226 Transactions of the American Institute. 



evolve an inflammable vapor below 262° F., nor take the fire below 

 300° F. Practically it is as safe as whale oil. 



The reason why most of the kerosene in the market is unsafe is this : 

 The crude naphtha sells at from three to five cents per gallon, while the 

 refined petroleum or kerosene sells for twenty to twenty-five cents. 

 As great competition exists among the refiners, there is a strong 

 inducement to turn the heavier portions of the naphtha into the kero- 

 sene tank, so as to get for it the price of kerosene. They change the 

 direction of the stream from the coil of the still when it reaches 65° 

 to 63° B., instead of waiting till it reaches 58°. Thus the highly 

 volatile explosive naphtha or benzine is allowed to run into the kero- 

 sene, rendering the whole highly dangerous. Dr. D. B. White, presi- 

 dent of the board of health of New Orleans, found that, experimenting 

 on an oil which flashed at 113° F., an addition of 



One per cent of naphtha caused it to flash at 103° F. 



Two " " " " 92° 



Five " " " " 83° 



Ten " " " " 59° 



Twenty " " " " 40° 



After the addition of twenty per cent of naphtha the oil burned at 

 50° F. 



It is, therefore, the cupidity of the refiner that leads him to run as 

 much benzine as possible into the kerosene, regardless of the frightful 

 consequences which result from the frequent explosions. 



This is the secret of the entire difficulty. Either the refiner or the 

 retail dealer wants to get twenty-five cents a gallon for the five cent 

 naphtha, and in order to do so he sells this murderous mixture. 



On every gallon of naphtha run into the kerosene tank there is a 

 profit to the refiner of twenty cents, or on every per cent of naphtha 

 added to the kerosene a reduction of one-fifth per cent per gallon in 

 the cost of production, which, with kerosene at twenty-five cents per 

 gallon, amounts to one and one-fourth per cent. For every gallon of 

 naphtha sold as kerosene the refiner can afford to throw away four 

 gallons. Nothing is more desirable than the discovery of some use to 

 which the naphtha can be put, which will make such a demand for 

 it as to raise its value above that of kerosene, that it might be the 

 interest of the refiner to separate as much instead of as little as possi- 

 ble. It must not be supposed that the specific gravity of the oil can 

 be considered a safe index of its quality. On the contrary, the specific 

 gravity gives very little idea of the quality, for while naphtha tends to 

 render the oil lighter, the average gravity of good oil is maintained by 



