HEALTH NOTES

Southland Times, Issue 20394, 25 January 1928, Page 5

HEALTH NOTES

CARBON MONOXIDE. SOME PRECAUTIONS. (Contributed by the Department of Health). There are many occasions on which an escape of gas may accidentally occur in a house. One of the chief dangerous gases which go to the composition of coal gas is carbon-monoxide. This carbon monoxide, or CO, is an extremely poisonous gas. It has the peculiar faculty of being able to combine with the red colouring of the blood cells (Memoglobin). This prevents the blood carrying its usual supply of oxygen to the tissue and so rapidly leads to serious symptoms and may end in death. Another source of carbon monoxide is from the “exhaust” of motor-cars. If, therefore, a motor-car is run in an ill-ventilated or closed garage, there may be an undue and dangerous accumulation of the gas with serious results to the individual present. Since carbon monoxide, as compared with other poisonous gases, is colourless, tasteless, and practically odourless, its presence is not detected, and if the amount present in the air is small its victim generally has no warning that he is exposed to a dangerous poison until it has affected him to so great an extent that he is unable to act. The attack of this gas is always insidious, giving no warning of its presence, but steadily rendering its victim unconscious.

It is important that every gas waterheater and every gas stove be connected to a chimney flue or other vent to the outside air in order that unburned gas may not collect in the room to poison its occupants. Rubber hose and rubber connectors to gas heaters frequently rot during the summer months, permitting the escape of gas through the rotted material when such equipment is brought into use upon the first chilly day. Rubber hose and connectors are also in common use on gas plates. If rubber equipment is not replaced at frequent intervals, there is great danger in its use. It is preferable to replace such hazardous material with metal pipes. Loose keys may also be responsible for asphyxiation from this cause. GAS-BURNING APPLIANCES. Sometimes valves and by-passes are located at or near the floor line where they may be accidentally kicked open with the foot or turned open by moving furniture, permitting gas to enter the room. Large containers like wash-boilers or kettles may smother the flames beneath them if the flames are turned too high. Shallow cooking, utensils may easily boil over, spilling their contents and extinguishing the blaze unknown to the occupants of the room. Gas flames turned low are frequently extinguished by a gust of wind, and burners turned too high may force unburned gas into the room. Gas burners that are not properly adjusted may also permit the escape of carbon monoxide. It should be understood that modern gas appliances, such as ranges with closed tops, accomplish much in preventing carbon monoxide poisoning. Furthermore, all gas appliances, including ranges, water heaters, ' and gas heating devices, will give satisfac- ■ tory results, free from any hazard whatso-

ever, if they are properly installed and properly operated. The use of gas appliances in our modern civilisation is as essential as is the use of automobiles; and automobiles, because of careless operating, cause more accidental deaths than does carbon monoxide. The precautions, as outlined here, are issued in an effort to stimulate the exercise of caution, lack of which is responsible for fatalities.

Warnings relative to the danger involved in remaining in a closed garage while an automobile motor is running are issued regularly and often by health officers and safety officials. Nevertheless, deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning, due to this cause, continue to occur in many countries. Most of such fatalities occur during the cold winter months when motors are started with greater difficulty and are permitted to idle in the garage while warming up. The average car in a closed garage of average size can, within a few minutes, give off sufficient quantity of carbon monoxide in the exhaust gases to kill a human being.