On Spontaneous In ftaynmuluviL 351 



This is principallv to be apprehended when linseed oil ii 

 employed in the 'manufacturing of doth, or anv other oil 

 drving of itself, or rendered drying by oxide of lead. 



In cloth manufactories, therefore, no oil but olive or rape 

 oil ought to be employed for greasing wool. 



It sometimes happens that in boiling flowers and herbs 

 in oil, which is the case in several pharmaceutic operations, 

 these herbs, alter being taken out arid dried, inflame spon- 

 tancouslv: care, therefore, must be taken, when they are 

 thrown aside, not to heap ihem up near other combustible 

 bodies. 



We have several instances of ships having been burnt 

 in port either by the spontaneous combustion of cordage 

 heaped up and stVoniily covered with pitch, or of a mixture 

 of boiled linseed oil and lamp black inclosed in a bag. 



6. The Boiling of Oihj Matlcrs. 

 In the preparation of some kinds of varnish, such as 

 printers' ink, where in general linseed oil boiled lo a cer- 

 tain consistence is employed, it often happens that tlic oil 

 inflames, if the nectssarv precautions are not taken. The 

 same effect is produced in melting butter, tallow, or any 

 other greasy substance, if it be too much heated ; so that 

 in these operatioi^s every other combustible body should be 

 kept at a distance, and a covering should be in readiness to 

 place over the vessel as soon as the matter has caught fire : 

 care also ought to be taken not to pour in water, which, 

 instead of extinguishing the lire, would gi\ c more expan- 

 bion to its activity. 



7. Torfefaction. 



There are many vegetable substances which by torrefac- 

 tion acquire an increase of their property to intianie bpon- 

 taneously if inclosed in bags of cloth, w hich leave ihcni in 

 contact with the surrounding atmosphere. Of this kind arc 

 jawdusf, burnt eofiee, the farina of gramineous and the 

 Iruils of leguminous plants, such as beans, lentils, pease, 

 bee. 



There arc several instances of fires breaking out in stables 

 bv a baa of torrefied bran applied to the neck of a diseased 

 animal," and which inflamed spontaneously. The people 

 in the country persist in employing this remedy, for wliicli 

 others more efficacious and less dangerous might be substi- 

 tuted. At any rale, they ougiit to take care not to inclose 

 the bran in cloth eitlier too hot or too much torrelicd. 



Brewers, after causiuL'- the barlev and other grain which. 

 5 " ' they 



