France had easily held first place as a method of suicide. The deliberate or accidental inhalation of carbon monoxide through illuminating gas, had also been frequently recorded. Air containing one per cent, of carbon monoxide was rapidly fatal. The effects of poisoning were not.of a stereotyped character; they were acute or chronic in character. The main symptoms in acute poisoning varied according to the amount of gas which bid been inhaled. Personal susceptibility, age, sex, and general health had also to be considered. In certain cases death occurred very rapidly and without any initial symptoms, and this was more especially the case with poisoning by gases from, blast furnaces. Frequently unpleasant sensations, such as headaches, giddiness, and throbbing of the temples with confused mental action, a, feeling of oppression in the chest with a slight breatliiessness, pain in the stomach oocurs wlnlfe a feeling of weakness in the lower limbs made a worker powerless to escape in case of a large colliery explosion. A case of poisoning by this dangerous gas, continued Dr. Telford, frequently" ended in an attack of broncho-pneumonia, especially if associated with exposure to cold or carious teeth. Many men immediately on recovering consciousness after poisoning by furnace gas behaved as if they were intoxicated with alcohol. It often took months for the effects of the carbon monoxide gas to disappear. The postmortem finding in caves of this poisoning were usually bright, cherry-red colouration of the blood, with a rapid fatty degeneration of the heart muscles and liver and kidneys. It was difficult to differentiate between mild cases of acute poisoning, and so-called olironic cases in men who would not acquire a tolerance of the gas. In the latter cases the men complained of headache, attacks of giddiness, loss of appetite, irritability, loss of weight, etc. They were pale and their vital resistance was reduced. Two authorities, r>rs. Kober and Karesak, concluded that a worker can acclimatise himself to carbon monoxide within certain limits. Dr. Telford indicated the results of several experiments which had been carried out on guiheaTpigs to show the effects of the gas. According to statistics issued by the British Chief Inspector of Factories, these showed that gases containing carbon monoxide caused, apart from coal-mining accidents, more industrial accidents and deaths than any other gases, and that producer and blast furnace gas was the most prolific source of danger. Another source of danger of Carbon monoxide poisoning arose in. the growth of the gas-engine for driving automobiles, launches, etc. Dr. Telford then indicated a number of preventive measures, which included the- posting up of notices showing the deadly nature or the symptoms produced, the ensuring that persons in charge of engines worked by water-gas were free from diseases of heart or lungs, and the inspection at short intervals of all valves and connexions to see that there was no escaping gas. The effect of sulphuretted hydrogen was that of an intense poison, continued Dr. Telford. The first symptoms were irritation of the eyes and the mucous membrane. With continued inhalations of the gas convulsions and paralysis might occur. The gas was round in 'the sewers of large towns, and had not infrequently caused death amongst those who had to enter or work in these passages. It was also found in mines, oa the product of the decomposition of iron pyrites. It was known to miners as "stink damp." The ana was also found in Nature in the decomposition of animal matter, in sulphuretted water springs, and in active volcanic regions. In accidents resulting from the gas, men affected were usually rendered helpless or unconscious with great suddenness, and often one man alter another was struck down during efforts to save the first man affected. In one case five men lost their lives in a> manhole of a sewer, the last four having descended one after another in vain attempts to rescue the first man. In, an investigation into gassing in a mine on the West Coast he found that a five per cent, cocaine solution was the most successful method of. treating the eyes.when affected, with a drop or two of castor oil as a further soothing element. Some of the other workers whose eyes did not reaot so readily pursued their work and developed muscular tremor, laryngitis, and bronchitic conditions. The sulphuretted hydrogen in that dip working was caused by the inter-action of dripping water on the lime and fireclay present) acting on the iron pyrites and the coal. Sometimes the gas could be smelt, but at other times it was not perceptible. Ho had visited the mines personally on several occasions, but could only detect tho smell on one occasion.

Mr Archey's Paper. _Mr G. E. Archey, assistant-curator of the Christehurch Museum, delivered an interesting address on "A Voyage to the Sub-Antarctic Islands." Mi : Archey dealt with various kinds of birds which he had encountered during a voyage at Easter last, to the. Snares, the Campbell, and Auckland Islands und the Antipodes. At the conclusion, Mr Archery answered' a number of questions. Both speakers were accorded a hearty vote of thanks.