GASES FROM CERTAIN EXPLOSIVES. 93 



me give a few figures corxerning the gases produced by burn- 

 ing explosives : — 



Table I. — Absolute quantities of nitric oxide found in the gases resulting 

 from the burning of the following nitro glycerine explosives : — 



Per cent. 



1. Ordinary blasting gelatine .. .. 33*46 



2. Antifume blasting gelatine .. .. 29-23 



3. Blasting gelatine containing chlorate . . 33-27 



4. Gelignite ordinary . . . . . . ..21 -co 



5. Gelignite modified.. .. .. .. 19 '5 8 



6. Gelatine dynamite .. .. .. 25-00 



Table IT. — Volumes of nitric oxide produced by the burning of one i| in. 



cartridge (about 250 gr.) of the following nitro glycerine explosives : — 



Litres. cub. ft. 



1. Ordinary blasting gelatine .. 80-68 = 2-845 



2. Antifume blasting gelatine .. 70-42 = 2-487 



3. Blasting gelatine containing chlorate So- 1 5 = 2-830 



4. Gelignite ordinary .. .. 50-59 = 1787 



5. Gelignite modified.. .. .. 47 "17 = i "666 



6. Gelatine dynamite .. .. 60-23 = 2-127 



" These figures call for no particular comment. Those of Table 2 are 

 just the same as Table i, but put another way. 



" What the experiments have made us realise is that with all nitro glycerine 

 explosives tremendous quantities of nitric oxide are produced on burning. 

 The inference is so very obvious that one need hardly dilate upon it, but 

 some inventors have actually gone the length of endeavouring to develop 

 the potential power of nitro glycerine explosives by burning to start with, 

 than which no more efficient method of killing those underground could be 

 devised. One tiny f in. cartridge of blasting gelatine can produce enough 

 nitric oxide to kill many people. Experts who have made a special study 

 of the toxic effects of this gas will be able to translate our figures, but as in 

 the case of carbon monoxide — only much more so — they can only be described 

 as astounding."* 



Then the invariable presence of carbon monoxide in the 

 explosion gases of blasting gelatine seemed difficult to account 

 for in view of the well-authenticated fact that this explosive 

 in the steel bomb yielded only carbonic acid, water, nitrogen 

 and a small amount of oxygen — in other words confirmed 

 theory. The experiments which led to the solution of the 

 problem are worth recording. Firstly, it was ascertained 

 beyond doubt that the gases from blasting gelatine invariably 

 contained carbon monoxide, as has just been stated. Secondly, 

 it w^as discovered that the addition to blasting gelatine of an 

 oxidising body, such as a nitrate or chlorate, practically 

 eliminated carbon monoxide, pointing to a deficiency of oxygen 

 in the explosive as used, for it must be remembered in this 

 connection that explosives are contained in paper wrappers, 

 so that these latter become part and parcel of the explosive. 

 This naturally led to trying the explosive without the wrapper, 

 when it was' found, thirdly, that theoretical results w^ere 

 obtained, i.e., no carbon monoxide. This seemed so inter- 

 esting that metallic wrappers, such as tin foil, were substituted 

 for the paper, when confirmatory results were obtained, i.e., 

 again no carbon monoxide. It was clear, therefore, that the 

 paper wrapper accounted for the presence of carbon monoxide. 



* Proceedings of the Chemical, Metallurgical & Mining Society, September, 

 1909. 



