308 Scientific Proceedings, Royal Dublin Society. 
based ” (see page § of Report of the Committee). Anyone desiring 
to correctly estimate the value of the conclusions expressed in the 
general Report should therefore refer to Dr. Haldane’s excellent 
digest, but it is sufficient for my purpose to cite the statements of 
the Committee which affect the main question. 
The Report states (page 8) that “The poisonous action of 
coal-gas and water-gas is due solely to the carbonic oxide which 
they contain, that the higher the proportion of carbonic oxide the 
greater is the poisonous property of the gas, and that given equal 
conditions as to size of room, flow of gas, length of exposure, 
&e., the danger to life from an escape of carburetted water-gas or 
of coal-gas mixed with any considerable proportion of water-gas 
is far greater than that from an escape of ordinary coal-gas. ‘The 
danger, in fact, increases at a much greater ratio than the propor- 
tion of carbonic oxide.” This deliberate statement of conclusions 
drawn from facts well ascertained by the Committee, disposes once 
for all of the assertions made by interested persons that the water- 
gas mixture is not more poisonous than ordinary coal-gas. 
Carbon monoxide is well known to act as a poison by forming 
a strong compound with the hemoglobin of the blood, and so 
preventing that absorption of oxygen from the air which is necessary 
for the maintenance of life. So strongly is the carbonic oxide 
held by the blood that it is desirable to resort to inhalation of 
pure oxygen in cases of partial poisoning by it. 
According to Dr. Haldane’s report, air containing anything 
more than 0:2 per cent. or 2 parts per 1000 ought to be regarded 
as entailing risk to hfe. Half a part per 1000 is still capable of 
causing, even in healthy persons, giddiness and headache. Dr. 
Haldane adds (see page 71) :—“ The after-symptoms of carbonic 
oxide poisoning are often of a very serious nature,’ and then 
details the various symptoms which I do not think desirable for 
quotation here. 
It is only fair to say that there is no real evidence that carbon 
monoxide is a cumulative poison in the strict sense of the term ; 
but the statement just mentioned indicates considerable interference 
with nerve power, and consequent lowering of vitality even long 
after the poison has disappeared from the organism. It is pro- 
bable that repeated inhalation of minute quantities—without any 
real storing in the system—would ultimately lead to similar results. 
