M. MATERIA MEDICA, THERAPEUTICS, AND HYGIENE. 539 

 DANGER FROil USING THE WASTE GAS OF FURNxlCES. 



Attention has just been called by Dr. Percy, an eminent 

 metallurgist, to the danger of using waste gas from the blast 

 furnace. A principal ingredient of this gas, as is well known, 

 consists of carbonic oxide, the inhalation of which in very 

 small quantities, whether pure or mixed with air, is sufficient 

 to destroy life. The employment of the waste gas of blast 

 furnaces for heating steam-boilers, etc., is extending daily, 

 and Dr. Percy fears that deaths from its inhalation may be- 

 come frequent, unless those who use it are fully aware of its 

 physiological action. Numerous cases of poisoning of this 

 kind are already on record. 6 A, July 16, 1870, 80. 



CONSUMPTION OF NOXIOUS GASES. 



In nothing has the truth of the adage, "Where there is a 

 will there is a way," been more clearly manifested than in re- 

 gard to the consumption of smoke and noxious products in 

 manufactories, especially where these were discharged into 

 the water or the air, polluting the former, and often injuring 

 health in the latter, or at least causing great annoyance to 

 persons in the neighborhood. We are all aware of the effect 

 of the law passed by the British Parliament, requiring facto- 

 ries to consume their own smoke, and giving a certain num- 

 ber of months in which to make the necessary arrangements 

 for the purpose the allotted time, on its arrival, finding many 

 of the establishments in a condition to fully obey the law. 



More difficulty was experienced in regard to the arrest of 

 noxious gases, although this problem has in many cases been 

 solved, and the waste products converted into a source of 

 revenue instead of being a direct loss. Quite recently the 

 subject of the gases produced in locomotive engines has oc- 

 cupied the attention of humanitarians, especially from their 

 action upon the system when passing through underground 

 tunnels, the surplus carbonic gases evolved being not only 

 extremely disagreeable, but exciting a very irritating effect 

 upon the mucous membrane of the eyes and nose. It has been 

 lately suggested as a satisfactory method of accomplishing 

 this object to make use of certain metallic oxides, either in 

 solution or otherwise, with which the gases in question are 

 brought into contact, and are thereby absorbed or decom- 



