Health Notes for the Farm

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 61, Issue 1, 15 July 1940, Page 75

Health Notes for the Farm

Contributed by the Department of Health

Beware of the Stealthy Carbon Monoxide Gas

CARBON monoxide is an extremely dangerous gas, and, therefore, attention is drawn to the following measures to combat this hazard of modern life.

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, which has the faculty of being able to combine rapidly with the red colouring of the blood cells (hemoglobin). This prevents the blood carrying its usual supply of oxygen to the tissues, 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.

Insidious Gas

As carbon monoxide, as compared with other poisonous gases, is colourless, tasteless, and 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 stealthily rendering its victim unconscious.

It is important that every gas water heater 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

months, permitting the escape of gas frequently rot during the summer 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 taps 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. 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. Gas burners which 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 gasheating devices, will give satisfactory results, free from any hazard whatsoever, 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.

Keep Garage Doors Open

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 a sufficient quantity of carbon monoxide in the exhaust gases to kill a human being.

Garage doors should be wide open when running an automobile engine inside. It is also inadvisable to drive a car with all windows closed tightly. Any leakage of exhaust into the car, while it may not be sufficient to cause asphyxiation, may cause mental dullness and so affect driving ability.

Resucitation

Pending the arrival of a doctor, the patient should be removed to a good atmosphere, with plenty of fresh air, and artificial respiration should be employed, as in the case of drowning. Prolonged and systematic rubbing of the skin and kneading of the muscles will • assist in promoting the circulation of-the blood. -